The prior day was by far the most painful. However, Irene woke up feeling somewhat better and surrounded by warmth. Her father had used hard wood in her fireplace that burnt all throughout the night without failure.
Considering her family was close by, Irene decided she ought to visit them while she could. The rest of the winter would certainly be busy for her. She would have to grow a thick outer skin once she left her family's home and press on.
Curiosity caused her to put a thick outer shirt on so she could wander downstairs and see if someone had made something to eat. She felt unbelievably hungry, knowing she had been skipping meals but she had simply not had the appetite to consume anything.
When she entered the kitchen where a small table was set up so they wouldn't have to heat a whole dining hall, she saw her parents already sitting and enjoying an early meal. It was mostly preserved fruits, bread, and sausage, but Irene was ravenous and anything sounded like heaven.
