Steel Roses

Melting Winter

The next morning, Beldon woke up with a start, his eyes wide, a confusion mixed with sleep tendrils making his head swim as he sat up, looking around.

Something was different.

But nothing was different as he scanned the room.

He looked to the clock nearby, it was barely dawn yet. Vanessa wouldn't even be awake.

He lay back down, closing his eyes... but it was too late, he was already awake.

Opening his eyes again, he sat up and slid out of bed, padding silently across the floor, hoping he didn't wake Vanessa.

He walked to one of the nearby tables, poured himself a glass of water and walked out onto one of the balconies.

A winter breeze hit him and he rubbed his arm, the light shirt and trousers weren't much protection against the chill and he should have put on boots.

Instead he just brushed the snow off the balcony wall and folded an arm down on it, taking another sip of water, looking out across the pasture, orchard and forest.

The sun was rising.

Golden rays were striking across the sky, throwing the dark back, making it recoil away as the light forced its way through.

Cold winter warmth traced his cheek and he closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath before opening his eyes and letting it out, watching the mist spiral away, caught up in the wind.

Setting the glass aside, he folded both his arms on the railing and looked down on the pasture below; scanning the grounds, wondering what could have woken him so early.

His eyes travelled along the icy grass and away to the edge of the forest, before circling back and settling on the orchard.

He stared at the fruit trees for a moment, then his eyes slowly widened.

Setting both hands on the railings, he leant forwards, his mouth opening as he watched the sunlight trickle down onto the trees, illuminating what he thought he was seeing.

He spun away, running back into his room, grabbing his boots, dropping one as he forced the first one on.

The noise clearly disturbed Vanessa because she appeared a moment later in a dressing gown and night bonnet, sleep in her eyes.

"Beldon, darling, what are you doing?" she asked as he wrenched on his other boot.

"I'm going outside," Beldon said, kneeling down and lacing it up.

Vanessa looked at him for a moment, then her eyes widened in shock. "You're what?" she cried.

"I'm going outside," he called back as he ran to the door. "I'll be back soon!"

"Beldon! Wait! Bel! A cloak!!" Vanessa managed to shout, making him skid to a stop; grab one of the cloaks he had left lying around before running out the door.

He raced down the steps, feeling the castle waking up around him, servants aware of early movement. He felt the eyes of servants who were already awake settle on him as they looked over balconies to see him run down into the entrance hall where – as ever – his horse was ready to go.

"Sir?!" came a shout from above from someone he didn't know.

"Are you alright?" came another call from someone else, but Beldon didn't stop as he pulled himself onto his horse's back and they thundered away, out into the grounds, the gates bursting open for him as he rode towards the orchard.

Once at the fence he threw himself off his horse and swung over the fence, landing in a crouch then stopped, just kneeling there for a moment, staring at the frozen leaves that littered the ground.