With her frustration eased after the heart-to-heart with her mother, Serah returned to her office and set herself once more before the mountain of paperwork that awaited her. This time, though, her mind was clearer, her chest lighter, and the burden of endless parchment and ink no longer felt as suffocating. She pushed through it with practiced ease, each document signed and sealed more quickly than the last until the stack had finally dwindled away into neat completion.
Later that night, when all her duties had finally been seen to, Serah found herself reclining on the silken softness of her bed. She wore her favorite nightgown of pale silk, cool and smooth against her skin. Her red, wavy hair sprawled freely across the sheets like threads of flame under the pale glow of the moonlight streaming through the tall window. Eyes closed, her thoughts drifted.
