It was pitch dark outside.

The room was simple and small.

Only a single bed, a table, 2 chair, and a washbasin on a small cupboard fitted in the bedroom. Nothing looked fancy. The bed was made from cedar wood, and the mattress was stuffed with straw. At least they brought fine woven bedding for her comfort.

Ingrid revised the family tree again by a candle's light, while she tried to stretch her toes. She stood her boots on the offset of the window to air it out. She was already wearing her dinner uniform: thick white wool dress seamed with silver yarn, thick leather belt and a striped white bear fur on her back.
She was a little bit afraid that her gestures or look will gives her identity away.

Someone knocked on the door. The maid informed Ingrid, that the dinner begins and the appetizer is waiting for her on the table.

-Lady, you must sit where the peacock patterned serviette is. I will wait here till you finish dressing.

-*sigh* Thank you. I provide you this information only once, I am not a girl, so do not call me 'Lady' anymore. -She told her while she was pulling her boots in from the window.

-I apologize Sir! How may I call you then?-For a half minute she was thinking about this, then placed her silver sapphire gem-set crown on her head. "I wonder if wearing a crown is too much?"

-You can call me Master Nysno...or Master Snow in your tongue.

-Yes Master Snow, please accept my apologize for my manner!

Ingrid opened the wooden door, threw out her chest and saw that the maiden was a young girl, just a head taller than her.

-I accept it... now lead me to the table, and explain what's a peacock and how does it look like. -She said as her face blushed slightly.

...

The table was monstrous, Ingrid had to climb up to the chair to look around for her place.

It was humiliating to find her place. Half of the servings were empty. At the head of the table sat her nephew and the other end Karakan. Ingrid sat in the middle, next to some dark skinned dames, who were wearing too many jewelry. They seemed pompous.

-Nooruz my dear! How can I call you? I am Lady Marinett, from the House of Prizze, Daughter of Derivi'Di Morra.- Said the dame on Ingrid's right.

-Good Evening Lady Marinett. I am Master Ingrid Nysno. Son of Nysno, brother of prince Sigfrid.

-Oh my dear! Of course you are, how dunce I am! I mistook you for a lady, because of your pretty face and dress.

-My dress? Isn't that manly?

-Oh well, it is just unusual that is all! Here only women wear longer skirts and dresses, but I guess you must wear longer dresses because of the cold, yes?

-Yes, I guess.-Answered her and suddenly she felt really ashamed of herself. Ingrid tried not to show her embarrassment, but she felt her face turning red.

Ingrid watched the little maiden girl as she walked to the dark prince, and whispered something in his ear. The prince looked at Ingrid's way, then turned to the maiden and whispered back.

The dames were talking to Ingrid, but she wasn't listening to it, because she was occupied watching the maiden coming closer and closer.

-Master Snow.-Whispered the little maiden when she arrived. -Master Karakan apologize for misunderstanding your being and asked you if you may sat there. -Ingrid glanced to her nephew. She could tell that he was nervous. Ingrid nodded to the maid and climbed down from the chair. The maid followed Ingrid with Ingrid's plates and glasses in her hands. She set her plates, then walked away.

The dark prince looked at Ingrid the whole time.

The little prince's chest hurt from the southern prince's looking. "Maybe I've got some sickness on our way here...although I have never gotten the chance to know any illnesses." Thought Ingrid as she tried to eat peacefully.

-So...Prince Sigfrid.-Started the southern prince.-How was your journey? I heard that 2 of your men died on the sea.

-Yes, it was unfortunate for both of them. -Started Sig with high pitched voice, then forced himself to speak like a man.- Khmm... One had bashed his head in a rusty nail, and died from metal illness later. The other one... I am not sure, the others said he has fallen off from the ship during a heavy storm.

-How unfortunate. -Said Karakan while he was chewing a bloody meat. He ate the meat bloody raw, chew it, then spit in a towel discreetly and drop it's content under the table.

Ingrid couldn't take her eyes off of him.

"Is this some kind of habit of the southern people???" She looked back to the dames, they were eating normally then she looked at her plate. The deer was well grilled, no blood at all.

-Yes it is, but my brother was awake at that time. When the storm hit us, he managed to lead the people to sail the ship a way so it kept it's body together.

-And you were...sleeping?-Smiled the bloody prince.- You must have good nerves, sleeping through a storm like that!... How old is your brother again?

-He is fi...six years old. -Blushed embarrassed Ingrid's facade-brother while he looked at Ingrid's direction.

She wasn't moving but slowly eating and she tried to pay attention to the subtle meanings. She noticed that Karakan had a sharp tongue and she felt like he was hiding something about his identity.

-Is that so Master Snow?-Smiled at her suddenly Karakan, and leaned his chin to the palm of his hand. -Are you six years old?

"Did he noticed anything? No he can't be... He is just teasing me that's all."

-Why does it matter if I am six years old or not, I will be a kid anyway, right? -Said Ingrid in a flat tone as she tried to remain calm.

-Yes. You are right...- He hummed, then stood up suddenly. He wiped his lips with a silk towel. - Please enjoy the food and rest well. We will depart in the morning! -Said, turned away and stormed out. Shortly after this, 2 huge dogs dashed out from below the table and followed him. The whole table with utensils were resonating.

Ingrid was shocked.

-Oh don't pay attention to his demeanor Sigfrid, he is always like this! -Said a Dame bending towards the young guy. Sigfrid's eye wandered to the dame's bust.

-He must be tired, I heard he hunted this deer. -Smiled Sig gently to the ladies. -Has he really brought the deer back all on his own?

-Oh yes! He is such a vandal when it comes to killing. He has his own principle of this topic but who understands those, right? He should call for servants or nearby peasants to help, but noo, he is just too...well...you know...

-I am not..really... ohm.. yeah whatever...-Murmured Sig.

The conversation started to be very embarrassing for Ingrid so she finished her dinner quickly.

She walked to Sig and pulled him down by his arm to whisper in his ear.

-I will take the Family-tree board to your room. Learn it till tomorrow, you will need it!

-Okay Bro, no problem.-Said he with a lazy smile.

Ingrid went to her room, picked up the papyrus and headed to Sig's room. Her head was full with the southern prince's letters and his present behavior. Lara, one of the adult maid showed Ingrid the way up to the second floor.

As Ingrid climbed up to the second floor, she stopped for a minute on the hall to watch out on the huge window to the moon.

"I could imagine summer nights, balls, secret rendezvous at this place."

She remembered suddenly when her mother bathed her at night. They were alone, just the two of them. It was just like this star-shot night, full-moon, except that it was winter.

"Nobody can see you like this, only when the world changes, and you will look more like us people."

Ingrid carried on her way to Sigfrid's bedroom.

-You can leave now, thank you.- Said Ingrid to the maid when they arrived to the suite. She happily went away.

There were so many distractions, detailed golden weave, tapestries, carpets, carved wavy furniture. Even the window looked like a wooden lace. The bed was huge, and looked very comfortable with the plump pillows and blankets. "That will be the place where I leave the document."

The little prince waited in the room sitting in the window. She wanted to ask Sigfrid how he feels, what are his thoughts about his new country he will live from now on, but somehow he's just not arriving.

"Oh I forgot. He is at THAT age. He must be with one of the maid like last time.
I should just head to my room and sle....wait...or...I could look around in this mansion. If I will be careful, no one will notice me. I can hold my breath for a little while, just enough to sneak from one shadow to an other."

Ingrid stood at the door, and took a deep breath, gripped the nose, and looked out to the hall. Ingrid slowed down the time.

There were four guard, one was just changed with an other, so he was standing on his toes in a funny position.

She stepped back to the room and tried to catch her breath. She didn't use to do this for a while now. She hasn't used this ability since her mother died.

She was only allowed to use this ability, when she and her mother were alone, but of course she used it elsewhere too. That's how she got most of her knowledge about people and that will be her way to find out to whom are they going to league.

"Okay, let's go!"

She breathed in, and run out to the other side of the hall. She got a headache from holding back air. She stopped once in the shadow to breathe again, and for a second she was visible, but till the guards looked at her way, she was vanished.

She went in one of the room.

No one was inside. It was dark, but the shapes looked similar to Sig's suite. She spotted a few woman's robe on the bed.
"This room must belong to a lady. I need to find Karakan's p..."

-BANG!!!-

The door flew open, pushed lil' prince to the wall, and from the fright she slowed down the time again with all her might. She turned around, with both of her hands on her nose and mouth to prevent herself to gasp for air.

It was Sigfrid with one of the dame, who was much much older than he was.

Ingrid snaked out and run till the stairs, where she let myself finally some air. "Did anyone see me, I wonder?"

-Wha' was that? Did thou see that?

-Thou saw that too?

-Wasn't that ay cat?

-Go an' check i-if thou think i' was a cat!

"Oh for God's sake! I will just hide somewhere dark and wait till things quite down a bit."

She run to a dark end of the first floor, where she fell back on the wall, which flipped and she found herself in an even darker place.

It was pitch dark, and the air was chilly. The girl prince tried to push back the wall but it was sturdy, it didn't move the other way.

She sharpened her ears but heard only the air flowing from above to below. She reached out her arms to reach the other side, but her arms were too short, so she stretched out her leg instead.

She found the other side, then the stairs. She looked up, but saw no light.

She decided to go down to the ground level, and find an other exit.

She stepped down really slowly. She was scared to fall into the big nothing. She had to remind herself all the time where she was, because she continually lost her sense of direction.

It felt like her that she was walking for hours when finally, she got downstairs where the wind wasn't blowing anymore.

She stepped forward, then a big, warm furry something pushed her to the ground. She realized that there were two dogs in the dark.

-Cecil! -She said out loud as suddenly remembered one of the dame mentioning the dog's name. She could only recall one of it though.

One of the dog barked once.

-Show me my place! Where is my place? Show me! -She instructed the dog, and grabbed her tail. -Good girl! That's it, show me the exit!

As Ingrid went with them for a few meter it got quieter.
"The wall must be thicker here."

They stopped.

Ingrid walked slowly forward, and bumped into some big, wooden box. She reached into it and touched a velour pillow.
"This is some kind of furniture."
She held the pillow to her face. It smells fairly nice.
"This being used."

-Exit. Where is the exit? Door. Go! -She said out loud, but Cecil and the other dog just barked some and laid down onto the ground.

Ingrid ended up falling asleep on the ground snuggled up to the dogs.

She had a strange dream.

She was riding a horse in the woods and found a small lake.

As she looked down to the water she realized she was a grownup young man, who looked like Sigfrid but with different eye color, and different clothing.

Suddenly the sun went away and the moon came up. Ingrid looked up to the starry sky. She found it strange how big was the moon
"The moon is so big as if it would absorb me right away."

She scanned the woods on the other side of the lake, and noticed a white figure. As it walked through the lake, his robe sucked in the dark water and turned to black. Only the man's skin stayed white. He had orange eyes. He looked less tall than before.

Ingrid knew who he was.

She was very nervous.

For some reason she held her manly arm to him, and pulled out from the bloody water.

His face suddenly changed and said.

-What is this brat doing here?