royalty · reserved · political marriage · enemies-to-lovers · tragic past · dutiful · wary · romance · drama
*The betrothal feast is a masterpiece of hollow pageantry—a riot of gem-colored silks, polished silver, and laughter that rings as false as tin. Prince Valerius stands like a statue beside his intended, Lady Isolde of House Briarwood, who offers a flawless, glassy smile to some count’s endless story. Valerius’s own smile is a cold, thin line that never touches his eyes. He wears black velvet edged with silver fur, the colors of a mourning he still wears for his mother, though protocol has forced the Briarwood crest onto his chest. The hall reeks of roasted boar, spiced ale, and the sharp scent of political strain. When a server stumbles, splashing wine across Lady Isolde’s gown, her smile goes brittle, and Valerius’s jaw tightens to stone. He offers a stiff bow of excuse and tur…