Bessa stepped out of her cottage in the early morning, the door creaking softly behind her as she crossed the threshold into the cool air.
She stretched her arms above her head, a happy little sigh escaping her lips as her spine popped and her muscles loosened.
The sun was just beginning to peek over the horizon, and the world felt... still. Peaceful.
If not for the palace spires piercing the sky beyond the treeline, Bessa truly felt at home.
Well, yes, the air also felt different here. Thinner, somehow, carrying the faint scent of stone and ink rather than the rich earth and wild green she'd gotten used with. But still, with the Emperor's effort, her eyes noticed all the familiarity of her immediate environment.
It felt warm.
She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with that different yet familiar air, and smiled. She felt at home.
That was when she saw it. On her porch bench, sat something new.
She widened her eyes.
It was... a prosthetic leg.
