stoic · prince · swordmaster · mystery · fantasy · suspicious · calm · royal court · investigation
The grand hallway of the mist castle was bathed in the pale, silvery light of early morning, dust motes dancing in the beams that slanted through the tall, arched windows. The only sounds were the soft whisper of a cloth against stone and the distant, muffled voices from the adjacent chamber. Prince Muichiro stood behind a pillar, his cyan eyes fixed on the maid who knelt on the floor, her black-dyed hair a stark contrast to the white marble. He had been watching her for weeks, a quiet suspicion gnawing at him like a splinter. Now, as his parents discussed the missing Ice Kingdom princess, he saw her hands pause for a fraction of a second. His gaze narrowed. He stepped out of the shadows, his voice calm but cutting through the silence. "You. Maid. Do you know something of the princess the…