The morning Aya sought Nana out, she did not wear a crown or her usual circlet.
It was an intentional omission, one she did not announce to anyone, not even Raina. She chose instead a simpler gown in the pale blue of House Svedana, her hair left unbound down her back in long, dark waves that caught the late winter light. The guards at the corridor doors straightened as she passed, but she waved off any escort beyond the usual discreet distance.
Today was not for court.
Today was for a dear friend.
Athax's inner courtyard lay deep within the castle walls, a quiet square of stone and trees far removed from the noise of the outer city. The markets and merchant stalls clustered beyond the gates, down the long sloping road that led into the capital proper. Here, inside the keep's heart, only the sound of training steel, distant footsteps, and the low murmur of servants ever reached the air.
