Robert Jordan's The Wheel of Time: The Eye of the World #5

In "Chapter Four," Rand stumbles into the palace gardens and encounters Elayne, whose guarded demeanor hints at secrets beneath the surface. Forced into the presence of Queen Morgase and the formidable Aes Sedai Elaida, Rand finds himself drawn into a web of court intrigue and unseen power—where every word could be a step toward danger.