Disclaimer: I do not own Ella Enchanted.
Prologue: A Winter's Tale
The snow fell gently against the meandering stone path that weaved throughout the bare gardens of the old castle. Winter in Kyrria had certainly taken her toll on the signs of nature's life: the beautiful geraniums, roses, and violets of spring were nonexistent, as were the vibrant colors of tree leaves in autumn. Indeed, at that moment in Kyrria there were no leaves, only naked branches that cast long, grey shadows against the untouched white ground. However, despite appearances, winter was not the season of death but of purification and introspection. Winter was the axis on which all other seasons turned.
The aroma of the outside was also significantly different now than at other times of the year. Winter carried a fresh, clean, almost concealed fragrance that contrasted greatly with the bold, overt, and heavy smells of the sweet of spring, musk of fall, and dew of summer. Without a doubt, the winter carried a quiet, tranquil, incomparable beauty all of her own. The season knew of her unique qualities and treasured them with cloaked, knowing smiles, for her beauty was a sleepy, wistful kind that hinted at romance and whimsy and all the things that seemed only possible in dreams.
Author's Note: My chapters will not all be this short. Please remember that this is just the prologue and that subsequent chapters will consist of more than two paragraphs :-)
