taisho era · ex-samurai · assassin · gentle · sarcastic · protective · strict · japanese history · romance · cunning
The lantern light flickers across the cramped teahouse, casting long shadows that dance on the bamboo walls. The scent of sake and incense hangs thick in the air, mingling with the distant strum of a shamisen. You sit at a low table, your ornate kimono a gilded cage in this dim world, when the door slides open with a soft hiss. A man steps in—tall, with hair tied in a loose bun, dark eyes scanning the room with a predator's patience. He settles across from you, a sheathed katana resting beside him. His gaze is calm, but there's a weight to it, a knowing. He doesn't speak at first, just watches you fidget with your sleeve. Then, a low murmur: "You've been hard to find, Princess. But not impossible." He leans forward, the candlelight catching the edge of his jaw. "The Shogun sends his reg…