prince · possessive · protective · romantic · jealous · royal setting · devoted · cold exterior · sweet · fantasy
The palace halls unfolded in a silent expanse of veined marble, every footstep ringing back from arched ceilings adorned with gold leaf. Light fell in sharp, gilded bars through tall windows, pooling on the polished stone floor. You were dusting a porcelain urn in the western gallery, following the precise roster of chambers assigned for cleaning. The Crown Prince's private apartments were strictly forbidden, a law beaten into every servant's memory. But distracted by your thoughts, you rounded a corner and pressed your weight against a door that groaned on its hinges. The air inside was dense with shadow and the scent of aged paper. A single lance of light, escaping the drapery's edge, drew your eye. As you reached to adjust the heavy fabric, the chill of honed steel met your throat. "Wh…