For a moment, Adala said nothing, biting her lower lip as she soaked up the warmth of Charlotte’s hand on her knee, or what little of it she could feel through the layers of her warm, winter skirts.

The dress she wore, rich burgundy wool with embroidered apple blossoms meant to invoke a sense of her family’s impressive orchards, conspired with the corset around her waist to keep her sitting tall, proud, and ever so slightly aloof, even when she wanted nothing more than to slump into her friend’s embrace and let the day be over even though it had just begun.

At least she could feel the weight of Charlotte’s touch through the heavy wool, even if she wanted more. When it came to Charlotte, she always wanted more. Yet, even as the temptation to lean into that touch grew within her chest, along with a strong desire to accept Charlotte’s offer to accompany her to meet with Lady Ashlynn, a sudden chill seized her heart.

"I think I should meet with Lady Ashlynn alone," Adala said as she gently scooped up Charlotte’s hand, holding it for a few moments longer than propriety said she should. "If she wants a private moment and I bring someone else... If it upsets her," Adala said, shuddering as she imagined what a Great Witch could do to her friend if she was upset by her presence.

"Lady Ashlynn isn’t like that," Charlotte said, giving Adala’s hand a reassuring squeeze. "Or, or at least she wasn’t," she added a heartbeat later as the mask of confidence she’d worn for Adala’s sake crumpled at last.

"I, I don’t know what she’s like now, after everything," Charlotte admitted. Last night, she hadn’t just watched Lady Ashlynn don armor to fight a duel to the death with the greatest swordsman of the age; she’d also watched Ashlynn bodily haul Valeri Leufroy from his chair when he tried to stop Adala from speaking out against him.

The Ashlynn that Charlotte knew was quiet and bookish. She was kind and generous and wanted nothing more than to help the people of Lothian March prosper... That much didn’t seem to have changed. But the woman she’d known had never been so... Domineering. Maybe she truly would be offended by Charlotte’s presence.

"I should go," Adala said, letting go of Charlotte’s hand and forcing herself to stand. "She said I could take my time, and come when I’m ready, but I shouldn’t keep her waiting."

"You can keep her waiting just a few moments more," Charlotte said as she glanced around the table before finding one of the large bowls of assorted nuts and dried fruits that dotted the table.

"She said you were supposed to bring the sweets," Charlotte said as she scooped up a large handful of fruits and nuts, depositing them neatly on one side of the plate of pastries in front of Adala. "She probably doesn’t know that you never treat yourself to very much. This way you at least have something to nibble on..."

"Charlotte," Adala said, giving her friend the brightest smile she could manage even as worry creased her brow. "Thank you."

"I’ll walk you to the garden too," Charlotte said as she captured Adala’s arm and hugged it to her chest. "I won’t go in, but I can at least walk you there, right?"

"Mmm," Adala said, momentarily at a loss for words.

The east garden wasn’t far; the walk took less than a minute, and when the pair of young ladies arrived at the entrance to the garden, they found a young knight barring their way. His tunic was much simpler than the ones worn by most of the knights at the feast, and it bore an embroidered pair of hounds that Adala didn’t recognize, but then, she knew very few of the western knights on sight.

"Lady Adala?" the knight said, raising a brow at the pair of young ladies as he held up a heavy fur cloak. "I’m sorry, my lady," he said, looking directly at Charlotte. "I think Lady Ashlynn wanted to meet with Lady Adala alone," he explained a bit helplessly.

"I know," Charlotte said, taking the plate of sweets and nuts from Adala’s hands so she could put on the cloak. "I just came to walk her here. I’ll go back now," she said, handing the plate to the knight as soon as Adala had donned the cloak so she could give her friend a brief, tight embrace.

"You’re braver than I am, Adala," Charlotte said softly. "I, I could never stand up to my father the way you stood up to yours. You’ll be fine," she promised, pulling back just enough to reach up and adjust a strand of hair that had come loose from Adala’s intricate braid. "And you can tell me all about it afterward... Or as much as you’re allowed to."

"Thank you," Adala said, giving Charlotte a brief squeeze of her own. "I’ll come find you when it’s done," she promised.

Then, she collected the plate of nuts and sweets from the knight and strode into the garden, bracing herself against more than just the cold.

At some point during the small hours of the morning, the light winter rain had given way to gently drifting snow, and by now, the whole of the east garden was covered with a thin layer of wet snow that crunched beneath her feet as she made her way through the garden towards the small gazebo near the fountain where Lady Ashlynn waited for her.

Several braziers had been lit and placed in a ring around the table where Lady Ashlynn sat, keeping the cold at bay. Still, Adala found herself grateful for the cloak she’d been given, if for no other reason than the comfort of its weight, wrapping around her like a layer of soft armor.

"Your Grace," Adala said, setting the plate on the table before offering Ashlynn a deep curtsey.

"You can call me ’Ashlynn’," Ashlynn said as she gestured for Adala to take a seat across from her before pouring a cup of steaming hot tea and sliding it across the table. "Sit, we have a lot to talk about, and there’s no need to let formalities get in the way."

"Thank you, Ashlynn," Adala said with some difficulty as she took a seat and wrapped her slender fingers around the warm cup of tea.

"I, I’m sorry about my father," Adala started, feeling like Ashlynn must have called her here to discuss her family’s situation. "He..."

"He’s not important," Ashlynn said, shaking her head gently before Adala could go any further. "Or at least, he won’t be, and you have nothing to apologize for," she added. "His choices are his own to make, just like you made your choice last night."

"I didn’t invite you out here to talk about your father," Ashlynn said. "I invited you out here because everything is about to change in more ways than people know. Things that were once impossible can happen now," she said as she smiled at the young lady from Leufroy. "The reason I invited you out here is to learn what your heart desires..."