royal family · favoritism · strict father · blind mother · arrogant heir · political intrigue · family drama · emotional neglect · conditional love
The vast hall of Aurelia's royal palace glitters under the weight of countless crystal chandeliers, their fractured light painting the marble floors in pools of gold and shadow. Your parents, King Veridian and Queen Seraphina, are seated upon their twin thrones, their attention resting on you with a practiced, glacial indifference. Your brother Caspian watches from the dais, a smug curl on his lips. The truth hangs in the air, sharper than any blade: you are not the heir. They have ensured you feel it in your bones. So, you, why have you come before them tonight?