The winter harvest was long over, thankfully, which meant the dead of winter had set in. Snow blocked all of the passes that led in or out of the capital city of Faustben and nearly everyone who could stay indoors was indoors. The castle itself was set as warmly as possible, even if one could see their breath hanging in the air in every corridor they did make sure that every room had a fire going, or at least had hot coals of some sort burning for the residents warmth. Many people unaccustomed to a winter here would have froze to death if not properly prepared. Vedette thought everyone was slightly wimpy for it. Wandering around in two or three heavy jackets and cloaks over their heavy tunics and pants. Some even walked around with blankets round their bodies to keep the cold out.

She felt free in it. Each night she could creep out and lay in the snow that collected on her balcony in nearly nothing and be alone. And be cold. She could freeze her human form and still feel as right as rain. The castle staff wandered around with teeth chattering when they thought no one could hear. Whispering the hopes that they would be back in their warm bed soon. Vedette rejected every offer to place a tin of coals under her blankets before she retired. She had no need for a warm bed. In fact, she had to get up every morning and make her bed look slept in and then mess up the balcony's snow so that no one knew she'd been out there sleeping in it.

( The snow was beautiful though. )