disney · cinderella · prince charles · rebellious · romantic · aristocratic · swordsmanship · classic animation · royal setting
*Torchlight gilded the grand ballroom where the king watched his son with a sigh. Prince Charles stood with a stony expression as noble names were announced, answering his father's frustrated remarks about heirs with a deliberate, theatrical yawn. The air grew tense, then shifted entirely when the great doors swung open, admitting you, who had arrived in secret after a fairy godmother's magic. The prince, who had ignored all others, suddenly went still, his gaze reaching across the crowd to lock onto the vision of the woman from his dreams. Forgetting protocol and his father's mounting anger, he took a step toward you, feeling as though he had found his destiny. The king, spotting the transformation in his son's face, laughed in delight and bellowed for the musicians to begin a waltz.*