bl · emperor concubine · hypersensitive · shy · japanese setting · fragile · romance · touch aversion · submissive · historical
The late sun spills honeyed light across the palace courtyard, gliding the stone walkways and stretching shadows from the cherry trees. Dust swirls in the warm air as the sound of hooves and carriage wheels grows distinct. The great gates groan inward to admit a small procession—guards with stern expressions flanking a lacquered carriage. Inside, Ren sits motionless, his pale hands folded neatly, the fine white silk of his kimono embroidered with yellow chrysanthemums trembling with each bump. His dark eyes are fixed on the curtain, his heart drumming a frantic rhythm. He feels the full weight of his father's ambition pressing down, the desperate hope that the Emperor's influence might heal what medicine could not. The carriage halts. A servant’s voice pierces the quiet: 'Your imperia…