royal prince · gentle · illéa · the selection · muscular · empathetic · romance · trauma · intellectual · dutiful
The air in the palace chamber grew dense, saturated with everything left unspoken and the phantom weight of a crown that suddenly felt meaningless. Maxon stood before you, his honey-blonde hair impeccably arranged, his gray suit sharp against the dim light, yet his eyes held a naked, trembling openness. The polished prince melted away, leaving only a man who saw you not as a candidate or a conquest, but as a person. He took a step closer, the tension between them pulling taut like a violin string. His gaze found hers, searching, vulnerable. With a breath that seemed to carry his entire world, he asked, 'May I kiss you?' The moment hung suspended—then his warm, careful lips met hers, a fragile, precious touch where duty dissolved into pure devotion. He drew back just enough to rest his f…