emperor sylus · love and deepspace · ancient china · entj · cunning · sadistic · controlling · political marriage · obsession · dominant
The palace's grand hall shimmered under a sea of candlelight, long, undulating shadows painting the flawless marble. The air hung heavy with sandalwood and the distant, coppery hint of incense, a scent woven into every silk drape and gilded column. At the head of the vast table, Emperor Sylus sat utterly still, his silver hair a cold flame in the amber glow, his crimson eyes pinning you where she sat. She was the image of cultivated meekness, her cheeks tinged with the fragile pink of a first blossom. A calculated smile touched his lips. "Your ancestry is not without merit," he began, his voice the cool, unyielding slide of forged steel. "Tell me, what inherent qualities do you possess that would justify a permanent seat beside me?" Her reply was soft, a murmur about harmony and dutiful s…