You were currently working on some embroidery, a pleased smile on your lips. You had such a great day with the Emperor: you'd both danced until the parade's end. Sighing contentedly, you looked out a nearby window, towards the dazzlingly star-filled night sky. Perhaps you could ask the knight to escort you out of the palace once more. It'd be an excellent opportunity to familiarise yourself with the town further, and maybe get something from the festival - if the shutdown were to end anytime soon. Despite all of your high hopes, you knew it wouldn't. The Emperor had been ever-so-cautious since Octavi's shooting, and it seemed like he needed a break from everything for once.

     Once you thought about it, you hadn't been able to spend much time with the knight lately. Where did he run off during these long nights and days?

     "Lady Fuyomui?" A familiar voice called out from the other side of your door. Your head turned towards the door, slightly confused: not expecting anybody to come to your private quarters this late into the night. You had just spent the whole day with the Emperor and decided to do some preparation for future textile projects that he may require from you. Placing down your needlework, you got up from your bed and walked over to the door. Your room flooded with warm light as you gently cracked the door open, revealing none other than the young maid whom you'd previously bumped into. Her frame blocked the view as she looked at you with an obscure intent in her eyes. The aura surrounding her made you feel somewhat uncomfortable, but you couldn't quite put your finger on as to why.

     "Yes, what is it?" You asked the maid, a cordial, welcoming smile gracing your lips. You were unsure whether or not she was the one to be wary of, as the maids weren't usually the ones to prepare the tea. She comforted you, though, and had always seemed like quite a genteel young woman. Could it indeed be possible that she bore ill intentions?

     "I bring a flower arrangement from the emperor." She announced, urging you to step to the side and hold the door open as her small figure carried a vase inside the room, extravagant flowers sprouting from its top. It was the one the Emperor had prepared while you both had been doing some flower arranging. The maid places it down onto your coffee table and releases a deep breath from how heavy it must have been, judging from the mass of flowers exploding from the mouth of the vase. To your surprise, there was a small note attached to the urn by a red ribbon, which you'd almost overlooked.

     You let go of the door and made your way over to the coffee table to inspect the note further. Upon it was a simple message: 'to my little tailor x', written in black ink and awe-inspiring handwriting. You suspected that none other than the Emperor had provided you with the flower arrangement (for he had made it himself), and so the note was from him as well. You were somewhat taken aback by the romantic gesture, unsure how to respond to such a bold move from the Emperor. Did he send this to you as thanks; to show gratitude? Or mayhaps existed some other secreted reason?

     Before you could think any further about the matter, you were interrupted by the maid clearing her throat. You turned around, and the pale woman adjusted her glasses, causing them to glint in the moonlight.

     "The Emperor wishes to talk with you about an upcoming project for a recently-planned event. Please follow me." She stated emotionlessly, despite the moderately strained smile on her face, and frightening eyes that seemed to pierce into your [S/C] skin painfully.

     She proceeded outside of your room without waiting for an answer, expecting you to follow behind her obediently. You became nervous, however, not as apprehensive as you had initially been at the beginning of the day around the Emperor. You felt yourself slightly more at ease around the monarch, and so, you soon found your feet trailing behind those of the maid. The palace was empty since it was quite late into the night, nearly edging into the morning. Not many matters were to be dealt with this late as the Emperor insisted on the palace staff getting some well-deserved sleep. You understood that they had great respect for the Emperor, who treated them in such a sweet and humane way, notwithstanding the high contrast in class and power.

     The maid's hair bounced smoothly in the candlelight as you slowly made your way downstairs. You had no idea that the palace possessed a cellar until the maid led you down foreign stone steps; which seemed to be hidden from the flight of stairs that led the exact opposite direction. Descending further into the ground, you both arrived at a large, seemingly-heavy wooden door. The glowing light that once surrounded you melted away and was replaced by the cold, cyan air that pressed harshly against your skin, oppressing you to advance further down the stairway.

     "Are you sure the Emperor is this way?" You questioned her, feeling a bit scared by the dimming light as you had ventured far away from the main dwelling area.

     "Certainly, Lady Fuyomui. The Emperor has been doing wine tasting this evening, in the royal wine cellar, and wishes you tell him your most preferred one." She explained, looking over her shoulder to smile at you as her short and stubby fingers moved to the door and pushed it open with great force. To your astonishment, you saw a seemingly never-ending cellar, wholly stocked with the most exquisite wines from all around the continent.

     "Some of our nation's best wines have been residing here, maturing for centuries." She informed you before walking into the cellar with a light jump in her step. The basement was mostly made of stone, with wooden shelving assembled to accommodate the surplus of wines. Candles lit it: scattered everywhere, giving a warning glow.

     "The lights do not work down here. They seemed to fail shortly after the lockdown, and at the moment, nobody in the palace is particularly apt at repairing this new technology." She said, gesturing to the burst lightbulb. "We tried replacing the lightbulbs; however, they still won't turn on. So, we must wait until the lockdown is over." The maid clarified before leading you deeper into the cellar. You walked amidst identical rows of wines for, seemingly, hundreds of times as time kept on flying by. You both finally arrived at a door, carrying the words 'Xiang Royal Wine'.

     "It's quite old and dusty here. I don't recommend coming down often; it can be quite bad for your lungs." The maid mentioned. "Make sure not to drink too much wine with the emperor."

     "I believe this is as far as I may take you. I am not allowed to enter a royal room as I am the lowest ranking maid in this palace. I only joined recently, so it is only fair. The Emperor is on the other side of the door, waiting for your arrival." She instructed, bowing her head to you and motioning to the door before walking away, leaving you on your lonesome.

     "Ah, thank you." You muttered to her as she marched past, your hand labouring to reach the door's cold metal, gently beginning to pry it open. The maid's footsteps seem to be swallowed by the distance - but then, abruptly came to a halt. Curious as to why, you swivelled around, noticing her standing several meters away. The glasses on her face were gleaming maliciously in the dimly lit cellar, a small grin creeping upon the young maiden's thin and rosy lips.

     "[Name]. You should not be so foolish." She spoke, a giggle escaping her body as she now clasps her hand over her mouth. She bent over, suppressing her titters until they came to a screeching halt. The maid raised her head lightly to meet your [E/C] orbs.

     "What are you talking about?" You questioned her, tilting your head a bit as your body rotated on itself to face her.

     "'Xiang' is the surname of the previous royal family before the 'Wang' exceeded them as the rightful governors of this empire. The ancient Emperor, last of the Xiang bloodline, shot himself in the room behind you. Right in the middle of his eyes; straight through his skull." She illustrated before shaking her head in dismay. "You can tell how low you are ranked judged by your lack of knowledge. Have you never studied the history of your empire? It is important, after all." She reminded you, taking one step closer and grabbing the side of her dress: using it to cause a small breeze and blow several nearby candles out: allowing the darkness to prey closer onto your frame.

     "Nobody has been to the 'Xiang Royal Wine' room until that fateful day. They say that you can still hear his cries echoing throughout the cellar. The royal family disapproves of the Xiang family so much, they refuse to take even a single step inside it. So, if they wish for wine, of course, a servant is sent to do so." She educated you while pulling her ghostly-white sleeves up past her elbows.

     "Why did Sir Kirayo take such a liking to you? Why did the emperor have to as well? You seem to think you can charm every man in this palace without consequence." She said matter-of-factly, sighing.

     "The person you met at the staff closet was my twin sister. Our master sent her to kill you to make a statement. She failed, and so, he killed her instead. She was 'too soft' and spent too much time plotting, also - but I still want to avenge my sister and surpass her. My time has come. You useless, pathetic.. little shit!" Her voice began to rise with fury.

     You grimaced at her remarks, a torturous sensation similar to that of a heart pierced with legendary daggers of shock, and fear, burning within you. She took one bold step closer to you, moving her right hand into the front pocket of her apron and pulling out a small handgun coated in shining silver.

     You felt yourself back against the wall, your trembling legs refusing any attempt at following your fight-or-flight instincts. Slowly, the servant raised her gun and pointed it straight towards the middle of your eyes; at point-blank range; a frighteningly sadistic grin tracing her mouth. Soon, well-needed adrenaline kicked in, and you quickly bolted to the right. Venturing out into the many rows of wines, you dashed between them and away from that psychopath as promptly as you could. As you ran, your throat commenced aching and begging of you to halt, even if for just a second; but you never did. The adrenaline was coursing through your veins, tenacious, and as long as her footsteps could be heard, would keep your legs running and running and running.

     You twisted and turned through the maze-like structure, heart pounding inside your chest, terror dominating your body. You deftly eluded the maid, running throughout the cellar before pausing your race and staying as still as you could, suppressing your tired pants. You stood near the exit; the door was in sight, right down the cellar's centre. You were so close, yet so far. Your heart seemed to beat faster as her footsteps couldn't be detected any longer. You had not a single clue where she was, but you knew she intended to kill you. You shivered, fretting for your very life. Blood coursed through your veins agonisingly as sweat trickled down the sides of your face.

     You gulped, staying still for several minutes. These minutes felt like a lifetime as you waited for any movement or indication as to where she was. She didn't leave; you hadn't heard the door open or close since you'd both entered the cellar. You peered cautiously around the corner, seeing the middle of the basement barren, like a sweltering wasteland. On one end stood the door leading to the 'Xiang Royal Wine' room, which seemed to be a mile away at this point, and on the other end was your only way to retire from this nightmare: the door she'd led you down from. Why had you been so gullible, so trusting - so, so naive?

     Myriad more minutes passed, so painstakingly slow in manner that you felt like a millennium had. The silence was beginning to ring noisily in your ears, your eardrums starting to ache with paranoia. You decided to make a run for it. You had no other choice: defeating her would be impossible in this sort of situation. Yes, you had wine bottles to use, but so did she. Above all that, she had a gun, so close combat was unlikely. She seemed much more experienced than you, and you knew never to pick an unpredictable fight. The best thing you could do was run. Eyes set upon the surely-delectable exit, you thoughtfully pursed your lips before suddenly breaking into a sprint towards the door. It was coming closer into view, but just before you thought your hellish experience was over: she stood right in front of the door.

    "Did you really think you could run from me? As a proud member of the black snake group, I will deprive you of life for my master and avenge my sister!" She declared, pointing the gun towards you once again but also, shooting. "The black snake group will kill the Emperor and everyone he dares love. We shall confine this empire to the Gregorian Tree."

    You screamed as your face contorted in pain, the bullet luckily landing in your leg and not a vital organ. 'Luckily', although not really. You knew that you could bleed to death in just a few minutes, and there was no point in running anymore as an immense trail of blood would follow. Would you now have to try and talk your way out of this? You never had a way with words, and with your throat aching, you doubted that any good would come, but it was worth a shot. You fell onto your backside, struggling to get back on your feet. Stumbling around and falling over and over again, you still fought for your life.

    "You, you don't need- need to do this." You uttered in a shrill voice, your ears ringing painfully from the bullet that had sliced through the silence while you'd gradually tried to gain distance by shuffling yourself further away from the woman.

     "Just die." She softly pronounced, simpering, her gun aimed at you once more; preparing to land the final hit as she took no mercy on your bleeding body. She was a genuinely different person than what you had expected. You thought she was good-natured and considerate, especially when she comforted you. Did she sincerely try to poison you?

    As she homed and prepared to take another shot, a flash of white appeared in front of you. Your vision was blurry, for your blood continuously flooded out of your leg. Thus, you were unsure of the white personage's identity. Was it an angel sent here to collect your soul? Were you going to die right here, right now?

    A loud bang resonated as she shot once more, the bleary white figure pulling out a silver sword by the looks of it and seeming to stop the bullet efficiently. You heard it fall onto the ground, tinkling as it rolled about.

    "How could you seek to harm my little tailor, snake?" A harsh, piercing and familiar voice interrogated. The appeasing tone of the first knight reverberated throughout your ears, relief loosening your clenched muscles. Would he be able to save you before you lost too much blood? At the very least, you would die close to somebody who'd been kind to you - honestly so.

    "I could kill you right now, I really should. You're lucky that I need to question you." He growled into her ear before hitting her harshly with his sword's blunt end, causing her to fall onto the ground.

    Her frail body hit the floor, and he brutally stepped on her back, a cryptic look invading his wine-red eyes as he watched her slowly lose consciousness and black out. He kicked her side, allowing the spine chilling sound of cracking bones to be heard throughout the cellar.

    "K-Knight..?" You grunted out weakly, slumping onto the floor as you felt all life inside your body wither away. You could finally preserve your remaining energy. Never had you been so happy to see the knight. He always came at the perfect time to your rescue - whenever you needed him the most.

    "My winsome dove!" He exclaimed, his word full of worry as he bent over to grip your body and lift you from the ground, carrying your injured and bleeding body bridal style. "Hang in there, my dear. I promise I will protect you with my life." He whispered, not wishing to harm your ears from any extra loud noises as he sped towards the door and up the cold, stone stairs as fast as he could, jumping over several steps at a time. He forthwith rushed passed the halls; everything moving by in a quick blur, too hasty for you to process in such a state.

    "What.. if she wakes up, and gets away?" You susurrated to him in worry, not wishing for her to generate any more harm. It was arduous to feel concerned as you were drowning in pain, almost not noticing teardrops sliding down your dirtied cheeks from the immense anguish you were going through. Were you going to die? You feared for your life, regretting not having lived it to the fullest just yet. You needed to say goodbye to at least your older brother Kai first, were you to die.

    "You're my priority at the moment, [Name]. She can't leave the palace, and she's too weak to fight anybody considering I supplied her some broken ribs. I promise I will not let her hurt you ever again. I swear on my life, the Emperor's life, and on the empire." He told you, bursting into a dark room. "Call the royal doctor!" He yelled at the very top of his lungs to any guards on duty, covering your ears as so to keep them from aching any more than they already were.

     He placed you onto one of the white beds in the royal infirmary, a concerned look on his face as he inspected you. His features, albeit somewhat blurry, were ever so handsome. His face soon left your vision as he turned his attention to your leg. He climbed onto the bed and drove his knee onto your wound to suppress the bleeding, trying his best to keep as much blood in your body as he could. You screamed in pain as he did so, covering your face with your hands.

    "I'm sorry, sweet. I need to do this to make sure you don't lose any more blood. This is for your own good. Please don't scream; it's hurting my heart." He muttered to you, a pained look glazing over his eyes as he pressed his knee deeper into your gunshot wound.

    "The royal doctor will be here soon, [Name]. From now on, I am not leaving your side." He reassured you, ripping fabric off from his outfit and quickly using it to keep your leg from bleeding instead of his knee, not wishing to cause you any more pain. The cloth covering his knee was now drenched with your blood, and just the sight of it made you feel like you were going to puke your guts out.

    He then retreated onto the hard tile floor. He knelt, coming to your face level. He took your hands into his; his expression unreadable as your vision slowly dissolved. "I will stay here the whole time." He whispered to you before you blacked out, everything converting to a black, lonely void.

     "Go. [Name]! Leave mommy! Go onto the boat!" A mother bellowed at the small child in front of her. Bombs, explosions, and crashes could be heard everywhere, never-ending as everything she once held so dearly to yourself combusted into a million roaring flames. The heat and hazy smoke made it difficult to breathe.

     The only thing she could hold onto now was her mother, and hearing her demanding her to leave was heart-breaking, bit by bit.

   "No, mommy! I don't want to leave you!" The child cried out, sobbing as tears began to stream down her face.