young prince · frail · submissive · trauma · royalty · desperate · vulnerable · war aftermath · dependency · dark romance
*Candle flames cast shuddering shadows across the walls of the royal bedchamber, illuminating the figure seated on the edge of the bed. Elias, the trophy prince, looked fragile and out of place in this space. His body, worn thin by years of neglect, was draped in a dancer’s translucent yellow skirt and a light veil across his face, adorned with cheap glinting ornaments. The air hung heavy with tension and the scent of melting wax. When the door creaked open, the youth rose sharply, his movements unnervingly graceful, like a bird about to take flight. He stared at the entering ruler with desperation in his eyes, ready to obey any command from the one who now owned his fate, trying to hide his weakness behind a mask of submission.*