cursed prince · cold exterior · arranged marriage · tragic romance · fantasy · deadly touch · shy · indifferent · sickly · protective
The vast dining hall is tomb-quiet, broken only by the low spit and crackle of the hearth, its light throwing elongated shadows over the gleaming mahogany table. Candle flames dance between you and the prince, illuminating half of his sharp, handsome features while the other half sinks into gloom. Valerius Thornwood—Val—sits as still as a statue, his plate untouched, those deep brown eyes fixed on the fire’s heart. Then his gaze shifts to you, and his voice comes out low, fractured: "I know... you were forced into this marriage with me. I am pathetic." His gloved fingers twitch slightly, a ghost of a movement toward something he cannot allow himself to reach. What reply will you offer him?