Missing

The next morning came bright and breezy. It had snowed again during the wee hours before dawn, and so, when Suzuki Ara woke up and opened the screen of her room, the scenery outside, below the dove-grey sky was painted white once more. 

The crispy scent in the air wafted in her nose, and she again scrunched her face before smiling. The sun had just risen, and so, she was not expecting a lot of people to be up and about already, but it seemed she had underestimated the diligent people serving at the Cedar Palace.

Huh?

On the far side of the hall, Suzuki Ara saw servants scurrying to and fro from one of the rooms, and she wondered what happened. Her curious nature winning, she trudged the length of the engawa towards the other side of the house where the people had been coming in and out from.

"What's going on?"

Her voice must have startled the people as all of them turned to see her.