Chapter 245: First Life, Alice. (12)
Study room, Castle.
Springton.
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The castle’s study room was bathed in the golden light of late morning, the sun streaming through tall, arched windows. Dust motes danced in the beams, creating a lazy, almost dreamlike atmosphere that only served to deepen Alice’s sense of restlessness.
She sat at an ornate wooden desk, her quill poised over a parchment filled with neatly penned lines of historical facts and dates. Across from her stood Lady Tammy, her governess, a stern but kind woman who was intent on Alice mastering her lessons.
"And so, the Treaty of Belswick was signed in the year 1307," Lady Tammy recited, her voice calm and measured. "It marked the end of the twenty-year conflict between the Northern and Southern provinces."
Alice’s hand moved automatically, transcribing the information, but her mind was elsewhere. She glanced longingly at the window, her thoughts drifting to the waterfall on the edge of the forest. The memory of her last meeting with Theodore lingered like a sweet fragrance, making the days since their parting feel interminably long. She ached to see him again, to share stories and dreams by their secret sanctuary.
She would see her attire today, she had tried imagining what it’d look like but nothing came and─
"Alice," Lady Tammy’s voice cut through her daydreams, pulling her back to the present. "Can you tell me the significance of the Treaty of Belswick?"
Alice blinked, her thoughts scrambling to catch up. "Uh, yes... it ended the conflict between the Northern and Southern provinces," she replied, her voice lacking conviction.
Lady Tammy’s sharp eyes narrowed slightly. "And what were the key terms of the treaty?"