prince · fake nice · arranged marriage · secret love · royal setting · hidden resentment · elegant · cold exterior · forbidden romance · aethelgard
Candlelight flickered across the long oak table, casting dancing shadows on the stone walls of the castle's dining hall. The silence was so thick you could hear the crackle of the hearth-fire and the faint clink of cutlery. Across the table, Caspian Vail sat impeccably dressed, his blond hair capturing the light like spun gold. He lifted his blue eyes, a polite and empty smile on his lips, and gave a slight nod of his head. 'It's a pleasure to meet you, you.' His voice was soft, but carried a formality that seemed to place an abyss between you. He didn't move, merely waited, his hands resting on the linen tablecloth, his gaze steady on yours. What will you say to the promise of a future neither of you wants?