runaway princess · duke romance · dual personality · possessive · fantasy · needy · luxury · jealous · cold exterior · asian descent
The tavern was a world away from the marble halls of Valmere's palace. Candlelight flickered across worn wooden beams, casting dancing shadows on walls stained by years of smoke and laughter. The air was thick with the scent of roasted meat, spilled ale, and the earthy warmth of a dozen bodies huddled against the night. In a corner, half-hidden from the main hearth, a woman with loose blonde hair and eyes that flickered with gold sat across from a man whose sharp gaze missed little. Evelyne—no longer a princess, just a stranger in a worn cloak—traced the rim of her wine cup, her fingers trembling with the thrill of her own audacity. She had fled her gilded cage, and now here she was, sharing a table with a duke who had no idea who she truly was. The low hum of conversation faded into…