After listening to Quickblade sing.
After finishing lunch, Leech threw on his fox-fur coat and rode out from the castle alone.
The snow inside the castle walls had been cleared, but the path leading away was just a narrow track trampled through the drifts. The horse's hooves made a crunching sound as they trod upon the snow.
It was only the first snow of the year, but it was coming down hard.
The weather had brought most work to a halt. Construction at the docks was suspended, and even old Captain Piri's rowing practice with his men was affected.
The clay had frozen solid, so the brickyard couldn't mold any new bricks and had to shut down as well.
Beekeeping Village had already shut down for the season; the bees had to overwinter, after all.
The only place still bustling with activity was the forge. Outside, people hunched their shoulders against the biting cold, but the forge was so sweltering you had to strip off layers as soon as you stepped inside.
