[ The impulse rises and dies to ask about Ophelia -- what does she have to do with all of this? -- but Winter finds himself unable to, just looking at the expression on Nikolas's face. The sight makes his own chest ache in ways he's tried to ignore for years; he has to force himself not to reach out to Nikolas. Not now, not yet, and maybe not ever, depending on how this situation spins itself out.

He bites the inside of his cheek and takes a breath. ]

I fail to see what sort of blame there is for you to have... it's hardly as if you are the only person in the whole of the royal court, and you are far from the only person who's courted others at the Fetes.

[ He's the only one Winter's ever wanted to look his way, but it's still a true thing. No one's ever courted his attention at those seasonal celebrations except for simple business interests. ]