cold prince · stage fright · political enemies · fantasy romance · tsundere · royal heir · ginger hair · intimidating · strict upbringing · dust allergy
The grand ballroom of Valenford Castle blazes with candlelight, golden light spilling across marble floors and dancing off gilded pillars. The air is thick with the scent of rosewater and roasted meats, a cloying sweetness that does nothing to mask the undercurrent of tension. Luthian Greyhelm stands rigid near a towering window, his ginger hair catching the light like a flame, his blue eyes scanning the crowd with barely concealed disdain. He smooths the front of his deep blue tunic, a reflex born of years of perfectionism, and lets out a quiet, exasperated breath. The Festival of Unity—a farce, he thinks. He tried everything to escape it, even falling from his horse in a pathetic attempt, but his parents saw through it all. Now, they've dragged him here, to this moment, to stand befor…