The Sanctuary's Wisdom

(Eliza's POV)

Nanny Edwards' wrinkled face was pinched with suspicion at my sudden change of heart. Her eyes narrowed as she studied me carefully.

"Miss Eliza, just yesterday you were eager to meet your parents. Now you wish to visit Elder Morgan first? What changed?" she asked, her voice sharp with doubt.

I lowered my gaze, feigning embarrassment. My hands fidgeted with the edge of my sleeve, a calculated gesture of nervousness.

"I had a dream last night, Nanny Edwards," I said softly. "An elderly wise man appeared to me, scolding me harshly for forgetting my roots."

Her expression softened slightly, but suspicion still lingered in the tight lines around her mouth. She wasn't easily fooled.

"He reminded me that Elder Morgan was the one who insisted on finding me," I continued, making my voice tremble. "She believed I was alive when everyone else had given up hope."

I looked up, my eyes wide with manufactured sincerity. "How could I be so eager to confirm my identity that I would disrespect her by not visiting her first?"

Nanny Edwards' weathered face relaxed, her eyes warming slightly. My act was working.

"That's... quite thoughtful of you, Miss Eliza," she said, her tone less accusatory.

"I've been ungrateful," I pressed on, bowing my head in apparent shame. "My first visit should be to my grandmother at Green Pine Sanctuary."

I clasped my hands together tightly. "Only after paying my respects to her should I meet my parents."

She studied me for a long moment, her gaze penetrating. Finally, she nodded slowly.

"I can take you to the sanctuary," she conceded. "But I cannot guarantee Elder Morgan will agree to see us."

"I understand," I replied firmly. "But I must try."

Relief flooded through me. This deviation from Katherine's plans would buy me precious time and keep me from walking straight into her trap.

We set out immediately after gathering our things. The journey was long and tiring, taking us through dense forests and over rocky hills.

My legs ached from the travel, but determination pushed me forward. This was crucial to my plans.

When we finally arrived, I gasped at the sight before me. Wooden buildings nestled against ancient pines, their roofs curved gracefully against the mountain backdrop.

"Wait here," Nanny Edwards instructed before disappearing into the main building.

I stood alone in the courtyard, breathing in the crisp mountain air. For the first time since my rebirth, I felt truly safe.

The scent of pine and herbs filled my lungs. Birds called to each other from the trees surrounding the sanctuary.

Nanny Edwards returned quickly, her face grim and her steps hurried. My heart sank before she even spoke.

"Elder Morgan refuses to see you," she announced flatly.

Though I had expected this, disappointment still stung sharply. I straightened my spine and lifted my chin defiantly.

"Then I will wait," I declared, my voice ringing with determination. "I'll stay here until she agrees to meet me."

The security guard who had accompanied us frowned deeply, his displeasure evident. His hand moved to rest on his weapon belt.

"Miss Eliza, we should return to the Northern Territory," he insisted. "Your parents are expecting you."

"No," I said firmly, meeting his gaze without flinching. "I will stay."

Arguments erupted, heated and intense. The guard threatened to carry me back by force if necessary.

I stood my ground, refusing to budge. Eventually, he gave up and left to report my decision.

He left his young assistant behind to watch me. The boy's nervous glances told me everything I needed to know.

I knew this was Katherine's doing. She wanted someone to spy on my every move and report back to her.

Once alone in our quarters, I pulled Ivy close and whispered urgently, "Keep your ears open for any news from the territory."

"Yes, Miss Eliza," she replied, her eyes wide with nervous energy. Her hands trembled slightly.

Days passed with no word from Elder Morgan. The silence was deafening, but I refused to give up.

I created a strict routine for myself. I rose at dawn each day to meditate in the gardens, focusing my mind and strengthening my resolve.

In the afternoons, I practiced calligraphy until my fingers ached and cramped. Ink stained my hands black.

My handwriting remained terrible despite my efforts. The characters looked clumsy and childish, nothing like the elegant script of a proper lady.

One afternoon, as I struggled with a particularly difficult character, laughter erupted behind me. The sound was sharp and mocking.

"Look at this, Nanny Edwards!" a woman's voice crowed. "The girl writes like a child!"

I turned to see an older woman holding one of my practice sheets. Her face was twisted with amusement.

This must be Martha, Elder Morgan's personal attendant. Her eyes sparkled with malicious glee.

Nanny Edwards snatched the paper from her with a disapproving frown. "She's trying, Martha. That's what matters."

From the shadows of the doorway, I noticed another figure watching silently. My heart skipped a beat.

Elder Morgan herself stood there, tall and imposing. Her sharp eyes missed nothing.

"Has she been practicing every day?" the Elder asked, her voice strong and clear. It cut through the room like a knife.

"Yes," Nanny Edwards replied respectfully. "She's quite determined."

Elder Morgan said nothing more, but her gaze lingered on me before she turned and left. Her footsteps echoed on the wooden floor.

The next day brought an unexpected gift. Nanny Edwards approached me with a leather-bound book in her hands.

"This is a herbal guidebook," she explained, offering it to me. "Elder Morgan had it made for your father, but he never showed interest in it."

My hands trembled as I accepted the book. The leather was soft with age, the pages yellowed at the edges.

"Thank you for giving this to me," I said, running my fingers over the embossed cover.

"Don't thank me," Nanny Edwards said with a small smile. "Elder Morgan instructed me to give it to you. She's noticed your persistence."

Hope flared in my chest like wildfire. My grandmother wasn't as unreachable as she seemed.

That evening, Nanny Edwards joined me for tea. The days at the sanctuary had softened her formal manner somewhat.

"You know," she began hesitantly, warming her hands on her cup, "Elder Morgan wasn't always so isolated."

I set down my cup immediately, eager to learn more. "Would you tell me about her?"

Nanny Edwards sighed deeply, her eyes growing distant with memories. "Your grandmother was born Eleanor Blackthorn, daughter of one of the most prestigious warrior families in the Northern Territory."

"A warrior family?" I echoed, genuinely surprised by this revelation. I leaned forward, captivated.

"The Blackthorns are one of the founding bloodlines," she continued. "They're known for producing exceptional fighters. Your grandmother was perhaps the finest of her generation."

I tried to picture the stern elder as a young warrior. The image stirred something deep within me.

"She must have been incredible!" I exclaimed, fascination coloring my voice.

Nanny Edwards nodded, but her expression darkened suddenly. "When your father was just eight months old, there was a brutal attack on the northern borders. Elder Morgan was called to defend her people."

"She left her baby behind?" I asked, leaning even closer.

"She had no choice," Nanny Edwards explained, her voice heavy with old sadness. "She entrusted him to Donna Dennis, a household attendant."

Her eyes grew more distant. "The campaign lasted much longer than anyone expected—five years passed before she could return home."

Understanding dawned on me, sharp and painful. "And by then..."

"By then, young James had bonded deeply with Donna," she said sadly. "He didn't recognize his own mother. He cried whenever Elder Morgan tried to hold him."

My heart ached for the proud woman. "That must have been devastating for her."

"It was crushing," Nanny Edwards confirmed, her voice breaking slightly. "She tried everything to reconnect with him, but he rejected her at every turn."

She shook her head slowly. "He would run from her to hide behind Donna's skirts."

I felt a lump forming in my throat. "Did they ever reconcile?"

"No," Nanny Edwards shook her head slowly. "When Elder Morgan tried to separate them, James became hysterical. He threatened to hate her forever if she sent Donna away."

The pain in her voice was unmistakable as she continued, "He even told her, at just five years old, that he wouldn't attend her funeral when she passed."