The red rays of sunshine from the rising sun gently crept into the Emperor's bedroom as he snoozed in silence. The room was large and round, though a rectangle interrupted its circular walls in the middle to form an indentation: wherein could be found a king-size bed and advanced space, granting it easier access. Grand, translucent ivory curtains hid the aforementioned indentation on either side, tied back with a thick golden rope hanging on a knob shaped as a ¹ gilded flower.

The walls had an extravagant wallpaper showcasing bamboo and white flowers, with of course hints of gold to symbolise the bedroom's owner's high status. The Emperor's bed was white for the most part: its only inconstancies being the silver trimming and the red leaves placed upon the duvet cover as decoration. He preferred his room not to look extremely grand, for he found it to become readily overwhelming. He rather liked the idea of white as the main attraction: it was soft on his eyes, and even more so after a long day of disquieting work. He couldn't possibly fathom showing his room off to anybody, either way: his reserved tendencies always caught up to him. All those rumours labelling him as quite the playboy were untrue, spread only by women who were angry at him for not taking any interest in them despite their many, almost repetitive, efforts.

The sliding doors were the flaming colour of wine, another ¹ gilded symbol of the kingdom painted onto them. The floor was a pure frosted marble, and part of the wall was mostly just windows; however, the curtains hid the spectacular views which sprouted from them.

A soft yet magical sound of a bell ringing came from outside his door, giving him a mellow waking. He groaned slightly and rolled around in the sheets, letting a pillow or two thump onto the floor. He stretched and squeezed his eyes shut as tightly as he could, before softly opening them to the new day. Groaning anew, he sat up on the edge of the bed and bent over to touch his toes.

The pale robe he wore was loosely held over his body by a matching strap of cloth. An indefinite gap between each of its sides revealed the man's chest and collarbone.

"Tell imperial grandmother I say good morrow.." He ordered one of the many butlers waiting outside. The butler did not respond and with rehearsed simplicity headed to his grandmother's quarters. After all, nobody was meant to answer the Emperor unless expected to by him or during a conversation.

He then proceeded to stand up, his toes turning slightly pink from the cold of the marble beneath his feet. Regardless of this, the young male still refused to put on his slippers. "Schedule." He remarked, inducing his first assistant Eli to enter through the doors in his usual moss green outfit. His golden locks were neat, and his eyes full of excitement for the oncoming day.

"This morning at six, Via Resniyi has requested a new meeting with your majesty. I have already declined the offer in your stead, as we all know how you planned to answer it. Rather, you are to meet with president Ezio Hermuu of the Yunoaiu University hospital to discuss the opening of the hospital as well as healthcare for the people. It is set to be one of the most prestigious hospitals with the most notable medical management. President Hermuu also thinks your decision to grant free healthcare to those who may struggle to pay for it is a magnificent idea and wishes to discuss what its qualifying points are. Next, at eight in the morning, you will have breakfast with your grandmother and, at nine, move on with tea in the general's company to converse of the black snake group. Following that, at eleven until two in the afternoon, you are to organise events and complete any paperwork required. You will later have lunch with Sir Kirayo to address the incident. From then onwards, you are to do paperwork until one in the morning." Eli perfected his brief schedule of the monarch's rough day ahead.

"Tell Lady Resniyi that if she is to contact me ever again, I will not hesitate to strip her or her family of their title." The Emperor stated dispassionately before Eli's swift withdrawal from the room. He proceeded to change into his usual black and red outfit, with only a slight variation from the one he'd worn the preceding day.

Afterwards, he sprayed on a timid amount of cologne, used a red ribbon to tie his hair back, and ultimately urged to leave his bedroom. The guards, positioned at each side of the doors, upon hearing his majesty approach from the opposite subsidiary, open them. The young man began to walk through the main hallway, heading towards the carriage that would lead him to the first matter of the day. By his side was primary assistant Eli, further back a paired group of guards, closely followed by a maid and a butler.

"Ah, the king's parade~" Eli whispered to the Emperor, who, never slowing his gait down the stairs, snapped back at him in a cold tone: "You are not to speak to me unless spoken to." His steps are large and unforgiving, yet he found his mind wandering elsewhere. He disliked that insistent Lady Resniyi with all of his soul; however, she never seemed to take the hint. No matter the amount he left behind. The thought of her made him cringe, and slightly roll his eyes, distracting him from the fact he had bumped into you as you walked through the hallway.

The Emperor jumped slightly and snapped out of his dreamlike trance, realising he had tripped you over. He rapidly kept you from falling over face-first into the ground by wrapping an arm around your fragile body. He cleared his throat, feeling embarrassed for one of the very first times in his life.

His cold fingers felt like snow against your warm skin, as he pulled you up to your feet. Blushing nervously, you dusted yourself off before redirecting your gaze to the Emperor. You stood right in front of the monarch and the loyal people trailing behind him, halting them in their path. You coughed nervously, endeavouring to stop the thick tension from settling further into the air, in vain.

"Your majesty, I am profoundly sorry. I apologise for not being more careful when I rounded the corner." You said in a feeble voice, keeping your head down like a bow to the Emperor. You started to sweat, desperate not to lose your head for such a stupid mistake.

You felt his cold fingers envelop your chin and lift it up mildly to make you face him. He stared right at your face. He stared directly into your [E/C] eyes with such tremendous intensity, "Apology accepted, despite the fact it was very much my fault for not watching my way. I confess my thoughts to be somewhat distracting a place. It is early daybreak, so I will let it slide. Also, you're not meant to look me in the eyes." He stated, maintaining both of your gazes interconnected as he appeared to loom over you.

You could feel your cheeks practically burst into flames and looked away, though it did little to alleviate the sensation of his daggers-like pupils on you. Gently, he released his grip on your chin and resumed his trek. "Have a lovely morn, little tailor." He said in his customary monotone voice, disappearing down the hallway.

You choked on the air and hunched over lightly, your breath hitching. What in the world had just happened? You bumped into the Emperor himself! Why did you decide to stay so close to the corner as you rounded it? You couldn't get that man's voice out of your head and despised the fact that he was acting all high and mighty after he had fallen asleep in front of you on his desk. He probably crumpled all of the paperwork as well. He must have woken up later on and resided back to his private quarters, ignoring what had previously occurred.

The lucky charm he had given you was in your beloved satchel, stashed in the bedside table. You'd decided to have breakfast in the garden in these wee hours of the day, and ever-so-slowly continued on your way. Soon, the all too familiar Octavi joined you.

"I saw what just happened. If it were a maid, they would have lost their head, to say the least. You are lucky that the emperor has favour for you, especially after the trick you pulled when you had barely met. I think he got over the cup breaking quickly; it was his least favourite set anyway. Do you enjoy the gift I gave you?" Octavi questioned, a light blush now dusting his cheeks.

"Yes, it was quite the wonder. Thank you very much." Octavi smiled gently, "The head knight actually helped me out to pick it. He was there with me during the incident and saw me choose one out. He knows I'm incapable of completing such tasks correctly, so he offered his guidance. I'm glad it was useful. I'll keep his guidance in gift purchasing in mind for the next time I decide to." Octavi mentioned before proceeding to accompany you to the garden.

As you both entered the garden, your breath was taken away by the majestic scenery. The flowers were beautifully grown, and the bushes perfectly cut. The fountain remained there. Soon, both of you approached a small greenhouse. Entering the greenhouse, you both found that it was warmer than outside (since the sun was still beginning to rise, it was quite chilly). There were tables scattered about in the large greenhouse and a small station for breakfast to be made. Four palace servants were currently working there; quadruplets by the looks of it; to serve breakfast to the palace's working staff if they wished to have a more delightful start to the day.

The four men were identical in appearance: light chestnut skin, resplendent white hair and black eyes being their most prominent traits. The only way to tell the four dazzling men apart was via the placement of a mole on their face. Mu was the one with a mole near his eye. Next up were Fu; the mole being on his cheek; Yu; near their lower lip; and Bu; on the right side of their chin. Mu, Fu, Yu and Bu were spectacular at cooperative work. Their coordination was phenomenal and allowed them to produce the meals very quickly. At least, that's what you remember Octavi telling you about the four brothers as you found a seat, and had thus yet to witness it. Then, you were left there as he went to get the two of you breakfast.

You smiled joyously as your eyes cast around the greenhouse, finding that only a few tables were occupied at the moment due to how early it was. Everything was so serene, and the soft that resonated throughout the greenhouse added all the more to the effect. It was as though the whole world was at peace, and there were no more worries. The four brothers played around with Octavi, greeting him and chatting happily as he tried to make an order.

You couldn't quite hear what they were saying due to the music, but just the sight made you resume smiling to yourself. There were large plants with big leaves covering some of the orange sunlight as the sun began to rise further into the sky, like the sun itself was smiling back at you. You chuckled to yourself at their childish behaviour, watching the four brothers treat Octavi as one of their own, breaking his formal composure.

You looked out the window at the sight of the royal garden blocked by the plants in the greenhouse, and sighed gently to yourself. Your life had significantly changed, and you had moved to the city. However, you still felt incomplete. You had only really managed to make one notable friend - Octavi. You would call the first knight your friend as well; however, you didn't even know his name. You also felt more like he was babysitting you. Not only did he keep you from being poisoned, he also helped you escape the palace for the best time you've had since you got to Yunoaiu. You giggled remembering the night you had both snuck out but the remembrance of last night's situation genuinely began to disturb you as it finally started to settle in. Somebody had tried to kill you. Perhaps you just denied it this whole time, or maybe it was too early in the morning for it to completely set in. You took a deep breath, and looked at Octavi's back as he was waiting for breakfast to be made.

You bit your bottom lip, unsure of whether or not to tell Octavi about what had transpired last night. Surely, it would be important to tell him. Or would it just turn out to be a trivial, small thing? A thoughtful sigh left your lips, your brows knitted together in concern. Soon enough, Octavi returned with your brekafast, a small smile adorning his face. It seemed like he really trusted you. You only ever saw him smile when he looked at you, so surely he would feel hurt if you didn't tell him?

He sat down on the chair opposite from yours and placed a plate of two sunny side eggs, white jasmine rice and some chicken in a traditional sauce. He had a matching plate in front of himself and simpered once again at you.

"Shall we dig in, [Name]?" He asked, not bothering to wait for your answer as he licked his lips and picked up the chopsticks, beginning to eat the delicious meal in front of him. You shakily cleared your throat, still unsure, but the lump in your throat only made you choke on guilt before you finally decided to spit it out.

"There's something I need to tell you. I think it's quite serious.." You said, clearing your throat as you raised your head, meeting his purple dusk eyes.

"Yes, anything. What is the matter?" He asked, a concerned look growing on his face as his head slightly tilted to the left.

"Well, a maid came into my room last night," You began, looking at him to make sure he was paying attention.

With his eyes wide open, he responded, "Mh-hm," carefully forcing you to continue.

"And, well, she gave me some tea. It smelt quite funny and- I think that maybe, uh, it was poisoned. So I- I didn't drink it." You said, stumbling over your words as you spoke.

"Are you alright?" He questioned, his eyes somehow getting wider. He dropped his chopsticks and grabbed your hands. He glided his thumbs over your knuckles comfortingly before continuing, "We need to tell the head of internal matters as soon as possible. He will send an urgent message to the Emperor. If there really is somebody from the black snake group trying to pull stunts in the palace, it is of utmost urgency. Everybody has been background checked so it can only be the black snake group. We must hurry." Octavi explained before jumping up from his seat, ready to sprint towards the head of internal matters' office.

To your dismay, however, an unexpected cracking of glass was heard. One of the glass panes from the greenhouse shattered into a million pieces, reflecting light in every possible direction as a silver glare rushed past you, hitting Octavi in the side of his arm. You both stared at each other in shock, a distressing silence consuming the area. His purple eyes cringed with pain as he suddenly squeezed his eyes shut and toppled over to the floor onto all of the cracked glass.

"[N-Name]!" He called out to you in a hoarse and concerned voice, "Get down right fucking now!" He yelled and your body didn't even challenge his order as you threw yourself onto the ground. You panted heavily and kept your eyes on Octavi. He looked more concerned for you rather than himself, even though he had been the one getting shot.

He used his uninjured arm to drag himself towards you and wrap himself around your body, shielding you from any awaiting damage.

"Are you alright? Are you hurt?" He asked, staring at your eyes, looking like he was about to cry from worry.

"I'm fine, I'm fine! Are you alright, though? Stop acting like a lunatic and get yourself some medical attention! Stop worrying about me, worry about yourself!" You scolded him for being so careless over his own health. You gently ripped the bottom of your dress and wrapped the cloth around his wound, hoping to stop the bleeding before the bullet would most likely need to be extracted from his body.

You looked around to find everybody else on the floor as well, some screaming and crying with fear. The four brothers were hiding behind the counter, one of their heads sticking out to check the scene and make sure it was safe. He gave a thumbs up and said to everybody, "We're clear for now but stay on the low." He then returned under the counter.

"[Name], stay here. I need to let somebody know straight away!" Octavi whisper yelled to you.

Out of rage, you slapped him across the face and pushed him off of you. You stood up, bent over slightly to avoid recognition and looked at him with an exasperated face.

"You are more hurt than me! Did you not just listen to me? That's the problem with being a woman in this society - nobody damn listens! You better stay here!" You whisper yelled back at him before turning around and running towards the glass doors, leaving the young man openly flabbergasted. You were not afraid to speak your mind when needed and knew that sometimes you had to talk some sense into the men around you.

Swinging the doors open, you sprinted out of the greenhouse and throughout the lusciously orange-lit garden. You began to cry in fear for Octavi and the people in the palace, pushing you to run faster. You reached the doors and swung them open, throwing yourself inside and against the wall in front of you. Breathing heavily, you looked around in fear, "Where is the head of internal matters office?" You yelled at the top of your lungs, attracting the attention of all the maids and butlers nearby, cauing some of them to jump from startlement.

"Down- Down the corridor and to the right." Somebody responded before you continued to sprint down the corridor. Soon, you faced the hall's end, where you took a right and examined all of the plates on the doors to find the one you were searching for.

'HEAD OF INTERNAL AFFAIRS OFFICE' was written in bold letters on a large door, urging you to grab the sliding door and slide it open with compelling force, prompting the wall around the entrance to shake.

A surprised old man looked at you with a concerned gaze, his head tilting to the right slightly. "Whatever is the matter, young lady? I'm in the middle of an important meeting-"

You cut off his voice and screamed with great clarity, "There's a black snake group sniper in the garden who's shot Octavi Kirayo! He is injured and in the garden! Please help me!" You begged, your eyes welling up more and more.

The old man's eyes grew wide and, donning his imperial uniform, jumped up and ran to a red telephone nailed to the wall. He picked it up and began to talk with the person on the other end, tapping his foot.

"Alright. Yes. Alright." He answered before putting the phone back in its rightful place.

"Young lady, you are ordered to wait here. The tertiary knight force is going to the garden, medics to the greenhouse. You are to wait here so that you don't get injured and in the way of the operation. You could be shot on sight if you were mistaken for a member of the black snake group. The emperor will be returning soon, and the palace is about to be on shutdown. Nobody is to go in or out, do you understand? Please stay inside the palace and avoid all windows." He advised you, a dead-serious look on his face.

You bit your lip, causing it to bleed. You feel the metallic taste linger and invade your tongue as you lowered your gaze to the floor. You were useless once again. Octavi needed help and, once again, you weren't there. You left in silence and returned to your bedroom, concern taking over you.

You tried not to cry, holding back your tears to be - to feel - strong. As you closed the curtains, a familiar figure slid the window open and entered your room, locking the window behind him and closing the curtains for you.

"Are you alright? I came to the palace- here, as fast as I could when I heard what happened." He held your hands in his and gave you a tender smile. "Octavi is stronger than you think, little tailor. I know you're worried. You have the lucky charm of the Emperor though, don't you? I heard." He reassured you.

You glanced up at him, eyes still pooling with anguish. He caressed the side of your upper arm and bent over slightly, resting his forehead against yours, looking you dead in the eye.

"Little tailor. Look at me." He said, trying to distract you from your mind.

"Octavi would want you not to worry. I can't tell you to be happy right now, but I can provide some comfort." He murmurred.

"I know you can't look into my eyes because of this blindfold. Would you like to know why?" He asked. Not waiting for an answer, he continued on either way. "Only those who practise my craft wear blindfolds when they craft. It is quite a traditional and old form of swordsmanship, barely practised today. My ancestors intended for me to learn this craft. I have honed all of its necessitated skills ever since then. In times, the sword was my only friend. That is why I have great dedication. The only time I remove my blindfolds is when I am not in practise. When there is something more important than my skill. Ah, it's very relieving to take off this blindfold. Yet when I look around, I'm just reminded of the other side of my life. At least when I'm like this, with you, I can be free to be who I want to be." He smiled and pulled away from you.

"What's your name?" You asked out of the blue in a blunt tone.

He seemed to be caught off guard as the atmosphere tensed up. His silky smooth voice became slightly more restrained as he replied, "It is of no importance. I'm just-"

"A name is important, you know mine, please let me know yours. I feel like.. I don't know anything about you." You interrupted him, a grave expression gracing your features.

"What's in a name?-" You cut him off again, "Names are important! They let me know who you are, and it is what you call somebody of importance to you. Names have meaning."

"Little tailor. I am afraid that perhaps, if you knew my name, it would be easier for you to uncover all my other layers. My name is the door to my soul. Once the door is open, you will be able to run around and know me fully. I don't think.. that what is inside those walls are what you expect or want. I'm afraid you'll be disappointed." He looeds at you with a tinge of melancholy.

"I understand but I am not a judgemental person. I'm sure whatever your name is, it won't be an issue." You comforted him, as his fingers now beginning to run through his black hair with anxiety.

"Little tailor.. " He whispered, grabbing your hands. He got down on one knee and kissed your knuckles, mercilessly so. You felt your heart skip a beat. Was he trying to be romantic now of all times? Was he playing around again? Was he just using this as a distraction?

He bowed his head to you and put your hands on his blindfold. "Untie it if you must, my gentle lady." You could sense the trembling of your fingers as you softly undid the knot, causing the blindfold to fall onto the ground.

"I can't see you properly, it's much too dark. Everything is gray and black." You mumble to him as he raised his neck.

He looked up at you with eyes as sad as the moon. The moon that people urge to leave before the sun returns and dawn breaks. The moon that is alone in the sky and loved by none. He sighed gently, most of his features overcast by shadow. You could barely make out who the man was, yet he seemed strikingly similar to the emperor.

"I can't see you properly." The sunlight just barely passing between the curtains is not enough. The young man gently rose, his face now completely covered by shadow, as if hiding his features in shame.

"Good.." He whispered to you, caressing your hand for several moments before proceeding to let go of them.

"It's so dark. What colour are your eyes?" You questioned him, full of curiosity.

The young man sighed, "I'm glad you can't recognise me, little tailor. The dark.. truly is my friend. You asked for my name, yet you get this honour bestowed upon you."

He picked up the blindfold and wrapped it carefully around your hand, making sure not to do so too tightly.

"There is a belief.. that if a knight gives the lady he loves his blindfold, they will be blinded together - forever."

1. Gild - thinly covered in gold/gold leaf.