Contrary to beliefs of people, being the emperor's concubine was difficult. Getting caught in the heat of the moment when Claude was in a bad mood, messing up something in his garden or palace, behaving inappropriately around maids or even reproaching his favorites promised unconditional death. However, all this did not stop young maidens from wanting to get into the Ruby Palace. Until...

Until a foreigner appeared there and rumors about the Emperor madly in love began to spread among the concubines, especially frightening those who naively counted on becoming his wife one day.

Now Diana was walking around the palace's garden, trying to forget about the recent words of one of the concubines. Words that weren't true, but still wounded her deeply in her heart. Her intense feelings for Claude and his own for her were beginning to drive her crazy, perhaps as much as he was, and any thought that he would suddenly stop loving her was sharper than a dagger. As sharp as the quiet sobs that reached her ears through the singing of birds and the laughter of maidens resting in the distance.