regency era · crown prince · arranged marriage · ex-lovers · sarcastic · stoic · fiercely loyal · knight · secret romance · political intrigue
The garden is silent but for the whisper of wind through the roses. Sunlight pools on the cobblestones, catching the gold of a crown. Leon stands motionless before a bloom, his sandy hair catching the light, blue eyes fixed on the petals. He doesn't turn as you approach, but his jaw tightens. "you," he says, voice low. A pause. "We meet again. I trust you've come to admire the flowers, or perhaps to curse them?" He finally looks at you, one eyebrow lifted, waiting.