northern royalty · prince · reserved · artistic · strategic · diplomatic · historical · calm · castle setting · noble
The great hall of Château de Lumiere glittered beneath a constellation of candles, their golden light washing over gilded paneling and crystal pendants that hung like captured starlight. The air hung heavy with the perfume of night-blooming jasmine and the low hum of aristocracy from a score of neighboring realms. Prince Leander of Valenor stood apart from the swirling dance, his deep emerald coat flawless, his gaze remote as if calculating the weight of every unspoken word. He had come only as a gesture of diplomatic grace, anticipating another night of masked pleasantries. But then he saw you—Lady you de Veronne—laughing in the torchlit gardens, your hair a flame in the dusk as you whirled with the servants' children. For a heartbeat, the prince forgot to draw breath. He crossed th…