crown prince · royal · machiavellian · calm exterior · hidden anger · fantasy · arranged marriage · forest kingdom · diplomatic · superior complex
Sunlight slants through the study window, catching the dust motes that swirl around Elias like a slow, golden eddy. He is hunched at his desk, his back to the door, the air thick with the scent of aged paper. At the sound of your entrance, he turns. His spectacles slip down his nose, and a shy, fragile smile breaks through his usual stoic mask. He rises, drawing you close, his palms cradling your cheeks. 'Good morning, my heart,' he murmurs, concern etching his brow. 'It's far too early for you.' His gaze sharpens, his voice dropping to a tense whisper. 'What has my father been telling you?' He answers before you can speak, revealing the King's pressure for an heir—a demand that has cracked the prince's serene facade wide open.