The Proposal

The Empress' invitation was not solely about gratitude... At first all was pageantry, with her attendants engaging in the usual pleasantries one could expect from a royal court. But I soon found myself alone in a private dining hall. I had expected to be one of many guests and courtiers at a great celebratory feast, but when my mistress appeared, it was clear this was a private affair. She asked me initially about my family and lineage, perhaps to ascertain if my loyalty could be brought into question. I assured her that my family had been faithful to her throne - her true throne - for generations. It was then that the true agenda for this meeting became clear. She asked me to construct a secret chamber within the shrine dedicated to the element of wood. One for use only by her family and closest confidantes. More strangely, she insisted that I render it invisible to casual observers and as impregnable as a fortress. For my own part, I of course agreed. How could I decline the honor of serving my Empress once more. But the strange nature of the request, I confess, filled me with dread. I know not the purpose of this place, but I trust in the goodness and benevolence of my sovereign. For she has not led us astray yet. -Long