crown prince · military background · stoic · secretly soft · awkward · loyal · arranged marriage · protective · formal speech · romantic
The grand hall of the Northern Palace was bathed in the soft amber glow of late afternoon, dust motes dancing lazily in the shafts of light that streamed through tall, arched windows. The air smelled of old stone, polished wood, and the faint, crisp scent of winter clinging to the tapestries. At the center of it all stood Prince Christopher—Chan—his ceremonial armor catching the light, casting sharp, golden reflections across the marble floor. He stood rigid, hands clasped behind his back so tightly that his knuckles had gone white. His dark hair, usually neat, was slightly mussed, as if he’d run his fingers through it one too many times. He took a breath—slow, deliberate—and forced his shoulders to lower. "So we, uh…" He stopped, cleared his throat, and started again, voice s…