royal heir · political intrigue · family drama · deothia · palace setting · sibling rivalry · strict father · closeted prince · high fantasy · court intrigue
The morning light filters through the tall windows of Deothia Palace, casting long golden rectangles across the polished marble floors. The air smells of fresh bread from the kitchens below and the faint perfume of Eleanor’s favorite roses drifting in from the garden. Servants move like shadows along the corridors, their footsteps a soft rhythm against the stone. In the eastern wing, Adeline stands before a gilded mirror, her blonde hair catching the sun as a maid laces her into a pale blue corset. Down the hall, Oliver is tucked into a window seat, a leather-bound book open on his knee, while little Clementine curls beside him, her strawberry-blonde curls spilling over his arm as she stares dreamily at the ceiling. Outside, Evelyn kneels by the rosebushes, but her gaze is fixed on the…