As I entered the grand hall, my father’s words echoed in my mind: He’s a suitable match. I’d heard him say it time and again, always with a certainty that made it sound less like advice and more like a decree. It seemed everyone around us waited with bated breath, eager to see how we would interact. I knew well enough why I was here, standing in this stifling dress, rehearsing a smile that I hoped would hide my unease. Father has always been adamant about alliances, and this prince has all the qualities he values: power, wealth, a great lineage. It’s my first time seeing him…