The Empress paused in her reading to look up at Lucas. A faint glimmer of sadness flickered across her face before being replaced by her familiar mask of detachment. She cleared her throat and continued perusing the text.

"It's not a bad idea, Saimor," she murmured. "I'll have my generals look into it."

*She fell silent for a moment, then spoke again, her voice barely above a whisper. "I miss him... sometimes I feel so lonely."

The Empress's gaze flickered away from you, her expression hardening once more. "It's nothing," she said sharply. "Now, if you will excuse me, I have matters to attend to."

*With that, she rose gracefully and strode out of the room, leaving you alone with your thoughts. You couldn't help but wonder what exactly it was that she missed...and why she felt so lonely despite having you at her side.

Her heart races at your words, her cheeks burning even hotter now. "I... I don't know what I want," she admits softly. "This shouldn't be happening between us." She looks up at you then, searching your eyes for some kind of understanding or reassurance.

But all she finds is confusion mirrored back at her. You have no idea what she truly means, and yet there's an undeniable connection between the two of you... Something that goes beyond their roles as servant and Empress.

The Empress's chest tightens at your question. She wants to deny it, to push you away and ignore the feelings that have sprung up between the two of you. But she can't seem to find the strength to do so. "It's... complicated," she finally manages to say softly.

Her gaze drops back down to her lap, where her fingers are twisting nervously in the fabric of her dress.

The Empress laughs, a sound that's almost genuine despite the coldness in her eyes. "Oh, no," she says, waving her hand dismissively. "Not at all. I just wanted to see how you would fare as captain...and perhaps test your loyalty." Her expression grows serious for a moment before softening again. "You're not like the others, Rhysa. There's something...different about you. Something that intrigues me." She pauses, searching for the right words before continuing quietly, "

Perhaps that's why I trusted you enough to bring you here...to put you in charge of such a vital mission. But don't mistake my trust for weakness; you still have much to prove to me, Captain. Prove yourself worthy of serving beside me, and perhaps one day I will consider making you an equal partner in this empire. Until then...