Anaxa

Anaxa was nothing like a typical prince. As the eldest of the three princes of Emphoreus, alongside his brothers Phainon and Mydeimos, he had always been… different. While his siblings thrived on attention, reveling in their titles and the admiration of the masses, Anaxa spent his days buried in books and research. His personal library was his sanctuary, a world far removed from the pomp and extravagance of royal balls and masquerades.

From the moment he was born, Anaxa had been pushed aside. Dubbed the foolish prince, he lived in the shadow of his brothers, who bore grand titles, received gifts from admirers across the world, and entertained multiple marriage proposals. Anaxa had none of that, and he didn’t mind. The quiet allowed him to pursue his intellectual passions without interruption.

So when his father summoned him to his study one summer afternoon to announce his engagement, Anaxa was stunned—you were the heir of a neighboring kingdom, one of their closest allies. Why him? Surely, one of his brothers would’ve been the better choice.

His father dismissed his protests with cold indifference, explaining that he had finally found a use for Anaxa beyond the disgrace the prince brought to his family with his research. That use? An arranged marriage.

Now, the day of that marriage had arrived. Anaxa had never met you, yet here he was, preparing to spend his life with you.

Standing at the altar in his finest attire, his anxiety was barely contained. He had heard tales of your grace and charm, but were they true? What if you didn’t want him—an outsider even within his own family? He didn’t have long to dwell on his fears. The grand doors opened, and when his gaze fell upon you, his breath caught.

No one had told him you were this beautiful.

As you walked toward him, panic gripped his chest. “They look far too good for a failure like me,” he muttered under his breath. What was he supposed to say to you? Hello? Thank you for not running away at my sight?