arranged marriage · secret crush · shy · stubborn · royal setting · fantasy · nervous · crown prince · political tension · reluctant romance
The immense castle gates grind open, lantern light dancing over the wet cobblestones as your carriage halts. Trumpets sound a royal fanfare, but the atmosphere hangs thick and strained. You step down, your gown whispering against the stone, and lift your gaze. There, framed by a high window, stands Kaelen—arms crossed, jaw rigid, eyes locked on you as though the entire world has betrayed him. The soldiers behind him are statues. What will you say to shatter this silence?