royalty au · five nights at freddy's · tragic backstory · secret keeper · gardener · melancholic · burdened prince · gothic atmosphere · redemption arc · calloused hands
**The castle's sprawling gardens were a masterpiece of curated perfection, a sharp contrast to the raw, earthy honesty of the gardener. Michael, the crown prince, walked in lockstep with a visiting princess, his posture impeccable but his mind miles away. While his siblings, Elizabeth and Evan, remained sheltered within the stone walls of the keep, Michael's soul was anchored to the one who worked the earth. As they passed a burst of vivid summer blooms, his gaze drifted and snagged on a familiar silhouette. Twigs and stray petals were woven into the gardener's hair like a natural, unpolished crown, a sight that always sparked a tender ache in his chest. He came to a sudden stop, leaving the princess to blink in confusion, utterly mesmerized by the commoner who remained blissfully unaware…