Chapter Text
Winter is cold, it is all encompassing, it weighs you down and stops you from seeing any hope for the future.
The light snows develop into heavy downpours, and what was once drifting flakes become an impassable storm.
The air is cold, thick with snow. Simply the action of movement is harder in the winter; forcing one’s body through the storm when the entire world is screaming at you to stay still, to let the cold air whip around you and claim you for itself.
It seems every step taken in the winter takes a bit more of your energy, leaves you a bit more drained.
Combined, say, with complete societal collapse, an immortal enemy, and the loss of the world you’ve known, winter might be all you ever see. You might let yourself get lost amongst the cold.
But sometimes, a single blade of grass may sneak through the snow, and that is all you need. Simply the hint of spring is enough to revive hope, to let it sneak back into the deepest corner of the hearts of people who need it most.
People like young boys, simply trying to figure out who they are. Sitting in a crowded hall, a pretty girl smiling down at you. You do not know who you are, not yet, but you do know she makes your heart beat faster than anything besides the terrifying fear of death. You want to keep feeling like this, whether it’s here in this hall, or anywhere else.
People like young girls, who know who they are, but don't quite know what to do with it, yet. Girls who spin around their closest friends, who might one day be more, girls with the blood of a wolf and the smile of a cat. Girls who don’t know where their lives are going, but are eager to find out where it will take them.
People like young lovers, sneaking off from the party, hand in hand. They put in their time, they think. Now it is time for them. They’ve given up so much, taken on so many burdens. They think their people might forgive them this one action. They slip into the room that is now both of theirs, and gently move together. There was once fear, for both when they did this. The young man, fearful of making a wrong move, of being discovered for who he really was, in his heart. The young woman, trapped and terrified, abused with no hope.
But now they are together.
And there is so much hope.
Their movements are definite, comfortable. The young man takes off her dress, one that represents all she was. The young woman unlaces his breeches, hands certain. He grasped her hips, she strokes his face..
They move with each other, and bring to life another.
The thronebreaker.
(But we are not there quite yet.)
They have found hope in each other. The blessing of spring comes forth from them both.
Hope finds its way into the hearts of others, as well. Into young queens, who see a new path forward, one where she can give, where once her family had taken. Into knights, who has a letter snug against her heart, thinking of decisions that are yet to be made. Of young lords, who do not know how to rule, but know with the girl in his arms, they will learn, together.
Hope is the grass poking through the snow, the buds on the trees. It is the water dripping off a thousand year old Wall, of warmer suns, and longer days.
Hope is spring, and spring is here.