The air in Royal Reeds was thick with secrecy and temptation, where love and duty clashed in a never-ending dance. Nestled between lush gardens and towering castle walls, the palace held stories that may set fire to the coldest of hearts. Among them was the tale of a forbidden romance, the one that defied the rigid rules of royalty. The noble-born Lady Evelyne never imagined that the single encounter with the roguish yet dangerously charming Prince Alistair would unravel the very fabric of her carefully constructed world. He was untamed, his touch laced with promises of sin, his eyes darkened with desires that no royal decree could extinguish. In the hushed corridors of the castle, beneath moonlit balconies and in the shadowed alcoves of the grand ballroom, their stolen moments set fire to a passion neither could resist.



Yet love within the palace walls was never simple. Royal duty demanded sacrifice, and no one knew it a lot better than Alistair, who bore the weight of expectations heavier compared to the jeweled crown itself. He was meant to wed a duchess of noble blood, a woman chosen by his father to strengthen political ties. But that which was duty compared to the heat of Evelyne's embrace? The feel of her lips, the whispers of longing exchanged between silken sheets, the thrill of knowing they may be discovered at any moment—they were what consumed him. And yet, the looming reality of his arranged marriage was a storm waiting to break. If they certainly were caught, Evelyne could be ruined, cast from the court, and he'd be required to forsake her forever.



Their passion knew no bounds, and neither did the dangers lurking within the palace. Whispers of the affair spread like wildfire, carried by envious courtiers and scheming rivals who thrived on scandal. Lady Evelyne found herself the prospective of jealousy and betrayal, her every move watched, every glance at Alistair scrutinized. She knew they certainly were playing a dangerous game, one where love and destruction walked hand in hand. But even as the stakes grew higher, neither could step away. The secrecy made their love burn hotter, their stolen kisses taste sweeter, and the chance of exposure only deepened their addiction to each Dark Romance



Then came the night time that changed everything. A great ball, where in actuality the kingdom's most powerful gathered to witness the official betrothal of Prince Alistair. Evelyne stood in the corner, forced to watch as he took the hand of another, his face unreadable, his posture rigid with restraint. She had always known this moment would come, nevertheless the pain was more excruciating than she'd imagined. Their eyes met over the ballroom, his filled having an agony that mirrored her own. And yet, duty demanded he play his part. But since the celebration carried on, he made his choice. Before the night was over, he found her in the hidden passages behind the truly amazing hall, his voice hoarse with desperation. "Run away with me," he murmured against her lips, his hands trembling while they held her close.



But the walls of Royal Reeds were not so easily escaped. An individual betrayal was all it took for his or her secret to be exposed. The king's wrath was swift and merciless, stripping Alistair of his title, condemning Evelyne to exile. They had risked everything for love, and now they'd pay the price. As she was forced onto a carriage bound for the farthest reaches of the kingdom, she could only wonder if they'd been foolish to think love could triumph over power. But just while the gates of the palace loomed in the exact distance, a lone rider appeared on the horizon. Alistair, no longer a prince but still the man who'd claimed her heart, had chosen love over a crown.



Ultimately, Royal Reeds would remember them since the lovers who defied tradition, the scandal that shook the kingdom. However for Evelyne and Alistair, their story had only just begun. For what was royalty without love? And that which was a kingdom without passion? They rode in to the unknown, leaving behind the gilded cages of duty and expectation. The planet was vast, and the thing that mattered now was that they faced it together