The snow had thickened considerably overnight, transforming the forest into a labyrinth of white. Paths were swallowed whole, sounds muffled and distorted by the relentless snowfall, forcing Prince Edric to rein in his powerful black steed to a cautious pace. The great horse moved with heavy, deliberate steps, its breath puffing out in visible clouds of steam against the bitter cold. Edric sat tall and silent in the saddle, his dark cloak billowing slightly in the wind, the only movement breaking the stillness of the snow-covered landscape. Frost clung to his eyelashes, but his expression remained as impassive as the frozen world around him.
Suddenly, a faint voice, weak and disoriented, broke the silence, its sound carried on the wind.
"Wh-Where am I?!"
The voice belonged to the figure slumped against him, a young woman whose presence he had only vaguely registered amidst his grim determination. Serena's eyes fluttered open, her vision swimming in a blurry haze. A throbbing pain pulsed behind her eyes, a dull ache that resonated through her head. As soon as she became aware of the fact that she was pressed against someone, a wave of primal fear washed over her. Her instincts, honed by a lifetime spent in the hidden sanctuary of their cave, screamed danger.
She recoiled violently, nearly tumbling from the horse's back.
"Let me go! Let me go!" she cried, her voice laced with panic. Her hand shot up, aiming a desperate blow at the figure beside her.
But Edric's hand caught her wrist with surprising swiftness and strength. "What do you think you're doing?" he asked, his voice cold and devoid of warmth.
Serena's breath hitched in her throat, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm against her ribs. "Who are you?! Why am I on a horse?! What—"
"You're the one who begged me for help," he muttered, his grip loosening slightly, releasing her wrist. His voice remained calm, flat, yet possessed an undeniable authority. "If you're going to scream again, get down."
Serena blinked, her mind struggling to piece together fragmented memories. There was snow… a sharp, searing pain… a terrifying fall… and then… nothingness.
Edric let out a frustrated sigh, the sound barely audible above the whisper of the wind. "Fine. You can walk."
He pulled on the reins, bringing the horse to a gentle halt, then dismounted without a word, his movements efficient and precise. With a minimum of effort, he helped Serena down, his touch brief and impersonal, then stepped back, giving her space.
"Go ahead. Walk yourself out of this forest," he said, his tone suggesting a complete lack of concern.
Serena stared at him in disbelief, her eyes wide with a mixture of anger and bewilderment. "Are you serious?" she asked, her voice laced with incredulity.
"Do I look like I'm joking?" he retorted, his tone sharp and impatient.
"Fine! I will," she snapped, her pride momentarily overriding her pain and disorientation. She turned to walk, but the moment she put weight on her injured foot, a searing pain shot up her leg. She stumbled, landing heavily in the snow, a muffled cry escaping her lips.
"Ahh—! My ankle!" she gasped, her voice filled with pain.
Edric remained motionless, his expression unchanged.
"You're really just going to watch me suffer?" she asked, her voice laced with a mixture of anger and hurt.
He shrugged, his indifference infuriating. "You were quite eager to leave."
Biting her lip to suppress a cry of pain and frustration, Serena looked up at him, her pride battling with her physical discomfort. "…Help me," she pleaded, her voice barely a whisper. "Please."
He arched a skeptical eyebrow, his gaze assessing her. "Didn't you just try to slap me?" he asked, a hint of amusement in his tone.
"I didn't know who you were," she explained, her voice apologetic. "I panicked."
"Tch," he responded, a sound of mild disapproval.
She glanced at him, then quickly away, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment. "You said… I asked for help? Before I passed out?" she asked, trying to make sense of the situation.
"Yes," he confirmed. "You said you knew where the creature was."
Her eyes widened slightly, her memory stirring. "Creature?" she repeated, her voice laced with confusion.
"The thing I'm looking for," he explained. "You claimed you knew where it was."
Serena frowned, her mind struggling to recall the details of her encounter with the mysterious creature. Her heart gave a sudden, unexpected leap. She had said something, but what? What creature?
"I… I might know," she admitted honestly, her voice hesitant. "Maybe. I'm not sure."
Edric let out a long, weary sigh, then stepped forward, his movements surprisingly gentle as he helped her back onto the horse.
"Don't waste my time," he muttered, his tone still devoid of warmth but tinged with a hint of something else – perhaps impatience, perhaps resignation.
She looked up at him, her gaze meeting his. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice sincere.
He didn't respond, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.
The forest grew quieter as they rode, the only sounds the rhythmic clop of the horse's hooves and the soft whisper of the wind. Snowflakes drifted down from the sky, silent and delicate, creating a serene yet unsettling atmosphere.
Serena fidgeted, glancing at the enigmatic figure behind her. His presence was heavy, cold, yet he had helped her. A strange dichotomy existed within him, a blend of coldness and unexpected kindness.
"So… where are we going?" she finally asked, her voice tentative.
He didn't respond, his silence adding to the mystery surrounding him.
She cleared her throat, trying to break the silence. "You said you were looking for a creature," she prompted. "What kind exactly?"
He sighed, a sound of weariness. "A beast," he replied simply.
Serena blinked, her curiosity piqued. "A beast? Like… what kind of beast?"
"Something dangerous," he said, his voice low and serious. "Hidden in this forest."
She turned her head slightly, her gaze meeting his for a brief moment. "Why would anyone come out here to hunt something like that?" she asked, her voice laced with a hint of apprehension.
"Because that thing is responsible for the endless snow," he replied, his voice unwavering.
Serena looked forward again, her eyes widening slightly. "You mean… this isn't normal winter?" she asked, her voice filled with a growing sense of unease.
"No," he confirmed. "It's a curse."
Her lips parted slightly, her breath catching in her throat. "That sounds… serious," she whispered.
"It is," he replied, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
Silence fell again, broken only by the sounds of the forest and the rhythmic beat of the horse's hooves. The wind brushed against the trees, and the cold seeped under Serena's thin dress, reminding her of her vulnerability.
Then, she asked, her voice soft and hesitant, "What kind of beast causes a curse?"
Edric's voice was quiet, but his tone was certain. "An elf," he replied.
Serena flinched, her surprise evident. "An elf?" she repeated, her voice laced with disbelief.
"Yes," he confirmed. "That's what the shaman said."
She hesitated, her mind struggling to reconcile this information with the stories she had heard. "But… I thought elves were peaceful," she said, her voice filled with doubt. "Magical, even. They help forests, don't they?"
He scoffed, a sound of derision. "That's what old stories say," he retorted. "This one's different."
"How do you know?" she pressed, her curiosity overriding her apprehension.
"Because this winter hasn't stopped," he explained. "And she's still out there."
Serena looked down at her hands, her thoughts racing. "So… you're hunting her?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
"That's what I was sent to do," he confirmed, his tone unwavering.
She swallowed, her throat dry. "What does she look like?" she asked, her voice barely audible.
"Snow-white hair," he described, his voice precise. "Emerald green eyes. Unnaturally beautiful."
Serena stiffened, a sudden chill running down her spine. Her own features matched that description perfectly.
But… no. That couldn't be. She wasn't cursed. She wasn't dangerous.
"And… you've seen her?" she asked, her voice trembling slightly.
"No," he admitted. "But that's the description."
She hesitated, her mind struggling to process the information. "Isn't that a bit… vague?" she asked, trying to find a way to dismiss the unsettling possibility.
"It's enough," he replied, his tone leaving no room for doubt.
She turned her head away, her unease growing. Her heart thudded against her ribs, a frantic rhythm that echoed the turmoil in her mind.
He doesn't know. she thought. And I don't even know if he's right. But if what he's hunting… looks like me—
She couldn't finish the thought, the implications too terrifying to contemplate.
And so they rode on, deeper into the cold, unforgiving forest, towards a truth neither of them fully understood, a truth that held the potential to shatter their worlds.
As the snowfall intensified, blanketing the forest in a thick, swirling veil of white, Edric suddenly tugged on the reins, bringing the black horse to an abrupt halt. Serena, seated in front of him, blinked in confusion, her question forming on her lips—but it died unspoken as she noticed his gaze fixed upon her, intense and unreadable. His cold eyes lingered not with anger, but with something else entirely, something that sent a shiver down her spine. Then, without a word, he pulled off the thick, dark cloak draped over his shoulders and gently wrapped it around her trembling frame. Serena stared at him, utterly taken aback by this unexpected act of kindness.
"You'll freeze to death before we find anything," he muttered, avoiding her gaze. From his coat pocket, he produced a small, folded piece of white cloth. "For your nose," he said, offering it to her.
Serena hesitated, then took it with both hands, her fingers brushing against his. "Thank you…" she whispered, dabbing at the blood that had crusted under her nostrils.
Before she could express her gratitude, Edric dismounted and moved to her side. "Your foot," he said simply, his voice devoid of emotion yet his touch surprisingly gentle. Without waiting for permission, he reached up and gently lifted her injured leg, inspecting her ankle with a practiced precision that belied his cold exterior. Serena flinched, a sharp intake of breath escaping her lips.
"It still hurts," she said, her voice strained.
"I figured," he replied, his tone matter-of-fact. Then, with a swift, decisive movement, he placed one hand behind her knee, the other around her ankle, and slowly applied pressure. She gasped as a faint crack echoed through the quiet – the sound of bone realigning itself – followed by a strange, soothing relief in her leg.
Serena blinked, her eyes wide with astonishment. "Did you just…?" she began, her voice filled with wonder.
"I realigned it," he interrupted, his voice still devoid of warmth. "You'll be able to walk tomorrow. Barely."
She looked at him, utterly stunned. "You know how to do that?" she asked, her voice filled with a mixture of awe and disbelief.
Edric didn't respond, simply lowering her leg and stepping back, muttering, "I've had to fix worse." His words, though blunt, held a hint of something deeper – a shared burden, a shared experience in a world consumed by a cruel, unending winter.