It had taken you several days of your recovery time to process the fact that the Emperor and the first knight were the same people. It was still a great shock, but now, you found that it explained a bounteous amount of things. Whenever the Emperor was busy, the first knight was never around. However, when the Emperor was alone presumably doing paperwork, he must have snuck out of his office as the first knight to visit you since it was always so late into the night. You had not been able to leave the Emperor's private quarters to check on Octavi, for the Emperor had grown attached to you and wanted to keep you as safe as possible - just like he promised.

"When can I visit Octavi, your majesty?" You queried the Emperor. You had been deep in thought and were receiving regular reports on Octavi's wellbeing, yet couldn't help but still feel worried for him. You would continue to stress yourself on his health until you could see him happy and well, once again.

"You can visit him when I say so. You had a near-death experience [Name]. You aren't going to recover so quickly. The royal doctor advised you to get some rest. Since you have been giving the maids such a hard time looking after you, I have to do it myself. Besides, I'm sure Octavi would want me to protect you right now while you're in such a vulnerable state." The Emperor reminded you for at least the fifth time. No matter how many times you asked him that question, his calm and collected expression never seemed to waver. It failed to annoy him in any sort of way. Instead, he just smiled ever so slightly every time you spoke.

"I admit, I perhaps shouldn't have told the maid that the ring her fiancé gave her had a false diamond upon it. But I think I would just feel more guilty not telling her the truth." You confessed, feeling moderately ashamed that you had broken the news to her in a not so delicate way. Being a tailor called for these sorts of things, you needed to know whether you were getting the material or products your providers promised you.

"You seem to be very honest. At least, you have always been honest with me." The Emperor hummed. You were currently sat upon the Emperor's bed, not daring to object to how kind he was treating you, especially after the first time he had met you. After all, Kai always said that 'first impressions are last impressions.'

"I have, actually. I'm very proud of that." You beamed with pride, crossing your arms and sticking your nose in the air while you laid against the headboard of the bed.

The moonlight gently poured into the young Emperor's bedroom as he looked at you with great intent, a grin softening his features. "What is it like in Intuuin?" He asked, tilting his head to the right as he scooted over to sit next to you on his bed, making sure to keep himself a comfortable distance away.

"This is your kingdom, and you live in it right now. What is there about Intuuin that you don't know about?" You retorted, a confused tone lacing your voice as you looked over at the man. He peered out the window, a tired sigh leaving his lips as he gently untied the wine red ribbon tying back his hair, permitting his dark locks to drip down his shoulders.

"Well, I stay in this palace most of the time. Whenever I leave, everything is still formal and serious; everything is just the same as inside. You were correct when I first met you. I can't appreciate the beauty of this empire that I rule. Everything here belongs to me, but I don't know anything at all about Intuuin. Yes, I do the paperwork, guard the hopes of my people, and do pretty much everything to keep this empire running. But I don't know what it feels like to live in Intuuin—as the average person, going about their merry working day. I feel nearly self-conscious at times. I am happy to serve the people of Intuuin and give them the best I can; still, I need to know." He took a deep breath. "[Name], what is Intuuin to you?" He said, his head now craning towards you as he rested it against the headboard, a small frown landing on his face. His blood-red eyes expressed wonder about the outside world; how it's like to step out of his shoes.

"Well, Intuuin.." You thought to yourself, tapping your chin. "Intuuin is my home. When I had nowhere else to go, Intuuin welcomed me with open arms. Intuuin gave me comfort and a family. I wake up every morning, grateful. I am willing to do anything for this empire, and I won't let anybody take this away from me. Intuuin is a beautiful place."

He smiled gently and came several inches closer to you, intrigued. "I see. Do you think the taxes are too high? Are the prices of bills or anything at all too difficult to manage? I wonder how my people are doing. When we went out to the market that one night.." He chuckled to himself and looked down at his pale, slender fingers that sat in his lap. "I was so happy to talk to my people. I was so happy to walk with them on the same ground, even if it was just once." He admitted while his fingers tenderly go onto the ivory sheets of his bed in the circular room, caressing the beautiful fabric lovingly while he thought of how much fun he had had that night in the market.

"If I may ask, your majesty, what is Intuuin to you?" You requested inquisitively. Your white nightgown matched beautifully with the bedsheets, which seemed to glow in the pale moonlight.

"Intuuin to me is you." He stated confidently before looking you straight in the eye. You jumped, surprised as he softly held your [S/C] hand, caressing it while the atmosphere now became more severe and somewhat romantic.

"I have learnt about all the flowers, bugs, shores, beaches - everything about Intuuin over my time. Despite this, I can't help but feel like I've learnt more about Intuuin in the past several months or so with you than I have in my lifetime. When we danced earlier this week to the parade music, I felt as though I was there when I closed my eyes. When you shouted at me, I felt as though I finally got to know my subjects. Everything you do seems to fill this empty part of me that I can't describe with words." He sighed, his eye contact flickering away from you now.

"Intuuin was a lonely place without you. Now I'm not sure if I want to let you go. I don't know what I'm feeling." He professed, an uncertain expression tainting his beautiful orbs before his head mildly rose from the ground, gazing towards you yet again.

"If I kissed you, would I taste all the beautiful flavours of Intuuin, little tailor?" He asked, his eyes staring into your [E/C] orbs. You could feel your heart begin to race as the smirk on his lips began to grow. It seemed as though you were talking to the first knight now. The Emperor's soft side was so comforting to you, and then the first knight side of him was all the coyer, albeit quite provocative.

"I-I don't know?" You managed to stutter out before looking away. You gulped and picked up one of the cotton pillows next to you, slamming it onto the Emperor's face without a second thought. It was too much for you to think about - his lips against yours. It made you blush. Never had you ever dreamed of sharing a first kiss with the monarch of the empire himself. Now flustered and only just realising what you had done out of instinct, the pillow hurled towards the Emperor who swiftly caught it. He gave out a hearty laugh at your unseemly behaviour, carelessly tossing the expensive pillow onto the floor.

"Will you let me steal a taste?" The Emperor questioned, his facing inching closer to yours. Flustered, you placed your hands on his exposed chest. He was wearing his black night robe, which had a deep enough exposure in the middle to reveal his well-toned body and broad shoulders, as the handsome figure advanced towards your frail body.

He flinched at your touch, a pink colour now dusting his cheeks as he stared eagerly into your eyes. "Who ever gave you the right to touch the emperor, little tailor?" He purred, leaning in towards your ear and chuckling slightly, his hands clasping over yours, keeping your soft hands close to his chest. You could feel his heartbeat racing inside his body despite the coquettish behaviour he was presenting you with.

He pulled away, giving out another hearty laugh as he sat on the edge of the bed, his back facing you. He peeked at the landscape outside of the window before it became any darker outside. He hid his face from you, not daring to show his mystified expression, wanting to treasure his calm and collected form around you.

You were too rattled to notice the Emperor's now slightly fuddled manner, your mind racing and wondering what in the world had just happened. He turned around, suddenly getting into the bed, his legs now under the blanket along with yours. "Is it all right if I sleep next to you tonight? You're the only woman who can make the Emperor himself sleep on the couch. It isn't as comfortable. I promise I won't do anything. I could never, not to you." He reassured you, already lying his head down on the pillow before you could even respond to his request. You sighed, deciding that he would take your silence as a 'yes' before proceeding to lie down beside him. You gave him a small smile, unsure what to do as he continued to examine your features.

He laughed, "Did the Sun come out, or did you just smile at me? I think you smiled at me, [Name]. It's too late in the evening for the Sun to come out.." He mumbled before delicately closing his eyes. Who would have known that the Emperor would let his guard down around you, just like that? You giggled; he almost reminded you of a tired child after spending the whole day messing around. You felt bad for doing this to him. He was very concerned about you, so you owed it to him to at least let him sleep in his bed.

Your head rested upon the soft fabric of the pillow, the outside world engulfed in more darkness with each passing minute, the moonlight urging you to sleep.
Eventually, you found yourself snoozing next to the Emperor himself as if you had known him your whole life.

"That fucking failure," Eugene muttered under his breath. He sat on the curb of one of the many empty streets of Intuuin. He had just received news of the maid's death and was furious, allowing the moonlight to embrace him in comfort as he stamped his feet on the ground.

"Young master, we must come up with a different plan. The twins have failed you. I believe it is time to move onto plan B." A tall and slender figure hummed to his master. He had his white hair cut into a simple bowl cut,
contrasting with his beautifully honey tanned skin. He wore an all-black yukata, and across the left side of his face was a tattoo of a black serpent. His eyes were an emotionless void of grey, and just by his looks alone, one could tell that he was truly dedicated to the black snake group.

  The duo stood under the moonlight, the warm streetlights only barely illuminating the dark and isolated streets of the town. The cobblestone pathway was lined with tall houses compacted tightly together to utilise space. A small little house like that was fairly costly, especially since it was near Yunoaiu - the capital of Intuuin.

Eugene ran a hand through his black hair as he remained deep in thought, the cold breeze that passed by seeming like nothing to him despite the fact he was also wearing a black yukata - but accompanied by a golden snake across the chest and leather gloves.

"According to reports from within the palace, the Emperor hasn't left his bedroom in the past several days. He's been locked up in there like some sort of hermit. We don't know why our maid died yet but we will soon. We just don't have enough people working in the palace. That maid was the only one with a high ranking position amongst the staff. Such a fucking shame. If only those twins knew how to do things right." The slim man whispered before sitting next to Eugene on the curbside.

  "We should have tried to get that tailor on our side. Now she's too close to Kirayo. There's no way she's gonna trust us." Eugene mumbled, his fingers intertwining with one another before he rested his head upon his hands.

"Father will kill me if I fail him!" He roared angrily. Nevertheless, before he could get up and make a fuss in a burning rage, the slim man swiftly gripped his arm and forced Eugene back down onto the curb.

"Young master, not here. We need to keep a low profile for now. I promise I will not fail you." He consoled his master, a sly smile on his glossy lips.

"We need to get that tailor on our side somehow, Vernon. The tailor is close to some of the highest-ranking officials in that palace. And from its halls' incessant whispers, I heard she's attracted the interest of the Emperor." Eugene plotted, lifting his head once more.

"I will go there and risk my life for you with pride, young master." Vernon pledged, causing Eugene to let out a big monstrous laugh, completely ignoring the fact they were meant to be discreet.

"You crack me up, Vernon. You can't fool anybody with a black snake tattooed across your face." Eugene howled before standing up, a refreshed and motivated look now on his face.

"I will crush the emperor and all he loves if it's the last darn thing I do." Vernon pronounced, hand now on his heart.

"Trust me; I know your loyalty to me, Vernon. Let us bring the Emperor down, block by block." Eugene announced proudly, gripping onto the wrist of his colleague and hoisting him up from the curb before they walked back to headquarters.

The Sun began to rise in Intuuin, the gorgeous warm liquid light flooding into the room of the Emperor to greet you - and him - with yet another modish day. The scenery was just the same, but it was a brand new morrow. The melody of the birds from outside motivated you to get up and signalled that it was just about time to get up.

Your eyes remained closed as you laid motionlessly on the silk bed for several more moments before shuffling around, only to find your movement restricted. Slightly alarmed by this fact, your [E/C] orbs snapped open to reveal strong arms wrapped around your body.

You looked over your shoulder to have your eyes glaze over the Emperor, still in his deep blue beauty sleep. His arms were locked around you, not allowing any escape from the warmth of his body. You nearly didn't want to leave his touch, feeling the cold air claw against your skin like a vicious predator.

  "Your majesty?" You murmured to the Emperor. Your soft voice luckily woke him up, and he groggily opened his eyes.

A delightful expression barely could form on the man's face as he remained half asleep. "[Name].. good morning." He yawned, hugging you closer and forcing your body to turn towards him. Your face was now just several inches away from his bare chest.

  "Let me go, your majesty. It's time to wake up." You told him, trying to pry his arms off of you.

"I'm not going to let go of you just yet, little tailor." He mumbled, hugging you tightly before shoving his face into your [H/C] locks.

"Your hair smells wonderful. You must be an angel [Name]." He whispered.

"Yeah, right. Let go now!" You exclaimed, trying to get the clingy Emperor away from you.

The light-hearted atmosphere changed as he now opened his eyes fully, staring into your [E/C] orbs, admiring how they drowned in the sunlight as he now grasped your thigh with a firm hold.

You blushed profusely, unsure how to react to such a bold move from the Emperor.

"[Name], remember who I am. I may have a soft spot for you, but don't think I'll just let you do what you want. I own everything in Intuuin. Remember that that includes you." He whispered to you those harsh words in such a sweet way before smirking charmingly.

"If you keep fussing around and squirming, I'll feel inclined to do more than just touch your thigh, little tailor." He mentioned, causing you to stop squirming in his tight hold instantly.

"Why don't we go visit Sir Kirayo later today? We can prepare him a bouquet and a basket of baked goods to wake up to. I think it's about time we venture out of my quarters a bit. The doctor said that it'd be good to let you move around for an hour to get the blood going. If you just sit around all day, it'll pool up." He said before finally letting go of your body. You felt your heart race. You felt as though your pulse was choking you as you slowly stumbled out of your side of the bed.

  He silently stood up and sauntered over to his closet while untying his robe, letting it drop open. Thankfully his back was turned to you as he did this before he retreated to his dressing room.

You panted nervously, plopping onto the bed. Last night was manageable, but this morning: the Emperor was pushing his luck. You weren't sure how much more of his flirtatious antics you could take before you died of a heart attack sooner or later.

"There are some clothes prepared for you on my desk. Change into them before we go out." The Emperor called through the other side of the thick, wooden sliding door.
"What if you come out before I get changed? I refuse!" You objected, crossing your arms over your chest.

"Hurry it up, or else I'll have to help you get dressed, little tailor." The Emperor warned while changing before the room returned to its old hushed state.

You rushed over to the young man's desk and slipped out of your clothes, hastily getting dressed in the ones on his office desk. He had had his maids prepare for you a white blouse with a black bow across the collar accompanied by a gorgeous pitch-black skirt with golden embroidery upon it. The dress was slightly on the shorter side, but you didn't mind since it wasn't so short to the point you would reveal anything or be uncomfortable with your movements.

Several moments later, the Emperor stepped out of his dressing room in a different version of his usual black and red outfit, except this time he was decorated with golden embroidery as well. He examined you from head to toe, before nodding approvingly at your outfit.

"I'm glad they got the measurements right. I had to make an educated guess." The Emperor said before walking over to you. To your surprise, he ripped the black ribbon from the collar of your shirt and tossed it to the floor, grabbing one of his signature red ribbons, which he usually used to tie his hair. He put it under your collar then tied it into a neat bow, a content look on his face.

"There. You should be honoured; only I'm allowed to wear red. However, this is necessary, so everybody knows not to mess with you, little tailor. You have the Emperor behind you every step of the way." He purred happily before hugging you.

  Your feet lifted off of the ground as he hugged you, twirling across the room as if he were a young child with a weightless doll before setting you down by the door.

"Shall we?" He asked, reaching for the door.

"We- We shall." You responded, dizzy from the sudden twirling you had to endure. The Emperor led you out of his bedroom, down the long corridor, wherein beamed riches from all over the world. He led you throughout the palace, leaving you to follow him through all the twists and turns. Then, you both stepped into a room with massive sliding doors, despite the fact they didn't look as grand as the other doors in the palace.

The moment you stepped inside the room, a whiff of sweet air hit your nostrils, and the warm air, your skin, with considerate love. The floor was made of black marble, the walls of grey stone. The room was full of