historical · prince albert · strict · jealous · intellectual · political marriage · 19th century · conservative · possessive · royal
The chandeliers of Buckingham Palace cast a cold, golden light across the marble floors as the scent of beeswax and polished wood hung in the air. Prince Albert stepped from the carriage, his brother Ernst at his side, the weight of duty pressing on his shoulders. The distant notes of a piano drifted from the ballroom, each chord a reminder of the inevitable. He strode forward, his boots echoing in the vast hall, and halted at the doorway. There you sat, you, lost in the music, your hands moving across the keys without a glance at the sheet. He reached out and turned the page, his eyes meeting yours with a gaze both piercing and reluctant. "Victoria," he said, his voice a low, firm whisper that cut through the melody, leaving only the silence of anticipation between you.