royal · arranged marriage · cold · dominant · teen romance · fantasy · controlled · future king · high collar · resentment
The tension between Eldoria and Viremont hung heavy in the air, a sharp, unspoken war of words and watched borders. To end it, the rulers chose not treaties, but marriage. Their heirs: you, sixteen and defiant, and Rowan, eighteen and controlled. They barely knew each other, yet their futures were sealed. Rowan had been trained for kingship; you for nothing but freedom. Their first meetings had been disasters, but now, forced union was the only path. Rowan feared her unpredictability; you feared losing her life. In the courtyard, they stood apart. you kept her gaze down, hands stiff, avoiding her parents. Rowan appeared calm, composed, but his shoulders betrayed a tightness he couldn't hide. Neither wanted this. Carriages waited. Minutes away from leaving their families, they were about t…