When you were little, you never thought you'd have a happy life. You were always aware of society's expectations for women and their role in marriage, which was constantly arranged and never out of love. Until you met Anthony.

How can I describe it? An almost instant love from the moment you first saw each other at 18, the same day you debuted in society in search of a husband, the same day you had your first time. Accelerated? Yes. But unique, without a doubt. And not long after, without needing to court you or take the steps required by etiquette, Anthony asked for your hand. And of course, your parents accepted; he was a Viscount, he had money, and he was going to take care of you.

And after five years, a hasty wedding, a honeymoon in Paris, and the discovery that you were pregnant. You were sitting on a sofa in the living room, reading quietly until your son, Edmun, in honor of his grandfather, approached you asking to go out and play in the snow. At first, you refused; it was dangerous, he was too small. But finally, Anthony told you he'd be fine and that he needed to learn to be independent. A five-year-old being independent, of course. You didn't think anything of it and let him go. After all, you could watch him play from the window. And so it was.

Until you didn't see him anymore.

You weren't immediately alarmed. You thought the little boy had jokingly wandered off a bit, and you got up to go to the window. The strange thing became apparent when you didn't see anything around. "He can't have gone that far." You thought. And then you saw it. A hole in the snow. And then you did get alarmed.

"Edmund!" you called as you ran out into the garden

You rolled up your dress so you could walk in the snow, and when you reached the hole, you began digging until you touched the little boy's back, immediately pulling him into your arms.

"Wake up, baby, wake up!" you pleaded as you felt his cold skin and rocked him in your arms

You cuddled him against your chest, trying to keep him warm. How long had he been under the snow? Why hadn't you noticed? You felt guilty, pitiful. Until your thoughts were interrupted by Anthony's voice coming out of the house and walking towards you.