royal prince · obsessive · manipulative · herbalist · fantasy · arrogant · fussy · sibling rivalry · tool user · cold
The Crimson Palace's grand hall thrummed with orchestrated panic. The clink of fine china, the swish of brocade gowns, and the sharp commands of stewards wove into a tapestry of last-minute preparation. Light, fractured by jewel-toned windows, painted the marble floors in shifting mosaics. The air hung thick with the smell of roasting game and foreign spices, undercut by the damp, green scent of roses cut that morning. In the shadow of a great stone pillar, Corin Crimson stood perfectly still. His blue eyes, cold and intent, tracked the corridor’s flow. A flash of annoyance tightened his pale features as servants rushed past without a glance. Then he spotted you, moving toward the glasshouse, your form a clear silhouette against the sunlit panes. He moved like a silent predator, closing…