Elisha sat down on the low stone wall, her drawing book resting on her lap as she carefully laid out her ink bottle and quills beside her. She glanced around the courtyard, noting a handful of students enjoying the quiet afternoon between classes. After hearing countless stories from her parents about how her mother and father used to spend their afternoons here while they were courting, Elisha couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit the place herself.
Her gaze wandered over the moss-covered stones that had slowly reclaimed parts of the old courtyard. The afternoon sun bathed the grounds in a warm golden glow, drawing attention to the weathered fountain standing proudly at its center. It was a peaceful, almost timeless sight—one she couldn't resist preserving within the pages of her notebook.
She began by lightly outlining the scenery before gradually adding the finer details and shadows. Switching between her quill and pen, she carefully deepened the contrast and refined the sketch. About halfway through, she noticed a dark smear of ink staining the bracelet around her wrist.
A small frown crossed her face as she set her quill aside and examined it more closely. It was a simple silver bracelet with the word Kairos engraved in elegant cursive, framed by delicate vines curling along the top and bottom. It had been a gift from her father on her tenth birthday, making it one of her most treasured possessions.
She gently slipped it off and rubbed at the stain with the sleeve of her robes. Most of the ink came away, but a stubborn blot had settled into one of the tiny grooves of the engraving, too small to reach with her fingers alone.
With a quiet sigh, Elisha tucked the bracelet into her robe pocket before returning to her drawing. A simple cleaning charm could take care of the rest later.
Not long after, she finished the final touches of her sketch. Satisfied, Elisha stretched her stiff back and aching arms before gathering her drawing book, quills, and ink. She made her way toward the castle, already looking forward to placing the finished sketch safely among the others in her collection.
Halfway down the corridor, her hand instinctively slipped into her pocket.
Empty. A wave of panic washed over her as she checked the other pocket, then the folds of her robes. Nothing.
"It must've fallen out..." She muttered to herself.
Without another thought, Elisha hurried back toward the courtyard, her eyes already scanning the stone path. Somewhere between the wall where she had been sketching and the castle entrance, the bracelet had slipped from her pocket without her noticing.
