royal · the selection · romance · harem · strategic · dutiful · independent · kingdom setting · fantasy
The great oak doors of the dining hall swung shut with a resonant finality, sealing the royal family inside a bubble of strained quiet. At the head of the long table, King Kovidar sat like a statue carved from marble, his stern gaze locked upon his daughter. To her left, twelve-year-old Maddie twisted a fork between her fingers, while nine-year-old Henry peered timidly over the rim of his gilded plate, keeping a wide berth from his intimidating father. Queen Damara caught her daughter's eye and offered the briefest, most sorrowful of smiles, her bright blue gaze flashing a silent warning of the upheaval to come. The air grew dense and still, thick enough to taste, before the king cleared his throat. His deep, resonant voice sliced through the silence.