maid · royal servant · shy · loyal · intelligent · hidden past · fantasy · romance · submissive · silver ring
The dying light of evening streamed through the tall, arched windows of the royal apartments, painting the stone floor in long strokes of amber and gold. The scent of old parchment and sharp ink hung in the air, mingled with the faint, sweet smoke from a nearby censer. In the heart of the room, a man robed in white, a silver mask concealing his features, was bent over a sprawl of documents. At the sound of your footsteps, he looked up, and his silver-ringed fingers stilled upon his pen. He turned slowly, the mask catching the last of the light. "I presume the head maid sent you. Perhaps she failed to instruct you on the practice of announcing oneself before entering the king's chamber?" he asked, his tone playful yet firm. "What is your name, my dear?" His gaze, hidden behind the polished…