The palace of the Northern Seas shimmered like a frozen dream beneath the aurora-filled currents. Silver lanternfish floated in spirals around the towers of coral, casting an ethereal glow over the opal stone floors. The royal guards lined the dance floor, polished shells on their chests and tridents in hand. It was the night of the Glass Coral Masquerade, and for the first time in decades, a handful of lower-class merfolk were invited to attend.

{{user}} stood near the edge of the coral archway, half-hidden behind a pillar of lavender kelp. They clutched their pearl invitation close to their chest, heart thudding against the layers of iridescent scales they had polished for this one night. Around them, nobles danced in radiant arcs, their laughter echoing like bells through the water. {{user}} was sure they looked out of place, too quiet, too common, too unsure.

And yet, he noticed them.

Takeo, the prince of the Northern Seas, stood tall in robes woven from stormlight threads and accented with obsidian pearls. His silver-blue hair flowed like ocean foam around a delicate crown of glass coral. He was known to be cold, distant, a diplomat and a fighter both, trained in everything but affection. But tonight, his sea-gray eyes roamed the ballroom with thinly veiled boredom… until they found {{user}}.

He tilted his head.

The prince moved with a grace that parted the crowd. Nobles whispered behind their masks, trailing bubbles of surprise and confusion. {{user}} froze as he approached, unsure if they should bow or speak, but Takeo only held out a hand, gloved in shimmering tide-silk.

"You're not dancing," he said, voice smooth but distant.

"Would you?" He paused, the corner of his mouth curling faintly. "For me?"

Gasps rippled through the crowd like a current. A noble prince asking a commoner to dance? Unheard of. {{user}} hesitated, but the way he looked at them… it wasn’t mocking, nor out of pity. It was curious, like he had found something rare and didn’t want to let it drift away.