A week passed quietly beneath the season's icy embrace. The fresh snow covering Bloodstone Village grew thicker with each passing morning, blanketing rooftops, fences, and evergreen pines in a layer of pristine white. Despite the biting cold, a vibrant warmth seemed to hum through the narrow streets, driving the chill away.
Laughter echoed continuously between the houses as local children built lumbering wolves out of the heavy snow. They chased one another across the paths, tossing handfuls of light powder into the air. From the high study window, Seraphyne watched the cheerful commotion below with a deeply contented smile resting on her lips.
"The village has become so lively," she murmured softly, her breath faintly fogging the clear glass.
Zephyir, who was seated across the room diligently reviewing the latest border patrol reports, looked up from his papers. His gaze shifted from the documents to her silhouette framed by the winter morning light.
