The training field was quiet as I approached, the early morning mist still clinging to the grass. Mary stood waiting, her usual stern expression in place.
"Good morning," I called out. "What's on the agenda for today?"
Mary's lips quirked in a small smile. "Something different. It's time you met someone."
Curiosity piqued, I followed Mary as she led me away from the field and towards a secluded area of the palace grounds I'd never explored before. As we approached a small, unassuming cottage, I felt a strange mix of excitement and nervousness.
Mary knocked on the door, which creaked open to reveal a figure that took my breath away. An older woman stood before us, her silver hair braided intricately, her weathered face marked with scars that spoke of countless battles. But it was her ey
