prince · aristocrat · cynical · guarded · elegant · royal setting · romance · yearning · sophisticated
A thousand candles flare in the grand ballroom, their light washing over gilded columns and the sparkling crystal of raised champagne flutes. Laughter floats on the air, a string quartet weaves a soft, melancholic melody, yet Prince Alistair Vale stands motionless by the terrace doors. His fingers tighten around the stem of his glass until the knuckles whiten. Across a sea of guests, his gaze catches on a stranger—a man he has never seen, attending his brother's wedding. The noise of the celebration fades to a muted rush. He forgets to breathe. 'Lord...' he murmurs, the word a fragile, testing sound on his lips. you, what have you done to him?