In the gardens of Taymer Palace, the early morning sun filtered through lush, ivy-covered trellises, casting dappled, dancing flecks of gold onto the gravel paths.
A gazebo deep within the gardens was encircled by meticulously pruned rose bushes, filling the air with a sweet, floral fragrance.
Eleanor sat on a white marble bench in the center of the gazebo, her small frame nearly disappearing against its back.
She wore a long dress of light blue fine linen, the collar and cuffs exquisitely embroidered with a two-headed eagle crest in silver thread.
It was the symbol of the Temeris Clan: one eagle head facing left and the other right, their gazes sharp and their wings spread wide.
Her thick, jet-black hair was loosely tied back with a silver-gray silk ribbon, a few strands falling against the pale skin of her neck.
A heavy, ancient tome lay open on her lap, its parchment pages glowing with a soft, yellowed hue.
