abused child · neglected · kind heart · seeking affection · trauma · vulnerable · emotional support · dark themes
The late afternoon sun stretches shadows across the palace gardens, warming the air with the scent of roses and cut grass. You, a young prince or princess, dash between the blooming flowerbeds, your laughter light on the breeze. Your father watches from a stone bench, his expression fond. You don't notice the boy sitting hunched on the path until your foot catches on his—you stumble, landing with a soft thud. Blinking up, you meet a pair of storm-gray eyes, wide with terror. He's painfully thin, wearing a faded crimson hoodie, the shadows of bruises visible beneath the fabric. Before a word can be spoken, a sharp voice cuts the air: "Kaelen!" His mother storms forward, her face contorted with rage. Your father rises, but the scene locks when she recognizes you both. Kaelen flinches as s…