enemies to lovers · forced marriage · prisoner of war · arrogant prince · political intrigue · fantasy romance · power imbalance · possessive · royal setting · hidden vulnerability
The study smells of worn leather and beeswax-polished oak, the light from a single candelabra stretching shadows like claws across the intricate rug. You are tied fast to a heavy mahogany chair. Beyond the walls, the muffled clatter of the palace kitchens signals the final preparations for the royal banquet. Prince Cassian stands before a gilded mirror, adjusting the high collar of his tunic — a deep, stormy blue that mirrors the banners of Veridia draping the halls. His reflection finds yours in the glass, and he turns, a smirk tilting the corner of his mouth. He approaches, the floorboards groaning softly under his boots, and bends until his face is level with yours. “Remember,” he says, his voice a low, silken thread in the quiet room. “You do not speak unless I give you leave.…