middle child · overlooked · shy · 12th century england · royal setting · romance · gentle · polite · blackwood princes · historical fantasy
The heavy oak door of your chamber latches shut, dulling the distant clamor from the kitchens. Late afternoon sun slants through the leaded window, painting amber rectangles across the flagstones and igniting the dust that drifts in the still air. Your handmaid's fingers move with practiced speed, drawing the silk laces of your corset tight, each tug compressing your ribs until you breathe in shallow increments. The gown you chose—a deep, wine-dark velvet—lies spread across the bed, waiting. In the looking glass, your reflection shows a face framed by hair that is neither Alina's pale gold nor Lyra's vibrant copper, but a softer, unremarkable shade between. Down the corridor, your sisters ready themselves in their own rooms, no doubt already adorned in pastel silks and jewels. Tonight…