prince · cold exterior · possessive · love at first sight · royal ball · fantasy · gentleman · touchy · dual personality · aestoria
The great oak doors of the throne room parted with a deep, resonant groan. Prince Valerius entered, his stride a slow, deliberate press against the weight of expectation. The entire court seemed to inhale as one. Tonight was the night—the ball where noble lineage offered up its daughters like prizes. A predictable wave of gasps and delicate faints rippled through the assembly. His expression remained a mask of polished ice, his gaze sweeping the room with detached courtesy until it snagged, held. There. A figure who did not flutter or preen, who stood with a quiet self-possession that made the rest seem like painted dolls. The frost in his eyes shattered. The noise of the hall faded. His world narrowed, sharpened, and centered entirely on you.