Orange and gold illuminated against the sorrowful velvety blue of the old church's atmosphere. There were howls from the outside blizzard, but inside, it was a different symphony…
Edelweiss flowers began to multiply around the crystal-and-gold coffin of Maria Blanca as the animals and the seven dwarves continued their vigil. There was no ceasing with their tears and prayers, calling out to the heavens for a miracle—probably much like Lazarus's.
But they all knew that such a request would be unimaginable. Who were they for Heaven to prioritise? A lowly folk who were not saints might truly be somewhere far beyond the line of immediate grant petition.
However, they persevere with their prayers all for the love they have for the pale princess.
Round the clock, with every sand passing through the hourglass, the seven dwarves' songs echoed throughout, even mingling with the winter's breath. Despite the desperation and swelling eyes, it was no challenge until their hearts healed with answers laid at their feet. But they also knew that healing would not be a possibility, for they could not even dare to bury Maria Blanca. All they could do was to stay by her side, close their eyes, and continue to knock on heaven's gates.
"Réquiem ætérnam dona ei,
Dómine,
et lux perpétua lúceat ei.
Requiéscat in pace.
Amen."
Their voices resonated—repeating every word with all their heart and soul. Though the animals could not speak, they, too, bowed their heads, hoping this was just a dream that when they opened their eyes, their beloved pale princess would be there—alive and well.
However…
That was all just wishful thinking.
Ever since Maria Blanca passed, their sorrows could not be consoled as tears continued to flow like the unhalting snow and blizzard the winter carried. The thought of burying her was even more daunting and hard to comprehend, for they could never find it in their hearts to do such a thing, still yearning for a miracle.
As their prayers deepened and their cries echoed throughout…
Heaven did hear them as the doors of the church swung wide open, revealing a strange man with his steed.
The blizzard made him look like a frost creature with his hair and eyelashes all white and crystallised. Same as well with his steed, whose hair turned into falls of snowdrops. They looked otherworldly yet odd, raising everyone's brows.
Hurriedly, the stranger closed the door to prevent the winter's hands from teasing inside the church interior. He then walked across the aisle, wiping the snow from his steed and his own hair, revealing his brown hair and silver eyes beneath the once-frozen eyelashes.
As he walked closer towards the altar where Maria Blanca was lying, the seven dwarves could not help but murmur and wonder about him, inquiring each other whether they had met this young man.
Drawing closer, Geola then stepped forward and asked, "Excuse me, young man, but are you here for the princess?"
The man smiled, bent down on one knee, and answered, "I am, my good man. But you do not need the formalities. You already know me."
The seven dwarves looked at each other once more, recalling deeply in their memories where and when they had met this man.
Clearly, they have no answer. They knew all those neighbours, but they also knew they lived far and could no longer visit each other because of the perpetual winter. It has been a very long time. Probably, he might be the son of one of the woodsmen, yet they still could not be sure about it.
"I—I do not understand, young lad. But… We already met?" Geola was perplexed, crossing his hands and raising the other to his chin to dig through all the memories of such a handsome face if they had indeed seen him somewhere.
"Oh, yes… All of you already met me." He smiled at the other dwarves and the animals who slowly encircled him and his steed.
The woodland beasts were tilting their heads and raised their noses to have his scent, hoping they knew him. The dwarves still looked at each other like mindless children as they remained in limbo with their growing questions.
"We do not mean to be this inclusive, my son. Everyone who wishes to see the princess is very much welcome. You did say we met you, maybe because we are getting old; however, we cannot recall the first time we met." Geola told him as he took his cap and squeezed it.
The young man took the dwarf's hands, held them tightly as he looked into his eyes and said with all sincerity, flickering in his soul, "You did, my good man—All of you. In fact, when I was not in my own skin, you showed me kindness. Instead of bows and arrows, you offered me food and even let me be in the forest, though there were times I became unpredictable because of my new nature. Even the animals have become my family—creatures I listen to when sorrows come upon them."
A single ray of light suddenly streamed down from a crack of one of the church's broken windows, beaming directly at the young man, emphasising his silver eyes that never failed to show his nobleness and good faith.
Once they witnessed this, there was a quiet gasp amongst beasts and men. A kind of realisation they could not fathom might be possible. The dwarves looked at each other again, pondering if they were thinking the same thing.
They stared at the man once more, studying his features until they recognised the familiarity they had overlooked earlier.
"Good heavens! Could it really be him?" Brach asked, second-guessing himself.
"I have the hunch, what do you think?" Wonnie also pondered.
Moving closer to the young man, the seven dwarves finally asked if he was the great elk they all knew who wandered around the forest…
The young man smiled and nodded, saying," Indeed, I am." The answer was finally revealed, surprising everyone inside. "I am the elk who once roamed the forest. I am that elk who wailed at some night, feeling hopeless and defeated. Yet, here I am now, back to my old self. My name is Seigmund—Prince Seigmund, the son of King Jarvis of Ostaricum."
Everyone was flabbergasted—eyes widened, jaws dropped to the floor, and heads enlightened when they heard what the young man told them.
They knew about the neighbouring kingdom and its king. They had heard good tales about them and from their merchants, and learned much news, especially about the change in season. It has been a long time since summer rays welcomed them. Exchanges with the few merchants, who dared to traverse the harsh winter of Erdestea, were the only source of news they had, especially about how they spent their days in spring, summer, and autumn. However, ever since the winter became more abysmal, merchants were getting smaller, and contact from beyond the boundaries of the kingdom was reduced to almost nothing.
Yet, in flesh, kneeling before them with respect and dignity, was the son from the outside himself, walking amongst them against the frost and what seemed to be a tunnel of hopelessness.
"I have heard about Maria Blanca from her father's wails. He was hysterical when we found him. In his cries, he kept mentioning Maria Blanca. So, it became my mission to find her and tell her about her father. Also, I would be lying if I did not tell you that I want to see her." The prince then told them, hoping that all of their doubts about him would disappear into the void.
"I see now…" Geola sighed. "We understand, my boy—I mean, Your Highness. Do what you must." With his hand, the dwarf took one of the prince's while the other was directing towards Maria Blanca, lying beautifully in her crystal and gold coffin, surrounded by a sea of edelweiss.
The other little men also gave their encouragement to him, followed by the woodland beasts, who all nodded at him.
After handing his steed to one of the dwarves' hands, Prince Seigmund gracefully walked back towards Maria Blanca, no longer wandering his sight away from her lovely face.
With permission, he then took the crystal cover out and knelt on one foot beside the pale princess as he observed her, praying for her to wake up.
"Greetings, my sweet…" A note of tenderness in his voice when he greeted her. "I wish I were not too late to run back to your door. But… but…" Tears then stung his eyes and trickled down his cheeks, displaying all of his unsaid sorrows, guilt, and endearment in the open. His tears streamed down to his chin and down onto the white cheek of Maria Blanca, whose beauty remained sublime even as death hovered over her.
Overwhelmed by his emotions, Prince Seigmund drew himself closer to the princess, caressing her face like in those old ballads about a knight yearning for his damsel. "I am here now, Maria Blanca. I hope you still remember me." He whispered to her lips, sending warm breath to her skin.
And with the spark burning in him, Prince Seigmund sealed everything with a kiss…
A kiss that was pure and of love.
Out of thin air, the gloomy sky parted, paving the way to a ray of sunshine that beamed down at Prince Seigmund and Princess Maria Blanca. The hues of dullness were gradually fading as warmth slowly crept through.
A somersault shuddered inside the princess's chest, a kind of beat that was painful, loud, but enlivened. It was her heart beating—beating in the rhythm of the song, resonating from the prayers of those who loved her.
Maria Blanca then began to open her eyes as she fluttered her long lashes like a butterfly reborn from its cocooned days. From Hypnos's lair, her mind finally returned to reality as she started to see colours, shapes, and even heard murmurs tickling in her ears.
She felt a hand brushing on her cheek as the whisper was getting louder. Once she stretched out her stiffened limbs, words became clear, and her once-cold hands were now warm, as the same hands that had caressed her face now held it, passing the heat she had never known existed.
"My dear?" The voice before her called out softly, pressing her hands.
Maria Blanca blinked once, twice, and when the clouds in her golden eyes had faded, her shock caused her to rise from her slumber position. "Who—who are you?"
The mysterious prince chuckled, "He, he… Have you forgotten about me?" He then raised her hands to his lips, kissing her fingers as his eyes stared deeply into hers.
The pale princess was curious about him…
Like a child, she drew closer and held his face with her hands. She studied his face as he smiled, feeling every line, the sharpness of his jaw, and feeling his lips that never ceased in planting kisses on her thumbs. Upon looking into his eyes, memories from the past flooded her head, thrashing along with melting ice on river streams.
Deep in her study, her hands began to tremble, her breathing laboured with the unfathomable realisation.
In another manner, his eyes still reflected the same gentleness and timidity that had become quite familiar to her. Maria Blanca recalled the bouquet of edelweiss he always presented to her whenever she had to do chores. Taking a deep breath, the pale princess drew her nose closer to his, closed her eyes, and then whispered tearfully, "It's you!"
"It is me, princess." Prince Seigmund kissed her nose and cupped her cheeks as he wiped the rolling tears. "I'm glad you remembered."
"How could that be possible?"
The prince kissed her lips and answered, "I will tell you when we return home."
"Home." Maria Blanca smiled before she faced everyone else in the church.
The seven dwarves called out her name while they wiped their tears away. The animals were equally enchanted and jovial when they saw her rise from her eternal slumber.
"Princess…" The dwarves said, ecstatic as the sorrows gradually dispelled like the dawn in the coming morning.
Maria Blanca, aided by Prince Seigmund, emerged from her coffin and ran towards her little fathers, giving them the warmest, most loving embrace they could ever have. Sweet nothings were whispered as the little men never stopped thanking the heavens for hearing their pleas.
"Oh, I have missed you. If only you could see what I saw in my dream! It felt so real, but I was in white, dancing in the clouds along with angels." The dwarves could only cry as they kissed her. What seemed impossible had come into fruition, much like how Christ raised Lazarus from the dead. Many may find it hard to believe in the same miracle that happened for them, yet what truly matters at this moment is the return of their beloved princess and the end of the winter.
"We–we never stopped praying for you, my de—dear!" Osti wailed, kissing his dear princess's forehead.
"God heard us! Oh, God heard us!" Followed by Hornung, who wiped his tears and rejoiced as he made a little dance.
"Oh, you little darlings!" Cried Maria Blanca as she kissed them one by one and gave them another tight embrace. "Thank God, indeed! Thank God…"
The pale princess also gave her gratitude towards the woodland creatures, who each gave their own kisses. She also kissed them each and even danced with them as they encircled her; they all shared their happiness now that she was alive.
The heavens made merry as music suddenly filled the air. The snow was fully melted, and the sun rose once more, revealing the vibrant pastures that were also awakened from their deep sleep. Colours that matched Noah's rainbow were glowing, for it was not just whites and blues that reigned as flowers of all hues came alive, singing and swaying together with the rebirth of the spring breeze.
As the jovial dance pursued, Prince Seigmund swept Maria Blanca away from the deers and had her for his as he blew into her ears, "Shall we go home now?"
Maria Blanca smiled and responded, "Yes, we should go home."
Satisfied, Prince Seigmund kissed her while the fresh day of spring bloomed, as the sun returned on his mighty throne in the blue sky.