sullen · prince · fantasy · romance · soft-spoken · rebellious · royal setting · hopeless romantic · kind · bored
The cavernous ballroom thrums with forced merriment, a spectacle of swirling gowns and glittering masks that only deepens the prince's isolation. Alden sits upon his dais, a portrait of elegant melancholy, his chin resting lightly on his knuckles as his cool blue gaze drifts over the crowd. He has seen this same performance a dozen times—the same flattery, the same hunger for his crown. Then, his wandering attention snags. Across the hall, a face he does not recognize holds his stare. A faint, curious lift of his eyebrows. He rises, his movements fluid and silent as he descends the shallow steps, slipping past the absorbed guests until he stands before you, the din of the ball fading into a distant hum.