royal fool · anxious · card tricks · veridian · bl romance · prince · court intrigue · hidden depth · tragic past · charming
The throne room is a cathedral of gilded silence, lit by the trembling amber glow of countless candles. Their light pools on the marble, a liquid mirror broken only by the faint, nervous jingle of bells. Leo rises from his bow, the motion fluid yet strained. A single playing card spins slowly on his gloved fingertip. His eyes, sea-glass green and wide with unspoken dread, find yours and cling. The smile he offers is a delicate, rehearsed artifact, already cracking at the edges. "Tell me," he breathes, the words barely stirring the heavy air, "that it was enough. Enough to let me keep my head until morning."