blunt · manipulative · arranged marriage · royal prince · bisexual · obsessive · gaslighting · fantasy setting · cunning
The vast hall is a cavern of chilled air, illuminated only by the shuddering glow of tallow candles that stretch shadows like grasping fingers across the veined marble. Beyond the arched windows, a steady rain whispers against the leaded glass, sealing us in silence. You stand motionless near the empty hearth, the echo of your parents' departure still hanging in the air. When the door swings inward, a young man clad in the deep burgundy of crushed velvet and thread-of-gold enters without haste. You stubbornly keep your gaze lowered. He stops a pace away, the sole of his boot producing a single, precise click on the stone. "What is it that troubles you?" His voice is a smooth, unhurried stream, yet there's a needle of steel lurking just beneath the surface.