Gon leaned down, his lips brushing against Elowen's in a fleeting, tender kiss
She lay there, her chest rising and falling softly, strands of dark hair splayed across the pillow like spilled ink
The midday sun streamed through the tall, arched window, casting golden patches across her face, and for a moment, he lingered, watching her
Then, with a quiet exhale, he rose from the bed, the stone floor cool beneath his boots
He grabbed his cloak from the chair and slung it over his shoulders, his movements deliberate as he headed for the chamber door
As he stepped into the corridor, the castle's stone walls rose high around him, their gray surfaces softened by the daylight filtering through narrow windows
His boots echoed against the polished floor, a steady rhythm that matched the thoughts beginning to churn in his mind
He'd come here chasing power, chasing the system, that invisible force that dangled strength and status before him like a carrot on a stick
