Ed stifled a chuckle when Ysaryn answered the door, clearly having just woken from such a deep sleep. When she finally snapped awake and realized what he was there for, he laughed softly, quite amused by her. Definitely not like Kire there. He watched, grinning, as she put on her boots, and before he could ignore the thought, he’d decided she looked adorable. “[i]Yes, snow,[/i]” he called after her, chuckling. “[i]And I understand. I was tempted to laze about, myself, but sadly habit’s made me an early riser.[/i]” He unfolded the thick coat he had brought along with him and draped it over her shoulders. “[i]You’ll need that.[/i]” 

He led her downstairs, where the servants were preparing breakfast and getting the manor ready for the new day, giving respectful nods towards the lord before continuing their work. Once they had reached the great hall they had arrived in last night, he turned right, going through the foyer until finally they reached the entrance. The moment the doors were opened for them, a chilly morning breeze blew in, along with a few snowflakes. Ed stepped outside, glad for the coat he had on, having been unused to Elva’s home for a long time. The manor was nestled against the mountainside, and spread out below them was a large town similarly situated against the slopes. Smoke rose from the chimneys of the homes below, and the early risers were already at work, trudging through the snow. Children swaddled in thick clothes were running about as well, playing with the snow and laughing. 

Around them, they could see the snow-capped mountains, the newly risen sun peeking from between the peaks. Ed’s breath rose in steam in the cold air, his face already red from exposure to the chill. “What do you think?” he asked her. 

--

Kire turned abruptly when she heard his voice. Her blush colored her cheeks as she realized she was still naked in his bed, and she sat up, hugging her blanketed knees to partly cover herself. She looked him over, and it took a couple of moments to realize he had just been about to leave. She stared at him in silence for a spell before she spoke. “Morning. So. That bad, huh?” she said, though she cracked a smirk after that, betraying the joke. She rose, resisting the urge to wrap the blankets around herself and focused on putting on the shift she had worn last night as quickly as possible. After she wrapped the robe around herself, she looked at him, her mind trying to sort out what to say next. “Breakfast,” she blurted out, “I’ll, uh, just pop back into my room and wear something more presentable. I’ll see you downstairs.” 

She turned away and had to consciously walk like she wasn’t in a hurry to get out, particularly concerned with being seen either Ysaryn or Ed outside. In her room, she dug through the wardrobe and found travelling clothes, dressing slower than she had done back at Ruli’s room, buckling her sword around her waist before stepping back outside. 

Downstairs, she could smell both coffee and hot chocolate, and a little more of the cinnamon and nutmeg from last night. The smell made her blush again. [i]Gods, will my face just be red the whole day?[/i] 
“Well, good morning!” she heard Elva’s cheery greeting as the Lady of the north climbed downstairs. “I honestly expected you much later than this. Jan will be down soon.” She stopped, curious, noticing Kire’s face. “Are you alright, dear?” 
“Hangover,” Kire said quickly. “Just need to shove some food in my mouth.” 
“Mmhmm. Well. You do have a rather unhealthy relationship with that mulled wine,” Elva said, winking, before going into the kitchens. “Breakfast will be done soon, so best gather everyone into the dining hall.”