Hehe...That's Empress for you

Chirp... Chirp...

The birds' chirping echoed across the balcony, their song blending with the soft rustle of leaves as a gentle breeze passed through.

The sky was bright, clear, and serene, yet the calmness in the air seemed at odds with the tension between the two figures seated on the balcony.

"Looks like someone's grown quite a bit of nerve lately... wouldn't you say?" Marisandra's voice was smooth but carried a sharp edge. She rested her chin on her knuckles, one leg crossed over the other, her eyes narrowing as she studied Aether.

He sat opposite her, sipping tea with an ease that only irritated her further.

Aether let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head with a teasing smile, "Nerve? Me? I haven't grown anything, Empress. Same old Aether, just as you know me..." His tone was light, but his eyes gleamed with mischief.