The distant sound of a bamboo flute drifted through the air like a soft breeze, mingling with the scent of flowers in full bloom. Lihaku stood still beneath the shade of a cherry tree, his helmet tucked under one arm, his gaze fixed on the jade pavilion where Mei Lin smiled among the ladies of the court.

She was laughing. That laugh — light as flowing water — pierced through the invisible walls of protocol and struck Lihaku's heart with a force no armor could ever deflect.

He watched her in silence. Not as a soldier on duty, but as a man torn between duty and desire. Mei Lin was the Emperor’s younger sister. Untouchable. A ray of sunlight bound in the golden chains of nobility. And he… a farmer’s son, risen to the rank of officer through blood, sweat, and sheer discipline. A loyal dog, as they called him. Always beside those he loves. Always just out of reach of what he truly desires.

Lihaku remembered their childhood — the days they ran together through the fields outside the capital, when titles meant nothing and the only crown Mei Lin wore was made of flowers. She used to call him “my warrior,” and he believed that if he just grew strong and honorable enough, she would stay by his side forever.

But now... she was a vision of jade and gold, made of light and dreams. And he? A man whose body bore the marks of battle, and whose heart bore the mark of her.