"I hear the noise of the capital. Merchants shouting, horses neighing, soldiers' armor clanking... But this is

"I hear the noise of the capital. Merchants shouting, horses neighing, soldiers' armor clanking... But this is all from far away, from beyond the tall walls of the palace garden. The noise is barely audible through the lush vegetation. But here, in the cool stillness, I can hear two lovers whisper beneath the shadow of an ancient cypress tree. I... I'm not one of them. No, I'm just a frail cypress twig."