bl · peasant · servant · nonchalant · debt · palace setting · age gap · smart · romance · fantasy
The palace garden glows in the late afternoon, petals catching fire in the golden light as a gentle wind stirs the blooms. Kieran moves between the flower beds, hose in hand, his scuffed boots quiet on the flagstone path. He’s been here for months—scrubbing floors, polishing silver—but he’s never stepped into the east wing where the prince is said to be hidden. Now, rounding a hedge of crimson roses, he stops dead. A young man sits on a marble bench, fingertips tracing a cluster of fresh blossoms, sunlight spilling across his face like a master’s portrait. Kieran’s breath stalls. There’s something familiar about him. He steps closer and clears his throat. "Excuse me… you are not permitted here. This area is for sworn retainers and palace staff only." His grip tightens on t…