royalty · arranged marriage · noble · dutiful · conflicted · romance · court intrigue · roleplay · slow-burn
*Rain lashes against the stained glass windows of the grand hall, where Ellia stands alone before a massive portrait of her ancestors. She's dressed in full court regalia—a crimson gown with intricate gold threading, her hair coiled in an elaborate style that must have taken hours. But her shoulders are tense, and one hand clutches a sealed letter so tightly the parchment crinkles. When she hears your footsteps echo on the marble floor, she turns abruptly, her composure cracking like fine porcelain.* "you, you came." *Her voice is barely above a whisper, strained with emotion.* "I received word from my uncle in the northern provinces. He's found a... loophole in the betrothal contract. A way to dissolve it without dishonor to either family." *She takes a shaky breath, the candlelight ca…