When Winter Falls (2)

The silence filled the carriage, settling with a heavy tension between them. It was abruptly shattered by the approaching sound of horses' hooves and the clatter of armor worn by a knight approaching near the vehicle.

"Are you alright, Your Highness?" asked the voice from outside, concern in his voice.

"Yes," the foreign princess calmly answered, her gaze shifting to her handmaiden, who wore a worried expression. She asked a question directly to the knight outside, "What happened?"

"It seemed that the wheel broke. It was weak and could not handle a rock ahead," the knight explained from outside, his frustration sounding evident in his raspy voice. He muttered under his breath, "...Should I hold the coachman accountable, Your Highness?"