The Princess' Harem
Chapter 76: First Snow After Regression

Chapter 76: First Snow After Regression

The world outside the palace windows transformed. A fine, soft snow began to fall over Elysia, drifting silently from a sky of muted grey.

Flakes danced in the cold air, dusting the sprawling palace grounds and turning the familiar landscape into a hushed expanse of pristine white. The tall, ancient trees lining the garden paths became stark, elegant silhouettes against the falling snow.

Inside, Princess Viana felt a lightness settle over her, a fragile joy she hadn’t known in the long, arduous years of her previous life. This was her first true snow since her return, a quiet, profound marker after the regression.

She moved with a deliberate slowness, drawn by the silent invitation of the falling snow. Pushing open the heavy garden doors, she stepped onto the snow-dusted path.

The cold air bit at her cheeks, sharp and invigorating, stealing the breath from her lungs in faint, visible clouds. She simply stood there, head tilted slightly, her eyes closed for a moment, feeling the feather-light touch of flakes against her skin.

The silence was profound, broken only by the almost imperceptible whisper of the wind through the winter-bare branches and the soft, steady descent of the snow. It was a stark contrast to the cacophony of her past, a quiet beauty that reached deep within her.

Footsteps crunched softly on the accumulating snow behind her. Sina approached, her face etched with a familiar concern.

Reyes and Joel followed, their expressions tight with a similar worry, their presence a solid anchor in the swirling white. Sina held a thick, fur-lined mantle, its dark material a stark contrast to the white snow, its warmth almost palpable even before she reached Viana.

With careful movements, she draped the heavy cloak around Viana’s shoulders, the luxurious fur soft against her neck.

Viana felt the sudden, comforting weight of the mantle, its warmth seeping into her. The sensation, the soft fur, triggered a sudden, sharp memory.

It was not of comfort, but of cold and fear, of desperation. The small, shivering form of Cooper, clutching his elderly companion, rescued from the clutches of Arin’s ruthless men.

The chilling echoes of that incident, the abduction, the desperation on their faces—it all flooded back. Her gaze sharpened, turning from the falling snow to fix on Reyes and Joel.

"Cooper," she said, her voice quiet, almost a murmur against the soft backdrop of the snow. "The boy. The one we saved during the incident with Arin. How is he? And the older woman he was with, the one who was so ill?"

Joel and Reyes exchanged a quick glance, a silent communication passing between them. Joel stepped forward, his boots sinking slightly into the fresh powder.

"The older woman... she passed away, Princess," he stated, his voice low. "Shortly after we got them medical treatment. It was likely her illness, exacerbated by the ordeal. She was already quite frail."

Reyes added, his tone somber, his gaze distant as if recalling the scene. "Cooper was sent to the city orphanage. It was the standard procedure for displaced children without any immediate family to claim them. He was placed there only a few days after her passing."

Viana lingered, her gaze fixed now on a distant, snow-covered pine tree, its branches laden with white. Her heart sank, a cold, heavy ache spreading through her chest.

The harsh realities of that life, even for those she tried so desperately to save, still lingered, reaching out from the shadows of her past. She had saved him, but the immediate world had simply moved him to another place of hardship.

But this time, she realized, things were different. This time, she possessed the means to act. This time, she was in a position of power.

She turned to them, her resolution firm, her gaze sweeping from Joel to Reyes, then to Sina. Her voice, though still quiet, carried an undeniable authority, a clear command.

"Please arrange for Cooper to come to the palace," she said, her words clear and precise against the gentle hush of the falling snow.

"He will live here. With me. Make the necessary preparations immediately, Sina. Ensure he has everything he needs. He is no longer to be in an orphanage."

Sina’s brow furrowed slightly. She glanced at Joel, then at Reyes, a silent question passing between them. "Princess," Sina began, her voice hesitant, "the palace... it’s not a common place for children of the oprhanages. The King and Queen may have reservations."

Joel stepped forward, his stance shifting subtly. "And his background, Princess," he added, his tone carefully measured. "He comes from the slums. There are procedures. It could draw unwanted attention."

Reyes remained silent, his gaze fixed on the ground, but the subtle clenching of his jaw betrayed his own unease. His loyalty was clear, but the request was unusual.

Viana’s gaze hardened. She knew the rules. She also knew her own power.

"I understand the procedures," she stated, her voice firm, leaving no room for argument. "And I understand the attention it might draw. I will speak with my parents. This is not a request. It is a directive."

Her eyes, cold and direct, met Sina’s. "Do you understand, Sina? He is coming to the palace. With me."

Sina’s shoulders slumped, a silent acknowledgment of defeat. "Yes, Princess," she replied, her voice soft. "I will begin the arrangements."

Reyes finally lifted his gaze, a flicker of something unreadable in his brown eyes before he lowered them again. Joel simply nodded, his face impassive.

The snow continued to fall, coating the world in white, a stark, silent backdrop to the princess’s quiet decree and the unspoken doubts of those around her.

***

The carriage jolted to a soft stop. Cooper, nestled deep within its plush velvet seats, blinked at the sudden stillness. The interior was unlike anything he had ever known—soft cushions, polished wood gleaming faintly in the dim light, and a warmth that chased away the biting cold of the outside world.

This level of comfort was a foreign sensation, a dream. He pushed aside the heavy curtain, his small hand brushing against rich fabric.

Outside, the palace loomed. It was a structure of immense scale, grand and majestic under a fresh blanket of snow.

The falling flakes, still soft and persistent, clung to every turret and archway, transforming the stone into something ethereal. Light spilled from countless windows, casting warm, inviting glows onto the pristine white grounds. The air, crisp and cold, held the scent of burning wood and distant cooking.

A liveried footman opened the carriage door. Cooper took a hesitant step onto the pristine, swept stone path. The sheer size of the palace overwhelmed him.

He had heard the stories of it from many people in the slums. But now, up close, under the snow, it was beautiful, almost impossibly so.

He felt a tremor of awe, mixed with a growing sense of disbelief. This where he was to live now.

The cold air rushed around him, but he barely noticed it, his gaze fixed on the towering walls and glowing windows of his new, bewildering home.

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