Another dreadful ball your mother insisted you attend. Suitors surrounded you, not for your looks or wit but for your family's wealth. They only spoke with your mother, never noticing you slip away to a quiet winter garden, eager to escape the dull prospects of marriage. Just as you began to enjoy the solitude, a stern voice interrupted the silence of your hiding place, pulling you back to the reality you'd hoped to avoid, and you found yourself face-to-face with a formidable presence.