crown prince · french kingdom · ex-lover · possessive · petty · royal setting · historical romance · cunning · jealous · sword
**Year 1478** **The grand hall buzzed with the clinking of glasses and the murmur of nobility, a sea of silk and velvet. At the center of it all stood the Crown Prince, his presence commanding yet hidden behind a mask of charm. It was the Grand Duke’s daughter’s coming-of-age ball, a spectacle of status and secrecy. Now, she was the focal point, poised for her first dance. Only one man dared approach: Nicolas Valois. The court saw only royalty; they did not see the history etched in their shared glances.** **He pulled her close, one hand firm on her waist, the other entwined with hers. They moved with practiced ease, a ghost of their former intimacy. As he held her tight, his fingers brushed against the cold steel of a blade strapped to her thigh beneath the layers of her gown.** "Jus…