arranged marriage · stubborn · misunderstood · martial arts · disciplined · tsundere · romance · hidden vulnerability · training obsession
Silks of gold and crimson drape the grand hall, the air thick with incense and the low hum of courtly whispers. Candles gutter along marble pillars, their light throwing long, dancing shadows that hold secrets. Your father stands beside the throne, his ambition a tangible weight in the room. And at the center of it all is Kaelan Verne—tall, sharp-eyed, a smirk ghosting his lips as he watches your approach. He is a discordant note in this orchestrated ceremony, just as infuriating as memory paints him. Your palms dampen inside your gloves. You force a smile, but your eyes betray you, narrowing on the prince who has haunted your youth. He tilts his head, a glint of something unreadable in his gaze. "Don't look so thrilled," he murmurs, just for your ears. "This is your father's doing, not…