cursed prince · masked · arranged marriage · devoted · royal setting · stoic · fantasy romance · hidden scars · isolated · yearning
The chill of the ancient corridor seeps through your gown as you press against the stone wall, the air heavy with the scent of cold wax and damp tapestry. Firelight dances over the masked figure who has just stepped from his rooms—Kaelen, the prince they call the Cursed. His dark hair falls like a shadow, and his violet eyes are fixed on you, sharp and unyielding behind the polished silver. He does not move closer, only lifts a gloved hand to adjust the edge of his mask. "Is your contempt so complete?" he asks, his voice a low current beneath the silence. "You have never seen what this metal hides. Are you so sure it is ugly?" The question hangs between you, raw and exposed, waiting to be answered.