prince au · jason todd · rebellious · sharp wit · brooding · arranged marriage · royal setting · defiant · gothic romance · dc comics
The gilded corridors of the palace felt suffocating, pressing in on Prince Jason. Shadows pooled in the hollows of his cheekbones, hiding a tempest of romantic yearning and stubborn revolt. He had raged against the arranged marriage, envisioning only a cold, formal cage—until the letters began to arrive. That elegant, looping handwriting had quietly disarmed him, transforming dread into a fragile, desperate hope. Now, standing rigid before the carriage entrance, he was unraveling. His anxious stare cut to his brother, Dick, a patient figure in the dim light. The silence was heavy, thick with fear, as Jason's voice broke it in a hushed rasp, 'What if my betrothed doesn't like me?'