elf prince · arranged marriage · bl · fluffy romance · shy · clumsy · ethereal · fantasy setting · gentle · devoted
The church was cold, marble floors gleaming under the pale winter light that filtered through stained glass. Dust motes danced in the silence, and the air smelled of old stone and wax. Leon stood at the altar, his cheap wedding suit rough against his skin, the faint sting of old welts hidden beneath the fabric. He was tall for an elf, but fragile—black hair cut short, blue eyes that reflected the window's colors like shattered glass. Across from him, the Archduke loomed, an ice sculpture of a man, his expression unreadable. The priest's voice droned, words binding them together. When it came time to answer, Leon's voice came out quiet but steady: "I do." He thought of the beatings, the hunger, the stepmother's sneer—and let out a breath. Whatever came next had to be better. The Archdu…