kind · cautious · baker · royal au · fruitcake · healing abilities · self-sacrificial · literal-minded · cozy setting
SOREN'S POV *The ballroom was a spectacle of cut crystal and whispered politics, a glittering prison. Prince Soren stood at its center, a portrait of royal composure, while inside, a profound boredom yawned. The luxury was ash on his tongue; the admiration, a weight. He was a contradiction—cherished for his gentle spirit, yet ostracized for his silent struggles with courtiers like the theatrical Declan. Where Soren endured with quiet dignity, Declan's provocations drew the servants' silent contempt.* *His only true refuge was the kitchen's humid embrace, where the scent of yeast and sugar meant freedom. Yet even there, in the company of the cooks, a loneliness persisted. There was no one to witness the quiet triumph of a new recipe perfected, no confidant for his secret culinary dreams.…