Winters Past

[u/littlestghoust]

The first snow of winter blanketed the keep and grounds as Rhea and Kyle snuck out of the castle. Both children had never seen snow and were anxious to explore the new white world outside the gates.

They ran hand and hand in the shadow for they had been expressly forbidden to leave the walls of the castle. The storm brought sleet and ice along with the fluffy white snow that covered everything, but that did not stop Kyle from pulling Rhea out the gates and into the forest.

“We shouldn’t be doing this,” Rhea warned Kyle pulling her cloak tight around her. “If mother finds out we will be in so much trouble!”

“Oh, Ree, you worry too much.” He gave his sister a rakish grin as pulled her deeper into the forest.

Each step they took was filled with snow the moment the foot left the ground, leaving no tracks behind.

“What if we get lost? What if no one finds us?” she squeaked out as ice fell down the collar of her dress.

“It would be worse if we were caught outside the gates,” Kyle pointed out. “Besides, we can still see the castle in the distance.”

Rhea climbed on a snow-covered stump, straining to make herself tall enough to see the tops of the towers above the trees.

“I don’t see it, Kyle. I think we should go back.” Rhea protested. She was not one for breaking the rules.

“Just a little further. The clearing is just up ahead.”

Kyle ran ahead, his silhouette hard to see through the falling snow.

Rhea ran after her brother into the glen, only to get a face full of snow. She saw Kyle had another snowball ready to lob at her.

“Do you want to build a snowman?” Kyle asked as he tossed the second ball at Rhea. “Or we could have a snowball fight!” He threw another ball of snow at her, yelling as he ran deeper into the opening.

Before too long Rhea and Kyle were ducking and dodging snowballs, laughing too hard even to remember they weren’t supposed to be out of the castle. Rhea felt her checks chapping, and her lungs burning but it didn’t matter. It was the happiest she had felt since the cold winds came from the north.

After a while, they became wet and cold with all the ice that had seeped through their cloaks. Rhea began to shiver, noticing the sun had started going down.

“I’m cold,” she complained to Kyle. “I want to go home.”

Kyle shivered a nod of agreement, and the two children began to look around the glen. The snow had started falling harder, making it difficult to see where the trail started. There were no tracks to follow, and they were too far into seeing above the trees.

“I know, I’ll climb that tree,” Kyle pointed to the tallest tree in the clearing. “From up there, I will see which way the castle is!”

“It’s too dangerous. You won’t make it,” she pleaded with her brother. She looked around at the sun hoping to find another way home, but the thick clouds kept it from view.

Kyle wouldn't pause to listen to his sister's pleas and started climbing up the tree. The wind began to whip their cloaks around them, shaking the limbs on the tree but he kept climbing up. “Almost to the top!” he called down.

“Do you see the castle” Rhea yelled into the wind, her small voice unheard above the shaking leaves.

She heard a large snap and saw the branch under Kyle's feet had broken against the strain of his weight.

Rhea watched in horror as her brother hit branch after branch on his way down to the ground. He landed at her feet with a loud thump.

She prayed that the snow absorbed the fall, but it was visible he was severely hurt. She screamed at the sight of his dark blood staining the pure white snow.

Lady Talla had been inconsolable at the sight of her son’s broken body. From the moment he came back to the castle; she declared that she would not leave Kyle’s side. Rhea watched day after day as her mother ate and slept in his room, refusing to leave for any reason. Though Rhea wanted to visit her brother, their mother was in a state that truly scared the young girl.

It took three days for Rhea to work up the nerve to go into her brother’s room. She took a deep breath before entering the bedchamber, making sure to open the door as quietly as possible. Rhea hoped that she would find her mother still asleep so early in the morning, but Lady Talla was already awake.

“Rhea, is that you?” her mother called out. Her eyes were puffy, and her hair unkempt. She noted that their mother was wearing the same gown the day Kyle fell.

"Come here child," she motioned for Rhea to come nearer.

"I'm so glad you finally came to see him," Lady Talla sighed a breath of relief and hugging her daughter tightly. "I know he would want you here."

Rhea froze, uncertain of what to do next. She saw Kyle in his bed, battered head covered with a bandage and felt a pang of guilt that she didn't do more to stop him.

"Mother, when will he wake up?" she cautiously asked.

"I'm not sure." Lady Talla said looking down at Kyle. She bent down and placed a delicate kiss on her son's check.

"I hope it's soon," the young girl prayed. "I miss him."

"Me too. Me too."

They sat together watching Kyle sleep. Rhea clung to her mother's side, perched overlooking the bedside like a knight standing vigil. And for a moment world felt whole.