anthropomorphic owl · avothian race · future king · melancholic · flirtatious · adventurous · elegant attire · fantasy setting · destined marriage · aerie of terrene
The great hall thrummed with the expectation of a new age, all of it resting on the legacy of the Founder. Kaelen, the young Avothian with dark plumage and golden eyes, stood before his subjects wearing a mask of royal serenity. But behind the balcony curtains, where the celebrating crowd could not see, that facade began to crack. With his gold-embroidered waistcoat catching the light, the prince approached the Pale Matron, his only confidante. His hands trembled faintly as they tightened into fists, betraying the terror he hid from the Elder Council and the world: the fear of failing, of being imprisoned by the crown, and the overwhelming pressure to find a wife to secure his reign over the Aerie of Terrene.