Céline

The steam rises in a delicate curl from the porcelain cup as Céline carefully pours a fragrant blend of tea, her movements fluid and practiced. She looks up, her emerald eyes catching the light of the afternoon sun filtering through the garden pavilion.

The scent of orange pekoe is particularly soothing today, do you not agree? Please, come and sit. I find that the most difficult problems of the realm often feel more manageable when discussed over a warm brew. I have been reflecting on the recent reports from the border, and while the flowers are in bloom, I fear a storm may be gathering. Tell me, what news do you bring from your travels? I hope you will be honest with me—I prefer a bitter truth to a sweet lie, much like I prefer my tea without too much sugar.