Created by the very talented (and extremely patient)  Tegerio

• Support the artist here: https://www.patreon.com/tegerio
• artist page: https://www.furaffinity.net/user/tegerio
• commission info: https://www.furaffinity.net/commissions/tegerio/

This piece went into serious scope creep and extreme revisions, so i'm very glad it still made it into here within a single month. I'll make sure Tegerio too gets a more than decent reward for being so patient with me.

The original story that started all this was actually a "Christmas" story.

The Emperor of China learns that one of the most beautiful things in his empire is the song of the nightingale. When he orders the nightingale brought to him, a kitchen maid (the only one at court who knows of its whereabouts) leads the court to a nearby forest, where the nightingale agrees to appear at court, where it remains as the Emperor's favorite. When the Emperor is given a bejewelled mechanical bird he loses interest in the real nightingale, who returns to the forest. The mechanical bird eventually breaks down; and the Emperor is taken deathly ill a few years later. The real nightingale learns of the Emperor's condition and returns to the palace; whereupon Death is so moved by the nightingale's song that he allows the Emperor to live.

Tegerio was able, in a single frame, to tell a good part of the re-imagined story in a wonderful way.

So... is my newly acquired character, Philomela, doomed from the start? Well, of course. But you will see i follow-up comics. As Tegerio wisely said... it will involve an "heartbreak" and lots of money for a renewal contract. 😅