After what seemed like days in sadness, I found the strength to leave the floor when the sun went down to retreat to my bed. I curled under the sheets and the comforter, trying to sleep, but without succeeding.

To feel him in this bed, to know he was still here, would elate me with utter joy. But every moment I thought of him, I knew I couldn't be sure he would have reciprocated my feelings. It may have been love I felt, but that does not incline it to be reciprocated love.

Even dead he still knows how to drive me mad, I thought. I could only think of him for so long, want him for so long. Before life would intervene and I would have to comply with the social order of being Queen and returning to my royal duties. But maybe I needed to escape, escape it long enough for me to remember him. Engulf myself in the flames of passion and give in to what could have been.

I pulled back the covers on my bed and I silently escaped the castle to the stables. Wearing my coat and thick boots for the cold night, I rode my mare Sage into the forest, towards his humble abode.

He resided in a cabin just outside of the village, in a wooded forest with massive trees and breathtaking natural wonders all around. His house was comfortable and cozy, though I had only been there once.

I tied Sage to a nearby post before walking towards the front door to his house. I walked without hesitation, although it was not my home to enter. I opened the door to find a small living area before me. A fireplace stood on the side, in front of a cushioned furniture set that was surrounding it. Weapons and a family crest hung on the wall above the fireplace, where the dazzling crimson and glorious yellow hue shined bright for the Blackwell name. A dining table was placed on the other side of the room, though covered in books and maps. A cauldron with bowls and pots hung over the second fireplace parallel to the first one. A home fit for a man, a huntsman indeed.

I walked across the room, letting my fingers glide against the fur pelt lying on the sofa, feeling the cold air from the freezing night brush against my face, and taking in the scents of cooked elk and fresh bread as they tingled on my nose. I wondered what he did while he was here; the thoughts he had, the dreams he dreamed, and the wonders he experienced in this enchanting forest. So much I wanted to know, so much I wanted to share with him. And to not share it with him in my mind any longer.

I could feel tears building in my eyes again, coming with full force. As the next single tear dropped, my mouth quivered like a wave and I clasped my hand against my mouth, trying not to sob again. My head darted from side to side, as I pleaded to God not to let this be real, but it all was. The emptiness in this house, in the world, in my heart, everything was empty.

I heard the rumble of the wind outside clearly, knowing full well a storm would be approaching. I was quite nervous, knowing I might be here all night and Susan for sure would be in a panic over my late night travels. But something felt right here, something comforting knowing I was away from the castle and my role as Queen.

Something though, unexpectedly surprised me, as the door handle curved and the door opened. Before me, Eric stood, breathless and clutching his side.

My mouth dropped in confusion and awe, wondering if my grief had led me to become so mad that I would hallucinate. "Eric!" I cried.

"Snow." Eric said as dumbfounded as I was. He was weak and hurt, as his teeth clenched at the pain in his side. He never was a man of emotion, so I knew he was in trouble.

I rushed to his side and held him up as he began to grow weak at the knees. His warmth glowed upon me as he rested on my side. His breath heavily on my head, his muscles pulsing beneath my fingers, everything was as real as can be. He was here, he was here.

I steadied him and led him to the fireplace by the sofa, where I tried to rest him on the furniture, but he collapsed on the floor before it. I lifted him up, hearing him pant at the pain, to rest him against the sofa.