"A ruler finds his strength in the roar. A man finds it in the morning peace."
I awoke not to the harsh, jarring clang of the Citadel's morning bells, but to a profound, deep-seated peace. It was a silence so absolute it felt physical, a balm against the psychic static that had plagued me for months. My body was heavy, replete, and utterly relaxed, the kind of exhaustion that is earned only through the deepest emotional and physical release.
