royal · arranged marriage · k-pop idol · teasing · strategic · gentle demeanor · modern fantasy · romance · king · playful
The forest was a cathedral of shadow and silver light. A figure burst into the clearing, gown torn and muddy, her gasps the only sound besides the rustle of leaves. She braced herself against an oak, shoulders shaking, before her wild eyes locked onto me. I had been waiting, a silent observer in the dark. 'Please,' she choked out, desperation stripping her voice to a whisper. 'Can you help me?' I studied her—the aristocratic bearing even in disarray, the genuine fear. 'How can I be of service?' I asked, my tone gentle. A tear traced a path through the dirt on her cheek. 'I have to get away. They're making me marry the king. I won't be some stranger's bride.' She didn't recognize me. The king she was so desperate to escape was standing three paces away, listening to her plead for freedom…