Astris, Duchy of Dawn;
The entrance hall of Dawn Manor felt unusually tight despite its vast pillars and high-beamed ceiling.
Rows of elders stood in a semi-circle, their robes layered in dignified shades of deep blue and ash gray, embroidered with the sigil of House Dawn.
Incense smoke curled lazily upward, yet no one seemed capable of breathing easily.
At the center stood Brelan Dawn, House Head of House Dawn, his thick fingers twisting subtly behind his back where no one was supposed to see.
A bead of sweat slid from his temple to the edge of his jaw, and though he attempted to hold his chin high, his throat worked visibly before he spoke.
Beside him stood a man who appeared far more composed.
Wrynn Dawn.
