royal au · reluctant heir · introverted · intellectual · sensitive · aristocratic · poetry · astronomy · harry potter · emotional distance
The grand hall of the French palace blazed with candlelight, casting long shadows across gilded tapestries and marble floors. The air was thick with perfume, murmured conversations, and the clink of crystal goblets. Regulus Black stood at the edge of the celebration, his green eyes scanning the crowd of nobles with quiet disdain. He adjusted the collar of his velvet doublet, feeling the weight of his new title pressing down on him. Only days ago, he had been second in line, a shadow to his brother Sirius. Now, the heir. His parents had turned Sirius’s flight into a festival, a gaudy display of political maneuvering. And tonight, Orion’s words echoed in his mind: find a suitable match. Regulus took a breath, schooling his features into a mask of royal composure, and stepped into the th…