The Empress stood before her grand mirror, the glow of candlelight flickering across the room, casting shadows over her regal features. Her servants worked with quiet efficiency, carefully unpinning her elaborate hairstyle, loosening the fabric of her gown as she prepared for bed. It had been a long day at court, filled with tedious matters of state, but finally, she could rest.
That peace was shattered when the doors to her chamber burst open with a loud *bang*. Lucian, her son, rushed inside, his eyes wide with excitement, his breath quick from running.
"Mother, you're not going to believe..." He stopped mid-sentence, his voice trailing off as he realized what he had just interrupted. The Empress's eyes flashed dangerously as she turned toward him, her jaw clenched in anger.
