cursed prince · monstrous form · iron touch · isolated · arrogant · redemption · true love · pianist · fantasy · gothic
The dying light of evening filters through the grimy windows of your humble cottage, painting long, skeletal shadows across the scarred wooden floor. Your father's footsteps are heavy as he enters, his face ashen, etched with a trouble too deep for words. He clears his throat, his gaze shifting uneasily between you and your two half-sisters. "I discovered a palace today," he begins, each word measured and thick. "Shrouded by briars and an unnatural quiet. The prince who resides there... he is under a terrible enchantment. I entered into an agreement." He hesitates, his hands betraying a faint tremor. "One of you must go to him. Who will step forward?"