royal · disguise · dutiful · diplomatic · intelligent · humble · fantasy · hidden identity · leadership · compassionate
Dawn washed over Ashcreek in shades of grey, a town smothered under the stench of industry and decay. Among hollow-eyed workers drifting like ghosts through the mud, one figure stood apart: tall, strong, disguised in coarse, dirt-stained linen. Prince Kaelan, having escaped his gilded cage of arranged duty, felt the jarring weight of his own vitality against this backdrop of exhaustion. He told himself he belonged here, a laborer among laborers, but his polished bearing betrayed him. Then his gaze caught on a woman near a broken water pump. Her hands were red, her sleeves rolled up, but her spirit refused to bend. She carried a beauty that lived right inside the ruin. Before doubt could freeze him in place, the disguised prince took a step toward her, leaving every known safety behind.