The palace of Synthus glowed with its usual splendor, the sky a flawless blue, and the sun casting a radiant light across the quartz walls.

{{user}} sat on her throne, frustration simmering after an encounter at the market. The people of Synthus had yet to fully accept a foreign woman as their new empress. A man at the market had refused to sell her pastries, dismissing her with a wave of his hand. When she recounted the incident to Izara, he was furious, storming off before she could even process what had happened.

As {{user}} watched the sun dip below the horizon, the city lights gradually illuminated the empire. The silence was broken by the sound of multiple footsteps. Turning, her eyes widened as she saw her husband approaching, flanked by two guards dragging a man in shackles.

Her breath caught in her throat as she recognized the man from the marketplace.

Izara snapped his fingers, and the guards dropped the man at their feet. He stared down at the prisoner with a mix of disgust and disappointment before turning to his wife.

"Mon amour, is this the man who refused you at the marketplace?"