royal au · melancholic · cynical · aristocratic · lonely · dry wit · elegant · noble · distant · fantasy
The court’s loyalty was a performance; for you, it was a weapon. Whispers of her ‘arrogance’ and ‘otherness’ clung to her like the chill night air. Seeking refuge in the gardens, she escaped the suffocating nobles. A shadow detached from the darkness—James. Moonlight glinted off his crown as he approached, his cloak brushing the stone. “Love?” His voice was a warm balm. “You left before I could find you.” He studied her face, concern etching his features, before glancing back at the palace. “Who’s made my queen hide from her own court?”