The Empress paced around her chambers, her mind far from the gentle clinks and whispers of her servants.
They moved like clockwork, heads bowed, hands deftly folding linens and polishing the ornate surfaces around her.
One plump servant carefully adjusted the silken sheets on her large, four-poster bed. Each corner was tucked with precision, but she hesitated for a moment, glancing nervously toward the Empress, fearing a reprimand.
Another servant was preparing the Empress's morning robes, laying out the delicate fabrics on a velvet-lined chair. Across the room, yet another servant stirred a steaming bath, her hands swirling in the water as she checked the temperature, her face tense as if bracing for disapproval.
Yet the Empress, who normally would have inspected every detail with sharp, critical eyes, barely noticed their presence. Her thoughts were consumed, swirling as chaotically as the hot water being prepared for her bath.
