The morning light spilled across the royal gardens in long, amber ribbons, catching the dew on the grass as Edric bent down. He plucked a solitary, pale bloom that had dared to grow across the path, bringing it to his face to draw a deep, grounding breath.
The recent weeks had been a slog of hollow fanfare and stagnant air. Time seemed to move at a crawl, alternating between the repetitive, mechanical thunder of troop drills and endless council meetings where Edric spent three-quarters of his time staring at the dust motes in the air and hoped no one would take notice.Of course they did.
His mind was elsewhere even now.
