After the eighth day of the northern castle princess's confinement in her room, Asil could no longer endure it. In the end, she truly felt anxious for her wife, who, according to the servants, had continued to refuse food and water all these days.
Thus, the princess decided to take everything into her own hands. In the morning she went up the stairs to Remesis's chambers, carrying in her hands a slowly cooling tray of food — broth, bread, and some snacks that Remesis liked. The princess's steps toward her room were careful and quiet.
— Wife, I am coming in.
This time the princess did not wait for her answer and entered the room a few seconds after knocking. When Asil saw Remesis for the first time in all these days, her heart tightened.
Remesis was still sitting by the window, and her gaze was extinguished, as if not a spark of life remained in it. Hesitating a little, the princess came closer and placed the tray of food on the small table. Then she approached Remesis and gently touched her shoulder.
— Wife, — she spoke softly, — I brought you food. Please, try at least a little. You cannot go on starving yourself.
"......"
Remesis did not respond.
— Wife, I understand that this is hard for you, but you must try to pull yourself together. Not only I, but the entire North needs you.
As soon as the girl heard these words, her lips involuntarily twisted into something like a mocking smile. Asil, continuing to watch her, once again carefully spoke:
— Wife... Please.
Finally, Remesis slowly raised her eyes and looked at the princess, meeting her gaze. After a moment of silence, at last an answer escaped her lips:
— ...All right.
In the end, Remesis agreed to eat, and the princess felt relief because of this.
Asil carefully offered her a spoon of broth, and for the first time in several days Remesis took a few sips of warm liquid. It was little, but still more than in all this time. Continuing to feed Remesis soup, for a while neither of them spoke, and silence reigned in the room.
Then, after some time, when Asil was scooping up the last remnants of the soup, she finally spoke carefully:
— ...Wife. I must tell you something.
Remesis continued to listen to her, saying nothing.
— I know this is not the best time to do this, and yet... — she hesitated for a moment before continuing: — I think I will be forced to leave for a short while to resolve some matters.
When the princess spoke these words with heaviness in her heart, she fell silent. Then, hesitating, she added:
— I do not intend to leave you alone for long and will return as soon as possible, once this problem is solved. It will not take more than a week.
Hearing this, not even a glimmer of surprise appeared in Remesis's eyes. She only nodded, showing no other emotion.
— All right.
Asil sighed. Having finished feeding Remesis the soup, she set the bowl aside and leaned closer to her. The princess gently touched her hand, which remained cold.
— I really will return soon. I promise.
Remesis did not answer, since, in truth, she did not even know what she could reply. There were no other thoughts in her head. In the end, the princess spent a little more time with her, and then left her room so as not to disturb her.
Already a few hours later Remesis saw from her window that Asil had left the northern castle with a small number of soldiers. Remesis again did not react to this and only sighed. At that moment she simply did not want to think about anything.
She intended to spend the rest of the day in the same state, if not for the fact that almost at the same time her peace was disturbed. Maid Julie was nervous, but nevertheless cautiously entered her room, only to inform her:
— Princess, we just received a letter for you from a messenger.
— .....
— I... if you do not want to read it right now, then I will just leave it here.
As soon as the maid, embarrassed, left the letter there and left her room, Remesis involuntarily cast a glance at it, without much interest. But that was only until the moment she saw a special symbol on the letter. As soon as Remesis saw it, she immediately went to the table where the letter lay and took it.
It was a letter from her second brother.
Remesis immediately unsealed it, and her eyes ran over the lines, reading every word.
As soon as Remesis read the contents of the letter, perhaps for the first time in all this time she let out a sigh — a sigh of relief.
After a long look out the window at the boundless snowy emptiness, the northern castle princess rose with determination. She made this decision almost immediately, without hesitation.
Remesis pulled the bell rope, and soon an agitated maid rushed into her room.
— Princess, did you call me? — Julie was both surprised and anxious because of this, since it had happened for the first time in all these days.
— Yes, — Remesis answered dispassionately, — Immediately prepare my things for departure. Gather only the most necessary.
— Departure? — stammering, the maid asked again, — Princess, are you going somewhere?
— I am going to depart immediately to my brother, — this was the last thing Remesis said before turning away and no longer paying any attention to the maid.
The girl realized that in such a state she could no longer continue staying in this castle, for in the end, she would simply lose her mind. At that moment her second brother seemed to Remesis the only salvation in this situation.