Morning came quietly to the Cross estate, with the first rays of sunlight filtering through the tall windows and illuminating the corridors that had remained dark throughout the night.
A few servants were already moving about, preparing breakfast and attending to their usual duties, while most of the estate's guests were still asleep.
William had been awake for nearly an hour.
Years of following a strict training routine had made sleeping late rather difficult for him, even when he had no pressing responsibilities.
After washing up and changing into something comfortable, he'd made his way to the estate's training ground, where he could get some exercise before everyone else began waking.
The training facilities weren't quite as impressive as those at the academy, although William had always preferred the familiar surroundings.
