Martin was already on the ice, waiting for her-- an inviting smile playing on his lips, his arms ready to grab her before she could fall, should she need his support-- when she finished lacing her skates. Nora quickly adjusted her chignon and pushed a few stray strands behind her ears, then put her gloves back on.

"You used to wear your hair always loose." He said, observing her, making her wish to have prepared better for this meeting-- worn something nicer, put a little make-up on, done her hair properly... But that would have made this afternoon feel like a date, which it wasn't.

Nora took a deep breath and slid off the low stone wall, towards him, the blades of her skates sending what was one of her favourite sounds of winter, and a flurry of snowflakes, into the freezing air. She accepted his outstretched arm gladly as she reached him-- Nora had never been a good skater and now, after all the years she had not stood on ice in her skates, she was rusty, and perfectly unsure of what she was to do, feeling clumsy, and silly...

Why am I even doing this? She asked herself. But... being here and now, with him... felt right. She didn't want to think about the reasons. Or consequences. She would live this unexpected friendship as she would live her new life, from one day to another, and see where it would take her.

"How can you remember that? About my hair?" She asked a little breathlessly the moment she fell into his rhythm at his side, feeling... strangely safe and sure on the ice with his right arm wrapped around her waist from behind, her hand fisted around a handful of his coat, as they glided over the frozen lake as one. It was so strange that he remembered so much about her... and flattering. It was usually her place, staying in the shadows, noticing, and falling for men who never really paid her any attention... How did she... miss Martin in the past? You had eyes only for his brother back then, silly. She reminded herself, blushing, keeping her eyes low, on the expanse of ice under her feet.

Martin chuckled softly, "I remember many things about you."

Nora did not respond, she didn't know what to say. Or better... despite being extremely curious about what he remembered, and more importantly, why, something inside of her was telling her that she wasn't ready to ask.

She raised her head and smiled as they passed a group of boys playing ice hockey, a couple of girls watching them intently from above, leaning against the iron gate of the closed bridge as they giggled and whispered, making her remember how it felt, being their age.

But she wouldn't go back, live again through those years when she had felt too awkward and shy to speak about her feelings, to ask for what she had wished for. If she had been different then... everything would be different now. Not that anything was wrong right now, she mused, stealing a sideways glance at Martin, catching him looking at her.

"What are you thinking about? You seem so... distant." he said.

"The boys and their admirers," she told him a part of what was on her mind. "I wonder which of them is the lucky one."

Martin laughed, "Being their age again..."

"Would you want that? To be like them again?"

Martin stopped suddenly, making her squeal as he took her by her hand and spun her around, as if they were dancing, then steadied her in front of him, his hands on her hips, his eyes boring into hers as he said, "Only if I could keep all the life experience I gathered until now. That would be fun."

Without waiting for her to say anything, he wrapped his arm around her waist again, and they slid under the arched bridge, and kept moving along the perimeter of the lake gracefully for a long while, as if they had not stopped at all.

"They say that there is a long spiral staircase inside the tower, leading to underground passages connecting it with the town's church, and another castle, now ruined, situated more than twenty kilometers away..." Nora said, observing the rotunda as they glided around.

"Maybe there is..." he said, the corner of his lips hinting at a smile.

Nora laughed, "Nonsense. It's simply one of the castle's legends."

"Are you sure? Such tunnels would be a great escape route in case of a siege in the past. And who says there are just tunnels down there? There is a cave with a small thermal lake too... it's beautiful."

"You got it all mixed up. There is a cave under the castle, with two twelve meters deep lakes which always served as the castle's well, but the water inside them is freezing even in the summer!"

"Don't tell me you actually touched the water in those lakes. To my knowledge, that's as forbidden as touching the stalagmites and stalactites." Martin looked at her, all pretend seriousness.

It made her giggle. "Well, the castle has always fascinated me. I've been inside on tours too many times and," she lowered her voice into a whisper as he led her back towards the wall where they had left their shoes and she sat down, "I touched everything I could reach beyond the ropes and half closed doors..."

He laughed, shaking his head, sitting down next to her. "Why don't you apply for a job in the castle, Nora? You'd be perfect."

"I did. They've got my CV. I guess they'll call me for an interview shortly, if they are hiring." she said, pulling her boots on and lacing the skates together so they would be easier to carry.

Martin sighed, looking at his watch. "I don't have much time left, but you need to drink something warm. You are freezing." He observed as he pulled her to her feet, and his warm hand closed around hers. "Do you like hot chocolate? The one they make here is the best in town."

He pointed to a Victorian greenhouse perched on the other side of the lake, turned into a café with a few tables scattered across the lawn for the skaters and people strolling through the vast park encompassing the castle.

"I love hot chocolate. But are you sure you have time to hang around with me? What about your animals, won't Snow-White come looking for you?" Nora teased as they walked towards the café.

"Snow-White will have to wait until later. It's a fencing lesson I need to attend now." he muttered thoughtfully as they joined a short queue. "But... how about dinner tonight?" he added after a while, watching her with guarded eyes.

Nora looked away briefly, pretending to study the large, wooden blackboard, with the offer of drinks scribbled in chalk, while she pushed her gloves in her pockets. A dinner felt... Too fast. Too soon. "Let's do another night. I have to get up early in the morning. I have a job interview."

"Oh, you've been busy, I see. Something interesting?" He asked after he paid for their drinks and they sipped at the hot chocolate as they walked back towards the castle.

It was delicious, Nora decided, taking another sip before she replied. "It's nothing big, a few hours a day only. Something I could fit around a job in the castle, hopefully, should they call me."

Then they walked through the park and up the cobbled lane in silence, until they reached the stables.

"So... Good luck tomorrow." Martin said, taking her empty paper cup, and throwing both away into a bin.

"Thank you. You have fun fencing. I'd love to see you..." she added without thinking, then bit her tongue. She would love to see him fencing, to stay around him, but she didn't want him to know.

"Come along then. It's in the castle, I'm teaching children today." he proposed.

She shook her head, "Next time. Thanks for this afternoon."

"When will we..." he asked tentatively as she started to walk up the hill, away from him, making her turn around.

"I'm sure we will bump into each other soon," she smiled, "and I owe you a drink."

He rolled his eyes, "If that's the only way for us to meet, I'll make sure you always owe me a drink. Until next time, then."

He waved then was off, walking quickly towards the castle.