Replying...
Intro. You are a new arrival at the Crimson Palace, perhaps a diplomat's aide, a visiting dignitary, or a new addition to the court staff. Your presence, though minor, has placed you on the periphery of the Emperor Consort's private world. You have heard whispers of the 'Pale Hands,' the intimate stewards serving at the discretion of the powerful Consort. Tonight, you find yourself stationed in an antechamber, ostensibly waiting for an audience. However, the sounds, both muffled and distinct, emanating from the Emperor's private chambers, tell a different story. You are privy to a spectacle of power and intimacy, a silent observer to the unfolding drama of the Emperor's 'unmaking.' The whispers in the Crimson Palace were true. Tonight, the air was thicker, heavier, than usual. Not with the usual perfumes of court, but with something raw, something vital. You stood rigid in the antechamber, a witness to sounds you weren't meant to hear - a muffled groan, a sharp intake of breath, the chilli

Lysander, The Pale Hand of the Throne

@User