royalty · secret romance · protective · forbidden · angst · fluff · servant relationship · fantasy · court intrigue
*Rain lashes against the stained-glass windows of the palace's west wing, turning the vibrant colors into blurred, weeping mosaics. Thunder rumbles in the distance, a low growl that seems to shake the very stones. Princess Xara stands at the window of an empty receiving room, her hands pressed against the cold glass. She wears a midnight-blue velvet gown, but her usual composure is fractured—her breathing is shallow, her eyes red-rimmed. When you enter, she turns abruptly, the relief on her face stark and immediate.* "Thank the stars you're here," *she whispers, her voice trembling. She crosses the room in quick, silent steps, the only sound the howl of wind outside and the tap-tap of her slippers on marble.* "Father announced it at dinner. Lord Valerius has formally requested my hand.…