The days began passing quietly, almost deceptively so, and before Aurora realized it, the final snow of winter had fallen. The white blanket covering the valley slowly began thinning beneath the increasingly warm sunlight, exposing patches of brown earth and the first stubborn shoots of green vegetation.
Yet throughout those weeks, Aurora made no move toward the plan she had been quietly constructing in her mind. She didn't rush. Instead, she poured all her attention into strengthening the settlement and preparing it for spring.
The stone walls around the valley continued rising, watchtowers slowly took shape, and new houses appeared wherever there was suitable land. The academy expanded as well, with more disciples arriving and the original twenty beginning to take on responsibilities that allowed Aurora to step back from some of the simpler lessons. The entire settlement seemed to be waking from winter alongside the land itself.
