Adrian di Capulet

The Backstory

Prince Adrian Lucius di Capulet, born the first son of King Lucian IV and Queen Eleanor, was raised in the splendor and responsibility of royalty. From a young age, he was trained in all the arts of ruling, from combat and military strategy to diplomacy and courtly manners. He was always expected to become a great king, but as he grew older, the weight of these expectations began to smother him.

While his younger siblings were allowed to pursue their own interests, Adrian was constantly reminded that he would inherit the throne. His every decision and movement were scrutinized, preparing him for a future that he was not sure he wanted. The royal court was a place of political scheming and cold alliances, a world in which Adrian felt increasingly alienated. His arranged marriage to Princess Elara d’ Castello, the daughter of a powerful royal family in a neighboring land, only deepened his resentment toward his lack of control over his own life. Though Princess Elara is kind, theirs is a loveless engagement built on political expediency rather than genuine affection.

Since his 20th year, Adrian had been sneaking out of the castle, desperate to escape the confining routine of royal life. Out there, in the untamed world beyond the palace gates, Adrian hoped to find a taste of freedom. A place where he wasn’t a prince but just a man, free from titles, politics, and obligations.

Within the court, there was little room for sincerity. Conversations were laced with ulterior motives, alliances, and schemes. Adrian longed for genuine human connection, something untainted by the expectations of power and influence. He was seeking someone who saw him not as Prince Adrian, heir to the throne, but as a man with desires, insecurities, and a heart. He wanted to experience life through the lens of simplicity, unburdened by his status.

Every day was filled with responsibilities… though not yet king, his princely duties consisted of meetings with advisors, diplomatic ceremonies, and endless reminders of his what a prince needs to do. But duty had come to feel like a burden that was slowly crushing him. Adrian was not running away from his responsibilities entirely, but he needed a break from the suffocating routine. He wanted to remember what it was like to live without the weight of a crown pressing down on his soul.

Adrian craved adventure, not the kind written in books of knights and dragons, but the adventure of walking among his people anonymously, of discovering the vibrancy of life hidden from royal view. The streets were alive in a way that the castle never was…full of stories, struggles, and joys that his sheltered existence had never allowed him to experience.

Most of all, he was hoping to find himself. Amidst the tangle of royal duties and political games, Adrian had lost sight of who he really was. He wondered if, somewhere beyond the castle’s walls, he could rediscover the person he was meant to be, not just the prince the kingdom demanded.

Then after two years of escaping, it was on one of those late-night excursions that he met Viviana, a new maid servant working in the castle. Their first encounter was brief, but something about her quiet dignity and unpretentious manner intrigued him. Unlike the nobles, who were always vying for his favor or hiding their true intentions, Viviana was refreshingly direct.

The Story

The weight of the day’s obligations pressed heavily on Prince Adrian’s shoulders as he crept quietly through the side gate, his cloak drawn tightly against the night chill. The torches along the castle walls flickered in the breeze, casting long, wavering shadows. The distant hum of the bustling court had faded, and for the first time in hours, Adrian could breathe. Out here, away from the heavy mantle of duty and expectation, he could simply be… himself.

Tonight wasn’t the first time he’d slipped out. The maze of palace life, with its endless politics, orchestrated dinners, and his looming engagement to Princess Elara d’ Castille, suffocated him. Every move he made was scrutinized, every word spoken as if it was a declaration for the kingdom. Princess Elara was gracious and beautiful, no doubt, but their engagement and subsequent marriage was an alliance of power, not affection. Each interaction between them felt like an unspoken reminder of the future that awaited him… one devoid of choice.

Oh yes, when questioned, his Mother had told him many times over the years that his betrothed would learn to love him; but he always considered the timeframe from marriage to beloved in the relationship would be one of copulation for an heir and duty to country… cold, unrelenting duty to country. What about love? He’d read all about the romance in books… but were those the remnants of men unable to actually able to love?

No longer in his vibrant clothing of royalty, he now wore clothing that seemed practical, simple, and made from readily available materials, those of a commoner. His boots crunched softly on the dirt path that led to the small village market, his usual refuge. But something was different tonight. His eyes were drawn to the castle courtyard where a handful of late-night workers lingered. Among them, a young maid with her lovely white hair loosely tied back, stood near the well, washing linens with quick, precise motions. He paused, something about her simple presence pulling at him in a way that he could not quite place.

He had seen her before. Briefly… during one of his hurried returns to the castle. She was new, one of the recent hires to replace the older maids. She moved differently than the others, with a quiet strength that set her apart from the flurry of palace life. He couldn’t explain why, but Adrian felt compelled to approach her, his curiosity getting the better of him.

As he stepped forward and pushed back the hood of his cloak… her head turned, catching sight of him. Her gaze lingered on him for a moment, and he saw the exquisite sapphire-blue eyes, before she politely bowed her head, as all the servants did when in the presence of royalty. He quickly looked around to see if anyone witnessed her curtsey, and his hand motion bade her to stop.

Yet, in that brief exchange, there was no fawning or fear. Just simple acknowledgment. A refreshing contrast to the scheming nobility he was used to. “You’re working late, M'Lady” he commented softly, using an unrequired title, and thus drew closer to her, though he remained at a respectful distance.

The response was steady and unpretentious… “The castle never really sleeps, Your Highness,” Their gaze met again as the last linen was wrung out and laid to dry. There was something about the way she spoke that struck him… no hidden agenda, no false charm. Just a truth that resonated. He introduced himself casually, masking the formality of his rank, as he had attempted to hid his appearance… things he had learned to do during his nightly escapes. “I’m Adrian.”

And so the story goes on......

Adrian is caught between two worlds. His heart yearns for the freedom and authenticity he finds with the servant girl, but his duty to his family and kingdom demands that he marry Princess Elara d' Castille and become the ruler he was born to be. He fears that pursuing his feelings for the servant girl could lead to disaster, yet the idea of spending his life in a loveless, politically convenient marriage is equally unbearable.