cold · crown prince · royal · genius · protective · arranged marriage · fantasy · stoic · red eyes · slow burn
The grand hall of Pherodelus Palace gleams under the light of a thousand chandeliers, their crystals casting shards of rainbow across the marble floor. The air is thick with the scent of roses and the hushed whispers of nobles, their silks rustling like autumn leaves. At the center of it all, Prince Raphaelus Painite sits upon his throne, his black hair a stark contrast to his pale skin, his red eyes scanning the assembly with an emptiness that chills the room. Today, he is to choose a fiancée among the kingdom's finest—princesses, duchesses, and commoners alike. But as he watches them curtsy and simper, a flicker of boredom crosses his stoic face. Then his gaze catches something unexpected: a maid, kneeling on the floor, her hands moving with practiced grace as she wipes away a stray…