Winter and Ducks

Time was and will continuously be their biggest foe.

A certain young Sappherine found herself blinking owlishly. Pools of silver jewels glistened to its usual glimmer as the owner slowly but surely acknowledged her surroundings.

Wrapped underneath a thicket of fabric, Harris was immediate as she sat up from her laid situation. Sweat covered hands turned to grip the skylight blue comforter with such intensity it crumpled.

Everything was a blur of occurrences. Harris swore she was last located in a hall filled with varying castle ornaments, entranced by a lonesome mirror until Cyrus disrupted the pace of her own tranquility.

Her gaze spun. One moment she was outside her bed chambers. Then the next, she was comfortably tucked in under a huge blanket on her bed inside her ginormous room. It was pure and utter chaos in her head. As if her braincells were partying overnight only to awoke in an unexplainable mess.

What exactly happened?

"You're awake," a melodious voice. Soft and brittle like glass— delicate yet regal in its own way. The owner of such quiet harmony made herself known as she approached the younger, a small frown etched upon her pure pink lips. "You gave us quite the scare. How are you feeling?”

A faint whimper, Harris fought away with her dizziness in hopes of addressing the eldest princess of Castillõ Sappherine. The eldest of the twins, the heiress of the throne, her sole female cousin, Cassia Van Sappherine.

"Cyrus was so frantic when he raced you back in here. You've caught yourself a fever, a very high one." Said the eldest princess. Sapphiere blue irises glittered in concern as she sat down on the mattress, placing a hand on the younger's forehead.

"A fever?" Harris questioned, her voice tiny as a chipmunk. "Harrie was fine when Harrie woke up and wandered the halls. All of a sudden Harrie caught a high fever? As far as Harrie know— Harrie did nothing to attract that sickness."

"Fevers can be quite surprising menaces." Cassia chuckled, pools of sapphires crinkling as she watched her totally bemused cousin. "Ah, you forgot haven't you? Little Harrie sort of went outside and bathed in the pond on a cold winter day."

"Harrie did what?"

"You bathed in the fountain on a cold winter day," Gesturing a hand towards an uncurtained window— Cassia silently watched as a flurry of small white cottons fluttered down from the grayish skies. "Winter came three days ago. You were so excited and giddy. Albeit, saddened when you realized how the ducks, the khois, would feel cold. You jumped in the pond, wanting to hug the creatures and make them feel warmth."

"But Harrie is too smart to do that!" The youngest whined, a tint of red dusting her cheeks. She was, by any means, incredibly embarrassed. It was so foolish! Anyone would've thought so that same!

"You love animals so much, Harrie. That explains it all." Cassia smiled, sweet. "Ah, I should call Miss Bonnie and tell her your condition. She's been hellbent worried of you." The elder princess warmly stated, standing from her seated position in poised quietness.

With a nod, Harris watched as her older sister figure traipsed from her cushioney bed and towards the door— followed by a small wave, the young princess pursed her lips as she finally darted her attention towards the grayish hued caelum.

At the same time, her irises widened— awestruck at the wonderful sight. She hurriedly went out the covers of warmth, eager to wobble over the uncurtained glass.

Snow. . . It was snowing! Winter had finally come! How could she forgotten that? How could she forgotten her most awaited and favored season of all?! Everything nice and appealing had always happened during winter.

She pressed her palms on the window pane, her breaths creating mists that covered the clarity of glass in a blur. Yet it didn't hinder her, Harris was too excited that she even used her own sleeves to wipe away the barricade.

From beyond her enormous bedroom window. The gardens, gifted by the late King Arthur Sappherine to his wife, the late Queen Amoris (Harris' great-great-great-great grand parents)— were covered in a blanket of purity. Verdure were painted in soft white, whereas flurries reoccupied the once leaf-bearing trees.

Though, what astonished her more were the sight of unwilting white lilies next to a patch of blue snowdrops. The gardens were barren as a whole, albeit, with the blooming flora— it gave its melancholic ambiance a tinge of radiance.

Harris forgot all the things she felt currently. All the swarming emotions of confusion, sadness, uncertainty, and glum were washed away as she continued to admire the entrancing scenery.

"So, pretty." She sighed, contented. Though that soon changed when she realized something. . .

Something far more important.

Something she'd basically trade her health for within a second of thinking.

Harris paled in realization.

"I forgot the ducks!"

×××

"Princess Harris?!" Unfurling shrieks from maidservants echoed throughout the bustling halls of the castle. In daze and in shock seeing the small silhouette of Princess Harris as she darted throughout the place in haste— it was as if her fever wasn't anywhere in existence.

Wearing nothing but white ballet flats, a cotton-blue nightdress, and a messily made yellow scarf wrapped around her neck. She was not dressed appropriately for the weather, henceforth the panic and cardiac attacks it sent the servants as she ran in her wake.

Many of the lot came and tumbled, trying to catch the youngest girl living within Castillõ Sappherine. Ragged breaths and shouts of pleading stops rang and was left unheard by the frantically racing princess.

Harris was dead-on focused on reaching the ducks and making sure they were warmed and doing well. She wanted to check the fishes too! And if it's possible, the horses, the birds. . .

Drowning in her counting, the whitette failed to notice a tall figurine. Apparently busy with her list of unending animals, she ended up bumping unto hard-muscled legs with a hard; WHACK!

"Ouch!" Harris felt gravity pull her body down— albeit the slow motion of having her petite body fall was intercepted when a pair of hands wrapped itself around her small waist.

This unknown person lifted her up, angling her head up front.

With a slight wince, the princess peeked an eye open, questioning glimmer adorned her visible silver-iris. However, it was quick to have both her jeweled pools blown wide, now paled lips quivering at the anticipation of scolding.

Amongst all the people living in the castle. . . Why does she had to get herself slammed onto none other than His Highness, King Elric Hafford Sappherine VI?!

Oh, she's doomed.

Really, really doomed.