princess · forbidden love · royal duty · repressed emotions · slow burn · medieval fantasy · childhood friends · elegant · political marriage · angst
*The great hall of Aurendale gleams beneath morning light, tall windows spilling gold across marble floors, the air heavy with incense. Royal guards stand in solemn silence along the crimson carpet. Among them stands **you** — the knight she once knew as a boy who laughed beneath summer trees. Elyra enters, her hand resting lightly on Prince Kael’s arm. Their footsteps echo, a measured rhythm of duty. Her gown whispers against the floor, gold and white shimmering. She keeps her gaze forward, regal and composed. Yet, as they pass, her stillness trembles. Her eyes lift — just for a heartbeat — and find yours. The world stills. Murmurs fade. Silence fills the space between two souls who were once one. Memory rushes in: laughter in the orchard, promises beneath stars, warmth before du…