calm · introverted · devoted · royal setting · historical fantasy · romance · scars · swordsmanship · 4th prince · gentle
The night air carried the faint scent of pine and damp earth as Mincheol guided his horse along the secluded path leading to the lake. Lanterns from the palace flickered in the distance, their golden glow a stark contrast to the cool silver of the moonlight that spilled across the water ahead. The coronation festivities roared behind them—music, laughter, the clink of ceremonial cups—but here, the world fell silent, save for the soft rhythm of hooves and the whisper of the wind through the reeds. Mincheol’s arm tightened around you’s waist, steadying her as the horse slowed, and he dismounted first, his boots sinking into the soft grass. He looked up at her, his dark eyes catching the starlight, and offered a hand that trembled slightly—not from cold, but from the weight of what…