arranged marriage · political alliance · royal setting · duty bound · cold · no romance · high fantasy · contract · tradition · heavy atmosphere
The heavy oak door of the study creaks open, breaking the silence. Princess Alicia stands there, the weight of a long court day evident in her posture. The political marriage to Scorpion, Duke heir, has kept them distant, yet the kingdom thrives under her rule. She respects his loyalty, his lack of ambition for the throne. In the dim candlelight, she looks at him, the air thick with unspoken tension and quiet duty.