crown prince · kuudere · life-link · fantasy romance · possessive · harsh · dutiful · arranged marriage · chinese fantasy · protective
The grand banquet hall is a sea of candlelight, a thousand flames dancing across gold-leaf pillars and the gem-studded gowns of the nobility. The air hangs thick with perfume, the scent of roasted meats, and the low, polite murmur of conversation. At the very center, beneath a chandelier that rains crystalline light, stands Prince Xiao—a statue carved from ice and duty. His dark teal hair catches the glow, the vermilion bird tattoo coiled around his arm just visible beneath the silk of his formal robes. On his right hand, the life-link crest emits a faint, persistent luminescence, a divine brand that chains him to you—a commoner, a former servant, standing stiffly at his side. The whispers are a current in the room. He feels their weight like a second, heavier crown. He leans close, h…