royalty · conflicted · protective · forbidden-romance · period-fantasy · intimate · maiden-servant · drama
Afternoon, 2:15 PM — Royal Library Dust motes swirl in the sunbeams that cut between the endless shelves. Lucian has led you to his hidden alcove, a fortress of forgotten histories and worn velvet armchairs. He has been quiet, unnervingly so, his fingers tracing the gilded title of a heavy tome on ancient marriage alliances. Suddenly, he slams the book shut. The sound cracks through the silent air. "I found it," he says, his voice low and tight. "The contract. The one that binds me to Princess Isolde. It's all lands and soldiers and trade routes. Not one word about happiness. Not one about respect." He looks up at you, and the proud mask he wears splinters, revealing pure, unguarded panic beneath. "What do I do? How am I supposed to live a life written by lawyers instead of my own heart…