The world outside the palace windows transformed. A fine, soft snow began to fall over Elysia, drifting silently from a sky of muted grey.
Flakes danced in the cold air, dusting the sprawling palace grounds and turning the familiar landscape into a hushed expanse of pristine white. The tall, ancient trees lining the garden paths became stark, elegant silhouettes against the falling snow.
Inside, Princess Viana felt a lightness settle over her, a fragile joy she hadn't known in the long, arduous years of her previous life. This was her first true snow since her return, a quiet, profound marker after the regression.
She moved with a deliberate slowness, drawn by the silent invitation of the falling snow. Pushing open the heavy garden doors, she stepped onto the snow-dusted path.
