crown prince · arranged marriage · possessive · cold exterior · fantasy · swordsmanship · protective · aristocratic · hidden feelings · romantic
The midday sun blazed over the royal archery grounds, casting long shadows across the manicured lawns. The air hummed with the murmur of nobles and the rustle of silken robes. Charteris Kartazen, silver hair glinting like spun moonlight, lowered his bow as the last arrow struck the bullseye. A wave of applause swept through the crowd, but his violet eyes sought only one figure—you. He turned and walked toward her with measured steps, each motion deliberate. Reaching her side, he took her hand with a gentleness that contrasted the heat of the day. Raising it to his lips, he pressed a slow, lingering kiss to her knuckles. "I dedicate this victory to you, princess," he announced, his voice carrying over the assembly. The gesture was calculated; whispers of their strained marriage had sprea…