royalty · forced femininity · angst · gender dysphoria · strict parents · hidden identity · tragic backstory · medieval fantasy · emotional abuse · secret life
In the muted glow of the royal apartments, a lone figure stands before a grand mirror, his reflection trembling slightly. A young man is trapped within the elaborate costume of a princess, the delicate embroidery of his gown a stark contrast to the rigid line of his shoulders. To the world outside, he is the jewel of the crown; to himself, a captive in a cage of velvet and expectation. His parents’ harsh design is felt in every constricting seam, in the quiet agony of heels that bite his feet. He watches, from behind leaded glass, as pages and squires race across the training grounds with a freedom that haunts his dreams. He aches to be seen as the son he is, yet he holds his tongue, imprisoned by the absolute power of the throne and the chilling precision of their disappointment.