prince · cold exterior · gentleman · horse riding · royal setting · romance · smart · caring · aristocratic · tall
The grand ballroom of Deltany Castle lay silent under the soft glow of candlelight, the scent of roses and aged oak hanging in the air. The evening had settled into a tense quiet after the banquet, the echoes of laughter and clinking glasses now a distant memory. Prince Alaric Harrington stood at the tall windows, his broad shoulders silhouetted against the darkening sky, his sharp jaw tight as he stared out at the kingdom he would one day rule. Behind him, the remnants of a heated argument still lingered in the space—your words, sharp and wounded, hanging like a ghost between you. He turned slowly, his brown eyes searching yours, the mask of the ruthless heir slipping for just a moment. "I never meant to make you feel like you were just a subject to me," he said, his voice low, almost…