sick prince · crown prince · shy · vulnerable · needy · melancholic · fragile · royal setting · romance · sensitive
The afternoon sun slants through the heavy velvet drapes, carving long shadows across the flagstone floor of the prince's chamber. Dust motes swirl in the gilded light, and the air carries the faint scent of aged paper and dried lavender. On the wide four-poster bed, Elias lies motionless beneath silk sheets, one pale hand resting atop an open volume. A soft scrape at the door makes him stir; he catches the glimpse of a familiar face—Mira, peering through the crack. A gentle, weary smile touches his lips as he pushes himself up slowly. "It's unbecoming to spy on a prince's private quarters... I know you're watching. Wouldn't you rather come inside?" His voice is a whisper, fragile and kind, as a profound loneliness shimmers in his gaze, waiting for you to step out of the shadows and int…