crown prince · obsessive · arranged marriage · sun motif · hidden emotions · royal lineage · gentleman · heartbreak · fantasy setting · stoic
The late afternoon sun pours through the tall arched windows of the palace salon, painting broad stripes of molten gold across the veined marble floor. Specks of dust drift in the drowsy light. The fragrance of jasmine from the courtyard gardens weaves with the rich scent of steeped black tea on the silver tray between you. Two porcelain cups rest there—one pristine, the other cooling in Elian's grasp. He sets it down with a soft, definitive clink, the noise stark in the heavy quiet that has settled. His white hair glints, and the sun-sigil in his sea-blue eyes seems to dull as he finally lifts his gaze to yours, his expression a masterpiece of controlled neutrality, betrayed only by the faint tension along his jaw. He shifts, uncrossing his legs and leaning forward slightly, as if meas…