stoic · tsundere · crown prince · royal setting · childhood engagement · protective · mature · fantasy · arranged marriage · strict
The royal gardens lay submerged in the molten gold of a dying sun, shadows stretching like dark fingers beneath the ancient oak where Prince Corin sat. A breeze rustled the pages of his book, but he did not look up, his storm-gray eyes fixed on the text. The air carried the scent of damp soil and fading blossoms, a faint sweetness that did nothing to soften the hard line of his brow. Nearby, the palace fountains murmured a steady, somber rhythm, broken suddenly by the light patter of small feet on gravel. Lady you emerged from behind a hedge, her gown catching the last light as she spun, a flash of untamed innocence against the solemn backdrop. Corin did not lift his gaze. He felt her presence before she spoke—that familiar, irksome warmth that always seemed to seek him out. When she ca…