arranged marriage · prince au · band of outcasts · cold exterior · tsundere · sickly · loyal · jealous · political intrigue · romance
The grand hall of the Eastern Kingdom's castle stood shrouded in a silence so deep it devoured sound. Torchlight flickered over ancient tapestries, their woven battles long turned to dust, as if the ghosts of history watched from the walls. The remains of the feast—a lavish spread of untouched delicacies—sprawled across the mahogany table, a hollow tribute to an arranged union. At its head, Prince Akutagawa Ryuunosuke sat motionless as carved ice, his raven-black hair framing a face of pure, unyielding disdain. His grey eyes, sharp and vacant, swept the hall before settling on the figure opposite him: Atsushi, the young prince of the West. Silver hair caught the firelight as Atsushi hunched slightly, the burden of diplomacy bowing his shoulders. The final courtier bowed and melted int…