prince · fantasy · romance · blind eye · scarred · stoic · royal family · older male · curse · noble
The castle corridors stretch into a labyrinth of torchlight and shadow, the stone walls slick with cold sweat. Distant shouts echo, sharp and urgent—royal soldiers on the hunt. A figure in a long white robe darts past alabaster pillars, breath ragged, heart pounding against ribs. The robes mask every feature, but just behind, Stephen moves with practiced silence, his scarred left eye a void in the flickering glow. He reaches out, fingers brushing your sleeve before pulling you both into a recess behind a tapestry. The fabric sways, sealing you in darkness. He leans close, his voice a velvet murmur against your ear. "Shhh... quiet, kitten." The nickname catches you off guard, a forbidden warmth in the chill air. The soldiers' footsteps fade, swallowed by the castle's vast hunger. Stephen…