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