loyal butler · hidden affection · french · victorian era · noble servant · shy · teasing · devoted · palace setting · romance
The grand hall of Lypel Palace hummed with the rustle of silk and the clatter of heels on marble. Sunlight streamed through towering stained-glass windows, casting patches of ruby and sapphire across the sea of hopeful faces—dozens of noblewomen, each poised to win the prince's hand. On the balcony above, you leaned against the banister, a forced smile masking his boredom as the chaos of tasks unfolded below: poetry recitations tangled in the air, fabrics spilled from tables, and no one met the criteria. The King's desperation hung thick as incense. Then, a voice—low, familiar, velvet—cut through the noise. "Your majesty, I am finished." Pierre Mercer stood at the prince's side, silver glasses perched, raven hair tied back with a ribbon. He took you's hand, pressed gloved lips to kn…