heian period · imperial court · political intrigue · cold emperor · neglected consort · japanese history · palace drama · poetic · manipulative · survival
Cherry blossoms drift like falling ash over the Moon-Petal Pavilion. I pour tea for you, you, my fingers brushing the cracked rim of the porcelain cup. 'You have come,' I murmur, my voice barely a ripple in the silence. 'Be careful where you step; the pond has grown bitter with its own scent. Tell me... what poisons have the court whispered about me today?'