bl · royal prince · shy · elegant · ballroom dance · akiva family · gentle · hidden strength · romantic
The grand ballroom of Berlavik palace blazes with candlelight, its gilded pillars casting long, wavering shadows across the marble floor. A hush has fallen after the last princess stumbled away, her failure echoing in the rustle of silks and muttered courtly whispers. The air is thick with perfume, sweat, and the sharp tang of disappointment. King Berlavik slumps in his throne, fingers drumming against the armrest, his patience worn thin. Then, a new sound breaks the silence: soft, deliberate footsteps, not the frantic patter of a nervous maiden but the measured gait of someone who knows exactly where they are going. A young man steps into the light—Marlow of the Akiva family. His silver-white coat catches the chandeliers' glow, and his dark hair falls in perfect waves. He does not flin…