CHAPTER 390: THE FIRST SNOW (CASTLE BONUS CHAPTER)

It was always harder to get out of bed on a cold day, and Irene would always rush to her fire and build it back up so she could slowly wake up, crouched in front of the small stove and her blanket over her shoulders. She was sure to mind her ankle since it still had a bit of stiffness to it.

As she stared into the fire, her tired thoughts drifting away, she recalled how nice it was to have someone constantly tending to the fire over night. The only time she had ever had that before was under her father’s care, but she was able to experience once more when the Commander stayed up the entire night and ensured the fire remained alive.

At that, her face felt hot and it wasn’t because she was sitting so close to the stove. It caused her to get to her feet, recalling that it was her who silently promised she would not focus on matters of the heart anymore considering she was idiotic enough to latch onto someone unavailable... Well, unavailable to her, at least.

It had been a few days since they returned and it certainly was getting colder. She could feel it as she left the fire and pulled the curtains to the side ever so slightly, unwilling to lose the warmth she had built up in her room.

While there wasn’t yet snow on the ground, the clouds looked as if they were ready to open up at any moment. At least it helped her decide on what she would wear during morning practice as she pulled on an outer coat over her tunic and a cloak with a hood that she didn’t put over her hair just yet.

Each morning since returning, she still had been attending practices, and although she couldn’t do much in terms of footwork, she still made sure the apprentices and knights who wanted to join remained sharp.

Otherwise, all of her other work was done on horseback, so she didn’t have to walk around anyway. Since it was cold, the valley was devoid of monsters, and she never had to dismount her horse while patrolling. The days were grey and starting to all look the same, but she preferred to be away from the Duke’s Tower while she quelled her ridiculous feelings.

However, there was guilt eating at her, hoping the Commander didn’t see her actions as her avoiding him. Even if it was the truth, he was too kind of a person to receive that sort of treatment.

As Irene went down the hallway and exited the barracks, she pulled her cloak tighter to her neck. It really was cold.

As she took to the worn path and then the grasses surrounding the practice yard, she noticed that it crunched underneath her boots with each step, showing just how frozen everything was.

Luckily, Sir Gunnar was at the front of the practice yard already, warming himself up with a few swings from his trusty, silver blade. Irene joined him, deciding she would warm herself up alongside him since the warmth from the fire before had surely been chased away just by stepping outside.

She recalled being a child and her parents telling her that if she warmed herself too much indoors, it would be even harder to go outside in the cold. However, her response to that was merely moving as much as she could whenever she did have to go outside so that it hopefully matched the warmth of sitting a mere two feet from the fire every morning.

As the apprentices began going to the yard, Irene’s eyes went to the sky, realizing the snowflakes were starting to fall. She lowered her sword in amazement as her eyes were casted upward.

"Felix and the others aren’t back yet," she uttered.

"They packed accordingly," Gunnar assured her. "It won’t be fun, undoubtedly, but they’re going to be back in no time."

"I believe as much, but I still don’t like it," she responded, accompanied by a light laugh.

Regardless, they went on as usual. All they had to do was bundle up more than normal as they took to their duties.

Each morning after the practices, Irene would attend breakfast with the others and feel terrible when she was relieved that the Commander was taking his morning meal in his study. She knew she was hopeless, but it was easier for her if he busied himself at the same time she was avoiding him so that it wouldn’t seem as if it was intentional.

Returning to her duties was all she could do.

For two days, the snow remained, but on the afternoon of the second day, the sun appeared, and all the snow that they had built up started to melt.

On the back of Sammy, Irene looked up at the sky as she pulled her hood off.

"Are you going to be disappointed it’s all melting, boy?" she asked her horse. "You were having quite a bit of fun in the snowflakes."

The creature merely responded with a huff, and he shook out his mane.

"It reminds me of going north with you," she admitted. "Perhaps one day—"

However, as Irene daydreamed, her eyes had been drifting from the treeline where she stood and out towards the southeastern end of the valley. She gasped, seeing something in the distance.

The knight spurred Sammy to go forward with a squeeze of her knees, and a grin appeared on her face.

"Felix, as always, with the impeccable timing," she uttered to herself.

He wouldn’t make her worry too incredibly long, just long enough.

In half an hour, the woman made it to where the others rode towards her, and she was met with the sight of well-traveled knights, a bit rough after facing the cold for so long. Their faces were windburnt where their scarves didn’t cover, but they seemed equally happy to see her as she was to see them.

They were then able to all set off together towards the Duke’s Tower.