After the hall finally emptied, the castle began to quiet. Footsteps faded. Laughter thinned into distant echoes. One by one, candles were snuffed out and doors closed.
Elissa let Kestrel walk her as far as the sun-stone wing. At the turn, Kestrel squeezed her arm lightly.
"You did well," she said. "Sleep. Tomorrow will be louder."
"I'll try," Elissa answered.
Kestrel left her with a last, reassuring look and turned away. Elissa pushed open her door.
Inside, the fire was already lit. Skoll lifted his head from the rug near the hearth, icy eyes catching the glow as he spotted her. His tail thumped once, twice, against the floor.
Martha was there too, putting away folded linens. She straightened as soon as Elissa entered, sharp eyes scanning her face.
"Well?" Martha asked, voice softer than her expression. "Did you survive the wolf den?"
Elissa exhaled, shoulders sagging a little now that the door was closed. "Barely," she said, attempting a weak smile. "There were so many people. So many eyes."
Martha watched her a moment longer. "Are you all right?"
"I'm…" Elissa hesitated, searching for the right word. "Trying."
Martha's expression gentled. "That will do for tonight," she said. "Come. Out of that dress before it strangles you."
A little while later, Elissa had changed into a softer gown, something warm and comfortable. Her hair was taken down from its careful arrangement, dark strands falling over her shoulders.
She sat on a low stool near the fire. Skoll's head rested on her bare feet, cool and solid, a quiet comfort. Martha stood behind her with a brush, working through the tangles with practiced, careful strokes.
For a few minutes, there was only the crackle of the fire, Skoll's soft breaths, and the gentle pull and slide of the brush.
"You're very quiet," Martha said finally. "More than usual. You can talk to me."
Elissa watched the firelight dance on Skoll's fur. "I just…" She paused, then sighed. "I feel like I'm being watched even now. Like their eyes are still on me."
"That's because they are," Martha said. "In their heads, if not in this room." She assured her, " It will pass."
Elissa shook her head slightly. "I know it's silly, but I feel like I can't breathe properly in here. For a little while, at least." She looked down at her hands. "I think I need some fresh air."
The brush paused mid-stroke. "No," Martha said at once. "Not now. The castle is full of guests. Vampires roaming the halls, half of them hungry or bored or both. It's not the time to go wandering."
"I won't go far," Elissa said quickly. "Just…somewhere open. I feel closed in. I promise, I'll be careful."
Martha's jaw worked. "Princess—"
Elissa turned slightly, looking up at her. Her eyes were tired, but steady. "I sat through the entire dinner. I didn't run, or hide, or cry. I just need a few minutes to feel like I'm not trapped in my own walls. Please."
Martha stared at her, the protest dying slowly on her tongue. For a moment, she saw not just the girl she'd raised, but the young woman sitting across from a king and a court full of predators and not breaking.
She huffed out a breath. "You're going to be the death of me," she muttered.
Elissa's mouth quirked. "Not if I can help it."
Martha clicked her tongue. "Fine. A few minutes. And not alone. I'm coming with you."
Relief washed through Elissa. "Thank you."
"And if we get eaten," Martha grumbled under her breath, setting the brush aside, "may God have mercy on their souls, because I certainly won't."
Elissa laughed softly.
Martha helped her into a thick cloak, then wrapped one around herself. Skoll rose as if expecting to be included.
"Not you," Martha said firmly, pointing at him. "You stay and guard the room. Quietly. No howling for us like a lost spirit."
Skoll huffed, clearly unimpressed, but he circled once and lay back down by the fire. Elissa ran her fingers briefly through his fur.
"I'll be back soon," she whispered.
Martha opened the door and peered out, checking the corridor. It was mostly empty; only a distant servant was moving away with a tray.
"Come," she said. "Let's get this foolishness over with before I lose my nerve."
They walked through the quieter side corridors, the sounds of the main hall fading behind them. Martha steered them purposefully away from the busiest routes.
"Where are we going?" Elissa asked.
"Somewhere fewer fools think to wander," Martha replied. "There's a balcony on the lonelier side of the castle. Old, but solid. It faces the valley."
They climbed a short, narrow stair, the air growing colder as they neared the outer wall. Martha pushed open a heavy door at the end of the passage.
Beyond it, the world opened.
The balcony was wide, its stone balustrade worn smooth by time and wind. Above it, along one wall, bare vines twisted over carved stone—winter wine, their tendrils dark and leafless now, waiting for the proper season.
The night spilled in, sharp and cold. Stars glittered overhead like crushed ice scattered on velvet. The valley below was a stretch of shadow, the snow catching faint silver from the moon.
Elissa stepped forward, breathing in. The air knifed into her lungs, but it was clean. Real. No perfume, no food, no crowd—just frost, old stone, and the distant, wild quiet of the North.
Martha came to sit beside her on a low stone ledge, pulling her cloak tighter. "Five minutes," she muttered. "no argument after that."
Elissa smiled faintly, eyes on the horizon. "Deal."
They sat in silence for a while. Elissa tilted her head back and watched the sky, letting the cold sting the lingering heat of embarrassment and strain from dinner. Her breath puffed in small white clouds.
It almost felt…peaceful.
Martha found herself watching Elissa instead of the view—how her shoulders slowly relaxed, how the tight line between her brows eased.
"She belongs here more than any of them think," Martha thought, not for the first time. "Stubborn girl."
After a few minutes, Martha sighed and pushed herself up. "Time," she said. "If we stay any longer, they'll find us frozen like statues and use us to decorate the hall."
Elissa let out a slow breath, one last lungful of sharp night air, and nodded. "All right."
They turned back toward the door and stepped into the corridor again. The contrast between the cold outside and the castle's quieter warmth made Elissa's skin prickle.
They walked side by side down the long, dim hallway, torches throwing pools of gold onto the stone.
They had almost reached the turn toward her rooms when a familiar voice spoke from ahead.
"Princess."