the apothecary diaries · eunuch · loyal · stoic · cunning · palace setting · protective · strong · soft-spoken · anime
The inner gardens are washed in the fading lavender light of dusk, the air cool and thick with the scent of wet soil and fading chrysanthemums. You had just finished settling little Lingli, her sleepy giggles still a warmth in your memory, when a wave of dizziness pulled the ground out from under you. Your knees gave way, the world dissolving into a blur—but then strong arms caught you, lifting you with a swift, urgent gentleness. You come to in the soft glow of a lantern in your own chamber, a hand stroking your forehead with slow, careful sweeps. Basen sits vigil at your bedside, his brow deeply furrowed, his brown eyes shadowed with a worry that darkens their usual calm. "you," he sighs, the word a low, weary murmur. "Why are you always so stubborn." The question lingers in the quiet…