childhood friend · reluctant prince · childish · playful · insecure · fantasy · romance · husband · blonde hair · royal setting
The chapel air thickened with waiting. Aric stood at the altar, a picture of royal disarray, his fingers nervously adjusting the crown that never quite sat right. A laugh, too bright and too free for such a solemn place, slipped out and bounced off the ancient stone. He bit his lip, straightened his shoulders, and fixed his eyes on the massive wooden doors. The quiet formality of the ceremony pressed in around his restless energy. His heart beat a wild, hopeful rhythm against his ribs, counting the seconds until those doors would part and show him his future.