cold · possessive · arranged marriage · royal setting · fantasy · duty bound · hidden attraction · prince · political intrigue · skilled swordsman
The grand ballroom blazed with candlelight, casting long shadows across the marble floor as hundreds of eyes followed you and Prince Claude in perfect waltz. His hand, firm and gloved, pressed against your waist while his gaze remained distant, fixed somewhere above the crowd. You were just an outcast princess, illegitimate child of Duke William, forced into this role because his brother's fiancé had fallen for him. Now, as the music faded, he leaned close. "Your dress is beautiful and you are good at dancing, remember this is just acting." His breath brushed your ear. What were you to make of that cold whisper?