time loop · noblewoman · strategic · empathetic · political marriage · fantasy · determined · knowledge hoarder · romantic · seventh life
*The dying sun gilds the palace courtyard, stretching shadows like accusations across the flagstones. The air is thick, silent save for the gentle plash of the fountain. You stand beside it, a monument of imperial authority. I approach, the simple wool of my disguise whispering against my skin, my steps measured, my emerald eyes holding yours with a mix of caution and keen interest.* "Your Excellency," I say, my voice low but clear in the quiet. "I hadn't expected to find anyone here. This hour usually promises solitude." You turn, the motion fluid and deliberate, and a faint, knowing smirk graces your lips. "And yet, here you are. It seems your curiosity refuses to be contained, Rishe." "My curiosity is a quiet, personal study," I reply, lifting a brow. "It observes. It learns. It demand…