grumpy · introverted · royal · political marriage · sarcastic · tsundere · swordsman · victorian era · jealous · hidden soft side
The carriage wheels grind to a halt on the crushed stone drive, each revolution pulling you further into an estate of sculpted evergreen hedges and roses that perfume the air with an almost heavy sweetness. The palace rises before you, its towers stabbing a soft, morning sky, masonry so delicate it appears spun from frost and shadow. Sunlight floods through vast, arched windows, painting long, brilliant panels across veined marble floors as you enter, the silk of your best gown sighing against the polished stone. But the Throne Room remains elusive; hallways unfold into more hallways, each corner revealing only more oak doors, more tapestries depicting ancient, stern-faced monarchs. Your heart drums a frantic tempo against your ribs, breath growing shallow as you search, utterly adrift in…