The castle halls were quieter than usual that evening.
Snowland had welcomed its lord home, and the city had burst with noise earlier. Horns, cheers, laughter, soldiers exchanging stories. But night had slowly swallowed the excitement. One by one the torches dimmed, and the corridors returned to their usual stillness.
Newton and Sonia remained in the inner courtyard long after the others had gone inside.
The cold northern wind slipped between the stone pillars, tugging lightly at Sonia's cloak. Newton still stood beside her chair, leaning against the wooden armrest.
They had both been silent for a while. Sometimes silence between two people felt heavy.
This one didn't. Sonia tilted her head slightly and watched him. "You did miss me," she said suddenly.
Newton looked down at her. His eyebrow lifted. "Who said that?"
"You ran all the way to the harbor."
Newton shrugged. "That was for my father."
Sonia snorted. "Liar."
Newton leaned against the chair and crossed his arms. "You think too highly of yourself."
"I know you. Your eyes were desperately searching for me." she replied.
The corner of Newton's mouth twitched slightly. They both looked out across the courtyard. Snow had begun falling again, thin white flakes drifting slowly through the cold air.
Sonia broke the quiet first. "You look stronger."
Newton glanced down at his hands. "Training."
"You were already strong."
He shrugged again. "Not strong enough."
Sonia studied his face carefully. "Something happened while we were gone."
Newton didn't answer immediately. His eyes drifted toward the far wall where the torches flickered.
"Nothing important."
Sonia leaned forward slightly. "You're terrible at lying."
Newton exhaled softly through his nose. "I'm not lying."
"Then you're hiding something."
Newton finally looked back at her. For a moment neither of them spoke. Then Sonia sighed and leaned back in her chair.
"Fine," she said quietly. "Keep your secrets."
Newton rubbed the back of his neck. "You just returned from a nightmare engagement," he said. "You should be the one talking."
Sonia's face tightened again. The faint warmth that had been in her eyes faded. She stared ahead at the courtyard stones.
"I told you all i can. I don't want to remember Kings' City."
Newton watched her for a moment. Then he nodded slowly. "Fair."
Sonia turned her head slightly. "But I want to remember this place."
Newton blinked. "This place? Of course this is your home."
She gestured lightly around the courtyard. "The cold. The trees."
"The ridiculous way you bow and call me future queen."
Newton grinned faintly. "That part is important."
Sonia rolled her eyes. "Of course it is."
A few more quiet moments passed. Then Sonia spoke again. "You remember when we were younger?"
Newton raised an eyebrow. "That could mean a lot of disasters."
"The day you carried me across the frozen lake."
Newton groaned softly.
"You told me the ice would hold."
"You believed me."
"You swore it would hold."
"It almost did."
Sonia laughed quietly.
"You dropped me."
"You slipped."
"You dropped me."
Newton scratched his head.
"Details."
Sonia shook her head.
"You cried harder than I did."
Newton stared at her.
"That never happened."
"It did."
"You cried because father would punish you."
Newton opened his mouth. Then closed it again. Sonia smiled faintly.
Newton helped the servants roll her chair toward the inner hall. Once she was safely inside, he turned and headed down to his room.
The castle had grown nearly silent. Only a few guards remained on patrol. Newton climbed the stone staircase toward his chamber.
The familiar wooden door stood slightly open. He pushed it gently..The door creaked..Newton stepped inside.
Then stopped.
His father was sitting on the bed. Edmond Woodland sat calmly near the edge of the mattress, a small scraping blade resting beside him.
Newton swallowed hard. Of course. He had known this was coming.
Edmond did not look angry. He rarely needed to. His presence alone carried enough weight.
Newton stepped fully into the room and closed the door behind him.
"I heard you beheaded Lord Bernett." Edmond said quietly.
Newton nodded once.
He walked forward and sat down on the floor between his father's legs, just as he had done many times before.
The wooden floor felt cold beneath his knees.
Edmond picked up the scraping blade. Newton lowered his head slightly.
"He wouldn't stop insulting you," Newton said. His voice remained calm. "I needed to silence him before another rose to join him."
The blade touched Newton's scalp.
Slowly, and carefully.
The scraping began. Soft strokes at first. Hair fell quietly to the floor.
Edmond worked without rushing. For a few moments neither of them spoke. Then Edmond nodded slightly.
"I knew I wasn't making a mistake when I left the North in your charge."
The blade moved again. "You carry the Woodland blood."
More dark strands fell to the ground.
Newton stared at the floor. The scraping continued until there wasn't any stand or trace of hair left on his head.
Edmond wiped the blade clean. Then he gathered the fallen hair into a small pile.
He placed the strands into a metal bowl. A small flame touched them. The hair burned quickly.
Newton watched the strands curl into black ash.
The faint smell drifted through the room.
Newton's voice came out cold. "Why do I have red hair?"
The flame flickered in the bowl. Edmond froze. He knew the boy has seen his hair. Shock and disappointment mixes together in his mind.
"Is the red hair a curse?" Newton lifted his eyes slowly. "Is that why you constantly shave it?"
Edmond turned toward him. The older man stepped forward. Then he reached down and held Newton's head firmly between both hands.
"Look at me."
Newton obeyed. Their eyes locked.
"Who else saw your hair?" He asked.
Newton shook his head. "No, the moment i noticed it, i dyed it."
"You must not allow anyone to see your hair."
Edmond's grip tightened slightly. "Nor tell anyone the colour of your hair." His voice dropped lower. "Do you understand me?"
Newton nodded.
Edmond released him and turned slightly away. But Newton reached forward and grabbed his father's wrist.
Edmond stopped.
Newton's voice was softer now. "Am I a curse?"
The words hung quietly in the room.
"Is that why my hair is red and not black like the rest of you?"
Edmond's jaw tightened. He pulled his hand free slowly. "I told you to dye it within three days." His voice carried a sharper edge now.
"Apparently you allowed it to grow before you did."
Newton looked down. He said nothing. Edmond studied him carefully.
Edmond exhaled slowly. He knew the moment was coming. Sooner or later the boy would demand answers.
The truth pressed heavily inside his chest. But he clenched his fist. He could not say it. Not yet. Not ever, if fate allowed.
"The red hair," Edmond finally said, "is a symbol of strength and divinity."
Newton frowned slightly. "If it is something good, why do I need to cover it?"
Edmond turned away and walked toward the window.
Outside, snow drifted silently across the courtyard. "Because the world has demonised it."
His voice sounded colder now. "The world will come for you." He turned his head slightly. "And kill you."
Newton stared at his father for a moment. Then he nodded.
He believed him. Edmond Woodland had never lied to him. Not once.
Newton stood and stepped forward. Then he wrapped his arms around his father. "Thank you for protecting me."
Edmond froze slightly. Then he placed a hand on the back of Newton's head. He kissed it gently.
After a moment he broke free. He walked toward the door. The corridor outside waited in silence.
As Edmond stepped out and closed the door behind him, tension pressed heavily in his chest. He walked slowly down the dim hallway. "He is growing," Edmond murmured to himself.
The torches flickered against the stone walls. "One day he will demand the truth."
His jaw tightened. "But I can't tell him."
His footsteps echoed softly through the corridor. "I must not tell him." He stopped briefly beside one of the narrow windows.
Far below, Snowland slept beneath falling snow. Edmond stared into the darkness.
"The truth…" His fist clenched slowly. "…will erupt another civil war across the nine kingdoms."