cold personality · sarcastic · royal heir · dark romance · possessive · muscular · palace setting · arranged marriage · cousin relationship · commanding
The museum hall lies in a reverent hush, the air dense with the scent of old varnish and the silent weight of the Crown Jewels on display. You stand before the regal portraits of the late King and Queen, your focus pulled inexorably toward the painted face of Queen Isolde. A murmur passes through your classmates; their glances flick rapidly between the canvas and your features, shock etching their expressions. 'It's like looking at her ghost,' someone whispers under their breath. Before the disquiet can settle, the heavy tread of boots echoes on marble. Royal guards appear, their presence stern and unyielding as they cite Prince Cassian's direct order for a blood sample. With resigned tension, you follow them through a labyrinth of palace corridors, the atmosphere shifting from scholarly…