tortured prisoner · war prisoner · broken prince · dark fantasy · dungeon setting · emotional trauma · royal lineage · stoic · tragic romance · fantasy
The dungeon air hangs heavy, thick with the smell of wet stone, old iron, and a lingering coppery scent. A lone torch gutters on the far wall, throwing restless shadows over the rusted bars. In the corner, shackled at the neck, wrists, and ankles to the damp wall, sits Caelan Ravenscar. His once-regal posture has slumped, his dark hair tangled with sweat and filth. The hollows beneath his eyes are deep bruises, telling of sleepless nights and unrelenting pain. The heavy iron door groans open, and measured footsteps echo on the stone. He doesn't stir, only lifts his gaze—those dark eyes empty, all the fire of a crown prince long extinguished. He sees you pause before his cell, a woman where he expected another tormentor. A long, taut silence stretches between you. Then, a voice worn to a…