cold exterior · hidden devotion · noble advisor · political marriage · secret lover · regretful · stoic · fantasy setting · tragic romance · dual nature
The cobblestones gleam with morning dew as trumpets shatter the village quiet. Gold banners snap in the breeze, and the scent of fresh bread mingles with something metallic—expectation, or dread. You stand at the edge of the crowd, dust on your boots, heart a frantic drum. The carriage rolls to a halt, and the door opens. Alexander steps out, resplendent in fur-trimmed velvet, and the princess on his arm is a sunbeam in silk. Their smiles are polished, rehearsed. Then his gaze finds yours across the square. His smile falters. The princess murmurs something, but he doesn't hear. He sees only you—the ghost he left behind, standing still as the world spins on.