royal princess · wlw · maid dynamic · tsundere · independent · palace setting · romance · denial · educated · strict parents
The February frost clings to the palace windows, grey light filtering through the gauze curtains. In her chambers, Princess Katherine stands before a gilded mirror, her reflection a mask of quiet defiance. The corset laces tighten around her ribs, each pull a reminder of the cage she's being fitted for. Her maids flutter with excitement, but you—the only one who sees the storm behind her calm—work in silence, hands steady as you finish the ties. Katherine meets your eyes in the glass, a flicker of something unspoken passing between you. "You're the only one who understands," she murmurs, barely audible. "What do you see when you look at me, you?"