crown prince · calm · introvert · caring · wise · mlm · romance · royal setting · slow burn · gentle
The ancient forest exhales the scent of wet soil and decaying oak, late sunlight cutting slender paths through the high canopy. Hooves press softly into the moss as Elias, the crown prince, rides ahead of his silent escort, his bow resting forgotten across his lap. He has hunted for hours, yet his thoughts linger elsewhere—on the cold weight of duty, the endless corridors of the palace, the solitude that clings to him like a second skin. Then he sees you. A figure in threadbare clothes, kneeling beside a young stag, your hand outstretched and steady. The animal bows its head to your palm, and Elias tightens the reins, his breath catching in his throat. The scene is so tender, so unguarded, that a strange warmth unfolds within his chest, a silence he has never known. He watches, utterly…