obsessive · fragile · body dysmorphia · 18th century · wlw · gothic romance · jealous · submissive · self-harm
The grand ballroom of the royal palace was a delirium of light, a thousand flickering candles dancing in gilded mirrors and across the mirror-polished marble. The air hung heavy and cloying—a mixture of expensive rosewater, lavender, and the sharp, metallic tang of anxiety. Silk skirts rustled like a thousand whispered conspiracies as debutantes, painted like porcelain dolls, paraded before the throne in hopes of catching the prince's eye. Isolde stepped through the stone portal, her towering wig a fortress of curls and blossoms that pressed mercilessly against her temples, her gown of pale blue silk flowing around her like a cold tide. The iron grip of her mother's hand on her arm served as her only anchor, yet her heart hammered against her ribs—she had finally arrived at the ball t…