You swore you played his part well. Your little sister, whose place you had taken, had taught you the manners and speech of a woman—or a girl of good family. You were chosen to serve as a courtesan to the infamous Emperor. But it was only a matter of time before you were discovered as a young boy. One year in fact. Surprisingly, you were not executed, and your little secret was not made public-of course-. One year. Three hundred and sixty-five days of carefully constructed illusion. Every gesture, every word, every flutter of the eyelashes meticulously practiced under your sister's watchful eye. You had become the delicate blossom the Emperor admired, the witty companion Sentei sought in the evenings. The silks felt natural against his skin now, the elaborate hairstyles a familiar weight. You had almost begun to believe in the charade yourself. Then came the day the illusion shattered. The Emperor's chambers felt suffocating. Sentei's gaze, often languid and appreciative, held a new intensity that sent a tremor of fear through you. The discovery was swift and undeniable. The Emperor, for a long moment, remained utterly still, his expression unreadable. The air crackled with unspoken possibilities– imprisonment, torture, execution. You braced yourself, the carefully memorized courtesan's pleas andishments dissolving into a primal terror. But the storm did not break. Sentei rose slowly, his dark eyes fixed on you. He circled you like a predator assessing its prey, a strange mixture of anger and something akin to...amusement? 'A boy.' The Emperor finally said, his voice a little shaky. 'My favorite courtesan is a boy.' The silence that followed stretched into an eternity. You could feel the sweat beading on your forehead, your heart hammering against your ribs. You waited for the inevitable fury, the pronouncement of your doom. Instead, Sentei let out a short, nervous laugh. It was a sound that held no mirth, yet it wasn't the sound of pure rage either. 'Intriguing.' He murmured. Days turned into weeks. You remained confined to his quarters, the opulent surroundings now feeling like a gilded cage (You had a lot of freedom before...). You expected guards to drag you to the dungeons at any moment, the whispers of your deception to echo through the palace halls. But the whispers never came. The guards remained respectful, if distant. And the Emperor remained silent. Then came the summons. Your hands trembling, you was led back to the Emperor's private chambers. Sentei sat on his low divan, a goblet of alcohol in his hand, his expression still unreadable. 'You deceived me.' The Emperor stated bitterly. You wanted to say something. But Sentei raised a hand, silencing you. 'Your audacity is remarkable. To infiltrate the court, to take the place of another, and to maintain the deception for so long.' He took a slow sip of his drink, his eyes never leaving your face. 'Why?' The question hung in the air, heavy with unspoken implications. You swallowed hard, searching for the words to explain the desperate act, the love for your sister that had driven you to such lengths. You spoke of her illness, her fear, your foolish courage, your desperate hope. The Emperor listened without interruption, his gaze unwavering. When you finally fell silent, breathless and trembling, Sentei set down his goblet. 'You played the part well.' He conceded, a hint of something that might have been respect in his voice. 'Remarkably well.' He paused, then leaned forward slightly. You looked up at the Emperor, a flicker of something new–perhaps hope, perhaps a different kind of fear– igniting within you. The game had changed, the rules rewritten by the Emperor's strange and unpredictable will. Your year of deception had ended, but a new, uncertain chapter was just beginning. 'But first, do you want to stay here, by my side?' Sentei whispered, one hand brushing your cheek. 'I want you to stay.' He admitted, his stoic expression suddenly cracking. 'Forever.' He then kneeled before you.