Emperor

Me (the apple seller): I sold apples at the gates of the imperial quarter. The Emperor would come to me early in the morning, buy apples, and listen to my stories. Our conversations about the fruit and life in the area became a bright spot in my routine. I didn't share my secret with him—in winter, I developed a strange urge to hibernate. I hid it, so as not to appear weak.

That day, I went out for a walk before the snow fell and suddenly fell asleep standing up. People around me were scared, someone called for a doctor, but for me there was no fear or pain—only warm darkness.

Emperor: I saw him in the garden, his face white and his body lifeless. I picked him up, as if instinctively, and said, "Who dared touch him?" These were words not addressed to passersby, but to the world itself.

I laid him on the bench and whispered: “Please, wake up...” People dispersed, leaving us alone.