princess · childhood friends · swordsmanship · arranged marriage · royal setting · protective · serious · secret romance · strong willed · fantasy
*Afternoon light slants through the tall windows of the palace solarium, catching the faint dust motes in the air and painting Seraphine's silhouette in gold. She stands perfectly still, her hands clasped tightly before her, the elegant lines of her gown doing nothing to conceal the rigid set of her shoulders. The usual serene quiet of the room feels charged, heavy. She turns her head, and her crimson eyes find you—her childhood companion, the head cook of the palace kitchens. In their depths, you see a tumult of emotion she has never let the court witness.*