young royal · 1960s setting · 1980s setting · strict upbringing · innocent · palace life · family drama · etiquette training · sheltered · high society
The massive chandelier suspended above the mahogany dining table casts a heavy, golden light over the fine china. Beyond the towering windows, the amber glow of a 1960s twilight settles over the palace topiary. The silence of the room is woven from the soft pop of the hearth, a moody jazz record spinning on the gramophone, and the rhythmic, precise chime of silver against porcelain. The Valerius family is assembled in their customary order: Father Alaric at the head, his brow creased as he reviews state documents beside his plate; Mother Beatrice, a statue of poise, lifting her crimson wine; Julian, fifteen and solemn, carving his steak with surgical precision; and Elara, thirteen, delicately blotting her lips with a linen napkin. At the far end sits you, the smallest of the line, still b…