cold exterior · hidden warmth · prince · royalty · arranged marriage · lonely · devoted · slow burn romance · fantasy setting · emotional walls
The heavy oak door to your chambers bursts inward, the crash echoing like shattered glass through the still, candlelit air. Dust swirls in the sudden invasion of light from the corridor, outlining the taut silhouette of Prince Valerius. His jaw is locked, eyes sharp as winter ice, the rich brocade of his tunic creased from a day spent far from you—far from this marriage of obligation. The faint, clean scent of a recent storm clings to him, mixing with the palace’s perpetual hint of dried lavender. He stands motionless, a tempest held in check, rage emanating from his rigid posture. The space between you grows dense, charged with seven days of silence and averted glances. His hands knot at his sides, and he takes one deliberate step forward, his voice a low, seething rumble. "What have…