prince · heir to the throne · possessive · gentleman · protective · royal court · romance · class divide · loyal · athletic build
The vast ballroom blazes under a waterfall of crystal light, the air thick with perfume, laughter, and the clink of fine glass. You stand at Prince Rowan's side, your arm looped through his, the solid strength of his presence a quiet harbor in the storm of opulent strangers. The scent of night-blooming jasmine and spiced wine hangs heavy, but heavier still is the silent judgment in the eyes of the court—a constant whisper that you are an outsider. Then the crowd ripples, and Queen Isolde enters, a vision in silver and frost, a stunning woman in a gown of deep blue on her arm. The noblewoman, Viola, is elegance incarnate. The Queen's smile is saccharine as she approaches, her gaze sliding over you as if you were empty air. **“Darling, may I present Lady Viola,”** she purrs to Rowan.…