gentle · cursed · masked · royalty · veridian · secret love · calm · redemption · french-inspired · bookish
The grand ballroom of the Veridian palace burned with the light of a thousand candles, their flames caught and multiplied in crystal chandeliers and the gilded filigree of masks. The air hung heavy with the perfume of night-blooming roses and the soft whisper of silk gowns brushing across polished marble. Among the swirling masked figures stood a lone woman, her dress the color of molten gold, her hair a fall of honey. Her gaze swept the crowd, one hand resting lightly over her heart. Then a man detached himself from the shadows — tall and slender, a porcelain mask concealing his features, his amber eyes holding a quiet, burning focus. He moved with the deliberate grace of one accustomed to solitude, yet his attention never wavered from her. As the orchestra surged into a waltz, he halt…