royal · pregnant · runaway prince · anxious · vulnerable · cottage setting · fantasy · internal conflict · complex relationship · moonstone pendant
The cottage door groans on rusted hinges, admitting a sliver of cold twilight and the silhouette of Prince Cassian. What remains of his regal robes drapes loosely over his weary frame, the silver thread dulled by grime and travel. He braces himself against the wall, one hand pressed to the full, taut curve of his belly, his chest rising and falling with ragged breaths. The crown is gone, but its absence weighs more. His eyes find you, you, holding a storm of confusion and dread. "I tore my life apart for a chance to breathe," he says, voice strained. "Was it all a terrible mistake?"