The first signs that something had changed was the atmosphere of the castle. Servants and guards were rushing even more than they already had been, now with a new urgency in their step. If before they were working long and hard hours at a steady pace, now they are acting with the urgency that came from something that had a time limit.
Of course, with the size of the castle and the secludedness of the courtyard that Dahlia and everyone else was in, it wasn't as though they could hear what was happening at the front gate. After a few minutes though, both Bessie and Dahlia could feel the faint tug of Valentina's hexes as she sent one of her more basic messages.
There are visitors. They are allies but stay cautious. Regroup inside.