Disclaimer: I don't own and am not affiliated with the Lunar Chronicles series in any way.
*No stealing stories, thanks.*
Leaves. The first thing Winter noticed when she entered the palace garden in New Beijing was the leaves on the trees.
They weren't like those of the trees on the moon, sparse and well-contained, or even like the trees that used to guard Scarlet in her beloved menagerie. These had splayed fingers, crisping with age, their palms wide as they fell into Winter's hands. The handshake of a tree. Winter smiled.
"It's lovely to meet you as well." She said, calling softly to the trees.
These were the friendliest trees she'd ever met. The residents of Earth truly were wonderful, just like Scarlet and Kai and Cress and even Selene (she was a Lunar, but Earth kept her safe until she returned to the moon, so Winter supposed she counted, too).
It had been a year since the battle that killed Levana and set Selene's rule as queen in motion. For Winter, the time passed was a blur of darkness and color that pulsed through her mind. After all this time, Winter still didn't feel the same. Her nightmares had slunk away eventually, but reality had resumed dancing before her eyes. Every now and again, the strings that held her limbs in place would snap, sending her flying. It took hours to bind herself together again. If she let the shadows creep nearer, she risked losing control. But she was getting better, and this inaugural trip to Earth as an official ambassador was another step in healing herself, as well as her country.
From behind the princess, Jacin stood watching her, arms crossed and eyes narrowed.
"We are not here to look at trees, Your Highness." His voice was low and melodious, duty falling off his tongue and something golden hidden between his words. Winter waved a finger lazily in his direction.
"Friends, not trees, Jacin." She replied. The canyon in Jacin's brow deepened. Winter could feel the tension simmering in his heart and she closed her eyes, willing it not to reach her.
Turning her mind away from her guard, Winter focused on the present, on what was good. She could feel the sunlight burning into her skin, imagining the sunscreen she wore (Selene had insisted on it) molding on her like a shield, leaving only a warmth that Winter relished in. She let the sounds of a bustling palace wash over her, the tapping of footsteps and murmur of voices that drifted into the garden foreign and yet comforting. Winter opened her eyes and looked up at the bright Earthen sky, a ceiling of endless water blue that threw the reds and browns of the garden into bright contrast- so different from the ink of space over the lunar world.
As the breeze ruffled her hair gently and the sun beamed down on her, Winter breathed in the fresh air and let her mind fill with light. No darkness could stand up to the peace that was beginning to set in, and Winter felt her worries drip out her ears, making room for better things. This was good- better than the silence of nothingness that she had grown up to. For the first time in a long time, Winter felt...content.
After a moment, the silence was broken by Jacin, whom Winter had forgotten about. His voice was quieter, gentler.
"Your Highness, please." He said. Winter sighed quietly and nodded. Happy as she was, this wasn't a pleasure trip. Reaching out to pet the dangling leaves one last time, Winter turned away to walk back up the path. She could feel the trees waving goodbye, their tendrils flaring out desperately in the breeze, but she kept her head forward.
"Until another day, friends," she sang cheerily. Jacin grunted. Turning her head, she glanced up at Jacin, who peered down at her. His gaze was dark and his face set in a frown, but Winter knew better than to believe her eyes. She rarely trusted them anyway. Instead, she smiled at her guard.
"Don't worry, they like you, too." Winter said. Jacin raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Winter simply turned away, taking the final steps to the open door into the palace and slipped inside. The sun followed her, reassuring her. This time, the peace would not go away. It would be here, waiting for her return.
A/N: Just a quick one-shot of Winter's first trip to Earth. I read some great fics recently which involved some scenes in the palace gardens, and inspiration hit me like a sack of bricks. Let me know what you think- reviews/critiques/comments are always appreciated! Cheers!