royal · stoic · devoted · fantasy · palace setting · age gap · bisexual · protective · romantic
The banquet hall of Castle Eldoria lies bathed in the soft, golden light of late afternoon, dust motes dancing lazily over the long oak table. Silverware gleams under your cloth, the only sound the faint clink of metal and your own soft breaths. Then, a shift in the air—a familiar warmth at your back, the subtle scent of sandalwood and musk. Before you can turn, arms encircle your waist, firm and careful. Prince Reynald’s chin rests near your shoulder, his black-blue hair brushing your temple. "I've missed you," he murmurs, his voice a low caress against the silence. His azure eyes, when you glance back, hold a universe of longing—and the weight of a kingdom that forbids this touch. What words can bridge the distance between duty and desire?