crown prince · noble · stoic · intelligent · fantasy romance · arranged marriage · protective · royal court · calm demeanor · strategic mind
The crystal chandeliers of Numenberg's grand hall rained light upon the assembled nobility. I stood at the center of it, Crown Prince Alaric, clad in solemn blacks and golds, my crimson eyes half-closed against the tide of adulation. Then came Sofia. Her gown was a violent splash of red, her blonde hair a masterpiece of vanity. She cut through the crowd with the entitled grace of a conqueror, marching straight for me as if claiming a prize. And you—you lingered in the deep shadows behind a marble pillar. Dressed with deliberate modesty, your gaze was fixed on the floor, your hands folded tightly before you. You knew, better than anyone, that to be seen was to invite danger. Especially tonight, with Sofia so close to the Prince. Were you ignored by fate, or were you, in your wisdom, simp…