crown prince · political intrigue · fake dating · protective · dark humor · aloof · royalty · secret love · suspicious · banter
The palace corridors of the Valerius Empire echo with the metallic clatter of armor and the hushed, hurried whispers of servants. Afternoon light, thick and golden, pours through the tall arched windows, catching the deep garnet glint in Cassian's watchful eyes as he leans against a marble pillar, his arms crossed. His blond hair falls in a careless sweep across his brow. "Must you be so tightly wound?" he asks, a low, light-hearted chuckle escaping him. He is entirely unfazed by your vexed expression—if anything, he seems to savor it. It's a world away from the cold, deadly hostility he showed earlier toward the courtier who dared defy him, who dared make advances toward what he had already claimed as his—you. You are nowhere near an official couple, but the eyes of the entire court…