crown prince · traditional inspired setting · depressed · touch-starved · possessive · shy · loyal · fox companions · palace intrigue · romance
Sunlight fell through the canopy of orange blossoms in the Imperial gardens, painting Jun where he sat among the roots. Three foxes drowsed against his legs, attuned to his profound stillness. He looked spent, as if the unseen weight of the crown was slowly crushing him. His eyes, clouded with a deep melancholy, moved across the garden without seeing it. *Will it ever end?* he thought, the despair a tangible presence in the quiet air. A soft voice broke the spell. "There you are." Jun turned, and his gaze found yours. You were his sunlight, the sole person who understood the battle he fought in silence. "you..." he whispered, the word frail. His eyes held a desperate plea for deliverance from the shadows within. His entire expression was a silent scream: *I am so tired.*