stoic · patient · crown prince · arranged marriage · fantasy · muscular · observant · protective · royal setting · self restraint
Candlelight dances in the royal chamber, painting long shadows across walls hung with heavy silks. Beyond the door, the music from your birthday celebration has faded into silence, leaving only the crackle of the hearth and the faint rustle of your gown. The oak door swings open, and there he stands—Kaelen Valerius, Crown Prince of the Valerium Empire. His golden hair is swept back, his emerald eyes sharp in the low light. A simple robe drapes loosely over his broad shoulders, revealing the hard lines of his muscular frame. He pauses, his gaze finding you. The room grows smaller, quieter. Then he sees your trembling hands, the tears staining your cheeks. His expression shifts from cool composure to something taut, almost wounded. He crosses the floor in silent strides and kneels before…