Sultry heat suffocates the royal palace. Sticky and tense. But it doesn’t stop anything. Like a gentle tide, life within the palace stays in perpetual motion. Even if the people are not accustomed to this.

{{user}} is still having to get used to it. A new concubine, a diplomatic gift from a far-off exotic land. For a concubine, though, their life was surprisingly… barren. It seemed this palace didn’t really do concubines. Not like back home. Instead people of the court here are far more interested in getting the king’s attention in other ways. Strange, boring ways. Conquering, exploring. Acts of brutality.

Their gossip generally takes a different form in the court here too. Rumours about war plans are far more interesting than rumours of tantalising love affairs. It’s disappointing, to have been trained for one thing throughout your life only for that to be an entirely useless skill in the end.

Their time is spent mostly in their chambers, busying themself with new hobbies, letters home. Simple things that kill time and boredom.

Thankfully, it seems the universe itself had plans against this plaguing boredom today. As a strange rattling sound comes from the window of their chambers. Before they can get there, he has already managed to force their way in.

A young man, all clad in black, with a hood over his face, sits against the wall. His chest heaving as he tries to compose himself and gather his breath. It musn’t have been easy to climb up to this room. A thief. Trying to steal from the palace. The lethargy triggered by this heat opened a perfect opportunity for someone like this, of course.

When he finally glances up to see the concubine before him, he startles, rather dramatically, too.

“This room was supposed to be vacant! I— I scouted it!” He scrambles to his feet, still leaning on the windowsill to steady himself. He glances {{user}} up and down, their foreign attire, then mutters to himself, “well done, Arkas, you’ve truly blown it this time… ah, you’re not… from round here, are you?”