Above the Courtyard Path

A broad stone retaining wall bordered the courtyard path, offering a calm, elevated perch above the flagstones. I paused at its base for several patient breaths, surveying the height before planting both heavy front feet onto the flat rock. The sun-warmed limestone held my weight without shifting. Stretching my long neck upward past a thick drape of ivy leaves, I extended my chin to touch a smooth, rounded pebble resting near the edge. It gave a faint, grinding tap against the rock, settling snugly into a shallow crevice while the courtyard spread wide and still below.