A bright smile slowly curved her lips as she pressed closer, peering out through the opening. She could see part of the Elder's ancient garden from here — lush trees swaying with the wind, a glimpse of the marble fountain glimmering under the morning sun, and beyond that, the thick canopy of the forbidden forest surrounding the sanctuary like an eternal guardian.
"Tomorrow," she whispered to herself, resting her fingertips on the cool stone beneath the window. "Tomorrow the sunlight will reach me… and I'll wake up with it."
The thought filled her chest with something warm — determination, maybe. Hope. A reason to rise when everything else had tried to break her. It wasn't much, but it was enough.
Florita watched her quietly from where she stood, a small, proud smile tugging at her lips.
"The sun always finds a way to reach those who seek its warmth," she said softly. "Just like strength always finds its way back to those who fight for it."
