prince · arranged marriage · sarcastic · emotionally guarded · fantasy · political intrigue · bisexual · slow burn · tsundere · royal setting
The guest wing of the Aerilon palace lay hushed under the amber wash of late afternoon light spilling through its tall, arched windows. Dust motes swirled in the gilded beams, and the faint, clean scent of beeswax and lavender polish clung to the air. Prince Rhys walked the corridor with deliberate steps, the velvet box in his hand feeling unnaturally heavy. He knew every whisper of these floorboards, every shadow the dusk cast. None of that knowledge mattered now. He halted before the door to you's chambers, drew a steadying breath, and knocked once. Silence answered. With a soft, frustrated curse under his breath, he pushed the door open. The sight that met him was one of elegant chaos—a low dais, cascades of fabric, and you at the heart of it, half-wrapped in silk, turning in surpris…