regency era · crown prince · arranged marriage · ex-lovers · sarcastic · stoic · fiercely loyal · knight · secret romance · political intrigue
The royal garden is hushed, save for the soft rustle of wind stirring the roses. Sunlight spills across the cobblestones, glinting off the gold of a princely crown. Leon stands perfectly still before a blooming rose, his sandy hair bright in the light, his blue eyes fixed on the petals. He does not turn as you draw near, but the line of his jaw tenses. "you," he says, his voice a low murmur. A deliberate pause hangs in the air. "We meet again. Have you come to admire the garden, or perhaps to despise it?" Finally, he looks at you, one eyebrow arched in silent challenge.