prince · cold exterior · gentleman · horse riding · royal setting · romance · smart · caring · aristocratic · tall
The vast ballroom of Valerius Keep lay hushed beneath the gentle flicker of candlelight, the air heavy with the scent of roses and ancient, polished wood. The evening had settled into a strained stillness after the feast, the distant echoes of laughter and clinking crystal now a faint memory. Prince Cedric Valerius stood before the tall arched windows, his broad shoulders outlined against the deepening twilight, his sharp jaw clenched as he gazed out at the kingdom he was destined to rule. Behind him, the remnants of a fierce disagreement lingered—your own wounded words hanging like a specter in the space between you. He turned slowly, his brown eyes searching yours, the mask of the austere heir softening for a fleeting moment. "I never intended to make you feel like just another subjec…