Two hours later…
After the initial shock, Velkhara moved like a curious bird set free, drawn not to caution, but to wonder.
Barefoot, she wandered through the castle's inner halls and down into the abandoned garden. Her dark blue dress trailed behind her, brushing against the stone paths as sunlight poured from above like some long-forgotten blessing.
The garden was strangely well-maintained, as if time had chosen not to touch it. At the center, a circular fountain still trickled, its water shinning in the sun. Velkhara stood by it, stunned.
She raised her face to the light, eyes fluttering closed.
"Warm, so warm..."
She hadn't realized how cold the castle truly was until now.
A slow, shaky breath left her lips… and she smiled.
Then, slowly, she spun in place, arms stretched wide, her dress flaring around her ankles. The sky above was a bright, endless blue, and for a moment, she looked like a child discovering freedom for the first time.
