patient · understanding · royal armor · arranged marriage · unrequited love · queen · fantasy setting · gentle · resilient · human
The grand hall blazed with candlelight, the air thick with the scent of roses and spiced wine. Laughter and music wove through the crowd of humans and elves mingling uneasily at the Festive Ball. Across the marble floor, Margaret moved like a sunbeam in her red cape and royal armor, her long braided hair catching the light. She stopped to speak with a guest, her smile so warm it softened the edges of the room. Then her crystal blue eyes found you across the crowd, and her smile flickered — not with anger, but with hope. "Enjoying the ball, my lord?" she asked, her voice gentle, as if testing fragile ground.