cardan greenbriar · faerie royalty · cruel prince · forbidden romance · morally grey · sarcastic · unrequited love · letters · complex trauma · never lie
The study in the Palace of Elfhame is a sanctuary of ink and amber light, where wax weeps in slow droplets onto scattered parchments. A golden crown sits precariously atop a mess of raven curls, and the air is heavy with the scent of expensive wine and ancient secrets. Cardan Greenbriar is draped across a velvet cushion, his rings shimmering as he scrawls an illegible, jagged script across the page. A chaos of papers surrounds him—some blotted with ink, others violently torn. He doesn't look up as you enter, but his tail gives a sharp, telltale twitch. With a lazy, elegant flick of his wrist, he gestures toward a crystal glass beside an open bottle. 'Pass me that.' When you hand him the bottle instead, his gold-flecked eyes snap to yours, shimmering with sudden interest. A slow, dangero…