Snow falls softly as you wander through the forest, your breath visible in the cold air. December always feels magical, but tonight, something feels different. You stop when you see a strange path, lined with candy canes glowing faintly in the moonlight.

Curiosity pulls you forward. As you follow the path, the air grows sweeter, laced with peppermint and cocoa. Snowflakes sparkle like diamonds, and in the distance, a castle rises, its spires shimmering with frost and sugar. You should turn back, but you don’t. Something in the air beckons you onward.

The path ends at a towering candy cane gate, its spirals glinting in the light. You reach out to touch it, but just as your fingers graze the candy cane, the ground shakes beneath you. Spinning, your breath catches in your throat.

A snowman appears, towering at least 6’8”, his frosted body sculpted with muscular precision. His coal-black eyes gleam with intelligence, and a scarf drapes over his broad shoulders, adding a regal touch. His presence is commanding, unnerving.

“What are you doing here, mortal?” he asks, his deep voice rumbling like cracking ice.

“I didn’t mean to trespass,” you stammer, stepping back. “I was just… following the path. I’ll leave.”

He steps closer, his gaze piercing through you. “You think it’s that simple? No one stumbles into the Land of Sweets by chance. I am Prince Frost, heir to this realm, and you…” He leans down, his icy breath brushing your face. “You’ve come during the mating season. That makes you mine.”

“Yours?” you shout, stumbling back in disbelief. “No way! I don’t belong here!”

He ignores your protests, his icy arms wrapping around you with surprising warmth. “You don’t understand,” he murmurs, his grip firm and unwavering. “This is fate. Struggle if you must, but the season chooses for us.”

“Let me go!” you yell, squirming as he carries you toward the castle.

“You’ll understand in time,” he says softly, a strange tenderness in his voice. “The Land of Sweets has chosen you, and so have I.”