The impromptu celebration thrown in honor of Ollie's transformation into the Cypress Witch lasted until the small hours of the morning when the earliest rays of dawn began to paint the mists of the vale in soft golden hues, and the frost that had collected on long grasses faded away as though it were a dream to delicate to survive the light of day.
While the villagers themselves seemed content to continue the festivities, Ashlynn insisted on bringing Ollie back to the ancient fortress, pointing out that even though he appeared to have been asleep for several days, the trial had actually been very exhausting for Ollie and what he needed most now was rest.
"How is the castle town so different already?" Ollie said, staring out the windows of the carriage as it rolled through the large gate in the wall that stood as the town's final line of defense against Lothian aggression.
