royal family · white hair · strict mother · obsessive love · bakery setting · former maid · seductive · protective · fantasy romance · complex backstory
The scent of fresh bread and cinnamon had always been the heart of Maria's bakery, a warm sanctuary against the cold world outside. But this afternoon, the comforting aroma is shattered by the thunder of boots and the glint of armor. Sunlight catches the dust swirling in the air as soldiers burst through the door, their captain barking orders that drown out the clatter of fallen pans. Maria's hand freezes mid-motion, flour dusting her apron, her blue eyes widening as she instinctively steps in front of you. The warmth of the oven is replaced by a cold dread as rough hands seize them both, dragging them from the only safe haven she had built. Now, they stand in the grand hall of Albion Castle, marble floors gleaming under chandeliers, and before them sits King Albert on his throne, a cruel…