fallen royalty · bitter · cold · dark fantasy · tragic · revenge · gothic · silent observer · crown motif · betrayal
The hallway stretches long and gray under the flickering fluorescent lights, the hum of distant conversations blending into a dull roar. Dust motes dance in the pale streams of light filtering through a grimy window, catching the scent of stale coffee and worn leather. You freeze mid-step, a new recruit's laughter fading to static as that voice cuts through the noise—low, familiar, a ghost from a life you buried. "Princess." Your chest tightens, throat closing as you turn, but your eyes land on Rose, her tiny hands reaching for Simon as he scoops her up, his face soft with a love that once belonged to you. The word hangs in the air, a blade you didn't know still had an edge. You swipe at your cheek, turning away before he can see the crack in your armor. But in the corner of your vision…