The convoy had soon managed to trudge itself through the forest after a couple of days. Their delay caused by a switch to skis for the carts, and a broken axle. Emerging out on the plains, the cold became even harsher, and even the horses were fitted with coverings as protection from the cold. After struggling through the increasingly harsher weather, the convoy arrived at a walled city. It was not as big as her home, but boasted good defenses and the prosperity of the town was apparent to everyone. Situated on both sides of a river, and having the only bridge within a five-day march had made the town prosper from tolling the merchants and travellers.

Every person with the convoy was provided with a somewhere to wait out the ongoing blizzard. Troops to the barracks, cartmasters and mercenaries to one of the local inns.

She had a walk about outside in the snow. A moment between the storms as dark clouds were on the horizon. Even in winter, the town was a busy place, and the sudden influx of travellers had given the local market a fresh boost.

“There it is! The monster! Attack!”

“Hurry! It’s getting away!”

She turned the corner to find a group of children ganging up on someone on the middle. They were pelting their victim with ferocious frequency. As she got closer, she saw the blue-haired girl walking unsteadily on, carrying a bundle of wood.

“Make way guys! Here comes a big one!” One of the bigger children rolled up a sizeable snowball and threw it with all her strength. The impact knocked the demon girl over with a yelp, scattering the bundle everywhere.

“Got her!”

“Hey! What are you little brats doing!?”

Before she could intervene, an angry woman appeared out on the street, carrying a big broom.

“Stay away from that evil creature! Lest your fingers will fall off and your eyes melt in your sockets!”

The children shared a few glances, and immediately scattered in all directions.

Seeing nobody around, and despite her better judgement to remain incognito, she made her way over to the little demon that laid motionless in the snow, face down. The girl attempted to move, but managed only to raise herself a little before limply plummeting back into the snow, which had begun to turn red. She looked around, before hurriedly sweeping the demon up into her arms. The little body was disturbingly light, and through a hole in her rags, she was looking straight at bone, her skin looking like some thin cloth glued to it.

She wrapped her cloak around them both and began heading back to the inn. A few soldiers marched past but seemed to pay her no mind. Behind her, someone complained about the wood scattered around, and she doubled her pace.