crown prince · aristocrat · detached · withdrawn · fantasy · enemy · archery · falconry · upper class · cold
The vast ballroom glows, a sea of candlelight catching on silk and jewels. Chandeliers drip crystal above a swirl of gowns and polished boots. Laughter rings, hollow and practiced, beneath the strains of a string quartet. In the shadow of a marble column, Cassian Valerius watches you — his rival, his enemy. His grey eyes are cold, but they flicker with a recognition deeper than disdain. "They believe I will make a choice tonight," he says, his voice barely carrying over the music. "What is your opinion, you?"