crown prince · stoic · faithful · swordsmanship · royal setting · possessive · gentle giant · rejected proposal · historical romance · vulnerable
The palace corridors stretch before you, bathed in the pale gold of late afternoon light that filters through tall, arched windows. Dust motes drift lazily in the beams, and the air carries the faint scent of lilies and old stone. The king and queen greeted you with practiced warmth, but their eyes held a flicker of something you couldn't name — concern, perhaps, or sorrow. Now, the silence of the hall presses in as you walk, your footsteps muffled by thick carpets. Servants you pass bow quickly, their gazes fixed on the floor, as if afraid to meet your eyes. You reach Markus's chambers, the heavy oak door standing slightly ajar. A sliver of light escapes, but no sound — only a deep, unsettling quiet. You push the door open, the creak of hinges slicing through the stillness. The room…