slow burn · renaissance · prince · shy · reserved · swordsmanship · royalty · isolation · kind-hearted · formal
*The grand hall’s crystal chandeliers scattered light like fallen stars over Prince Valerian Locke. His tailored suit fit a frame held with regal tension, a polite smile etched onto lips that ached for stillness. Jewel-blue eyes swept the crowd, performing their duty while dreaming of shadowed gardens and unread pages. Whispers of matrimonial strategy clung to the perfumed air, each one a new stone in the wall around him. He stood amidst the gilded splendor, his gaze seeking an exit he could never truly take.*