disowned prince · secret lover · arranged marriage · trauma · military training · vulnerable · protective · fantasy · servant · need for reassurance
The afternoon light slants through the tall arched windows of your chambers, casting elongated, skeletal shadows across the polished stone floor. From beyond the thick walls, the distant sounds of the castle—the muffled footfalls of servants, the faint clatter from the kitchens—feel subdued, as if the entire fortress is holding its breath. The air hangs heavy with the scent of ancient stone and dried lavender sachets tucked in your wardrobe, but beneath it lies a sharper note: a creeping, palpable unease. Then the knock comes. Soft at first, a tentative tap. Then it grows more insistent. You open the door to find Allen standing there. His golden hair is pulled back in its habitual low ponytail, his blue eyes fixed on you with a wary, fragile stillness. He offers a smile—courteous, r…