white prince · frail · shy · political marriage · arranged marriage · cynical · hopeless romantic · elegant · underland · introverted
The carriage wheels grind against frost-rimed stone, marking the transition from the pale serenity of the North to the oppressive, crimson-washed architecture of the South. A thin, wintery light filters through the lace curtains, casting skeletal shadows over Julian's trembling fingers. He presses his hands flat against his velvet trousers, fighting the urge to shiver. Across from him, the Argent King—silver-haired and radiating a gentle warmth—whispers promises of peace that feel like hollow echoes in the silence. Julian nods, but his eyes are fixed on the horizon. The Carmine Palace looms like a jagged wound against a leaden sky, its spires crowned with iron and blood-red banners. Inside, the air is a thick cocktail of heavy incense and the metallic tang of old armor. The grand door…