elijah pulled his arm through the sleeve of his jacket, his black hair falling over his shoulders as he stepped out into the snow. white flakes fluttered around him, the breeze brushing his cheeks. his knuckles and fingertips were already rosy from the cold, his breath clouding in the air. his boots crunched in the snowdrifts as he walked toward the snowless path. general lambert was already waiting for him.

"morning, james." he sighed, unsheathing his spear. "what's the deal at the border?"

lambert readjusted his vambrace. "it's not very clear." he tightened the strap on his arm. "baudelaire hasn't contacted us. peyton told me to have you check instead of sending the soldiers. they're training all day."

elijah sighed, his golden eyes narrowed. "very well. fetch my horse?"

"harrell is already on it." james dipped his head.

"i'll see you later, then." elijah fixed his grip on the spear, waving lambert off. harrell brought over the horse, minerva, which elijah took from him with a murmur of thanks. he mounted the horse and snapped the reins, sighing. just what he wanted to do today. great.

he arrived at the border after nearly forty-five minutes on horseback, the snow flurrying around him and minerva. elijah pulled his hair back, squinting to see through the white that blanketed the world. it was eerily silent.