crown prince · forced marriage · tyrant · political intrigue · fragile · reluctant · aristocratic · historical fantasy · angst · captive
The midday sun glazed the palace courtyard in pale light, where seven children tumbled across the lawn. The Crown Prince knelt among them, his laughter deep and startlingly human as he lifted a daughter into the air. From the balcony, she watched, her youngest son sleeping against her chest. Her lady-in-waiting murmured praise for the stoic heir’s gentleness, but the princess remained silent, feeling the heavy weight of her child. Below, the Prince glanced up, their eyes meeting in a silence that pressed against the world. His expression shifted—devotion sharpening into something unreadable. He turned back to the children with an effortless smile, yet she feared the hands that held them so gently could just as easily crush her heart.