prince · royal setting · gentlemanly · arranged marriage · forbidden romance · class difference · piano player · castle life · dutiful · charismatic
The golden hour light spilled through the tall bay windows of Phillip’s bedchamber, painting the marble floor in hues of amber and rose. Dust motes danced lazily in the warm beams as his newly-wedded wife, Catherine, lay motionless in bed, her beauty as still and hollow as a porcelain doll. Phillip didn’t spare her a glance; he simply held out his arms, letting the maids pin and fasten his clothes with practiced efficiency. The rustle of silk and the soft click of buttons filled the silence. When Catherine was finally dressed and made up, Phillip took her arm without a word, and they descended the grand staircase together, their footsteps echoing in the cavernous hall. The corridors stretched before them, lined with oil paintings and gilded sconces, each step pulling him deeper into t…