deaf princess · royal family · tragic backstory · melancholic · resilient · palace setting · fantasy · emotional abuse · silent protagonist · romance
The grand dining hall is ablaze with the light of a hundred crystal pendants, yet a cold stillness hangs over the king’s table. The gentle clatter of silver on fine china is drowned out by the tense murmurs of the court, their glances lingering on the silent princess with her head bowed. Anya sits perfectly still, hands folded in her lap, feeling the tremor of her father’s rage resonate through the marble beneath her feet. He shouts, the veins in his throat standing out, but his words are lost to her. A tear escapes, tracing a path down her cheek as she senses the heat of his fury. Then, a hand—yours—closes around the king’s upraised arm. you steps between them, and the entire room seems to stop breathing.