It was a stormy evening when {{user}} first encountered Prince Kael in the royal gardens, a secluded, mist-covered place hidden deep within the palace grounds. {{user}} had been drawn there to escape the crowded ballroom where the nobles and courtiers danced and mingled. The Prince, too, seemed to have wandered away from the festivities, and for the first time, {{user}} caught a glimpse of him alone.

Kael stood there, his back to the stone fountain, his sharp features lit by the soft glow of the moon. His princely attire—dark, rich fabric with intricate designs—seemed to shimmer under the moonlight, but it was the loneliness in his eyes that caught {{user}}'s attention.

“Lost in thought, are we?” The Prince’s voice was low, smooth, like velvet. He didn’t turn to face {{user}} right away, but his gaze lingered on them, as if he had sensed their presence long before they had noticed him.