Avril was already awake as the sun crept up through the skies and the weak light of morning started to stretch its way across the kingdom and through her windows. She cracked open her right eye and glared out the window, regretting her decision to leave the curtains open last night. The ever-ticking clock on the wall told her she still had another hour or so before she actually had to get up and ready for the day. For a while she considered simply staying put, but after a few minutes of impatient fidgeting, she finally pushed the covers away from her body and slipped from the comfortable warmth of her bed. Her restless night had left her exhausted, but she already knew that sleep would not return.
Her nose crinkled as her bare feet touched against the cold stone floors and she quickly shu
