Ely edit 21 Jul 2024:
1-6 qps, depending on length and quality.
Total: 1 qps
*****************************************
Maddy’s newfound freedom was like a breath of fresh air. Her mind was clear, her heart light and there was a sparkle in her eye. Her mother’s silence, once a worry, was now gone, released, and now life was full of potential.
Snuggled in a quiet alcove in a back corner of the library, reading a thick dusty book on tales and victories of her favorite hero, Cadsuane Sedai, she munched on dried fruit as she immersed herself in the tale. All sounds and sights around her were muffled and she could feel herself running, laughing, fearing as the book dictated. The words on the pages were more than just ink, they were whispers of courage and maps to becoming unbreakable. Exactly the right message at exactly the right time.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows between the bookshelves, Maddy closed the book with a soft thud. Sauntering out of the library she paused to rest at the practice yard. She watched with keen interest as muscled young Gaidin apprentices executed their final drills of the day. Watching the occasional bead of sweat dripping down their sinewy arms she marveled at their intense focus.
Leaning back, she studied the night sky hoping to catch the first star. A meteor shot over the Tower leaving a flaming stream of light behind it and catching the attention of the people still about at the late hour. As they gasped at the sight, Maddy closed her eyes and promised herself right then to move ahead with courage. The future beckoned her with promise and hope. She was free, not just from the emotions that once held her back, but from the belief that she needed anyone else’s opinion to validate her journey.
And so under the peaceful night sky, Maddy resolved to become a legend in her own right, a harbinger of harmony, peace and kindness. Smiling she slowly climbed the stairs to her room, feeling at peace and ready to take on the world