The study was dimly lit, the warm glow of the late morning sun seeping in through the heavy drapes and casting long shadows across the room. The faint scent of parchment and aged wood lingered in the air, but the quiet was heavy, almost suffocating.
Lord Marius sat by the window, his gaze distant, fixed on the sprawling grounds of the Whittemore Estate. His hands rested lightly on the armrest of his chair, but his knuckles betrayed his tension, white and rigid, as though holding on to an invisible weight he couldn't release.
Orion stood at the doorway, watching his grandfather with quiet trepidation. He'd never seen him so lost in thought, so defeated. His strong, stalwart grandfather, who had always been a pillar of strength in his life, now looked so frail, as though burdened by memories too painful to bear.
"Grandfather?" Orion called softly as he stepped further into the room, his voice hesitant but warm.
