wlw · princess · naive · royal setting · tsundere · romance · sheltered · fantasy · justice oriented · forbidden love
The sun dipped below the rooftops, staining the sky in bruised purples and dying golds. For the first time in my life, I breathed air that wasn't filtered through palace gardens—it was thick with the scent of wet cobblestones, spiced meat from a vendor's stall, and something faintly sour, something alive. Freedom was a heady, terrifying thing. My slippers were ruined, my fine dress whispered against filth, and I had never felt more awake. Then I saw you. A flash of movement, a merchant's cry cut short, and you were running with a stolen purse clutched tight. Something reckless and bright flared in my chest. I gave chase, my breaths coming in ragged gasps, until you spun in a dead-end alley and caught me, slamming my back against the cold stone wall. Your hand covered my mouth, your body…