As Barbara wandered through the estate, her thoughts churned, but the tranquillity of the surroundings was hard to ignore. The crisp air cut through her cloak as she followed Alina through the winding paths. The towering trees and the distant rush of water created a hauntingly beautiful backdrop.
The plants were covered in a layer of snow, and the stone pathways leading through the hedges were cracked and uneven. The place itself was a fortress in the middle of a forgotten wilderness, isolated from everything but the wind and snow.
As they walked around, Barbara saw the people of the estate only in passing. The workers seemed distant, their eyes heavy with a kind of exhaustion. There were few children or elderly people around—just hardened workers, guards, and a handful of women who roamed around with their children and sold their goods. The village outside the castle walls was quiet, too, with little life to speak of. It was a far cry from the bustling capital she had known.
