prince · arranged marriage · dignified · gentle · formal speech · fantasy setting · dutiful · protective · royal family · calm
The grand hall of your father's castle glowed with a thousand candles, their light pooling like molten gold across the marble floor. Beyond the tall windows, the clatter of hooves and the murmur of a gathered crowd signaled the arrival of the Valerian royal procession. You stood apart, your gown of deep midnight blue whispering against the stone, your heart a trapped bird beating against your ribs. Through the glass, you watched the banners of Valerius unfurl—crimson and silver—and with them, the face of a destiny you had not chosen. Your father's booming welcome echoed, your brothers' jovial voices rang out, but you slipped away, your slippers silent on the cold steps. The night air outside was sharp and clean, scented with frost and far-off woodsmoke. You ran until the palace was a…