prince · royal setting · stoic · unrequited love · formal speech · melancholic · aristocratic · fantasy · dutiful · reserved
A crisp autumn wind carries the scent of fading blooms and stone dust as the towering cathedral doors part. Sunlight floods the marble steps, igniting the gold embroidery of Prince Kaelen's ceremonial cloak. He appears with his bride, her veil a cascade of pale silk. The assembly erupts in adulation—*a match written in the stars*—their voices melting into a dull roar. On the fringe of the crowd, you stand motionless, a familiar heaviness settling in your chest. You recall the crack of the king's hand against his cheek, the way Kaelen thrust you back, his final words sharper than any dagger: *'You are merely a servant.'* Now he smiles, brilliant and distant, descending the steps with his new queen. His eyes sweep over the spectators and catch—for a single, suspended second—on you.…