"Winter Tiara"
by Pnumoman
His breath came out in ragged pants.
He was sprinting across the park, the sound of his raw breathing the
only thing he heard other than his pounding heart. Twenty minutes
late, and even then he barely got the thing gift wrapped. Now he
prayed that she would be there, still waiting, still waiting for him.
He barely noticed the gray skies overhead, the beautiful trees around
him, bare branches covered in soft peaks of snow, barely noticed the
frosting of snow on the stony siderails of the bridge, much less the
dusting of snow on the icy banks of the stream. He barely noticed the
cold snap in the air, his reddened face forgotten in his haste to get
to her as soon as he could, right hand gripped tightly around the
small box he carried in his pocket. He barely noticed his thick,
woolen uniform jacket flapping open, his left hand freezing in the
cold, but he did notice his heart pounding with the anticipation of
this meeting, pounding with dread, pounding with hope.
Skidding on the snow covered walk, he rounded the corner, fully
expecting to see her, but dreading that she wouldn't be there. He
whipped his head from side to side, seeking her out, but he couldn't
see her, and saw only a lone bench with the snow cleared from it,
flanked by evergreen bushes covered in snow.
He began to catch his breath.
Walking around dejected and tired, he knew his worst fears were
realized, and that she left after waiting for him. Suddenly feeling
the cold once more, he wrapped his jacket tightly around him,
buttoning up, and shoved his right hand deep into his right pocket.
Head burrowing deep into his collar, the cold bit even deeper into
his flesh as he began to walk back, weary and sad.
Then he heard the laugh.
He turned to his left, the enchanting sound luring him like a siren
call, a beacon in this dark and chilling world. It took him off the
beaten path, around bushes and trees, until he came to a tiny
clearing, kneeling in the middle of which was a maiden, a maiden
surely sent from the heavens.
She was laughing at a snow bunny in front of her, laughing at the
wiggle of its nose, the twitch of its whiskers, the posture of its
body as it examined the beauty in front of it. Her cheeks were rosy,
but her eyes were so warm he was sure her cheeks were red from the
heat. The smile on her face lit the area like so many stars on a
clear night, arresting him in his tracks even as he watched from the
side.
She reached out with a mittened hand to pet the rabbit, and the
rabbit complied, accepting a pet and no more, as it bounded off to be
with its family. Watching it go, she stood and waved, her smile even
more radiant, her white breath ethereal clouds.
Then the snow started to fall.
A single snowflake fell on the tip of her nose, then another, then
even more, as the snow fell all around her. Lost in thought, she
paid no heed; her watcher gazed in rapt attention as the snow settled
within her auburn hair, the sugar flakes dusting the already
impeccable beauty. It turned her hair into a tiara of diamonds,
surrounding her face with their clear, pure-white facets, framing her
gentle face.
Then she turned, and saw him, and gasped.
She ran to him, he too stunned to react, paralyzed by her beauty. She
ran to him, and enveloped him in a hug, burying her face into his
neck, squeezing him tight. He quickly recovered, wrapping his arms
around her, and smiling, cheek pressed to her head.
She spoke, eyes closed.
"I knew you'd come, Syaoran."
He spoke, eyes closed.
"I know, Sakura. I came."
And they were together, prince and princess.
by Pnumoman
His breath came out in ragged pants.
He was sprinting across the park, the sound of his raw breathing the
only thing he heard other than his pounding heart. Twenty minutes
late, and even then he barely got the thing gift wrapped. Now he
prayed that she would be there, still waiting, still waiting for him.
He barely noticed the gray skies overhead, the beautiful trees around
him, bare branches covered in soft peaks of snow, barely noticed the
frosting of snow on the stony siderails of the bridge, much less the
dusting of snow on the icy banks of the stream. He barely noticed the
cold snap in the air, his reddened face forgotten in his haste to get
to her as soon as he could, right hand gripped tightly around the
small box he carried in his pocket. He barely noticed his thick,
woolen uniform jacket flapping open, his left hand freezing in the
cold, but he did notice his heart pounding with the anticipation of
this meeting, pounding with dread, pounding with hope.
Skidding on the snow covered walk, he rounded the corner, fully
expecting to see her, but dreading that she wouldn't be there. He
whipped his head from side to side, seeking her out, but he couldn't
see her, and saw only a lone bench with the snow cleared from it,
flanked by evergreen bushes covered in snow.
He began to catch his breath.
Walking around dejected and tired, he knew his worst fears were
realized, and that she left after waiting for him. Suddenly feeling
the cold once more, he wrapped his jacket tightly around him,
buttoning up, and shoved his right hand deep into his right pocket.
Head burrowing deep into his collar, the cold bit even deeper into
his flesh as he began to walk back, weary and sad.
Then he heard the laugh.
He turned to his left, the enchanting sound luring him like a siren
call, a beacon in this dark and chilling world. It took him off the
beaten path, around bushes and trees, until he came to a tiny
clearing, kneeling in the middle of which was a maiden, a maiden
surely sent from the heavens.
She was laughing at a snow bunny in front of her, laughing at the
wiggle of its nose, the twitch of its whiskers, the posture of its
body as it examined the beauty in front of it. Her cheeks were rosy,
but her eyes were so warm he was sure her cheeks were red from the
heat. The smile on her face lit the area like so many stars on a
clear night, arresting him in his tracks even as he watched from the
side.
She reached out with a mittened hand to pet the rabbit, and the
rabbit complied, accepting a pet and no more, as it bounded off to be
with its family. Watching it go, she stood and waved, her smile even
more radiant, her white breath ethereal clouds.
Then the snow started to fall.
A single snowflake fell on the tip of her nose, then another, then
even more, as the snow fell all around her. Lost in thought, she
paid no heed; her watcher gazed in rapt attention as the snow settled
within her auburn hair, the sugar flakes dusting the already
impeccable beauty. It turned her hair into a tiara of diamonds,
surrounding her face with their clear, pure-white facets, framing her
gentle face.
Then she turned, and saw him, and gasped.
She ran to him, he too stunned to react, paralyzed by her beauty. She
ran to him, and enveloped him in a hug, burying her face into his
neck, squeezing him tight. He quickly recovered, wrapping his arms
around her, and smiling, cheek pressed to her head.
She spoke, eyes closed.
"I knew you'd come, Syaoran."
He spoke, eyes closed.
"I know, Sakura. I came."
And they were together, prince and princess.