Sunlight trickled into the room through a crack in the curtains. Arella lay on the bed, flat on her stomach, her wings covering her body slightly. She had kicked off the blanket that had been covering her body sometime after King Varziel had left. Her countenance was calm, and her breathing was even.
The position of the sun steadily moved, shedding a light onto the bed, moving up steadily and pouring into the room as the morning matured. The light brushed over Arella's wings, casting soft shadows on the sheets beneath her. The feathers glimmered faintly, an iridescent sheen that seemed to shift with every breath she took.
Outside, the castle grounds stirred and hummed to life as demons awoke and went about their businesses. The muffled clang of swords in the training yard and the chatter of servants preparing for the day's tasks filtered in through the stone walls. Despite this, the room remained peaceful for a long while.
