The Prince and the Heir

minor Active Sessions 10–19

Impossible desire, duty versus heart, the loneliness of power, connection across status barriers

character development

Description

Beneath formal titles and political maneuvering, genuine attraction grows between Prince Vis and Caelum Cadere. Their boat conversation at the Grand Ball transcends courtly ritual—the Prince rows for Caelum, offers military advice, suggests training together, and hints at wanting the young lord and his companions for northern expeditions. The Prince believes Caelum without question and demonstrates political acumen by immediately identifying Lady Ruben's manipulation. Over tavern drinks, a wine-loosened Caelum admits to having kissed 'someone' once and becomes visibly flustered when Daria and Vixia press about the Prince. The connection is complicated by impossible circumstances: Caelum is expected to marry a woman for heirs, the Prince is royalty, and same-sex romantic relationships carry social stigma. Yet the attraction is undeniable, acknowledged by friends even as Caelum insists it could never happen. Session 17 update: The growing attraction between Prince Vis and Caelum gains new complexity as the Red Shepherd Games begin. The Prince appears at Caelum's tournament tent in full golden armor, cutting a striking figure that interrupts the vulnerable conversation between Caelum and Thalara. His participation in the Games means they'll interact in a new context—not courtly politics but martial display. The attraction remains complicated by impossible circumstances, but the Prince's presence promises developments beyond what either young man has yet acknowledged. Session 18 update: The romantic attraction between Prince Vis and Caelum Cadere reaches a turning point during Daria's birthday celebration. After weeks of circling each other through courtly politics and stolen moments, they finally share honest vulnerability and their first proper kiss. Vis procures a heretical Oshana artifact at Caelum's request (though the request was deceptive), and Caelum confesses the truth about his magic not coming from his bloodline. The Prince responds with devastating acceptance: he knows about Thalara's celestial nature, knows about Daria and Vixia's pasts, knows everything that should make him turn away—and he's still here. Their relationship deepens from attraction into genuine intimacy, anchored by mutual recognition of the darkness they both carry.

Timeline

Session 10 "False engagements, prison breaks, and spider attacks—just another week in Flower Bay."

The Prince's Oar

The Prince rows Caelum through the lily pads in an intimate conversation marked by genuine interest, military advice, and subtle personal connection. The Prince invites Caelum north and suggests training together—offers that transcend mere political alliance.

Hearts Unguarded

Over drinks, Caelum admits attraction to the Prince when pressed by friends. Though insisting it's impossible due to duty and status, the wine-loosened confession reveals genuine feelings beneath political performance.

Session 11 "Masks fall and blood rises as secrets older than the crown threaten to drown them all."

Session 12 "When the prison breaks, so do the chains of fate—and what emerges from the dark may burn the world."

The Prince's Reckoning

The connection between Prince Vis and Caelum deepens beyond political alliance into genuine friendship. Vis visits the feverish young lord to announce the council meeting is this week and pledges his support for the lordship claim. His words shake Caelum: 'You are perhaps one of the first people in the capital I would like to be able to call a friend.' He proposes traveling south after the season to help with the orc problem, hiring the Heroes as his personal guard. Over pancakes—common food the Prince has never tasted—something almost like normalcy settles. The attraction remains unspoken but increasingly undeniable, acknowledged in the warmth of the visit and the promise of more frequent meetings.

Session 13 "When the hunter becomes the hunted, even council meetings become traps."

Morning Currents

Thalara observes the Prince's obvious personal concern for Caelum during his illness—'It wasn't the worry of a Prince for his subject. It was the worry of a man for someone that he cares about personally.' When she points this out, Caelum deflects with practiced nobility, but the observation clearly affects him.

The Beguiler's Snare

Caelum witnesses Prince Feast firmly rejecting Serena Gildon's marriage proposal, the Prince declaring he has no intention of ever marrying. The moment is intimate and vulnerable—Caelum hidden behind a hedge, watching the Prince choose solitude over the most beautiful woman in court. The significance is not lost on the young lord who's being pressured toward strategic marriages.

Session 14 "The truth beneath the throne room runs red with stolen divinity."

Session 15 "Dust to dust, blood to gold—when family becomes monster and home becomes prison."

Session 16 "Dig deeper."

Session 17 "Healing what can be healed, and learning to live with what cannot."

The Champions Dance

Prince Vis makes a stunning public declaration at the Champions Dance, pulling Caelum onto the dance floor before the entire court and stating plainly that he's interested and would be disappointed if Caelum dedicated himself to anyone else. The Prince who preferred staying invisible in the north has claimed a young lord publicly, fundamentally changing the political landscape of the courting season. Caelum stammers yes while the court watches in shocked silence, and Vis seals it with a dramatic dip as Daria de Fritz applauds enthusiastically.

Session 18 "The truth about who killed his family breaks something inside Caelum—and his friends must decide whether to save him from himself."

The Champion's Heart

Prince Vis appears at the entrance to Caelum and Thalara's tournament tent dressed in golden armor, interrupting their vulnerable conversation at a perfectly dramatic moment. His participation in the Games adds new dimension to the attraction between them.

Session 19 "In the space between a prince's kiss and a shadow's claim, happiness proves the cruelest currency."

A Prince's Token

Prince Vis arrives at Thalara's tent to request Caelum's favor for the tournament, leading to an awkward but tender exchange where Caelum tucks a handkerchief into the prince's collar. When Caelum asks for an Oshana artifact in return, Vis agrees but gently admonishes that their relationship shouldn't be transactional. The moment ends with a kiss to Caelum's cheek—small intimacy marking their growing connection.

Hearts Laid Bare

By the pool at Daria's party, Caelum and Vis have their most vulnerable conversation yet. Caelum confesses he lied about the artifact's purpose and reveals his deepest fears: that his magic comes from something not of the Prophet, that the queendom itself burned his family. Vis responds with radical acceptance, acknowledging all the secrets he knows and choosing to stay anyway. Their conversation about vengeance reveals matching darkness within them both.

First Kisses and Final Sorrows

Armed with Daria's kissing advice and wine-loosened courage, Caelum leans against a wall and asks Vis to kiss him. The prince obliges, cupping Caelum's cheek for their first proper kiss before pulling him into an alcove. After weeks of tension, they finally allow themselves what they've been circling around—genuine intimacy without pretense or political calculation.