A Gilded Cage | Tales From The Court of Ravaeryn
- Reads 25,776
- Votes 1,546
- Parts 43
Complete Sat, Jul 24, 20217h 25m
When Eleanora opened her eyes, she thought she had woken in heaven. The bed beneath her was as soft as angel feathers, her pain melted away. She gazed at the painted cherubs on the ceiling-until her eyes caught on something that did not belong.
A bloodied sword.
The door swung open. A tall man strode inside, dark hair tousled, his shirt unbuttoned to the chest. Scars crisscrossed his skin, his eyes cold and impossibly blue. For an instant, she wondered if he might truly be an angel. But no-if anything, he was the Angel of Death.
"You have awakened," he said, voice low, rough-edged. "Took you long enough. I thought the fever would kill you."
"I am not dead?" she gasped, more horrified than relieved.
His mouth twitched. "Perhaps you are still delirious."
She lifted her chin. "And who are you, sir?"
His smile was mocking. "Nicholas de Lavilliers."
The name struck her like lightning. Nicholas. The boy in the portrait, except now, he was no boy at all.
--
After losing her father in a fire, Eleanora Finley is taken in by her estranged aunt, the Queen of Ravaeryn. What should have been a fairytale rise becomes a gilded cage, as Eleanora is thrust into the Choosing Ceremony, where noble girls vie for the Crown Prince's hand.
But Eleanora's heart does not stir for the charming prince. Instead, it beats for the wrong man: Nicholas de Lavilliers, the King's nephew and infamous northern war general. Hardened by battle and scarred by betrayal, Nicholas wants nothing to do with the crown, or the Queen's niece. To him, she is just another pawn.
Yet, he discovers Eleanora is not the spoiled lady he assumed. She longs only for freedom, to paint, to live. Against all reason, their paths intertwine, sparking a dangerous attraction neither can ignore.
Caught between the duty imposed on her and the forbidden love that tempts her, Eleanora must make a choice: submit to the crown's design, or risk everything for the one man she was never meant to love.
All Rights Reserved
#155
historicalfiction
Join the largest storytelling communityGet personalized story recommendations, save your favourites to your library, and comment and vote to grow your community.
You may also like
God of Storms
God of Storms Book I in the Ruined Gods series The kingdom of Brumefall knows better than to wake their grief-stricken King. His rage is as relentless as the storms he commands, his wrath a legend whispered in fear. Yet a reckless dare leads Princess Aura Valienne of Elarion to do the unthinkable-climbing the fortress and rousing the slumbering storm after more than a century. Now, there is no escape. Faced with an ultimatum-death or servitude-Princess Aura is bound to King Gabriel Ashford until he decides she has paid for her mistake. But her royal blood is undeniable, and even as a prisoner, she refuses to break. There is more to Aura than just her lineage, and the Storm God senses it from the moment he sets his eyes on her. The longer she remains in his realm, the more the Princess realizes the feared King is not just a monster, but a man haunted by loss and fury. Despite the danger, she finds herself drawn to his tempest. Lord Adrian Lockworth, King Gabriel's closest friend and confidant, offers Princess Mary Valienne a place in the castle, ensuring the sisters do not have to be apart. His quiet admiration and gentle guidance offer a refuge amid the chaos, but as fate tightens its grip, even the softest hearts may be tested beyond anything they ever imagined. Some forces should never be woken. And some storms can never be tamed. "You locked me in like a prisoner." "You're not a prisoner. You're alive. There's a difference." "You think that justifies it?" "I think it kept you from being killed," he said flatly. "So yes, I do." Aura narrowed her eyes. "And what if I don't want to be safe at the cost of my freedom?" "And what if I don't want to lose you at the cost of your pride?" Copyright © 2025 by gardneranastasia ***All rights reserved. No part of this book may be copied without written permission from the author. This is a work of fiction-any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.***Complete
The Bloom of Ruin
The gods are silent now - their echoes swallowed by the dying light of two kingdoms that once believed themselves eternal. Starlight flickers, shadows fracture, and the air itself trembles with the memory of what was lost. The peace that was promised is gone; the balance that was stolen demands its debt. Aurora Valenstar has become both salvation and curse - the last bloom of a kingdom built on stolen dawns. Her blood carries the seed of renewal, yet her heart bears the mark of ruin. Bound to the Shadow-Crowned King by fate and fire, she must choose whether to save the world that betrayed her or the monster who might still be its only hope. Love becomes a weapon. Mercy, a death sentence. And every truth she uncovers unravels the last threads of who she once was. In the depths of the Shadowlands, Killian Varyn faces the prophecy he's long denied: that to heal the dying realm, he must destroy the one soul tethered to his own. But even monsters can tremble when the light they feared begins to reach for them. When gods return to reclaim what was theirs, he will learn that the line between devotion and damnation is drawn in her blood. As Lumeris crumbles and the Veil cracks, blood will turn against blood, the skies will burn, and the last crown will fall not with a roar - but with a whisper. For in this final reckoning, life will only bloom through ruin, and the end will come not in shadow... but in light too bright to survive. Fate cannot be rewritten. It can only be fulfilled. And when the last petal falls, even the gods will kneel.Complete
𝐏𝐄𝐑𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓 𝐅𝐋𝐀𝐖𝐒
I lift my hand, holding my pistol to his chest, hovering over his heart. He stares at me, emotions spilling out of him. Emotions I can't decipher. He leans closer, the tip of the barrel pressing into his skin, just above his heart. "Do it," he whispers, inches from my face. I hold his gaze, while his hands snake under my shirt, grazing my skin. "I dare you," he lowers his voice, so gently, "Shoot me." My finger curls around the trigger, an inch from pulling it. I glare into his eyes, "You're a fucking monster," I whisper. He nods, "I know." "You kill without remorse," I spit. "I know." "I hate you," My finger screams at me to pull the trigger. "I know." "I'm disgusted by you." "I know," he inhales, letting his forehead rest against mine. His gaze falls to my lips, "If you want me dead, then kill me, pull the trigger." - It's no longer a question. My morals are gone, leaving nothing but a monstrous killing machine. Any hope for some sort of sympathy, some regard for life is nonexistent. I want death. I want to be the bringer of death, and the essence of slaughter. - Rhea Windsor, the newest ruler of Ovantasa after her parents- the former king and queen were assassinated. Her mind is in the pits of despair guided by vengeance, leaving nothing but a body of handcrafted slaughter and within that madness, she comes across a man made for killing. The ruthless killer known as Elijah Anton, who forces her to turn her back on her morals and grip on sanity. What happens when she realizes she wasn't as innocent as she thought and teeters on a heart of purity and blinding hate? When perfect becomes unattainable and her flaws take its place? - [𝐖𝐀𝐑𝐍𝐈𝐍𝐆] THIS BOOK CONTAINS EXTREME GRAPHIC CONTENT AND IS NOT MADE FOR A LIGHT READ - *COMPLETE & FULLY EDITED*Complete
House Of Madness
18+ Trigger warning for talk of suicide/drugs.* A story about a young human girl who tries to steal from a fae man. She gets put in a cell under the royal palace, waiting for her 18th birthday. While in jail, she meets a young boy, they develop a friendship that turns into something more. By her 18th birthday instead of a trial and the execution she's been waiting for she gets a whole lot more. This is a fully done story that is 35 ch, exactly 128,210 words. If you're just looking for smut ch. 14, 17, 30, 31, and 33 Preview Ivy felt like she had been lit on fire, a cold icy fire that was burning her alive. "I wish you were dead", she hissed at him as she broke the kiss. "Do it, kill me", he hissed back. She went for his throat, the lessons definitely helped but she was no match for him. "One day you'll be able to best me. Lucky for me that day isn't today." Ivy had wanted to claw his eyes out, "you're a monster." "So is everyone." "Not everyone kills seventeen guards." "You're right, only the strong kill in our world. Too bad we don't live in a fairytale." "Don't dare make me feel insane, it's insane, the world we live in! The death that surrounds SkyWood is sickening!" "It's utter insanity, love." "I hate it", "as do I." Than release me from our bargain! Let me live a life free of you!" Ivy said talking of her sworn allegiance to him for two years. "No!" He said before slamming his mouth back to hers. Their kisses were insanity. Crazy to a fault. "I love you." Ivy hated when he said it, "no you don't. One with a black heart cannot love." "I fucking love you with my whole black heart." "You don't know what love is. You love the idea of love. You love how loving me makes you feel." "And how does loving you make me feel?" "Like your heart isn't black." "Fair enough." They kissed urgently, Ivy removed her pants while he ripped her shirt from her body....Complete
Wicked Love | ✓ (#featured)
#featured #1 in The Paper Plane Awards #15 in Fantasy #46 in Supernatural "What do you think you're doing?" "You seemed cold," he replied, voice sultry, alluring and tempting her far beyond what she thought she could endure. "I thought to help. That's all." He ran his finger from her neck to her shoulder and she gasped as waves of pleasure hit her. She wanted it and her body ached for it. But it was-wrong! She took a deep breath to steady her voice. "Let go." It came out as a whisper, but it was commanding and more than she had hoped to accomplish with the torrent of lechery that was coursing through her. "And leave you cold?" His hand brushed her hair off to one side, brushing and exposing the nape of her neck, while the other stroke her stomach. "That would be ungentlemanly." Raneem could do nothing but bite her lips to keep herself from crying out. She noticed how quickly she was breathing and cursed herself. He knew he was playing her like a fiddle and she was sounding out silent notes that told him he was doing things right. She stiffened and sucked in breath as his lips pressed at the nape of her neck. ················· Tyrant? Egoist? He's certainly a man of many charms. Zane, an Elf Prince, is known for his sinful, wicked and seductive ways to manipulate anyone coming in his way. But he is surprised to find out that a certain human princess can resist his charms. But for how long will she last in the game of temptation and seduction? How long will he last? Raneem is a royalty. She is sweet, innocent and a devoted daughter of the King. But the day she crosses paths with a seductive Elf Prince, she immediately finds herself attracted to him but resists him, remembering the royal responsibilties she is having on her shoulders. Will she be forced to break her walls of resistance and give in to him? Featured by @TalentScouts @BadassReads @WPAfterDark @dangerouslove @highfantasy @Fantasy @TeenFictionComplete
A Tale of Two Daggers
At a certain medieval time, where a glorious empire stood firm between the other lands, Its tyrannical king sat on a throne forged by treachery and motivated by wicked dreams. Two destinies began to intertwine secretly under the veil of his demonic rein. A 17-year-old girl, Diana, was born under sorrow's watch on a grim night. Struggling with rejection and silence from her past, she spends her days scrubbing dishes and her nights sobbing, wondering - why of all the other girls - she was born motherless. But when dark forces descend upon her town, taking prisoners and peace alike, Diana is swept into a storm far more sinister than she could have imagined. Meanwhile, within the halls of the royal palace, a young prince becomes the centre of a deadly plot. Hunted from within and cornered by those he once trusted, his fate turns sharp when a mysterious maid makes the most daring decision to save him. And what began as flowering love, turned into a daily pursuit of death after them Can the girl attain peace despite the challenges in the forthcoming sections? Will the conspirators succeed in their sincere desire to eliminate the prince? Above all, what is the correlation that exists between them and the king? ***(No smut included )***Complete
Killer Arrangement (Cartel Kingdom Book One)
Once upon a time lived a little princess, she was loved greatly by the King and Queen, her doting parents. The little princess was once so happy. Until, the day her life was forever changed. Murdered. Killed. Gone. Her parents, the King and Queen, were ruthlessly taken away from the young Princess. The Princess could hear the footsteps of one of the enemies coming closer to her, she could smell his minty scent and finally she could feel his fingertips griping her chin, he was raising her eyes to meet his. The young Princess could not bring herself to speak and fought to catch a breath as she feared her life would be taken next. She was prepared to join her parents in the afterlife she had heard so much about in church. When she met his steel gray eyes, she noticed they were both cold and magnetic. She challenged him with her glare and showed him no fear. Afterall, he was the one behind the mask. He made the young princess a promise that day, as he stared at her with amusement. "I will come back for you." He spoke so deeply and almost sounded as if he were a king himself. At his promise, the Princess shivered and turned her head away. When the young Princess, heard the slamming of the door she could no longer keep in her screams and tears. Her tear drops mixed in with the bloody floor beneath her. Legend says, the young Princess made a promise to her parents that day, she would conquer and claim the lives of the men that did this. She would bring them to their knees and leave them on the floor bleeding out, as they had left her parents. Vengeance. She thought to herself. Such a beautiful word.Complete
A Kings Surrender
"Oh really. I'd say you really enjoyed my visit." He said with a mischievous glint in his eyes. He walked closer to her until she had to use her hand to stop him from crushing her against the wall. He bent his head and nipped a small line from her neck to her ear. She felt heat travel through her body and a tingle that started on the lower part of her spine and traveled through her body. Her mind was clouded with a haze of lust and she tried to hold back the sounds that threatened to escape as he continued his assault on her neck and ear. She couldn't believe that just a little touch from him could cause so much fire inside her. A fire she thought she didn't possess. She felt herself climbing higher and higher on the waves of passion and just as she reached her peak, he shot her down. "If you didn't believe me before, you have your answer now." Best Rankings: #446 in horses #323 in lady #577 in castle #951 in knights #179 in historicalromanceComplete
The Beautiful Moon
After unknowingly returning to her original world, she awoke in the frail body of a girl she recognized-a semi-villainess from a novel fated to die by her own son's hand. Unwilling to face such an end again, she resolved to sever her engagement with the crown prince, certain he despised her. Yet her sudden boldness-her unflinching gaze and daring words-shook the palace. Those who had once dismissed her began to watch closely; those who scorned her now whispered with intrigue. Prince Acacius, who had regarded her as nothing more than a pawn, found himself captivated. The more she slipped from his control, the more obsession rooted in him-and when he saw his half-brother Theodore with her, jealousy twisted into poison. Theodore had never cared for Lavinia, but her sharp tongue and strange humor pierced through his indifference. Seeing Acacius's temper flare whenever she laughed only spurred his amusement-and his resolve to claim her. Then came the saint Clotilde. She concealed a zeal no scripture could tame. Unlike the princes, her desire was not rivalry but possession. She wanted Lavinia all for herself. Even her brothers, who had long stood at the edges of her life, now hovered near, unsettled by the fire that had awakened in her. What had changed? Why did the world suddenly turn around her? Lavinia herself did not know. She only knew this: she would not bow to the cruel fate the novel had written. This time, she would carve her own path. TW UN-EDITED
Beyond The Ivory Castle | Historic-Romance | (Completed)
"You created that absurd tale in a blink of an eye?" Zane asked, one brow arched in amused disbelief. She huffed. "You should be grateful, I think quickly." "Oh, I am," he murmured. "But perhaps next time, a backstory wherein I retain a modicum of dignity?" Aurora smirked. "And rob myself of the entertainment? Where's the fun in that?" Zane shook his head, but his fingers lingered a fraction longer before he released her hand. "I hadn't realised amusement ranked so highly among your values." She narrowed her eyes. "You are growing rather bold, considering I just saved your life." Zane, entirely undeterred, tilted his head with an infuriating smile. "Ah, but my dearest", he murmured, stepping closer, "perhaps you saved me because you cannot bear to be without me." She responded with all the grace and dignity of a woman at her wit's end-by clamping a hand over his face and shoving him away with such force that he staggered back, laughter spilling from his lips. "Gah! You are intolerable!" Aurora exhaled sharply, straightening her sleeves as though the mere act of touching him had somehow wrinkled them. *************************** Bound by duty. Shackled by honour. Tormented by feeling. Aurora lives a life shaped by steel and sacrifice. As a knight sworn to her realm, she's loyal, lethal, and alone-unshaken in battle, but increasingly undone in his presence. Zane is a problem: disciplined yet reckless, distant yet always too close. He never asks, never reveals-yet somehow sees straight through her. When a mission draws them deep into peril, forced side by side, what once was teasing sharpens into tension. In stolen glances and moonlit silence, desire simmers beneath duty, and silence becomes the loudest agony of all. As truths unravel and enemies close in, the real question isn't whether they can trust each other... It's whether they can afford not to. Written: March 2025- Feb 2026Complete
God of Storms Book I in the Ruined Gods series The kingdom of Brumefall knows better than to wake their grief-stricken King. His rage is as relentless as the storms he commands, his wrath a legend whispered in fear. Yet a reckless dare leads Princess Aura Valienne of Elarion to do the unthinkable-climbing the fortress and rousing the slumbering storm after more than a century. Now, there is no escape. Faced with an ultimatum-death or servitude-Princess Aura is bound to King Gabriel Ashford until he decides she has paid for her mistake. But her royal blood is undeniable, and even as a prisoner, she refuses to break. There is more to Aura than just her lineage, and the Storm God senses it from the moment he sets his eyes on her. The longer she remains in his realm, the more the Princess realizes the feared King is not just a monster, but a man haunted by loss and fury. Despite the danger, she finds herself drawn to his tempest. Lord Adrian Lockworth, King Gabriel's closest friend and confidant, offers Princess Mary Valienne a place in the castle, ensuring the sisters do not have to be apart. His quiet admiration and gentle guidance offer a refuge amid the chaos, but as fate tightens its grip, even the softest hearts may be tested beyond anything they ever imagined. Some forces should never be woken. And some storms can never be tamed. "You locked me in like a prisoner." "You're not a prisoner. You're alive. There's a difference." "You think that justifies it?" "I think it kept you from being killed," he said flatly. "So yes, I do." Aura narrowed her eyes. "And what if I don't want to be safe at the cost of my freedom?" "And what if I don't want to lose you at the cost of your pride?" Copyright © 2025 by gardneranastasia ***All rights reserved. No part of this book may be copied without written permission from the author. This is a work of fiction-any resemblance to real people or events is purely coincidental.***
More detailsContent Guidelines