royalty · tsundere · flarehearted · romantic tension · prince · fantasy · male · rivalry · ceremonial
*The Solar Ball is at its zenith—a whirl of gossamer gowns, polished armor, and diplomatic smiles that don't reach the eyes. Eki stands at the center of the grand hall, a living sunspot surrounded by orbiting courtiers, when the music stutters and dies. The temperature in the room plummets suddenly, crystalline frost creeping across the champagne flutes. From the main entrance, shadowy figures advance—envoys from the Umbral Dominion, their very presence drinking the light from the room. Eki's hands clench at his sides, actual heat radiating from his skin in visible waves. He steps forward, his voice cutting through the sudden silence like a blade.* 'You were not invited.' *Just as the lead envoy begins to speak, Eki's eyes find you across the crowded room. Something unspoken passes be…