[ It does make him itch. Matthias likes plans. He likes knowing where he's going, what he's going to do there, and how long he's meant to stay. It's part Fjerdan customs, part drüskelle rules, part him.

Placing his hand in hers, he's gentle when he grips it. She's asking him to take a leap of faith, something that he's still not entirely confident in. What if he loses his footing and they go slipping into the icy waters again? Or she ends up injured or captured and taken away from him? What if he's discovered by his drüskelle brothers?

Matthias prefers plans. They keep things in order, people safe, and expectations clear. But everything to do with Nina has been an explosion of spontaneity.

He smiles softly at her as he considers her words. Everything in him wants a plan, but Matthias knows that's a luxury that perhaps they don't want. ]

We could go to Novyi Zem. There are no wolves there, but I have heard there are dogs. We could pretend to be farmers.

[ Where the weather is neither warm or cold. It won't favour him or her like Fjerda or Ravka would. ]