Morning arrived too softly.
Sunlight slipped through the thin curtains, warm and quiet, like nothing terrible had ever happened in this place.
She lay still, staring at the ceiling.
Her body was awake, but her mind wasn't at peace.
The memory of the courtyard hadn't faded. It lingered. The blade. The cold stone beneath her knees. The king's eyes.
That look alone was enough to make her chest tighten.
There had been no hesitation in it.
He truly wanted her dead.
Her fingers slowly curled into the sheets.
So this was her reality now.
Not just a palace. Not just power.
A life already heading toward its end.
A gentle knock sounded at the door, pulling her back.
"Your Majesty… it is time to prepare."
She exhaled quietly before sitting up. The movement felt natural, almost too natural, like this body already knew what to do even if she didn't.
"Come in."
The doors opened, and several maids stepped inside. Their heads were lowered, their movements careful.
Too careful.
She watched them silently as they approached.
No one met her eyes.
No one spoke unless necessary.
It wasn't respect.
It was fear.
So the original empress… wasn't kind.
That made things harder.
They dressed her in silence, layering silk over silk until the weight settled on her shoulders. Then came the jewelry, cold against her skin, followed by the crown.
Heavy.
Everything about this felt heavy.
"Where is His Majesty?" she asked, keeping her voice calm.
The maids hesitated.
Just for a second, but she caught it.
"He… spent the night at the Lotus Palace, Your Majesty."
Lotus Palace.
She didn't need an explanation.
The concubine.
The king's first love.
The woman this body had hurt over and over again… the same woman whose death would lead to hers.
Her chest felt tight again, but this time she understood why.
So it hasn't happened yet.
That thought alone gave her a small sense of relief.
There was still time.
She lowered her gaze slightly, thinking.
If she wanted to live, she couldn't follow the same path.
She had to change something. Starting now.
"Prepare my palanquin," she said.
The room went still.
One of the maids looked up before quickly lowering her head again. "Y.Your Majesty… where are you going?"
A brief pause.
Then she answered, her voice steady, leaving no room for doubt.
"The Lotus Palace."
This time, the silence felt different.
Heavier.
Because everyone in that room knew exactly what it meant for the empress to go there.
And none of them believed it would end well.