I Will Be the Greatest Knight

For two days, the couple had no choice but to dig deep in the snow to make a shelter for themselves. The longer they went, the more Henry realized he had it pretty good in the peasant village because all he had to do to winterize was plaster the walls and collect firewood. His mother and aunt did most of the food preparation.

What would be required to prepare for winter in the Sunstoian North was on another level entirely. The fact that people survived here and traveled like this willingly was beyond him.

Irene had explained to him before, though, that if they didn’t travel in the cover of winter, they would be forced to travel with monsters stronger than they had ever seen. There was a trade-off for everything out here.

The red-haired knight held up her hand. It was her signal to stop. Her husband followed her orders wordlessly.

"The village should be around here soon," she explained, through her scarf, not daring to remove it while it was so cold in the snow plains where the winds were harsh. "Unlike last time I visited, I didn’t overshoot it and get myself into trouble."

"I believe in you," Henry responded.

The wrinkle at the corners of his eyes was the indication that he was grinning at her. He likely would tease her if it weren’t for the fact that the sun was dipping low and they desperately needed to find shelter.

However, there was nothing to find because Irene was determined to stay in her grandmother’s place. No matter what, she would figure out how to open the door despite the snow being worse than last time. She had to see for herself that this village was in one piece.

Only once did the knight pull out her map to double-check where the Litharion homes were in the circular formation. When she was certain, based on lumps of snow, that she was in the right area, she hopped off of her horse.

Henry followed closely behind with a shovel in hand that they had taken from the last place they stayed. There was no other way to survive the winter here without a shovel, they both decided. On the way back, they would bring the shovel back to its rightful place.

"It’s here," Irene explained. "I will do whatever it takes to dig this place out before it’s too late."

"I’m right there with you," Henry responded.

Since they had two shovels, at least the work would be a bit faster.

Noticeably, Irene was more careful with this house. She slowed her pace when getting close to the wood door and even got on her hands and knees to push snow and cracked ice away. Since Henry wasn’t going to allow her to do hard work alone, he ended up on his knees as well.

Eventually, their knees were wet, but they were finally able to try to open the door.

"Careful," Irene warned as they stood up. "There are quite a few things piled up in here."

While they put consistent weight into the door to try and crack it open, even after they heard the noise of the ice releasing, Irene held onto the handle so it wouldn’t spring open like the last time they were able to sleep indoors.

"Yes!" Irene exclaimed as the door finally opened. "I ought to hurry and light a fire in the stove. It’s starting to get dark."

As they stepped inside, they were met with a faint herbal smell that Irene was used to when going to her grandmother’s home every day as a child. She hardly noticed it.

On the other hand, Henry recognized it from her grandmother’s house, but he didn’t mind it. It smelled a bit medicinal but good nonetheless. It smelled better than the stale air in the last place they stayed, at the very least.

"I’ll light one in the hearth," Henry responded.

They needed items off of their horses, so they both grabbed their individual axes and flint.

Luckily, this place was stocked with old, dry wood. Even if it was a bit too dry to hold a fire all night, it would make for wonderful kindling.

Irene was the first to get the pieces of wood she had ripped apart to spark. She then slowly built it up until it was strong enough to take a full log.

At least now this area of the cabin was a bit more lit up. It also allowed her to take some of the fire and light some of the candles along the walls. She would make sure not to burn them for too long, but it was helpful for them to pack everything inside and get settled if it was lighter.

Since there was no way they would clear out the back door to the pen with the snow so deep, Irene began to get the horses inside, Henry soon joining her once the hearth was burning well.. It would be best to get the main door shut so they could warm up after so many days of being outside and sleeping in the snow. She was excited to get out of her armor and her boots. It felt a little more freeing to have her full range of motion and to be able to wiggle her toes more comfortably.

By this point, she was looking forward to the spring and summer. Even she could get tired of the snow.

She removed her saddlebags and handed them to Henry while she got to working on his.

"I think we’re going to be stuck with lentils until we can hunt for something," Irene admitted. "I saw grouse last time I was here."

"Fine with me," Henry responded. "I’ll fill my stomach with anything warm at this point."

The last few days they chipped away at jerky, but they were being conservative with their consumption because they knew they would need it on the journey home. The jerky they found in shops in the other village was far past when it should be eaten.

"I’ll begin cooking," Irene suggested.

"How about I cook, and you look around?" he offered. "Make sure everything is in one piece. We haven’t been able to wander into the village, but we can start here."

She smiled at his thoughtfulness, agreeing instantly.

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