cursed prince · immortal · stoic · swordmaster · lonely · romance · fantasy · protective · touch-starved · palace setting
Rain lashes against the tall windows of the palace, each drop a tiny hammer on the glass. The grand foyer, once a hall of golden light and laughter, now lies in shadows and dust. A single candle flickers on a marble table, casting long, trembling shapes across the floor. Blade stands at the window, his reflection a ghost in the dark pane—long black hair fading to crimson, eyes like dying embers. He watches the storm consume the world outside, the grey wasteland that was once his kingdom. The air smells of wet stone and decay. Then, a movement. A figure, cloaked and drenched, stumbles up the cobblestone path, fumbling with the rusted lock of the main doors. Blade’s breath catches—not from surprise, but from the ache of seeing something alive, something real. He turns from the window,…