Winter sunlight pierced through the slit in the curtains, reflecting sharply against the wooden walls of the bedroom. Sylvia slowly opened her eyes, her crimson pupils narrowing against the glare that felt almost unbearable. She drew a long breath, the room still carrying faint warmth from last night's fireplace.
Outside, faint commotion drifted in: people clearing snow from rooftops, the creak of wooden carts being pulled, the shrieks of children already running about despite the biting cold. Sylvia rose from the large fur-covered bed, brushing the blanket aside lazily.
Her pale feet touched the icy floorboards, drawing out a soft sigh.
"The sun… far too bright for winter," she murmured.
