The Parallel Paths

The Frost

ALICE POV

The air was colder than expected, a hush against my window. I forced myself awake from my slumber, my eyes still squinted.

Gently, I rubbed my eyes, the reality started to settle in. Soft light rays shined through the frosted windows onto my bed, casting an enchanting glow across my face.

I hated the sun in my eyes, but this lighting was rather pleasant.

It was a simple room with four white tall pillows around my flat simple bed which was shaped like a massive dog bed. If I were to look up, I'd be met with a beautiful display of carving and shapes on the ceiling. Just next to me, the wall was designed with snowflake like wallpaper.

The one problem, everything was either grey or white in this room.

I pulled my body to sit upwards, instantly being hit with the coldness of this room. Quickly I reached out to pull a cover over me, the blanket white and soft as a cloud with a heating pad stashed inside.

Lumi said she didn't want me to freeze to death so she put me in the warmest room yet honestly, it wasn't. The temperature was below zero outside but in here it was 48 degrees which I was thankful for.

I glanced over to my bedside, a note sat there sealed with a red dot, the only major color in his room. I reached over to it, my hands trembling slightly due to the coldness—

yet for some reason, I liked it.

I gently opened the note, my eyes scanning across the paper that read:

Good morning Alice. Whenever you're awake, please come and meet me outside in the back which I showed you yesterday. I have left an outfit specifically designed for a human such as yourself in the closet that I hope will keep you warm.

Sincerely, Lumi.

I glanced over to the closet, then back over at the letter, my body lingering in this comfort for a moment before pulling the covers down and away from me, my movements slow and shaky.

I walked over to the singular plain white closet standing in the corner of the room, gently twisting the closet and pulling the wooden brittle doors open. Inside there was a simple outfit. The outfit consists of a light blue, fur-lined cloak draped over a fitted, pale blue tunic. Down the waist was a brown leather belt and straps that's were wrapped around tightly over tan and light fabric layers, with matching leather gloves and knee high boots. It seemed kind of rugged yet cozy.

I would then slide into the outfit, heading to meet her outside of the castle out back. The halls closed me in with its coldness, the marble floor streaching what seemed miles. It was quiet, hushed howls filled down the halls.

My shoes caused echos down the vast hallway, the clicking of glass beneath my feet, guards watching my every move. I couldn't help but shiver from time to time.

My heart started beating quicker unexpectedly, I was nervous of something yet I didn't necessarily feel nervous, it was a weird feeling that I couldn't quite shake.

Even after I made it down the hallway and up the snow covered stones of the stairs, that feeling only grew worse, like that feeling was eating at my insides. I clutched my stomach tightly, pushing past this awful feeling and making my way up the stairs that led outside.

I was met with a freezing gust of wind as I pushed the old wooden door open, the breeze blasting the hair from my face.

I shielded my eyes and pulled my hood over my head, starting to made my way down the path of the powder-white snow.