Thawed Hearts

Chapter 4

There is a peacefulness that only winter can bring. The world knows to stop, hush, and listen. And when it does, it's so quiet that one can hear the soul speak. It sprinkles its white magic decorating the scenery and the heart. The days are dressed in arctic adventure, glistening the fields and silent places with ice and snow crystals like diamonds. And when the blustery wind blows, it tells of things that have never been and could be.

All the earthly trials seem foolish for a moment, lost in the wonder and magnificence of the earth. The winter hymn is raised to the heavens in grateful praise. No matter how everything is clothed in white, at its heart, it's evergreen. With roots that grow deep, withstanding the harshest storms, battered to and fro, the greenery heralds perseverance and walks hand-in-hand with the cold.

It's a distinct perseverance that's held steady for years and possibly decades longer than most people have been alive. The evergreen holds and bears the weight of the world on her shoulders, if but for a season. She endures the harsh conditions and lives despite the ice. It's firm, resilient, and unbreakable.

The evergreen is a haven for upended life when the world is stormy and rough. Because she knows that if she only maintains a little longer, spring will come. And when it does, she will have succeeded and survived. Love is like that: evergreen, evermore, ever thine.

As Mary's breath fogged on the window glass and her eyes viewed the desolate landscape fresh from a snowfall, her mind wandered. It wandered to the woods surrounding the estate's perimeter, where glimpses of evergreen branches were peeking out. Today is the day of her marriage. She's here and has endured many trials leading up to this moment. Yet, somehow, Her Highness has not been defeated. She supposes that makes her a tiny bit victorious.

Mary drew her knees to her chest and sank further into the cushioned window seat. Life has no obligation to give what's expected, and therein lies the eternal problem--- expectation. It is the main thing that breeds everlasting discontent. A lot of heartbreak has happened due to it. The Princess knows this all too well, primarily through her father and his own misplaced discontent bounding back to her.

In spite of that, hope carries on through the darkest of times. And she supposes that can be traced back to her endurance coupled with the will not to give up. So the very least Mary can do is figure out what she hopes for and try to live inside those boundaries. Not admire it from a distance but live right under its roof, which is ironic considering her present circumstances and the new roof above her head.

And so Her Highness gave purpose to planning and giving life to new dreams, which had long been buried and burdened by worries. Lost dreams can help guide the way to new ones. Just as the evergreen stands tall as a symbol for abiding and unshakable forbearance, dreams are likewise renewable. Regardless of age or condition, untapped opportunities remain dormant inside every living thing. They're just waiting to be born or blossom upward to the sun.

And honestly, the Princess's biggest hope is forging a relationship with the man she's to marry. If hope brings life to the bones, then love brings healing. With this new marriage, more than anything, Mary wants love. She's heard it said that unhappy marriages are made from a lack of friendship, and she supposes that love and friendship should not be unequally yoked. That the two are inseparable.

But how do you develop a relationship with an aloof man, especially considering she can be so herself? Mary wonders if Edward's formal, detached presence is an accurate account of him or not. Was it a judgment passed onto him by others who do not know what kind of person he is at heart? Because opinions are never facts, and most people are more apt to remember a story about someone instead and claim it as truth.