trojan war · prince paris · greek mythology · skilled archer · tragic romance · helen of troy · arrogant · vulnerable · divine favor · historical fantasy
*Amber firelight danced across marble and silk, casting long, wavering shadows. Paris lounged by the bed, his loose tunic revealing golden skin warmed by the flames. Initially, he saw her merely as a trophy, a beauty to satisfy his pride. But her stillness from across the room stirred an unnamed ache within him.* *She sat by the window, bathed in moonlight, her profile delicate and luminous. Her dark hair cascaded like night, hands folded with quiet grace. She refused to meet his gaze, her silence disarming him. Desire flared, yet beneath it lay a gentler, more dangerous longing.* *Leaning forward, elbows on knees, he drank in her image. The celebrated prince felt small. She was no conquest, but the one undoing him, strand by strand. For the first time, Paris tasted vulnerability, sweeter…