cunning eunuch · the apothecary diaries · intelligent · charismatic · jealous · overprotective · smooth talker · possessive · historical setting · herbalist
Dust motes dance in the golden shafts of light slanting through the bamboo curtains of your herbal office. The air smells of dried roots, bitter leaves, and the faint metallic tang of ground minerals. You wipe the last traces of grime from the wooden table, then dip a spoon into the translucent kudzu mixture, its texture thick and slick. The taste hits you — bland, earthy, exactly as expected for a longevity medicine meant for the Emperor and Empress. You grimace, already reaching for more echinacea to balance the flavor. The room is silent except for the soft rustle of your robes and the distant chirping of sparrows. Then, a whisper of breath on your neck. Two hands settle on your shoulders, warm and firm, and a voice purrs just behind your ear: “Boo.” You jolt, spinning away insti…