It was a vital time for Irene to prove herself to the knighthood.
Even though mostly only apprentices remained in the Duke's Tower, she felt she ought to present herself as someone who deserved to be in the position that she was in.
Despite that, she couldn't entirely erase the thoughts of her grandmother even though her father insisted that she didn't need to go home and that he would tell her if things took a turn.
However, it didn't take away the fact that she felt awful at what the letter said. Her father was visiting her grandmother every single day, only to return to his wife and son before the sun set. He was dividing his time, working tirelessly to make sure both his mother and his wife were happy. What trouble it was to be married, she thought. But if her parents never married then she wouldn't exist.
As Irene pored over a book, she realized she wasn't focused at all as she snapped it closed and decided to put it back on the shelf.
