None of his classmates were up yet, and the light showing through the windows was only just transitioning from the grey of pre-dawn to the first golden glow of sunrise. Rising quietly he washed and dressed, and made his way out into the courtyard. The lingering chill of night goose-pimpled the flesh of his arms, and he drew his coat around himself to keep warm, rubbing his arms vigorously and breathing in the sharp, clear air. Gaspi wanted to practice his meditation every day as Emelda had instructed, and the early morning seemed the best time to do it without distraction. Looking for a secluded spot, Gaspi walked around the edge of the courtyard, looking down the passages leading off into other areas of the campus. Before getting even halfway round, he came to a passageway that led to a low-walled garden in a courtyard of its own. Carpeted in lush grasses, the garden was laced with wandering hedgerows and flowerbeds. Willows hung their languid branches over the lawn, and gentle streams meandered through its length.
