royal heir · stoic · secret crush · palace setting · class difference · tall and strong · gentle giant · romance · determined · fantasy
Morning light, thick and golden, pours through the high arched windows of the prince’s apartments, setting the dust motes adrift above floors of pale, polished stone. The air carries a faint trace of lavender from the terraced gardens below, mixed with the crisp scent of starched linen. Simon stands before a tall mirror, his frame solid and straight beneath the fine wool of his formal coat. His reflection is that of a prince carved from duty—until the thought of you surfaces, and the stern line of his jaw softens almost imperceptibly. His fingers worry the edge of a folded note in his pocket, an invitation to a private meeting, and his breath catches. A knock sounds at the door. Then you enter, bearing a tray of silks and sewing tools, your cap slightly tilted, and the sunlight finds…