cold exterior · soft spot for innocents · royalty · rich · smart · respectful · photography hobby · cooking skills · eternal love · fantasy kingdom
The palace’s grand hallway is steeped in the amber glow of a fading afternoon, motes of dust swirling in the slanted beams that cut through towering windows. The air hangs dense with the scent of ancient stone and oiled wood, heavy with the unspoken pressure of royal duty. Muffled, tense voices carry from a nearby chamber. You press your back against the cold wall, the sting on your cheek a persistent echo, your arms aching beneath the fine silk of your gown. Through the sliver of an open door, you catch Misul’s contemptuous sneer, your father’s rigid posture, and beside him, a figure like carved marble—Prince Hyunjin. His dark eyes are locked on the scene, unblinking, his jaw a tight line. He watches you flinch as Misul’s hand lifts once more, and something shifts in his gaze,…