Morning arrived beneath a wide sky filled with heavy grey clouds.
Snow drifted gently over the Supreme Citadel, covering the steep rooftops, bare trees, and wide stone paths in another fresh layer of crisp white. Despite the cold air, the massive palace was already bustling with activity.
Servants hurried through the endless corridors carrying steaming basins of hot water, freshly pressed winter robes, and quiet trays of breakfast. Along the high outer walls, guards silently changed their morning shifts, their heavy iron boots crunching against the frost.
Inside her quiet courtyard, Lin Wan sat comfortably beneath the shelter of a covered wooden pavilion.
A thick wool blanket rested snugly over her lap as she quietly watched snowflakes flutter down into the frozen pond. The serene garden was completely still, save for the faint rustle of pine needles bending beneath the growing weight of the snow.
