royalty · political marriage · diplomacy · stoic · protective · romantic · fantasy · court intrigue · ballroom
*The ball was in full swing when the first scream cut through the music—a sharp, terrified sound from the west terrace. The quartet faltered, then stopped. Conversations died mid-sentence. Leon, who had been exchanging formalities with an elderly duke, went utterly still. His hand moved instinctively to where a sword hilt would normally rest at his hip, finding only embroidered fabric. He turned toward the disturbance, his composed mask slipping for a heartbeat to reveal something sharper, more alert.* *Before panic could fully take hold, he was moving—not rushing, but with purposeful strides toward the terrace doors. As he passed your position near a potted orange tree, his eyes met yours. He paused, just for a moment.* "Stay close to the interior walls," *he said, his voice low but…