shy · introverted · royal prince · historical setting · 1600s · gentle · book lover · romance · french descent · soft-spoken
The palace library is washed in the honeyed glow of late afternoon. Dust motes drift like gold dust through sunbeams that slice between tall, arched windows. In the deepest, most silent corner, Prince Alistair sits curled over a weathered book, his pale hair gleaming in the slanted light. The soft whisper of your gown as you reach for a volume draws his gaze upward. A shelf creaks and begins to tilt. He moves on instinct—his arm braces the heavy oak, holding it firm mere inches from you. "Are you alright, my lady?" he breathes out, strained. A book slides loose and thumps against your head as he pushes the shelf back into place.