~IC - Thoughts~
Rowena strode silently through the hedge maze, running her fingertips along the walls surrounding her. The puppy ran around her feet, growling and pouncing at unseen foes. A smile curved her lips as she watched Brie, gathering her skirts and moving to sit upon a bench, closing her eyes and resting her head against the cool foliage. Her mind slipped into the memories, her body relaxing.
The scents of winter flooded her mind. Winter had always been her favorite time of year, even as a child. Rowena stood, walking through the maze, imagining what it would be like, a soft blanket of snow covering the world. She smiled, closing her eyes, soft flakes touching her eyelids in her imagination.
She and her father had spent every Christmas at a lodge in Maine. She remembered the first winter they had gone, and the first time she had met Robert. She was 12 years old, her body still trying to heal from the accident over a year before. She had gone through her 5th and final surgery a month prior, and she was just getting to the point where she could walk on her own, without her crutches, without her walker.
At the party on Christmas Eve, many of her fathers friends and allies greeted her, happy to see the sweet child they had all heard so much about. Rowena smiled as she thought back to that night. The crowd had been overwhelming for her, colors and creatures swirling around the massive lodge. She had crept away from her fathers side, limping away to the porch. She had pulled her fur lined cloak tight around her body, curling up and watching the snow swirl through the air. Each snow flake unique, falling upon each other, covering the world. The door had opened and Robert had stepped out. Her father had sent the troll to watch over her and she had laughed as he scooped her up into his arms, the snow falling heavily in their hair.
Rowena sighed softly, smiling as she pressed her hand against the maze. They had spent every Christmas at the lodge, every year better then the year before. Every Christmas had been filled with sleigh rides and sledding, roaring fires, and mounds of delicious food.
Every year, as it drew to a close, Rowena’s heart would grow light at the first sign of snow. It was always a happy time, a warm time. Her father building a fire up in the fireplace and sneaking her a glass of wine…Robert laughing and attacking her with tickles. Winter had always been her time to rest, her time to relax, her time to heal. Last winter she had returned to the lodge alone, spending the season in memory of her father.
Rowena moved into the kitchen, the puppy at her heels. She fixed herself a cup of Chai tea, closing her eyes and breathing in the scent. Soon, the snows would come again and cover the world, cleaning away the taint, giving everything a fresh outlook. She smiled, closing her eyes, lost in a world of swirling snows and crackling fires.
The scents of winter flooded her mind. Winter had always been her favorite time of year, even as a child. Rowena stood, walking through the maze, imagining what it would be like, a soft blanket of snow covering the world. She smiled, closing her eyes, soft flakes touching her eyelids in her imagination.
She and her father had spent every Christmas at a lodge in Maine. She remembered the first winter they had gone, and the first time she had met Robert. She was 12 years old, her body still trying to heal from the accident over a year before. She had gone through her 5th and final surgery a month prior, and she was just getting to the point where she could walk on her own, without her crutches, without her walker.
At the party on Christmas Eve, many of her fathers friends and allies greeted her, happy to see the sweet child they had all heard so much about. Rowena smiled as she thought back to that night. The crowd had been overwhelming for her, colors and creatures swirling around the massive lodge. She had crept away from her fathers side, limping away to the porch. She had pulled her fur lined cloak tight around her body, curling up and watching the snow swirl through the air. Each snow flake unique, falling upon each other, covering the world. The door had opened and Robert had stepped out. Her father had sent the troll to watch over her and she had laughed as he scooped her up into his arms, the snow falling heavily in their hair.
Rowena sighed softly, smiling as she pressed her hand against the maze. They had spent every Christmas at the lodge, every year better then the year before. Every Christmas had been filled with sleigh rides and sledding, roaring fires, and mounds of delicious food.
Every year, as it drew to a close, Rowena’s heart would grow light at the first sign of snow. It was always a happy time, a warm time. Her father building a fire up in the fireplace and sneaking her a glass of wine…Robert laughing and attacking her with tickles. Winter had always been her time to rest, her time to relax, her time to heal. Last winter she had returned to the lodge alone, spending the season in memory of her father.
Rowena moved into the kitchen, the puppy at her heels. She fixed herself a cup of Chai tea, closing her eyes and breathing in the scent. Soon, the snows would come again and cover the world, cleaning away the taint, giving everything a fresh outlook. She smiled, closing her eyes, lost in a world of swirling snows and crackling fires.