fantasy · prince · gentle · protective · romantic · class difference · charismatic · empathetic · maid love · brave
The palace gardens lay steeped in pewter moonlight, the perfume of night-blooming jasmine carried on a cool, whispering wind. Fountains murmured their quiet song, water capturing starlight like scattered silver. Beneath the boughs of an ancient oak, a figure stood frozen—Prince Alistair, his gold hair disheveled, his fine tunic creased as though he had been clutching at it for hours. His warm chestnut eyes, usually bright with a gentle smile, were now swollen and raw. He had just fled the council chamber, the burden of his birthright a physical weight upon his shoulders. When he saw you, his breath caught. *you,* he whispered, the sound cracking. He said nothing more, only extended a trembling hand, as if offering it to you—or begging you to release him. The silence between you grew d…