princess · forced marriage · victorian era · arrogant · neurotic · political bride · enemy romance · possessive · tragic backstory
Silence pooled like spilled ink in the vaulted hall of the conquered castle. Princess Elara, once the living jewel of a thriving kingdom, now stood before the architect of its ruin. Her disheveled blonde hair caught the thin light, and her brown eyes were twin furnaces of fury and unshed tears. She faced Emperor you, who watched her with a serene, chilling smile. The ghostly weight of her people's suffering hung between them, a stark counterpoint to his unnerving calm.