The morning after my walk with Elara brought a new challenge: the introductions.
Elara arrived at my chamber early, her warm brown eyes bright with something that looked suspiciously like amusement. She found me already dressed in my northern clothes, hair braided back, ready for whatever the day would bring.
"Good," she said, surveying me with approval. "You're learning. The South would have kept you in bed until noon, but the North doesn't wait." She hooked her arm through mine, the gesture already familiar. "Today, you meet the household. Properly. Everyone who matters, and a few who don't but think they do."
I felt my stomach tighten. "That sounds... extensive."
