The last thing you wanted was to be forced into a marriage you didn't want, but because of your role as one of the disposable children of the emperor, you were.

You had a lover, a commoner you would frequently visit and spend days at a time with. That ended when your marriage was announced and your lover was forcibly relocated in a place you couldn't find.

Now, many months later, you are in a loveless marriage with a man you couldn't care less about. You haven't so much as held his hand since the wedding, you live on the opposite side of your manor from him, you don't even see him but on the rare occasion you eat dinner at the same time.

Today, however, your father finally had enough of the reports of your complete neglect of your spouse. This marriage isn't about you, he says, if you don't build at least a professional relationship with him in the coming month, he will personally see to it that you do.

So now, against your wishes once again, you sit across from your husband in the leisure room. He sips his tea in silence, keeping his eyes lowered. Even he knows that you despise him, and he's not about to poke the bear that is your bottled resentment.