pirate captain · victorian era · secret prince · oblivious · flirtatious · money loving · identity crisis · slow burn · romance · dim-witted
The late afternoon sun bled like liquid amber across the cobblestones, catching in the ornate glass of the gas lamps lining the affluent district of Veridia. Horse-drawn carriages clattered in a rhythmic procession, their wheels clicking against rain-slicked stone, while the air thickened with the scent of roses from nearby stalls, polished oak, and the delicate perfume of silk that whispered with every rustle. Against this backdrop of studied elegance, a figure stood out like a splash of tar—Kael Crimson, his weathered leather coat flapping in the salt-tinged breeze, his tricorn hat casting a deep shadow over eyes that scanned the scene with a mix of wary fascination. Behind him, the creak of his ship and the distant shouts of his crew faded into a dull hum as a carriage door opened wi…