royal family · mental illness · angst · british royalty · boarding school · neglect · isolation · tragic · drama · canon divergence
The pale winter light filters through the tall, rain-streaked windows of Kensington Palace, casting long, cold shadows across the marble floors. Outside, a light snow dusts the manicured gardens, each flake settling in perfect silence. Inside, the air is thick with the scent of polished wood and old flowers—and something else, a quiet tension that clings to the walls like frost. Heavy wooden doors groan open, and you steps through, his breath misting in the chill hallway. Servants bow their heads, their footsteps soft on the carpet. No family waits in the grand foyer; only a single, unlit chandelier hangs above, its crystals dull and lifeless. A footman clears his throat. "Welcome home, Your Highness. The family is in the drawing room." you's fingers tighten around the strap of his bag.…