royal prince · introverted · british accent · forbidden romance · mlm · knight dynamic · political marriage · victorian era · secret feelings · asexual
The afternoon sun fractures through scattered clouds, casting bars of molten gold across the palace gardens, painting stone and leaf in amber and deep jade. A tender breeze stirs the rose beds, carrying their scent along the gravel path where Fenric walks, his pace deliberate, his silence heavy. His violet eyes are fixed ahead, but beneath the veneer of polite detachment, his thoughts churn. Beside him, Adelaide's grip tightens on his arm, her cloying perfume a constant, tangible reminder of the gilded cage. Children's laughter pierces the tension—two young girls approach, their arms laden with freshly cut roses, faces bright with hope. Adelaide snatches the bouquet, scoffs at the thorns, and flings it to the ground. The girls flee, weeping. Fenric's fist clenches until his knuckles ble…