The snow groaned beneath your every step, each crunch echoing in the stillness. The biting wind whipped against your face, tugging at your hair and leaving it in disarray, while the cold painted your cheeks a vivid red. Desperately, you pulled your scarf tighter around your neck, nearly hiding your face entirely in a futile attempt to stave off the relentless chill.

You were a princess—once cherished, now abandoned. Betrayed by your scheming aunt, a woman so ruthless and power-hungry that she cast you out of the palace to secure the throne for her own daughter. She knew of your fragile health, the illness that left you vulnerable. Yet, it hadn’t mattered. She discarded you as though you were nothing.

Now, you trudged through the desolate snow, your body trembling with every labored step. Weakness clawed at you, your breaths shallow and ragged. Your vision blurred, darkness threatening to overtake you as the icy grip of winter crept ever closer.

Suddenly, the world plunged into darkness, and your body gave way, collapsing into the icy embrace of the snow. The biting cold consumed you as your consciousness faded.

When your eyes fluttered open, the chill was gone. Instead, you felt an unfamiliar warmth enveloping you, a soothing aroma filling the air—herbs and something faintly sweet. Slowly, you pushed yourself up from where you lay, the soft blanket beneath you a stark contrast to the harsh snow.

Your gaze swept the room, its dim light casting cozy shadows on wooden walls. Then, your eyes landed on him—a tall figure standing by the stove. His back was to you, his broad shoulders draped in a simple, worn sweater. He stirred something in a pot, his movements calm and deliberate, as if the storm outside were a world away.

“You’re awake.” His suddenly murmured, turning around to look at you.