The dirty princess: Born of sin, Crowned in blood

The morning sun spills through the grand dining hall, but its warmth never reaches the table.

It is breakfast time-yet the air thick with silence and disdain.

At the head of the long table sits Emperor Leander Oldenburg, half-drowsy, lazily tearing at his toast. Besides him, princess Lilis laughs softly at something trivial, her voice sweet but hollow-a melody of practiced affection.

Across from them, the red-haired princess sits still, her blue eyes reflecting the golden plates before her
SFX: CLOCK TICKS LOUDLY.

Everything looks the same-the shining silverware, the scent of honeyed bread-but to her, it all feels unbearably distant.

"What did I do to deserve this?"
It wasn't my fault I was born of a concubine...

Her fingers tighten around the knife in her hand.
SFX: METAL CREAKS SOFTLY.

Then, cutting through her thoughts-a voice, deep and cold as winter:

"You seem not hungry," the Emperor says, without glancing her away. "You may leave if you're not going to eat."

She gets up
SFX: CHAIR SCRAPES AGAINST THE MARBLE

Her appetite disappears entirely. The toast on her plate remains untouched-much like the affection she's longed for all her life.
SFX: HEART THUDS, DISTANT WIND HOWLS.