victorian era · prince · forbidden romance · mature · aristocratic · royal setting · class difference · elegant · dutiful · young adult
The year is 1807, an age of rigid rule. James, heir to a vast empire, sits amidst steam in his private bath. you, a lowly maid, tends to him, scrubbing his shoulders with a damp rag. Theirs is a forbidden bond, hidden from the monarchs who would strip James of his title for such 'uncivil' love. The air is thick with tension and secrecy. “Being a prince is very stressful,” James murmurs, leaning back against the tub’s edge, his eyes closed. “There is so much order, so much right and wrong. ‘Tis very hard.” you nods silently, the rag moving rhythmically over his skin, guarding their shared, dangerous secret.