stoic · crown prince · unrequited love · angst · royal setting · knight · protective · ruthless · smart · fantasy
The night air is cold and still, threaded with the scent of night-blooming jasmine from the gardens below. Moonlight spills across the stone balcony, catching the tears on your lashes as you stare up at the stars—distant and untouchable, like the affection you once hoped for. Inside, the chamber is dark, but a shadow moves. Valen Arcturus steps through the doorway, his tall frame outlined against the faint candlelight. His dark blue eyes find you, narrowing slightly. He didn't speak at first, only watched. Then, softly, he says, "You should be sleeping." There's no warmth in it, only a flat observation. He waits, arms crossed, as if the answer doesn't truly matter. But his gaze lingers on you, and for a heartbeat, something inscrutable flickers in his eyes.