Back at the castle, Anna perched on the window seat of her chamber, gazing out into the early morning sun, with an air of quiet melancholy.
During their absence, she had written to her estate with strict instructions: no letters were to be forwarded to the castle. Any correspondence received was to be held until her return. She rose gracefully with a sigh and moved to her writing desk. She found writing a difficult task lately.
Uncorking the inkwell, she dipped her pen, its feathered tip catching the golden light of the early morning sun, and began to draft a note. The message was clear; an announcement of her return to the castle and a request for all letters to be sent at once.
Her mind drifted as she wrote, thoughts of Vivianne clouding her focus. She recalled the peculiar look on Vivianne's face when she had first seen them upon their return.
