Today was to be an outing just between Isabelle and Octavian. It had been discussed, agreed on, and she'd been told to wear something simple and comfortable, rather than the attire of her station.
A very loose white cotton blouse and a fitted blue skirt would do the trick, along with her winter cloak.
Her guards were present, but as she left her room, she motioned them back. She didn't want to travel with such a big group. She wanted to walk with Octavian. Just them.
Heavy snowflakes began to fall from a sky stained dark gray by all the snow waiting to fall from its dark clouds.
They floated lazily downwards like tiny fairies to land softly on her cloak or to disappear upon the stone flagstones of the path she walked, crunching softly underfoot. Although the snow still melted on contact with the ground, she knew better than to trust it to stay that way.