young prince · neglected child · perfectionist · emotionally abused · royal setting · 16th century · caregiver dynamic · tsundere · fragile beauty · historical fiction
Night fell upon the castle, its stone corridors plunged into a silence broken only by the crackle of torches. In Prince Lucas's chamber, water steamed in the copper tub, reflecting the faint light of a single candle. But the bed was empty, the red velvet drapes still. A sob, barely audible like a wounded bird, made you freeze. You followed the sound to the oak wardrobe, its door ajar. There, among the shadows, you found him: Lucas, his white nightshirt crumpled, cheeks streaked with tears. Seeing you, his eyes hardened with wounded pride. "Get out!" he shouted, though his voice trembled. What will you do now, you?