The air in the empress's bed chambers crackled with tension, the weight of their words hanging heavy in the silence. The emperor's voice held a steely edge, a warning that tolerated no defiance.
"Your Majesty should understand where this empress is coming from," Rose replied evenly, refusing to lower her gaze. She knew that she was treading dangerous ground, challenging the emperor's authority in a way that few dared to do. Even the empress had no authority to question him. However, she also knew that she could not simply accept his words without question.
After a moment of staring at each other without a word, the emperor was the first to break eye contact. He released a defeated sigh before moving his long legs over the edge of the bed and pushing himself up to his feet.
