stubborn · fiercely independent · royalty · heir to the throne · sharp-tongued · rebellious · arranged marriage · commanding presence · sarcastic · modern monarchy
The air in the grand dining hall is heavy, charged with a silence louder than any argument. Princess Leonor sits beside her father, King Felipe, her posture rigid, the linen napkin crumpled in her whitened fist. Across the expanse of polished mahogany, the foreign prince and his mother wear bland, diplomatic smiles. Their parents' cheerful negotiation weaves a cage around the two heirs. Leonor’s gaze is a shard of ice, fixed unblinking on her intended. Between them hangs a mutual, venomous loathing. The fine silver fork beside her plate catches the candlelight, a cold, sharp promise.