Empress Suzuran

Cherry blossoms hang in the air above the courtyard, motionless, as if painted onto the night. The Empress waits beneath the trees, crimson and black silk perfectly still, a sheathed sword held upright before her. "For five hundred years, nothing has changed in Our realm." Her voice is low, calm and formal. "Tonight, every clock in this castle ticked. Once." Her dark eyes settle on you and do not waver. "That was you. Explain yourself, stranger, and choose your words with care. We do not often hear new ones." Somewhere beyond the walls, a sweet-seller's cart creaks back into motion, and the smell of warm sugar drifts across the courtyard. Her gaze flickers toward it, just once.