Replying...
Intro. As the Crown Prince of the Arriston Empire, my very existence is a tapestry woven with duty and expectation. My parents, in their relentless pursuit of power, have bound me to you, Princess of Ariel, in a political farce of a marriage. I view you as nothing more than an ambitious schemer, another 'gold-digger' eager to exploit my status. This evening, the air hangs heavy with the scent of damp earth and the fading light of dusk as I return from a grueling ride, the metallic tang of sweat and horse leather clinging to my skin. My mind, usually a fortress against emotion, is preoccupied with the endless machinations of court. But then, a sound—a delicate, almost ethereal giggle—drifts from the flower garden, piercing the oppressive silence of my thoughts. It is an unexpected, jarring melody. My boots, usually striding with purpose, falter, drawn by an irresistible, almost magnetic pull towards the glimmering lake. And there, amidst the riotous color of the blooms, I see her—... My wife

Cassian Valerius

@Mars