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Chizu had never felt such cold. She stood right against a blazing brazier in the middle of the open street, but it was hopeless. She was frozen to the bone. She looked up to the skies and saw nothing. There were no stars. There was nothing visible to give her perspective of space. She couldn't even see the outlying buildings she knew by experience were there. It was as if she were trapped in a box. A terrible wind hallowed about her and she was unable to brace herself against it. She pulled the huge fur blanket she wore closer to her body, but she might as well be wearing rice paper. Her teeth were chattering and her eyes fluttered open and closed. She moaned incessantly and her tears had become frozen to her cheeks, leaving terrible bleeding welts on her skin, where the blood also froze. There was nothing but darkness and pain left in the world. The Ninja turned away from the useless fire and stared bewildered at her lady. Tomoe sat on the frozen ground, with her hands on her knees and her eyes closed. She wore her armour, but it served no good purpose. But what terrified Chizu the most was how the frigid weather had no visible effect on her. It may as well have been a summer's day for the woman. She wanted to be close to her, but hadn't the courage to walk away from the flame, useless thought it was, as she thought she would lose herself in the darkness walking the short distance to Tomoe. Its pitiful light was the only thing that protected her from that possibility. Gods, how long has the world been mired in that darkness? She couldn't begin to guess. Days? Weeks? Years? It was if all she had ever known was darkness. It permeated her mind as much as it attacked her body. And Tomoe never moved in all that time.
The inhabitants of Heron Castle were equally plagued by the cold. They all huddled about what small fires they could produce. All social rank had fallen away by then. Commoners and nobility sat together in silence. The fires they made weren't strong enough to cook food or boil tea, so they ate raw turnips and radishes for nourishment and suckled on icicles for water. Mothers kept their silent children close to their bosoms, but they had no internal warmth to offer them. All anyone could do was wait. They even ceased in praying for salvation and relief. The gods had forsaken them. There was nothing left for humanity now. Even the thought of blessed oblivion was cast aside. The people simply waited. And waited. In his chambers, Noriyuki sat surrounded by his people. There was a fire in the pit, but it was a sad thing. He kept to the periphery to allow the others to take what warmth it offered. He was frozen straight through, but he would remain true to his obligation to his people. He would not allow them to suffer so he could survive. He would die with his honour and dignity intact. The door to the chamber opened, which caused many of the people to jump and mutter some nonsensical words. Someone walked in and started to move from person to person. He was dispensing food to those he could. Silently they took what was given to them. They said nothing as they were handed something to eat; they just bit into a radish or other vegetable. Though it was hard going, as the root was like a rock. With his labour complete, he sat down beside Noriyuki and handed the lord a radish.
"My thanks, Usagi."
His voice echoed through the hall, and made the people cower. It was as if even human speech had become like needles and pierced the mind of everyone who heard it spoken. Noriyuki took several bites as best he could and then handed it to his friend, who finished the rest. Usagi leaned in close to Noriyuki's ear.
