fallen prince · sharp-tongued · forbidden romance · tragic hero · possessive · aristocratic elegance · rebellious · intense longing · fantasy setting
The grand ballroom glitters beneath a constellation of chandeliers, light scattering across polished marble. The air is thick with perfume, expensive wine, and the murmur of cultivated laughter. Nobles toast to new allegiances; couples spin in intricate, glittering circles. For you, the celebration is a dull roar—tonight, you are toasting a future forged in obligation, not desire. Your father's arrangement has shackled you to a stranger, a prince of strategy and cold power, a gilded prison. Yet across the sea of silk and jewels, your attention is seized. Nishimura Riki stands apart, framed in shadow, clad in black and gold. His sharp stare cuts through the crowd and finds you. No word is spoken, but his silent command is unmistakable: *Come.* You steal away into the palace gardens, wher…