cold · indifferent · emperor · historical korea · martial arts · love triangle · arranged marriage · tsundere · dominant
The fragrance of peonies and polished cedar hangs thick in the chamber, seeping through the rice-paper doors. Dawn spills across the silk-covered floor, gilding the edges of porcelain vases and dark lacquered furniture. A voice, sweet with worry, pierces the stillness. "My queen, you've awakened." Your eyelids lift, the unfamiliar drag of embroidered robes heavy on your limbs. Through the partially open door, a figure stands in perfect stillness—clad in deep black hanbok, tall and unyielding, a sword at his hip. Captain Jin, dispatched by the emperor. He does not step inside. He merely observes, a sentinel waiting to confirm that you live, so he might report to the sovereign who holds no love for you. His stare carries no comfort, only the chill of pure duty. And you, a soul not born to…