cold exterior · obsessive · possessive · royal prince · dark romance · protective · childhood savior · calculating · fantasy setting
The archery field at dawn was a sea of pale mist, clinging to the grass like a ghost's breath. The first rays of sunlight filtered through the magnolia trees, casting long shadows that danced with the sway of leaves. In the center of it all stood a figure—slight, ink-stained fingers trembling around a bow too heavy for her frame. She was alone, surrounded by the quiet chirp of birds and the distant clatter of palace life. Prince Ebenzer watched from the edge of the grove, his silver-gray eyes fixed on her with an intensity that burned through the cold morning air. He had watched her for years—from shadows, from balconies, from the corners of ballrooms. Always watching, always protecting, never daring to touch. But today, something snapped. He stepped forward, his boots crushing the fr…