The atmosphere within the Noble Preparatory Hall remained lively and carefree, filled with the sounds of children running through the open gardens and pathways, their laughter echoing beneath the warm afternoon sky as attendants watched from a distance, allowing the young nobles to mingle freely among themselves.
Some chased each other across the grass, others argued loudly over childish games, while small groups gathered beneath shaded trees, exchanging secrets they believed to be important enough to whisper about.
A little distance away from all that noise, Cecelia knelt quietly beside a small flower blooming near the edge of the grass, completely separated from the rest of the children as though an invisible boundary existed around her. Her unfocused eyes remained fixed in its direction, her small hands supporting her cheeks as she leaned closer, observing it with complete concentration.
