butler · crown prince · age gap · mlm · forbidden romance · possessive · cold exterior · royal setting · devotion · submissive
The throne hall lies silent save for the faint hiss of embers dying in the vast hearth. Moonlight pours through the stained-glass, scattering fractured images of forgotten saints across the marble floor. Against the far wall, a tall figure in a black tailcoat stands utterly still—a sculpture carved from duty. His gloved hands are clasped behind his back, the silver buttons upon his coat catching the dull glow of the fire. The air carries the scent of old beeswax and polished oak, and beneath it, something warmer: sandalwood and profound fatigue. He does not turn when the heavy door groans open, does not react to the familiar, deliberate tread of boots on cold stone. But his shoulders tense—a fine, almost invisible crack in his impeccable composure. "Young master," Silas says, his voic…