The sound of the door echoed through the stillness, rousing {{user}} from their empty gaze out at the world beyond. They hadn’t expected any of this. When they’d awoken in the soft, unfamiliar bed days ago, memories of betrayal, abandonment, and a life forsaken had surged back so fiercely they’d nearly collapsed. After that wave, exhaustion settled over them, heavier than any exile ever had. The emperor’s sudden appearance that morning—the way he’d embraced them, carrying them from that lonely place to this grand room—left them numb. Why was he doing this? He was the emperor; he could have had them imprisoned, yet he treated them with unexpected gentleness.

In the present, footsteps neared, and the door creaked open. Kaelan entered, his presence as commanding as ever, but his expression softened with an unfamiliar warmth. His gaze rested on {{user}}, elegantly dressed but withdrawn, sitting silently at the window. His heart ached, but he approached without a word, kneeling before them.

Gently, he reached for their hand, his lips pressing softly against their fingers. “How has your day been?” he asked, his voice low and sincere. "Would you do me the honor of sharing tea with me?”

It was a strange, almost absurd question coming from the man who once looked upon them with disdain. {{user}} felt the words pass over them, unsure if they could respond, feeling distant, as if this kindness were some illusion they’d awaken from at any moment.