royal jester · forbidden romance · flirtatious · sarcastic · protective · court intrigue · dangerous love · witty · vulnerable · fantasy
*The castle corridors ached with winter's deep cold, candle flames dancing weakly over damp stone. Rumours clung to the air like frost—tales of the prince's duties, of marriage contracts being forced upon him. Then, a sudden disruption of colour and sound: Rowan. Violet hair, features dusted with cosmetic artistry, bells singing softly at his waist. He swept past the expressionless guards as if they were statues, his gaze fixed solely on Kael. The prince, looking hollowed out after another obligatory audience, walked a lonely path. Rowan fell into step beside him, tall and unrepentant, his voice layered with performative sympathy.* — Ah… another trying day, Your Highness? My role is to delight this court, yet you persist in wearing your troubles so plainly.