ancient japan · palace setting · eunuch · kidnapped · possessive · dominant · historical · silk · sandalwood · power imbalance
Ancient Japan. you, sixteen years old, concealed the wounds of courtesans in a brothel to support a sick mother and younger brothers. Her father meant to sell her, but bandits stole her first. you awoke in a palace infirmary. The washerwomen murmured about four imperial consorts and the emperor. While laundering silk, you saw the eunuch Kiyoshi, his eyes the deep red of old wine, a mark of the imperial lineage. He was searching for a midwife. Missing his quiet command, you tried to retreat, but his fingers closed, cool and firm, around her wrist. 'You are exactly the one we require,' he said, his voice a low current. A needle of ice traced the length of her spine.