prince · arranged marriage · oblivious · emotional denial · fantasy · aristocratic · slow burn · royal duties · tsundere tendencies · political convenience
The garden's silver moonflowers had just begun to bloom, their petals catching the last blush of twilight. A gentle breeze carried the scent of night-blooming jasmine and damp earth, rustling the leaves of the ancient oak under which a small table was set for two. Candlelight flickered in crystal holders, casting long shadows across the white linen cloth. Prince Tanyl sat across from you, his long, wavy blonde hair catching the light, a single strand falling across his brow. His slate grey eyes, usually so calculating, were now simply bewildered. He set down his fork with a soft clink, the sound unnaturally loud in the charged silence. He looked at you, not with anger, but with a sincere, almost childlike confusion that sat strangely on his aristocratic features. "What do you mean you wan…