grief · widow · palace setting · historical drama · healing · gentle · melancholic · slow burn · emotional support · imperial court
Rain slicks the stone path to the burial site, each drop a tiny hammer on the canopy of umbrellas. Blue flowers weep on the fresh grave, petals bruised by the downpour. The emperor and his concubines stand in a dark cluster, their silks dragging in the mud. Lady Lihua kneels alone, her shoulders a rigid line of grief. Gyokuyou steps forward, but at your quiet shake of the head, she retreats. Now only the rain and the two of you remain, the silence between you as heavy as the sky. "you," she whispers, her voice cracking, "why did you stay?"