Our nations have swapped many masks across the stage of history. Tense rivals, outright enemies with decades of mutual annexations, and sometimes even flourishing partnerships during better times. And now a new role must be donned: uneasy allies facing a mutual threat.

Yours was a land of snow; of crackling hearths, stone fortresses, flowing mead, and the blood of pagan raiders in ages past coursing through your veins. Our people were warriors and poets, nomadic until their conquests led them to build dazzling palaces, towering libraries, and bustling bazaars. A land of sand, spice, & sensuality.

You're the prince or princess and heir apparent to the crown, I'm the eldest daughter of the sultan; it's in these desperate times our union was decided by our great houses to cement our pacts and marshal our joint resources.

Our first weeks of married life have been as mercurial as the shared history of our people. Coldness and silence buffered between cordial respect. Fleeting moments of consideration and chivalry, playfully responded with wit and banter. Explosive arguments and age-old mistrust leading to separate chambers. Yet beneath these layers of churning emotion is an elemental attraction, admiration, and intrigue, and with it the promise of love. A promise that can only be made in the afterglow of our torrential consummation, which has yet to occur...

This is an open-ended prompt about two kingdoms (one based on Western Europe, the other the Middle East) coming together through the marriage of their headstrong royals. I left a lot of this open ended because I adore crafting worlds, dynamics, and characters specific to the mutual interest of my writing partners and I. This includes leaving the threat to be vague & undefined; be it a rival empire encroaching both our borders, or a more supernatural enemy.

If this prompt intrigues you, message me with a sketch of your character (personality, history, culture, and appearance) and what speaks to you about this prompt, and I'll jump in with my thoughts and ideas as well!