Remesis did not utter a single word throughout their entire way home. Like a marble statue, she sat in the saddle cold and lifeless. Her face was pale, her lips pressed into a thin line, and her gaze looked through people, as if she did not see them at all. Even Asil had no way of reaching her at that moment.
When they arrived at the castle, the gates swung open and the servants rushed forward to greet the returning masters of the castle. But Asil only raised her hand and silently ordered everyone present to be quiet.
When they arrived, Asil wanted to offer her hand, to help her dismount, but Remesis, without looking at the princess, slid from the saddle on her own. She did not say a word, and it was not entirely clear if she was even aware of what was happening.
Passing through the inner courtyard, Remesis climbed the stone steps to the main wing and disappeared into her chambers.
The doors of her bedchamber slammed shut and did not open for three days.
Asil came every day. She stopped at the door and stood in silence for a while, as if trying to find words that could reach her. But she did not want to rush her, and only patiently waited for Remesis to feel a little better and come out on her own.
The princess listened, hoping for a step or her voice behind the door. But nothing came from within. Not even crying could be heard. Only heavy silence.
— Wife, — Asil called softly. — I am here. If you want to talk, just say so...
The answer was silence again. But the princess did not insist and only sighed.
In the end, Asil knew her wife too well. The princess of the northern castle she knew was a proud and unyielding woman, whose strength of spirit might have been greater than that of many soldiers. In some way, Remesis's essence resembled ice. But even the strongest ice could sometimes crack. And when that happened, the consequences could truly be unpredictable.
Besides, the blow the girl had received was indeed deep. It was far deeper than any blow from a sword. And so, recovery from this truly could take time.
In the end, after standing at the door for a while, Asil only sighed quietly and left.
***
Inside her room, Remesis sat on the windowsill, wrapped in a fur cloak. Outside, a blizzard raged, the wind whistled, pressing against the glass, and yet it could not compare to what was happening inside her.
All these days Remesis had neither slept nor eaten.
Nevertheless, her eyes remained dry, because during all this time the girl had not shed a single tear. Remesis did not react to the world around her and only continued to look out the window, watching the dancing snowflakes, having completely forgotten about her duties as mistress of the castle. In truth, such things now concerned her least of all.
Remesis ate nothing. Yet despite this, her maid, Julie, brought food twice a day — she left the tray in the room and left silently. But not once did the princess touch the food.
On the fourth day, when Julie once again entered, carefully stepping across the threshold, holding in her hands a tray with hot soup and fresh bread, Remesis raised her gaze to her for the first time.
That gaze was definitely different from before. Instead of kindness and care, it now seemed wary.
At that moment, it was as if Remesis saw not her maid before her, but a possible threat about to harm her.
Noticing her sharp gaze, Julie involuntarily flinched and stopped.
— Princess... — she began hesitantly. — I made this soup myself, adding healthy herbs. It will strengthen your strength. You haven't eaten anything for several days...
Remesis remained silent.
Her eyes were full of cold and anxiety. She studied Julie's face, as if trying to find something suspicious in it. Remesis's mind, once clear and reasonable, now sought danger even where she never would have thought of it before.
— Tell me... — the princess suddenly spoke quietly, without taking her eyes off the girl. — If you had such a chance, would you be able to betray me?
Julie turned pale.
— Princess... what are you saying?.. I... I...
— I don't know. Maybe one day you will also want to stab me in the back.
Julie lowered her head, fighting back tears. Even though it hurt terribly to hear these words from Remesis, there was nothing she could do about it. The princess, who now resembled a wounded beast, wanted to see or hear nothing. It was useless to try to persuade her now.
— Princess... I... I will come back later.
In the end, the maid set down the tray and, without saying another word, left. But Remesis did not even glance at the tray and once again turned back to the window.
Day turned to night, but it seemed as if time had stopped for Remesis. As if on that day in the settlement of Mork something important inside her had died, and she could no longer remain the same.
Every knock on the door that reached her room she ignored. Remesis no longer wanted to see or hear anything. In the end, every tormenting thought burned out an icy emptiness within her soul.
From her window she could see how life in the northern castle still continued beyond her room. That sight twisted Remesis's face into a sorrowful smirk. Finally, for the first time in all this time, she allowed the emotions inside her to break free. But they were not tears, they were... Laughter.
Hysterical laughter.
Remesis laughed so loudly that it seemed she would soon run out of breath.
"I put in so much effort, damn it... But then why... Why is my life still so disgusting even now?"
For the first time, Remesis wondered whether there was truly any meaning in fate giving her this second chance. After all, in the end, she could not understand what had really changed.