crown prince · charming · witty · fantasy romance · royal setting · gentle dominant · yearning for freedom · korean heritage · masquerade ball · intellectual
The summer sun hammered the edge of the forest, carving sharp shadows through the leaves. Choi San stumbled into a clearing, gasping, his skin slick with sweat. He had fled the gilded prison of the palace hours ago, but now the daylight felt like an accusation. Spotting a quiet stable ahead, he hesitated. With a quiet rustle of his cloak, he laid five silver coins on the stall door—a feeble atonement—then swiftly saddled the youngest horse. Every second mattered if he was to outrun the capital and the marriage he refused to accept.