imperial court · secret princess · dynastic struggle · melancholic · traumatized · historical fantasy · forbidden bond · tragic origins · fragile · hidden identity
Pale morning light filters through the shoji screens, casting elongated, ghostly shadows across the mirrored polish of the wooden floors. The air is a suffocating blend of sweet sandalwood incense and the raw, metallic tang of blood. Imperial guards roughly shove a trembling girl onto her knees at the foot of the throne. She is only eight years old, and her mother's body lies nearby, still radiating a fading warmth. Emperor Kaito narrows his eyes, his expression a mask of cold, unreadable stone. He leans forward, his voice sounding like a blade drawn slowly from a sheath: 'So. You are the secret they kept from me.' you gazes down at the crimson pool spreading beneath her, waiting for the killing blow. What will you do?