It had been a month since my first encounter with the emperor that I saw him again. Jia and I had meanwhile become fast friends and she would often visit me so that we could chat, since her husband was away at the border dealing with sparks of a revolt. I saw the Dragon unexpectedly when I was aimlessly exploring the halls of the palace.

I saw him at the end of the hall; a few men flocked around him as he spoke about something. He was dressed in military attire, his hand lazily resting on the hilt of his sword and his gaze locked on Commander Bohai as they spoke.

“Y-Your Majesty,” I muttered when he drew near me. I averted my gaze and bowed as gracefully as I could.

Meilin faltered in his steps and stared at me for a moment, as if he had forgotten I was in the palace. If he had not glanced to his right when he did, I was sure he would’ve passed me without even noticing his wife-to-be.

“Daiyu,” he said slowly, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he looked down at me. He turned to his men and then turned back to me. “I almost forgot that you’re cooped up here.”

So he had forgotten.

“I have some duties to attend to,” he said. “Join me for dinner tonight.”

I raised my head and felt my cheeks burn. “O-Of course, Your Majesty.”

“Good.” He turned back to his men and began talking to them, pulling away from me and making his way towards wherever. When he was at the end of the hallway, he glanced over his shoulder at me before disappearing at the turn.

My legs trembled and I pressed a hand to my chest, not at all sure if my heart was pounding in fear, in awe of his beauty, or both.

To be asked for after a month of loneliness—save for those moments with Jia—was a pleasant escape, but also a dreaded one. There was also the fact that he had forgotten that I was even in the palace, which angered and upset me more than it should have.

Still, I ran back to my room and started preparing myself. I bathed in rose-scented waters, washed my hair, and mentally prepared myself as well. When it was almost time for dinner, I dressed in a pretty light pink hanfu that Jia had given to me. I had only a few that were given to me, and since that was my favorite, I chose to wear it.

In moments, a servant entered my room and bowed. “My lady, the emperor asks you to join him for dinner.”

I rose to my feet and mustered a smile for the servant. “Thank you.”

He waved for me to follow and we both walked silently until we reached the emperor’s chambers. The doors were jeweled and fancy, so much so that the entire door could’ve fed my entire family for years. The servant knocked on the doors before pushing them open and walking in. Once inside, I saw that there were fancy couches strewn around the room, bookshelves lining the walls, and rugs and furniture all about. Making our way through the room, the servant paused at the entrance of another room, which seemed to be the emperor’s personal dining area.

Delicious aromas wafted throughout the room and there was an array of dishes around the low table resting on the ground. Meilin was seated casually at the front, his attire more informal and his attitude nonchalant as a servant poured tea for him. When he saw me enter, his bored look was replaced with an amused, haughty one.

“Daiyu, my little rabbit, nice to see you looking so well,” he said with a smile. He motioned for me to sit at the place adjacent from him.

I felt like I would collapse as I walked over to him, my gaze fixated on the spot he wanted me to sit at. Once seated, I stared at the food around me before turning to him ever so slightly. “Thank you for the invitation, Your Majesty.”

He nodded and reached for his plate full of food, picking up a piece of chicken and plopping it into his mouth. “How’s your stay at the palace? Do you enjoy it?”

I hesitated. Should I tell him that I was lonely and that I missed my family? Or would that be rude of me to say that? Not sure what to say, I stared down at my empty plate. “The stay is wonderful, Your Majesty.”

“Really?”

I stiffened at the question. “Y-Yes.”

“Hmmm.” He picked up his chop sticks and began to eat the food laid out before him. “That’s good to hear.”

I reached over and slowly placed food on my plate. My mouth watered at the sight of the delectable food around me, but my nerves were too shaken up to eat much.

“Jia comes to visit you often, doesn’t she? I heard you’ve become friends with her.”

“Y-Yes, Your Majesty,” I answered honestly. “Jia is a dear friend of mine. We talk often and I look forward to her arrival every time.”

We silently ate for a moment after that. I tried not to squirm under his scrutiny and instead tried focusing on eating what was around me. Meilin watched me and reached over, gently gracing my cheek and tucking a stray hair behind my ear. I tensed up at his touch and felt heat flush over my face.

“You don’t wear ornaments and jewelry like the other women?” he asked curiously, eyeing my hair and how it was bare of jewels.

I shook my head. “No, my family and I . . . we are poor. W-We can’t afford jewelry.”

He surprisingly didn’t seem to care that I had just admitted to being from a poor family that wasn’t able to afford even the smallest of ornaments. “It’s nothing to be ashamed of,” he said instead. “I’ll have something sent to you.”

“No, Your Majesty, that’s not nec—”

“Don’t turn away from my kindness.”

His words froze something inside of me and I stiffened, fear gnawing at my stomach. Who was I to refuse the emperor? If I overstepped my boundaries, there was a good chance that I would end up dead, along with my family. “I’m so sorry,” I said shakily.

“You will look prettier with silver, maybe,” he mused. “I don’t like gold, it’s too gaudy. But silver...silver is elegant.”

“Thank you.”

“Do you have siblings?” he suddenly asked me. “Family is important to you, right?”

I nodded. “Yes, I have seven siblings. Two older brothers, three younger sisters, and two younger brothers.”

“And you love them?”

“Yes, very much.”

Something glimmered in his eyes that I couldn’t decipher and he smiled wryly. “Family bonds always irk me; I’ve never had a strong connection with mine.”

“Do you have siblings?” I asked him cautiously. Not much was known about his life before becoming the leader of the rebel army and now our emperor. His upbringing, his life, his family—all of that was ambiguous.

He took a sip of his tea and nodded. “I had a brother.”

“You had?” I said. “I didn’t realize, I’m sor—”

“Don’t worry,” he said with a dark look, his eyes glittering with malice. “I hated him.”