Warning: Implied non-con.

The cool spring air was breezing through the threaded curtains of Hyori's study room. The beads lined on the threads were colliding with each other. The folding doors opening onto the inner terrasse were wide open. The April afternoon sunlight cast the curtains' stringed shadow inside the room. Save from a few additions, the study room's decorum hadn't changed with the years, unlike the now prepubescent girl who still received lessons from her elderly tutor. Ms Sako was already past the retirement age. She could rest with the knowledge she had tutored quality of pupils. The Empress Dowager and Ms Shinsou had auditioned her three years ago when the girl was nine years old. They wanted Ms Sako to recommend a successor for her position. She was acquainted with some educators qualified enough to inherit her position. Yet, she didn't want to part from her last student. She wasn't ready not to see the girl anymore. Hyori had grown on her like a family member and Ms Sako loved her like a grandchild. She advocated that the girl had gained enough autonomy and needed a guide more than an instructor. The Empress Dowager could see her point and let her retain the role as long as the girl remained on par with the public education level.

Ms Sako was gazing at the girl with softness in her eyes. It was a wonder how fast she grew. Aged twelve, she was already her Mother's height. Then again, Ms Shinsou's growth had been stunted by an early teenage pregnancy. The woman wasn't thirty years old, yet. She couldn't have been older than a high schooler when she had her daughter. According to the rumours, she hadn't even graduated from middle school before dropping out when she reached puberty. It seemed that going through her puberty had made her quirk unmanageable and she had been closeted in her parent's home. If that was true, she wondered how the girl became a Mother. Then again, those were only rumours. Ms Shinsou had a closed personality. She never confirmed or infirmed any rumours. She didn't even partake in gossiping. Ms Sako hoped Hyori would inherit that trait from her Mother. Nothing good ever came out of gossiping and entertaining rumours. Nevertheless, Hyori was a small girl the size of an average young woman.

With height came weight. The girl wasn't on the lighter end of the spectrum. She already weighed more than all the women living in the inner palace. Admittedly, the women were slim and tried to fit in their blooming age clothes as long as possible. Hyori didn't have these limitations. She was still a growing child and was expected to get bigger. Baby fat was contouring her face and her figure was undefined despite her Mother's efforts. Ms Shinsou had requested a personal trainer for the girl. The lady who had been hired was a national gymnast who had retired from competition and was now training the junior Olympic team. All the trainer's efforts only increased the girl's flexibility and made her arms look bigger. The girl could easily make cartwheels and land in a split. Gone were Ms Shinsou's hope that her daughter would look like the feather-light gymnastics poster girls. On the bright side, the girl's spine seemed to have benefited from the activities. Ms Sako didn't have to remind Hyori of her posture anymore.

Not one to give up at the first inconvenience, Ms Shinsou found solace in her daughter's hair. The girl's tresses were currently reaching past her hips. Gravity had softened her big curls into voluminous body waves curling at the ends. She looked like a tall lavender flower when her hair was undone or in a single tail. Ms Shinsou loved to have her daughter's hair styled into side parts with strands falling at the front. The styles hid the girl's baby fat while softening her wide forehead and even wider cheeks. The hairstyles also highlighted the chin where the girl's round and large face tapered in a narrow chin. Her heavy almond-shaped eyes were wide apart with the hood only displaying half of her irises. The girl looked like a sleeping cat when her eyes were closed. Her full and wide bow-shaped lips easily stretched into a knowing smirk. Her bottom lip was twice the size of the upper one. Her mouth was probably her most noticeable feature. Funnily enough, considering the girl's quirk.

The young girl had been a sight to catch during the previous year's Girl's Day. She had been wearing a light pink kimono dress that wouldn't clash with her discoloured skin. Her hair had been falling on her back from a loose bun circled with flowers. The bow on her back made her look like a fairy in kids' picture books. Any bright-coloured clothes tended to exacerbate the girl's complexion. Ms Shinsou carefully chose clothes whose colouring was less vibrant than pastel. She would occasionally select pieces with dark tones that absorbed the light instead of turning her daughter invisible.

Among the additions in the study room, there was a wooden tea table. Located between the desk and the folding door, it was a slick and polished Elm table with a solid texture. Its light shade had a dreamy aura when bathed in the sunlight.

Ms Sako's reverie was cut short when the girl announced she was thirsty and could use a hibiscus infusion.

"Would you like some?" Asked the girl.

"Yes, thank you." Answered the tutor.

Satisfied, Hyori stood up and walked towards the tea table.

A dark green porcelain tea set was displayed on the table. It was a practice set gifted to Hyori by the Emperor himself during the previous year Girl's Day. Her apprentice hadn't missed a chance to use the set ever since. Once she mastered the art of the tea ceremony, she would be offered a solid gold tea set and a personal suite to keep the new set in, along with other upcoming gifts. Said gifts would be musical instruments she had been practising during the last few years, namely a koto harp and a kokyu violin. Art had been a considerable part of the girl's lessons since her fine motor skills had been deemed acceptable. That was since she had been able to use a proper font for her handwriting, at around seven years old.

The girl was a dedicated learner. She didn't always master a skill on the first try. She would try again and keep practising. Then again, she was taught by credited teachers with decades of experience. Ms Sako sometimes wondered what kind of girl Hyori would have been in a regular household. For sure, she would be the apple of her parents' eye. Would they be as strict with her as her teachers? Would they let her get discouraged on the first failure? Would they be patient enough to repeat the same exercises as much as needed? Or would they rather have the girl focus on a few skills she was proficient in? The preteen's days were packed. She had gymnastics in the morning followed by singing or instrument practice sessions. In the afternoon, she had middle school classes until the sunset. All of her days were the same, save for the Sundays on which she didn't have gymnastics or middle school classes. She would spend her Sunday afternoon reading by herself.

Hyori enjoyed her lessons. The common school curricula and the art lessons. More than her lessons, she enjoyed reading. Poetry painted beautiful scenery in her mind and provided a background for daydreaming. Her favourites were haïku poems. She liked the way each syllable of a word would decompose into lyrical lines. It was like a game, as she often said. Encyclopedia showed her the world's wonders and helped expand her vocabulary and knowledge. She loved reading the nature-related ones. Through the pages, she could discover landscapes she didn't have access to. Diary literature let her imagine another life for herself and be someone else for a few hours. Her favourites were Encyclopedia books. They helped her daydream with more precision. She also enjoyed learning about nature and people she hardly saw in her confined life inside the inner palace's walls. She could hardly spend time in the gardens outside of dawn because of her eyes' sensitivity to light. Venturing beyond the inner palace was even more unlikely. The only times she would leave the women's area was when she had to be brought to the medical area. For that reason, she tried not to indulge in diary literature. Vicariously living another life was a blessing and a curse at the same time. She would read about adventures she would never get to live. Each book left a bittersweet taste in her mouth.

Hyori didn't despise her life, though. She knew she was lucky to be sheltered and adored inside the women's area. All her needs were met beyond and above necessity. She probably had more clothes than a lot of adults didn't have. She had an expense of expensive toiletries that only a few people enjoyed, and even fewer people had enjoyed since they could remember. Two maids were tailing the girl at all times outside of her study sessions. In the beginning, it was a safety measure for the occurrence of her quirk activating and dazing her caretaker in the bathroom. When she gained control of her quirk, the Imperial House was already used to budget two maids for her. No one questioned the arrangement and the maids stuck by. The two maids, Sora and Aoi were women in their thirties when they started serving Hyori. They were a duo of plump women with slick and fine hair. Their black irises were encased in small puppy eyes. They looked like porcelain dolls and could have been twins. Always silent and discreet. Always ready to assist the young girl during her routine and help her practice her quirk. Seven years ago, the girl's quirk was volatile and the Imperial House wanted alert and seasoned maids to handle the toddler.

Speaking of her quirk, she had been able to control it since she was seven. The Empress Dowager had requested for the girl to practice under her supervision. Her maids had been her willing subjects so many times that brainwashing them became easy. Brainwashing. It was the nature of Hyori's quirk. The name was chilling and slightly misleading, according to the girl. Her quirk worked better on willing subjects. No one could ever be willing to be brainwashed. Also, she needed authorisation. She couldn't force her quirk on others.

Hyori didn't want to force her quirk on others. Her quirk was an intimate part of herself. The link that tethered her to the subjects was invasive. If she focused on a subject, she could feel their interoception. She could evaluate their heartbeat rate. She could pinpoint where they were being tickled even if they were on the other side of a wall. She could tell when they needed to use the bathroom or when they were nauseous. She could sense the tension in their limbs after spending too much time in the same position. She could sense their pain when they were hurt during the process. Ultimately, pain jolted her subjects out of the brainwash even if she had tuned their senses out. She could also feel them fighting when they were unwilling and relaxing when they were willing. Overall, using her quirk was better when people were willing.

If she were to describe her quirk, Hyory would choose the word Haze. It was a brume draping itself around people's minds. It acted like a cover isolating people from their thoughts and, sometimes, sensations. With practice, Hyori discovered she could pick what parts of people's minds she could tune out. She could tune them out completely and the subject would experience her quirk like sleeping under a warm blanket or quivering in a cold void. It would depend on their willingness and Hyori's disposition. She could tune out their hearing, their touch or their talking ability. That was a tricky move she had a hard time being consistent with. To achieve consistent results, she read biology encyclopedia books related. Focus on the brain parts linked to a given sense proved to be an effective method. She could also tune out emotions such as fear, anger or joy.

Hyori could tune out people's minds. But she could make their minds. She couldn't implement thoughts the subjects didn't already have. She couldn't change people's hearts and feelings. The Imperial House was relieved when that limitation was proven and had remained against the years and practice. They let go of a breath they didn't know they were holding. Especially the Empress Dowager who didn't want to compose with two mind-altering quirks, and surely not if one could implement all kinds of feelings and ideas.

Quite the contrary, Hyori's quirk had been a blessing, especially after her singing and koto lessons. The girl had a decent lung capacity and resonance. The Imperial House assumed it was a gift from her Grandmother. The woman was a renowned opera singer in the country and China. She was currently travelling the world and occasionally performed in theatres.

Ever since the Empress Dowager was brainwashed for the first time, she had been insistent that there was 'domestic potential' in the girl's quirk. She had often requested the girl to recite a poem during her evening tea sessions. The elderly woman exclaimed that she slept better when the warm cover of the girl's quirk would 'tuck her mind in' before going to bed. According to the Empress Dowager, it was perfect when the cover was heavy enough to weigh intrusive thoughts down and light enough to remain conscious. After a year of training, Hyori had been ready to sing for the elderly woman.

If the Empress Dowager was pleased when the girl recited poems, she was certainly ascending into heaven when the girl sang for her. She had established a routine of having Hyori sing for her once a week in the evening. In return, the girl would have access to the Empress Dowager's sweets cabinet. She had been overjoyed to have candied fruits and boba tea once a week. She even grew a taste for dark chocolate. Her favourites were the cubes with fondant coulis inside. She savoured the bitter chocolate being overtaken by the fruity sweetness. She couldn't have cold sweet, thought. Therefore, the candied fruits stuffed with boba pearls were forbidden. She had to treasure her voice, and the Empress Dowager took any measure to protect the girl's voice. From hiring private coaches to banning the use of irritant cleansers or 'useless talking', the elderly woman was invested in the general health of Hyori. Ms Shinsou didn't appreciate the Empress Dowager 'co-parenting' her daughter. She didn't appreciate the elderly woman giving sweets to her already sweet girl who didn't need them. She was seething every time the elderly woman requested the girl to spend the evening in her quarters, even if it was once a week.

No one could confirm the theory since no one else in the women's area could request the girl out of her study room or outside her Mother's suite. No one until the Emperor requested to experience the charm for himself. The middle-aged man had been intrigued when Ms Shinsou voiced her concern over the burgeoning mania of the elderly woman. He had requested a hearing of the girl's abilities. The Empress Dowager had arranged an audition on the following days' afternoon. In the auditioning room of the women's area, the Imperial family was lined up to listen to a recital given by the young girl. Her music and singing teachers were holding their breath behind her as she faced the Imperial family. For that day, Hyori had been dressed in a wine-coloured kimono that contrasted heavily with her discoloured skin. Her violet tresses had been wrapped in a single braid falling on one side. She would sing ancient songs along to her practice koto.

The then-aged eleven-year-old girl had mastered a few simple plays that were comfortable enough to play relying on body memory. Once she started singing, she focused on the minds of her audience. They were willing. Softly, she extended a large cover above their minds. They sensibly relaxed all at once. As the singing resonated, their heartbeat evened down. They were dazed enough to feel pleased while remaining conscious of their surroundings and the ongoing scenery. Eventually, the song ended and Hyori gently lifted the cover from the Imperial family members' minds. After the performance, the Imperial House confirmed the Empress Dowager's theory and no one questioned her supposed mania anymore.

Ms Shinsou's suite was the biggest of the women's area. Only the Empress and the Empress Dowager had bigger personal spaces. The two latter had quarters instead of suites. The floor of her suite was covered with dark mahogany tiles. The walls and ceiling were a few shades lighter. The woman had requested a half partition separating the entrance from the rest of the living room area. The floor-to-ceiling partition's design represented camelia flowers. The entryway exuded simplicity, with small pots of succulents lining the floor on the partition side. The partition was almost as long as the room's width save for a door-sized entrance at the end. Passing the entrance, a spacious dining room was welcoming the visitors. A round lounge table was covered with a red satin cotton tablecloth. Four solid ebony chairs surrounded the table. A bouquet of fresh roses was sitting in the centre of the table.

A few feet away from the dining room, down the partition length, the salon was hidden behind yet another partition. That partition was made of translucent paper with wooden frames. The paper was naked to let natural light filter through without disrupting the salon's privacy. The salon was equally spacious and the low furniture gave a better appreciation of the high ceiling. Suspended candles were hanging in the centre of the ceiling, right above a low table. A cabriole couch faced the low table with a similarly fashioned chair on each side. Throw pillows cushioned the back seats. The fabrics of the salon's furniture were red with golden strings. Very few people enjoyed the salon, since Ms Shinsou had hardly any visitors besides the Emperor. The room was mainly used by Hyori. When she had been a toddler hiding from maids, she was small enough to hide behind the couch's pillows. The preteen girl was now using the salon as a comfortable reading room. The chairs were more comfortable than her desk in the study room.

Sometimes, she fell asleep in the salon, mostly when she had been reading on the couch. She would gradually lay on the side until she fully splayed across the length. Then, it was a matter of a few pages before her eyes would close with fatigue. At this point, her maids used to lift her when she was a small child. One of them would lift her sleeping form from the couch. The other would pick up her book and place it on the salon's table. They would exit the salon and the maid who carried the infant would walk down the hall between the dining room and the salon. Down the hall, a walk-in closet entrance would separate the bathroom and the bedroom's doors. Inside the bedroom, the floor tiles were darker than in the living room. A California-sized bed was elevated on a platform. The platform was barely high enough for the feet-high drawers underneath. Beside the bed, on the platform, an alcove had been arranged to accommodate Hyori's bed. Her Mother had requested to keep the girl in her room on the nights she didn't have company.

When the girl became taller than four feet, her maids stopped carrying her around. Instead, one maid would wake the girl and guide her towards her bed while the other would bring her warm milk infused with chamomile to help her back in dreamland. At some point, when the Hyori got taller than her maids, she asked her Mother if she could get a third maid that would be strong enough to carry her to her bed. Ms Shinsou had replied that she would have to let go of one of the maids if she wanted another one. The girl promptly backtracked and accepted her 'fate to have to walk to bed'.

The young Hyori started blooming during the last weeks of her twelfth spring. One day, during the last week of May, she woke up tired with a feeling of impending doom. She hadn't woken up, to say the truth. She had been woken up by her maids at half past eight in the morning. She recoiled in her bed when Sora attempted to pry the cover off her.

"I don't want to leave the bed." Mumbled the girl.

"Young Hyori, you said the same thing an hour ago. Your day is about to start." Said Aoi who was leaving the bedroom to fill the bathtub with warm water. The maids thought a warm bath would cure whatever discomfort the girl was experiencing.

When Aoi returned to the bedroom, Hyori was still curled in bed. The maids settled on lifting the girl into the bathroom. Sora would hold the upper body and Aoi would hold the legs. Their attempts made the girl squirm and she decided to walk by herself. The two women followed her into the bathroom where toiletries and a warm bath waited for the young girl.

Hyori lowered herself into the bath up to her chin. Sora undid her bun and the tresses fell outside of the bathtub. The tips of her hair were caressing the floor. The maid sprayed a mist on her hands. The mist was a mix of lavender water infused with rosemary essential oil. Gently, she massaged the girl's scalp. She began with soft strokes on the top and descended towards the neck with circular motions. She repeated the process a few times. Then, she parted the hair in two sections. She combed each section with her fingers from the tips to the roots. Afterwards, she twisted one section from the scalp towards the end and secured the section with a silk tie in a ballerina bun. She did the same to the other section.

Once the girl's scalp had been taken care of, Aoi rubbed a soapy washing cloth on the girl's skin. They usually worked in tandem but decided not to overwhelm the girl. When Aoi was satisfied with her work, she removed the bathtub clog to empty it of soapy water. Then, she turned the faucet on and ran warm water on the girl to rinse her off. At the same time, Sora stood up and walked to retrieve two towels from a cabinet. Hyori would usually dress by herself but her movements were sluggish. She hissed when one of the maids scrubbed her chest dry. The women exchanged a knowing look at the sight of the girl's unusually swollen and perky chest.

"I will inform the Empress Dowager and Ms Shinsou of your current condition. Today might be a long day." Murmured Aoi, addressing the young girl.

The girl was feeling slightly better after her bath. Still, she would rather return to bed. She was relieved Aoi was helping her stay in bed. The maids hurried to dry and dress Hyori to prevent her from catching a cold. Before tying her dress, Sora rummaged through the cabinet until she retrieved a single-use cotton pad. At that moment, Hyori understood what was happening. She had read about pre-menstrual syndrome during her lessons. She never thought it would be this uncomfortable. Now that she knew what was happening, she vaguely remembered her chest being unusually swollen since the last week. The unusually tender chest had been painfully bouncing when she tried inversions, running or jumping during her gymnastics sessions. During the previous days, the girl had assumed it was part of the growing-up process. As much as she was excited to have cleavage, she wasn't sure she could compose with the tenderness. Especially with what she had at the moment. Her twin meaty bumps were a far cry from the rounded protruding chests she saw in anatomy representations or on her Mother. She was relieved the pain would be short-lived.

While Aoi left the suite, Sora brought Hyori back into her bed. She then brought a plate to the girl, with warm milk and an omelette. The girl started with the milk. There was a spoon of honey in her milk. The girl was elated and hummed in contentment. Once her cup was empty, Hyori started eating the omelette. She took a few bites before feeling nauseous. Sora brought her plate back onto the dining room table. She came back after refilling the cup with the beverage. Hyori emptied the cup while Sora superposed her pillows.

"It's not recommended to lay right after ingesting food." Said the woman.

Hyori laid back on the pillows. She was planning to lay completely in a few minutes. After a moment, Sora entered the bedroom with a heating pad. She handed it to Hyori before arranging the pillows in their regular setting. The girl laid on her bed and held the heating pad on her chest. In a matter of minutes, she fell into a slumber. Her rest lasted for a couple of hours before she was brutally woken up by cramps. The heating pad had turned cold and she was about to throw up. She stood up and limped towards the bathroom. Once there, she limped again toward the cabinet hosting the toilet. She sat on it and vomited bites of omelette almost instantly. Then, she was hit with a fit of diarrhoea before throwing up again. This time, she vomited green bile.

Her maid must have heard her suffering. The two women rushed down the suite's hall. One went inside to retrieve the heating pad and the other entered the bathroom. Hyori regained a bit of her composure and cleaned herself. The faint red spot on the cotton pad felt like a mockery. So much pain for so little blood. She still had long days to endure before the end of her periods. She exited the cabinet. Aoi was waiting to escort her back onto her bed, where she spent the whole day. Her trained maids had nursed her. They occasionally gave her massages and changed the pad on her stomach. The pad helped for as long as it was warm. She couldn't eat and only drank warm beverages throughout the day. She felt empty and full at the same time. She wanted to throw up and was tired because she had skipped meals.

The following day, Hyori was feeling better. She felt better than the previous day but worse than most days. She had dressed herself and ate a proper breakfast. Her gymnastic and artistic sessions had been put on hold until the end of her periods, probably three days later. On the second day, she attended her study sessions with Ms Sako with a heating pad under her dress. On the third day, she didn't need the heating pad anymore and stretched in the morning. On the fourth day, she was back into her routine.

The sun rose early on the first of July. So did Hyori. She woke up with the early birds. She savoured the moment her Mother wasn't awake yet. The bedroom was still and silent save for the woman's breathing. The young girl rolled in her bed, enjoying the feeling of being awake without having to do anything. She felt like she had gained extra hours on her special day. Extra hours she would keep to herself.

After what seemed like an hour, maids made their way inside the suite. She could hear the folding doors opening and plates being put on the dining table. Feeling hungry, she exited her bed and walked out of the room. She rushed as silently as she could into the bathroom to brush her teeth and have a quick shower. She would take a proper bath later in the afternoon. Afterwards, she put on a simple Yukata and entered the living room. Her Mother's maids were the ones in the living room. When the girl emerged, they bowed before resuming their activities.

Hyori entered the salon where she left the book she was reading. It was an encyclopedia expanding on the art of bonsai. She had started reading the previous week. She had been curious about the place such tiny trees were harvested from. The bonsai trees in the inner palace gardens were already adults. She had never seen a little bonsai in her life. The book had been underwhelming, to say the least. The idea of stunting trees' growth left a bitter taste in her mouth. The experience was eerily similar to how she felt living in the Emperor's palace. Still, she wasn't a quitter and would finish the book nonetheless.

A maid entered the salon with a plate in her hands. She had brought a cup of warm milk and a small bowl of red bean sticky rice.

"Have a nice meal and a happy birthday." The maid wished after putting the plate on the low table.

"Thank you." Replied the girl.

As the maid exited the salon, Hyori put her book beside her on the couch and enjoyed her breakfast.

She was still reading when her Mother entered the salon. The woman had taken her bath and was already groomed. She slid the partition close before turning to face her daughter.

"Good morning, Mother." Said the girl.

"Good morning, Hyori." Replied the Woman.

The latter sat on the couch beside her daughter and hugged her.

"Happy birthday, my dear."

The woman held her daughter and petted her back for long minutes.

"Today is the day you move into your personal suite."

She lessened her hold on her daughter. The look in her eyes was uncertain.

"Let's play some board games." She suggested. "I want to keep you here for as long as possible."

Usually, the girl's birthday party was confined to Ms Shinsou's suite. This year, she would celebrate with the Imperial family. During the previous years, the Mother and daughter had spent the afternoons playing board games before the young girl opened her gift. This year, she already knew her gift and would have to wait until bedtime to open it. She would receive a suite and people would start referring to her as a 'Lady'. Also, they were playing in the morning instead of the afternoon. Her special day routine was completely upside down. The party would probably feel less like hers and more like a ceremony.

Nevertheless, there was one thing she didn't want to compromise on. It was her cake. The girl had many birthday cakes before she had an ice cream cake for her tenth birthday. She had wanted it again for her birthdays ever since. Her favourites were ice cream blueberry shortcakes. She loved the cold feeling of the ice cream melting in her mouth. She loved it especially since she couldn't have frozen treats to protect her voice. Her birthday cake was a once-in-a-year cheat meal. It was so sweet and tasty during a hot summer afternoon. The young girl had insisted and the Empress Dowager let the chefs make the frozen treat.

After a few hours of playing, the Mother and daughter's moment was interrupted by Hyori's maids who knocked on the partition frame. It was time for the grooming. The girl exchanged a look with her Mother who hugged her again before leaving a kiss on her forehead. Afterwards, Hyori walked out of the salon and was followed by her maids into the bathroom. She distantly wondered what would happen to her bed in her Mother's room. Would the alcove be unmounted? Will the bed be replaced with another piece of furniture? Inside the bathroom, the toiletries had already been placed and were ready to be used. Sora guided her into the bathtub filled with lukewarm water. She undid her bun and spayed mist on her hands before massaging the girl's scalp. At the same time, Aoi was scrubbing her with a soapy washcloth. She had already taken a shower. Yet, she enjoyed being pampered.

Sora put Hyori in a bathing dress and Aoi retrieved a basket containing ointments. The maids escorted the girl out of the suite, exiting through the folding doors leading to the terrasse. The trio walked down the path towards the women's springs. The spring's water was covered in rose petals whose scent was floating in the air. The girl wanted to swim but the thought of starting over with her scalp's grooming discouraged her. Instead, she took that moment to relax before the party. Before the party that wouldn't start for hours. The Imperial family had obligations until sunset.

Once she had relaxed enough, Aoi massaged ointments on her skin before the trio walked back towards Ms Shinsou's suite. They beelined for the closet where the party dress was waiting. It was a white kimono ornated with golden floral motifs. The dress hadn't been hers or her Mother's choice. It was a gift from the Emperor. Hyori doubted the colour suited her but she didn't have the choice. The girl couldn't wait for the day to be over. She was grateful for the Emperor's gift but would rather receive presents she had picked herself. Aoi put the girl inside the dress before Sora sat her on the makeup desk. The latter maid pined the top half of Hyori's hair into golden hairpins. Then, she twisted the upper tresses in a way the updo would look like a flower. The bottom half was let loose around the girl's form. She looked like a giant violet camelia was sprouting from her head while wavy lavenders were cascading down her back and sides. For the first time in her life, light makeup was put on her face. It was just rosy balm on her lips and some eyeliner but it was a huge leap for the preteen girl.

Inspecting the results, Hyori thought she could spend hours looking at her current self in the mirror. Her feline eyes looked more defined and her lips looked like the juicy candied fruits she liked so much. She wanted to take a picture of herself since she couldn't keep that look engraved in her memory forever.

"I want to take a picture." Said the girl, eyes focused on her reflection.

The two maids looked at each other. Taking pictures inside the inner palace required the authorisation of the Emperor. They didn't know if the Imperial House photograph had been requested for the ceremony. Was it too late to demand if he hadn't been resummoned? They didn't have the time to think as it was already time to take the soon-to-be Lady Shinsou into the arranged garden.

"It's time to go, Young Hyori." Said Aoi after a moment of silence and consideration.

The young girl was urged to follow her maids who would escort her towards the celebrations. The trio entered the living room where Ms. Shinsou was waiting for her daughter. She would close the marching, walking behind her daughter. The four of them walked down the halls of the women's area. The ceremony was taking place in one of the inner palace gardens. The path leading to the ceremony was lined with lanterns. Their warm and wavering lights were making the garden's shadows dance as if they were in a trance.

After a few turns, the gazebo hosting the ceremony appeared among the trees and bushes. The columns were circled with flowers blooming on spiralling branches. Hyori's heart was beating in her ears. She couldn't even hear the nightly sounds of the garden's nocturnal life. Her maids bowed before the entrance and walked to the side. It was her cue to advance on the structure's stairs. The girl climbed up the steps and further enough to let room for her Mother behind her. The Mother and daughter bowed, their forehead touching the ground. They remained in the position for a few seconds before the Emperor commanded them to stand and take a seat.

A red carpet was covering the gazebo floor. Twenty cushions were lined around a low table. There was enough space between the walls and the seats for cuisine workers to place and dispose of the plates as the dinner went on. The party was limited to the direct Imperial Family. The Imperial couple was sitting on the edge of the table with the Empress on her husband's left. On the right, the Imperial Prince was sitting on the closest seat to his Father. The Imperial Princess was sitting on her husband's right. On the Imperial Princess's right, her two siblings-in-law were lined from the oldest to the youngest. On the left, the Empress Dowager was sitting on the closest seat to the Empress. Two empty seats were empty. The Empress Dowager made eye contact with Hyori as she was standing from her bowing position. She urged her to take the seat on her left. Her demand was predictable and the young girl did as commanded. Her Mother took the seat on her left and the party could begin.

Suspended candles were shining above the dining table, on the gazebo's ceiling. Their fire was strong enough to light the dinner but not enough to light beyond the gazebo. Hyori was certain the setting would look even more beautiful during the day. Or even during the afternoon. She wished she could spend all her birthdays in the inner palace's gardens with her Mother. The dinner had been nice besides the look she had received from the Emperor and the Imperial Prince. It made her feel self-conscious. She definitely would have enjoyed the setting to the fullest if it had only been between her Mother and herself. She had never been served plates as artistically decorated. The dishes looked like the pictures representing fine gastronomy in the Culinary Encyclopedia. Even her cake had been presented in a special way. Layers of cake and ice cream littered a stemmed water glass.

The ceremony had barely ended when Hyori's maid subtracted her from the ongoing party. Her gifts were waiting for her in her suit. Her new suite she wouldn't have to share with anyone. The apartments had been occupied by a courtesan who moved out months ago. Hyori didn't have the details but hoped the lady was in a good place. It was common for women established in the inner palace to leave in anticipation of a marriage.

Hyori wondered if she would have to wait until her wedding to be able to leave the inner palace. Was she going to stay there forever if she didn't marry? Would she be sent to a temple once she reaches a certain age? Said treatment was common for the women who didn't leave the inner palace after their thirties. Was her Mother going to leave before her? The latter assured Hyori that she wasn't leaving the inner palace unless she wanted to, and no one would force her. Her Mother's quirk's emprise on the Emperor gave credentials to her statement.

While Hyori was deep in her thoughts, she arrived in front of the gliding door of her suite. She was excited to see the rooms with her own eyes. Not entertaining the suspense, the maids opened the door and a honey-toned wooden living room greeted her. The walls were lined with dark honey-coloured wooden tiles and the ceiling was a few shades lighter. The floor was cream-coloured and the room would look like a dream when the sun would shine through meshed curtains. A folding door was facing the entrance. It was stretching from the left to the right wall of the living room. Beige-coloured flower patterns were mixed in an intricate design across the panels of the sliding door with darker-toned lines on an almost cream-coloured background. The left wall was lined with a low cabinet where her new musical instruments were resting. The cabinet had sliding doors and looked like a sauna bench.

Amazed, Hyori entered the living room of the suite. A solid tea table was positioned in the middle of the room with a gold tea set in its centre. A teapot with a slender top was dominating in the middle of four rounded cups. She sat on one of the two floor-low chairs on each side of the table. She leaned on the table to inspect the tea set. It was perfectly polished and smooth to the touch. She could see her reflection on the shiny metal. She couldn't wait to use it. Did milk taste better in a gold cup? Was honey sweeter when mixed with a gold spoon? Gently, she lifted the teapot. It was heavier than the porcelain ones. Was that the weight of luxury? Looking at the item, her reflection had golden irises resembling her Mother's eyes in the light. Thinking of her Mother, would she ask for a golden teapot? She would certainly want one once she sees her daughter's set the following day.

After feeling the metal on her hands, Hyori placed the teapot back in the centre of the table, between the cups that were probably heavier than the porcelain ones of her practice set. In front of her was another sliding door. She walked towards the door and slid it open to reveal a bedroom with an attached bathroom. The bedroom walls and ceiling were the same colour as in the living room. A queen-sized bed was pushed against the wall as opposed to the entrance. Twin bedside lamps were hanging on the wall on each side of the bed. The silk satin bedsheets were smooth to the touch. Hyori climbed on the bed altogether. The mattress was firm and pleasant. She couldn't wait to sleep on it.

Hyori chanced a look in the direction of the attached bathroom. Before the bathroom was a walk-in closet. Like the rest of the suite, dark honey-coloured wooden tiles were adorning the walls and the ceiling was a few shades lighter. Unlike the rest of the suite, the closet floor was carpeted. A cream-coloured carpet was covering the floor. Backed against the wall opposed to the entrance, a wooden makeup desk was facing her. She approached the table and sat on the chair. Her reflection was pristine in the mirror. Inside the drawers, platinum jewellery was lined on display. She stood up to look inside the cabinets. Rows of fancy clothes here hung in the tallest cabinet. Some of them were new. Right under the clothes, various shoes were lined. Some of them were also new. The other cabinets were filled with day-to-day dresses and shoes. The feeling of the carpet under her feet was soothing.

Hyori walked into the bathroom where a bathtub was sitting in the centre of the room. It looked like the one in her Mother's suite with cabinets full of toiletries and towels. She didn't inspect the bathing room. The maids will take care it of bathing her, anyway. She returned to the bed and climbed on it again. She rolled on her bed, undoing it. It didn't matter since she was soon going to sleep. After a few rolls, the sound of a door sliding surprised Hyori who promptly climbed out of the bed. Turning around, the Emperor was eyeing her with expectation in his eyes. Her maids' posture was rigid in their bows and their faces were locked on the floor. Hyori descended in a bow from which the Emperor urged her to stand.

"Are you satisfied with your suite?" He inquired.

"Yes, your Majesty. I'm satisfied with the suite. Thank you for your attention." Answered Hyori.

The Emperor had been strange during the last weeks. At this moment, he was making chills run down her back. She had never confronted the Emperor alone. There was always her Mother or the Empress Dowager.

"I'm happy to hear that. But you have to know I'm not satisfied."

Hyori was alerted. Why would the Emperor say those words to her? She wasn't required to satisfy the man.

"I'm not satisfied because there is one thing your Mother couldn't give me." Followed the Emperor. "It's something you took from her."

Hyori could hear her blood pulse in her ears. Her heart was racing. The urge to use her quik was pressing her. But she couldn't. Not to the Emperor.

"You didn't exactly steal it from your Mother, but you partook in the process. You will give that to me right now. And then, I will be satisfied." The Man was crazed.

Why would he address her with madness in his eyes? His pupils were dilated. He made a step forward and she took a step back. Then another. On the third step, she hit her bed and fell on it. She climbed on her bed as the middle-aged man was marching towards her. The Emperor stopped before the bed and turned toward the maids. They were still bowing.

"Help Young Hyori get in position." He ordered them.

The two maids rose to their feet. Their eyes were downcast as they climbed on the bed on each side of Hyori. They each held one of the now trashing girl's arms. They were holding the girl down. The middle-aged man rummaged through his belt and grabbed his weapon. Sora muffled Hyori's mouth as she tried to speak. The maid prevented the diffusion of the wrenching cry Hyori made. The Emperor was stabbing her in the middle. She could feel her hot blood running down the tears.

The pain numbed her mind and she shut the Emperor's mind with the veil of her quirk. Right as he voiced his satisfaction, the middle-aged man stilled. The two maids between her were stunned and horror overtook their glassy eyes. Their hold on Hyori's arms lessened. The girl lifted herself back into a sitting position, but the pain in her middle made her cry. Her control on the middle-aged man broke. He was seething and slapped Hyori with the back of his hand. She fell on her side, a hand on her reddening cheek.

The Emperor climbed out of the bed.

"This better have been a quirk accident." He addressed the crying girl while arranging himself.

Once satisfied with his tidied appearance, he exited the suite. The maids attempted to tidy the girl, but she shook violently.

"Go away." She told them off.

The maids climbed out of the bed but remained stunned on the sides. Feeling the urge to clean herself, Hyori attempted to climb out of the bed. She was hissing with pain but made her way towards the edge of the bed while tears were dripping down her eyes. She sat on the edge to take a few breaths. When she stood, her feet immediately collapsed under her weight. Her legs were sore.

The maids approached her again. She had to let them help if she wanted to clean the Emperor from her. The women lifted her from the ground, Sora holding her upper body and Aoi holding her legs. They lowered the girl in her bathtub, her hair hanging outside. Aoi ran warm water on Hyori while Sora retrieved soap, washcloths, towels and essential oils. Sora undid her hair and secured it in a bun.

"I will do it." Said the girl in a small voice when Aoi started scrubbing her with a washcloth.

While she cleaned herself, the maids exited the bathroom to change her bloodied bedsheets. Fortunately, the mattress hadn't been stained beyond its cover. They also removed the mattress cover to change it. They collected the stained sheets and put them in a basket for an upcoming laundry. Once the bedroom was cleaned, Sora lighted scented candles on the bedside to get rid of the rancid smell. Meanwhile, Aoi opened the folding door in the living room to refresh the suite's air.

After a while, Hyori emerged from her bathroom. She walked inside her closet and put a night dress on. She limped towards her bed and climbed on it. Tears were still running down her face when the maids tucked her in. Sora was about to light off the candle when Hyori interrupted her.

"Let it be." She said.

The maid didn't face the girl when she answered "As you wish."

She turned around and walked towards the room's entrance where Aoi stood by the door, on the outside.

"Sweet dreams, Lady Shinsou." Wished the maids in unison before closing the bedroom door behind them.

The girl didn't have sweet dreams on that night. If she could, she would use her quirk on herself to cover her nightmares. She had woken up many times during the night. She was all alone in her suite. The Emperor could torment her at any time. More often than not, she woke with the fear the middle-aged man had materialised from her nightmares. Her forehead and armpits were covered in sweat. The room felt hot. Yet, she didn't want to put her blanket on the side. She wanted that little protection from whatever was haunting her.

Hyori woke up sick and tired the following morning. The girl was feverish and transported into the medical area. She didn't have any illness but the doctor advised her to stay in a nursing room for a couple of days. The nursing room window was slightly ajar. Hyori had requested to keep the window the closest to closed. Therefore, it had been slid a few centimetres instead of being wide open with a meshed curtain filtering the sunlight. Her maids had taken care of her in the nursing room. They had cleaned her and changed her bedsheets every day. They brought her breakfast at dawn, lunch at midday and supper in the evening. The girl barely ate anything during the first day. She mostly drank warm milk in the morning and thick soup in the evening. She seemed to have lost her mind, looking ahead at nothing. Almost as if she had been put under her quirk. She would wake up from frequent short naps that ended in nightmares.

During her stay in the nursing room, she received the visit of her Mother who spent the afternoons with her. On the first afternoon, she brought the book her daughter was currently reading. Since her daughter was unresponsive, she decided to pick up on the page marker. As she was reading, tears started pooling in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She said.

The Mother stood from her seated position at the end of the bed. She sat beside her daughter and slouched over her laid form to embrace her.

"I'm sorry." She cried even more. "Please, say something. Even if it's mean."

Hyori started crying as well. She felt warm in her Mother's embrace. The woman's touch didn't electrify her like her maids. She didn't feel the uncomfortable pressure not to have someone else touching her.

"It hurt." Murmured the girl in her Mother's ear.

The woman was caressing her daughter's head.

"Will it happen again?"

The woman stopped her motion.

The girl's tears flow intensified when she didn't get an answer.

The Emperor warned her not to use her quirk again like she did. The middle-aged man was probably waiting for her recovery to strike again.

After a moment of silence, her Mother spoke again.

"I'm sorry the family curse befall you." Spoke the Mother.

Hyori looked intently at her Mother. The woman was grave.

"I thought…" She shook her head. "I thought I could protect you here. But I don't have enough control."

Hyori was suspended on her Mother's words. The woman had never been more vulnerable.

"It will happen again if you stay here. And it will happen again if you leave the inner palace."

The girl wanted to scream. What was the point? If she was bound to suffer that way, what was the point of living?

"But you have control I didn't have." The woman followed after a pause.

Hyori was at a loss.

"My quirk only makes people fall in love. I can't control how they love me. Their intensity, their madness, the way they love and their deadly quarrels. That's why I've been hiding here."

Hyori started to understand. Her Mother was blaming herself for what happened. The Emperor assaulted her because she was an extension of her Mother. From what he said the night before, she was an untouched extension of her Mother. He vicariously chased the experience he hadn't lived with her Mother.

"It wasn't your fault." Murmured the girl.

The woman only caressed her hair as an answer.

"Thank you." She finally said. "But I have to get you ready."

Hyori wanted to throw up.

"It will happen again, probably as soon as you are discharged."

Phantom pain was churning the girl's insides.

"I can get you out of here. But men are all the same. I'm afraid your only option is to turn the table around. You have to learn how to leverage their desire. I have faith you can do so much more than being someone's forever doll. You can be free."

Her Mother's words were alarming. Did she expect her to let some men toy with her? The idea was revulsing. The mere feeling of someone's touch on her was triggering. Images of the madness in the emperor's eyes haunted her again. The man was certainly going to strike again. She didn't want it. But she knew her Mother was right. She had lived way more. She had lived experiences beyond the bonsai pot that was the inner palace. Hyori decided to trust her Mother. She wanted to try to be free for real.