Lit in Snow

Burned feelings

      Beatrice finds herself in a dark alley. She can see bright orange flames overhead in the large building in front of her. She unties her dress ribbon and uses it to tie up her hair. She ran into the next alleyway, getting closer to midtown. There's a fire bell that will wake up the town's folk; once they're awake, they'll use well water to put out the flames. The bell system was created due to a town nearby being pillaged and set ablaze. There were no survivors of this incident; it's been common practice for thieves to use the fires to distract others away from them. There's been a notorious group of unidentifiable presumed men who kill their victims and steal their belongings. She ran to the bell and quickly rang it. The echo could be heard from around the town. People started emerging from their homes; the snow and burning oranges weren't the sight most people wanted to see in the early morning. Buckets were grabbed, filled with water, and tossed onto the house. Beatrice continued filling buckets of water and passing it to people.
Beatrice felt a hand on her arm. She looked over to see Henry with a bucket in his hand.

"I see why you ran off again." He smiled, trying to make light of the situation. He was awful at it. But he tried.

         She continued filling buckets to pass to others as her job required her to stay farthest away from the flames.

"You know how I feel about fire being present in any situation."

"Yeah, you don't even have lanterns most of the time," he replied to her. He didn't make eye contact with her and continued passing the buckets.

"It's the third time this month of another fire outbreak."

          She looked back to see if there was still a need for water buckets. The flames went down from the tall building, and the sign of the Chandler home and shop lay dead on the ground. The constable went inside the charred remains.
Henry stood up and walked towards her. He reached out his hand to lift her up.

"I believe we should be leaving," he said, taking her hand and gently pulling her up. "Come now, quickly." He walked her out of the building.

        As they were leaving the vicinity, the husband and wife who ran the shop were pronounced dead. Brutally stabbed, pools of blood filled the main room. There was no evidence of who it could have been; nothing had been left behind. The moment Henry saw from the corner of his eye that the constable was now leaving the charred building without the owners, he knew what had happened. He knew that's why Beatrice ran to it; she sensed death, as it was the end of someone's time. They quickly walked home before the day broke, and they were needed for their morning meal. Henry looked back at Beatrice, who was behind him. He let her catch up to him.

"M'lady, Have you have a gown for Draven's winter ball?" he queried.

"No, I lack one. Have you a new suit for the ball perchance? "

"No, Suits go unnoticed, except for our dates; we don't have to put much thought into." He chuckled

"You are not wrong about that." She laughed back at him.

The forest was quiet—too quiet—almost like the fire had scared any animals out of the area or something else had. They arrived home and walked back to their room. Draven still wasn't home and was presumably at work. He was a nobleman who often worked long hours into the night. He wasn't always present for the two of them to see. Beatrice did have some sort of relationship with him, but it was a sensitive question to ask.

They walked into their room, up the stairs, on the left wing. Beatrice took out her tied hair and unbuttoned her coat. Henry removed his jacket and changed his shirt. Beatrice averted her gaze and laid back down on the two bed frames pressed together for them to sleep next to one another.

Henry climbed into Beatrice's arms and wrapped his arms around her. Beatrice placed her chin on top of his head. He looks back up at her with hooded, tired eyes.

"What plans have thee for the morrow, M'lady?" He asked

"Tis tomorrow," she laughed quietly.

You understand what I'm speaking of, Bea. He said it quietly while nuzzling into her shoulder.

"Is there a particular event that you are anticipating?" She gently stroked his back with the tips of his fingers.

"I simply long to be with you, Bea."
He whispered underneath his breath and continued to hold her. He fell asleep while the two held onto each other.