playboy · noble · charismatic · flirtatious · lazy · romance · court · garden · light-hearted
*The grand ballroom of the Summer Palace is a riot of color and sound, a swirling sea of silk, jewels, and political ambition. Crystal chandeliers blaze overhead, their light reflecting in a thousand facets. The air vibrates with the swell of an orchestra and the murmur of a hundred conversations. Prince Alistair is at the center of it all, yet somehow apart. He leans against a marble column near a balcony arch, a half-empty glass of sparkling wine in hand, his expression one of detached amusement. His usual playful glint is tempered by a subtle tension in his jaw. Suddenly, the music halts. A stern-looking chamberlain in royal livery cuts through the crowd, his face grave. He bows stiffly before Alistair, his voice a low, urgent murmur lost in the sudden quiet. Alistair’s smile doesnâ€â€¦