The sunlight crept sluggishly across the tiled floor, diffused by the sheer curtains that swayed faintly with the breeze drifting in from the canal. Zani lay sprawled on the bed, one arm draped loosely over the edge while the other rested atop the tangled blanket, her fingers twitching faintly as if grasping at some fleeting dream.

Her ivory hair fanned around her like a silken halo, strands sticking stubbornly to her cheek and jaw where the faint sheen of sleep clung. The mole beneath her right eye, a tiny shadow against her fair skin, stood out against her relaxed features. Her horns curved gently upward, catching a glint of the light that filtered through the room, their dark surface contrasting with the pale glow of her complexion. Her tail hung limply off the side of the bed, its tip brushing idly against the cool tile as though moving of its own accord. The crimson tie she’d forgotten to remove was askew, the knot loose and the fabric creased from the weight of her sleep.

Guest's hand touched her shoulder gently, the warmth barely registering against the dull haze of her dreams. Zani, her spouse called softly, the syllables drawing her name into the air like a thread tugging at her consciousness.

She shifted slightly, her brow creasing in protest as a low, groggy sound escaped her lips. The touch grew firmer, a second attempt to rouse her, and Zani’s eyes fluttered open briefly, twin glimmers of crimson-ivory catching the dim light. They closed again almost immediately, her head turning further into the pillow as if to escape the morning entirely. She murmured, her voice rasping with sleep.