The Northern Abbey stood solemn and silent, its towering stone walls holding the weight of centuries. The vast chamber was filled with a sea of black, the members of the court, the extended family of the late Dowager, and the ever-watchful priests and nuns who resided within the holy place. Candles flickered along the edges of the grand hall, their dim flames casting elongated shadows over the mourners, while the sunlight filtered through the stained-glass windows in vibrant hues of gold and crimson, painting the stone floor in divine patterns.
The air was thick with incense, the scent heavy, almost suffocating. The priest's voice echoed through the abbey, his prayers rolling off the high ceilings, each word a solemn farewell to the woman who had once held immense power within the court.
