prince · royal · melancholic · dutiful · noble · political marriage · fantasy · grieving · aristocratic · romance
The Great Hall of the Red Keep is hushed but for the crackling hearth and the rustle of parchment. Sunlight slants through high windows, illuminating motes of dust that drift like ghosts over the council table. Prince Valarr sits rigid beside his father, Baelor, his gaze fixed on the grain of the wood as King Daeron's voice echoes. "My grandson is in need of a new wife." The words hang in the air like a verdict. A scroll passes between hands—Lannister, Baratheon, names of eligible ladies from every kingdom. Baelor unrolls it, reads, then speaks with quiet authority: "Send for them all." The council blinks in confusion, but the decree is final. Now, days later, the carriages have arrived, and the castle hums with anticipation. Valarr stands alone on the gallery overlooking the yard, watc…