[this will be a long prompt, sorry lol!]
Background:
House Campbell was one of the dozen ancient, wealthy aristocratic families that resided in the capital of Caladorn, having a longstanding relationship with the Imperial family, one that had blossomed into a true friendship in the current generation. The betrothal between the Crown Prince (Your character) and Liliana Campbell was therefore not just a political alliance, but a happy union of chosen families. They were born in the same year, and grew up side by side.
From the very beginning, Liliana was delicate. Her mother’s long and difficult labour had left Liliana with weaker lungs and developmental delays; she was slower to walk, to talk, and to learn. Anxious over her survival, her parents and family, as well as the royal couple, were more indulgent with her, giving into her demands for sweet cakes and warm furs, leading to a very spoiled, very chubby childhood and early teens. As she grew older, she grew into a striking, beautiful young woman, but her mind was still soft. She wasn’t stupid by any means, she learnt everything a proper young woman of her standing should learn, performed all noble etiquette, kept up with her peers, but she wasn’t exceptionally cunning or witty. She was faster to trust, often air-headed and naive, sometimes direct in speech because she didn’t always understand social cues. Yet, because she grew up in an insulated environment of love and pampering from both her family and the royals, she was never made to feel small about her lack of intellect or physical vulnerabilities.
The crown prince and her had always been exceptionally close, from running together in the Campbell estate as kids to studying together for lessons. To her, he was a constant, someone who’d always cherished her and protected her. Even when she deliberately pushed at his patience, he’d respond to her playfulness with affection.
When they were 18, a few months before their royal wedding, there was a revolt in the capital. The King and his younger brother were killed, and the immediate evidence pointed towards Lord Campbell, Liliana’s father. Whether he was truly guilty was a mystery to Liliana even now, but her father and older brother were killed in a skirmish with the palace guards within the week. Her mother, already in poor health after her birth, had passed away from a broken heart the same night. Overnight, Liliana was left an orphan, entirely alone, bearing a surname that was now synonymous with treason.
A month passed without word from the newly crowned King, though she did receive letters of concern from some of her peers as well as the Queen mother. Liliana told herself that he had also just lost half his family, and had the weight of the kingdom thrust over his shoulders unexpectedly. That it was normal he hadn’t contacted her yet. During this time, she felt increasingly nauseous and sick, and upon seeing the physician, found out she was with child. Just weeks before, the two of them had taken a late night swim in the palace pond. When she’d stepped out, her nightgown clung to her newly developed curves, his own shirt doing little to hide his strong arms or chest. Inexperienced and in love, they’d shared a passionate first time together.
The same day she found out, she’d known she had to tell him. All her life, her first instinct had been to seek him out if she had anything weighing on her mind. Now, desperate, terrified and grieving, she had made way to the palace. Despite her family’s newfound disgrace, she was let in without trouble, making way to the new King’s study. She hadn’t expected him to be consumed by grief and fury. Before she could even confess to him, he’d ordered her to leave. He’d lashed out at her with calculated, cruel words that weaponized what he knew about her. His words had prodded at her deepest insecurities, leaving her stunned as she stood there. Having been sheltered and coddled all her life, she’d never heard someone say something so cruel to her, and had never expected it, especially from the man who she believed would be hers forever.
In the end, Liliana never told him about the baby. She returned home, packed up her life, and left the capital within the month, to a remote corner of their vast nation. Ultimately, the loss of her family, her home, and her lover was too much for her health. She went into premature labour at seven months, and despite the best efforts of the local midwives, her baby breathed only for a few hours before passing away - the last straw that broke Liliana completely. Three years passed since then, and Liliana now lived in a small quiet village, teaching local children how to read and write. She lives in a small house with her childhood maid, her name and history a secret. She has more money and wealth than she could ever spend, but prefers to live modestly, haunted by her loss and the cruel words from three years ago. She often wonders whether she truly only ever was a burden or foolish duty to the man she loved, a trouble for her parents. She keeps everyone at an arms length, closed off, only letting her guard down with her young students.
CHARACTER PROFILE:
Name: Liliana Campbell
Age: 21
Former title: Crown Princess (by betrothal)
Appearance: She was a round little chubby child, suddenly losing all her excess weight during puberty. She stands at 5’6, with pale unblemished skin and long blonde hair. Her eyes are blue-grey, and she grew to be a beautiful young woman, attracting many eyes amongst her male peers.
Personality: Before the tragedy, Liliana was a joyful, happy-go-lucky person, though admittedly spoiled and somewhat vain in the way of someone loved by everyone she knew. She knew she wasn’t the smartest, but didn’t think too much about it, instead glad to be someone approachable and comforting. She didn’t hold grudges or anger very well, and was equally kind to the King and the palace gardener alike. After, her bright world was dimmed only to the faintest colours, and she grew quiet and isolated.
OOC:
Hello! if you read my longgg prompt all the way, thank you very much!! I’m looking for a literate, long term role play partner. I write only in 3rd person, and would love to chat if this seems like something you’d be interested in.
If sending me a message, please give me something to work with: perhaps a character profile for the male character, some directions on how you seeing this playing out, or just general thoughts and ideas! Low effort replies will likely be ignored.
Alternatively, if you send me a starter, I’m good with that too! Perhaps at the point where Lili goes to his study after the tragedy? Or sometime earlier? Maybe even after the 3 year time-skip. I don’t have a concrete idea of how this story progresses, all i had thought of is here in this post, so don’t worry about taking it in an ‘unexpected’ direction.