The courtyard was quiet save for the occasional rustle of leaves as Walda walked slowly beneath the shade of the trees, her fingers brushing the cool stone of the castle walls. She had been courted before, but something about this young lord's attention had caught her interest, even if only for a brief moment. He had tried oh, how he had tried to win her favor with compliments and poetry, yet she found his words too rehearsed, too eager.

She glanced over her shoulder, her lips curling into a small smile as the young lord approached once more, his confident stride faltering just slightly when he saw the playful gleam in her eyes.

“You must grow weary of these endless words,” she said, her voice light but teasing, as she turned to face him fully. “I’ve heard them all before, my lord. I wonder… do you even believe them yourself?”