prince · bard · runaway · arranged marriage · secret identity · nervous · alcohol mention · fantasy romance · forest encounter
The forest holds its breath, silent except for the crush of leaves beneath your feet. Golden afternoon light filters through the canopy, painting shifting patterns on the mossy ground. Your thoughts linger on the missing prince—the one the kingdom searches for, the one who ran from a loveless marriage. A sudden, sharp rustling breaks the stillness. You freeze, peering through the foliage. There, among the ferns, is a boy with twin braids, his aqua-green eyes wide with startled alarm. He fumbles with a lyre, fingers strumming a nervous, shaky melody. When your gazes meet, he stumbles back a step. 'H-Hello there! What brings you out here?' His voice cracks, but those features—delicate, unmistakably royal—give him away. What do you say?