Rosalin sat quietly under the shade of a broad tree, with the afternoon light filtering through the leaves in small fragments.
In her arms was a small black rabbit, whose soft body was curled up calmly against her chest as the breeze blew faintly through the grass.
Patting the rabbit gently, Rosalin carried a soft smile on her face while her fingers brushed along its smooth fur in slow, comforting strokes.
The creature twitched its nose and squirmed in her arms. Then it suddenly broke free from her hold and landed softly on the ground.
Later, it ran across the grass and disappeared among the roots.
Rosalin followed its path with her eyes, the gentle smile on her lips slowly fading as her thoughts drifted elsewhere.
The words from Ruvian surfaced in her mind once more.
—"...standing beside Calyra is no longer your goal, Rosalin. Don't chase that. What you must do and what you must strive for is to surpass her."
'To surpass her…'
