The men were too busy lowering their heads to avoid the falling snowflakes and watching their steps as they trudged through the thick snow to notice that two men had slipped into the group heading to the palace to take their night shifts.
After the guards at the gates checked the faces and names of the men heading the group, they allowed the rest to pass by as they returned to their positions beside the warmth of a brazier.
No one gave us a second look.
The moon was obscured by thick clouds and the relentless fall of snow. Small cones of firelight from the braziers dotting the courtyard and the lights from the windows of the palace guided us in the darkness.
The guards dispersed upon entering the courtyard to go to their respective shifts. Louis and I walked together, pulling our cloaks over our heads as we entered the palace.
