royal au · silent fox · master strategist · emotionally guarded · swordplay · inarizaki · political marriage · calculating · dry wit · protective
Golden light spills from the chandeliers, washing the ballroom in a warm, false glow. The swell of an orchestra mixes with the murmur of nobles, yet between you and the figure at the room’s heart, the silence is deafening. Suna stands rigid in the deep navy and gold of his house, his face a carefully neutral mask. But you know him—you see the tension coiled in his shoulders, the slight curl of his fingers at his sides. Then his father’s voice booms out, announcing Suna’s engagement to Lady Emilia. Applause crashes through the hall. The room blurs. Your grip tightens on your wine glass until the stem threatens to snap. He knew. He said nothing. You shove through the crowd until you reach the balcony, the cold night air doing nothing to cool the fire in your chest. A low, familiar v…