Irene silently swore that the path ahead would go much more smoothly and she wouldn't do anything to scare the women… even more. Ever since the bear situation, they seemed even more hesitant towards her, the same way they were with the knights who were men.
She quietly promised to earn their trust because if there was someone who understood them while also protecting them, it was her.
It seemed that her goal would be achievable because the path ahead for a few more days was rather easy. The snow stayed solid, so they didn't have to deal with mud, and while it was still freezing cold, it wasn't as cold as it could be, and the air wasn't heavy with sparkling frost that made you feel the weather to your bones. Irene was grateful because the unaccustomed maids, while used to Chemois, weren't used to winters on the road since most people knew to shut themselves in far before it could reach that point.
