Her winter friend

The most simple things can be the most meaningful. Those occurrences in our lives that seem so trivial, but whose impact is so big. This story is no different. It’s not amazing or unique. It’s just a glimpse into a friendship between two winter friends, that walked in each other’s lives by pure coincidence. But they left traces in their hearts that would never melt away. 

***

Alice walked through the dark hallways of the medieval castle. Her heels were making a click- clack noise on the marble floor, echoing ominously in the emptiness. Her silky gown was dragging on the ground, under the dim light of the lanterns. Alice opened the door to her room, and took off her corset. How unnecessarily tight, she thought. Then, she undid her neatly braided hairdo and slowly brushed her long black hair. She stared at the mirror in front of her. Life is so boring. She stood up and pushed the heavy curtains to the side. Dust flew everywhere and light emerged inside the room. Alice opened the window and let the breeze run through her hair. She closed her eyes for a moment, imagining what it would be like to be free as a bird, flying around with the wind as a guide. Hasn’t everyone wondered that at some point in their lives? Alice admired the view. All that could be seen from high up there was lushious, green vegetation all around the stone walls of the castle. A little further were the little houses of a village. And at the horizon there was the sea. The only way you could tell where the water ended and the sky began, was by the playful sparkles and shimmers of the waves. The sky was blue, more blue than it ever had been in the past few days. There was no cloud to be seen. Everything was still. Nothing to see, nothing to do. 

Alice walked down the spiraling stairs to the kitchen of the castle. She peeked inside and when the coast was clear, she sneaked out the back door. Then, she saw the carriage emerging with the weekly food supplies. She hid and waited for it to stop. When the driver unloaded the heavy boxes, Alice hopped in the back wagon with a rush of excitement. The carriage started moving on the bumpy road, and Alice peeked her head out of the golden hay. She could smell the sweet lavender in the purple fields by the dirt road. Everything was so beautiful. 

Eventually, the carriage stopped at the village. Alice hopped off and ran to a nearby fountain. She watched the water trickle down, and the little white goats drinking avidly. She dipped her hand inside and shivered at the touch of the ice cold feeling. She looked around, watching the town’s people walk and talk enthusiastically. It was lively, unlike the suffocating atmosphere of the castle. Alice smiled happily, and skipped to the village market. There were stands where people were selling all kinds of things. Fruit, fish, jewellery and even old antiques. Alice strolled around, and eventually found herself away from the market. She walked down an unfamiliar alleyway when she bumped into someone. 

“Oh, sorry!” She apologised and looked at the person in front of her. They were wearing a long black cape, covering most of their face and hair. 

“Oh no, it’s my fault. My apologies,” they said taking off their hoodie. A young girl with a messy ponytail of brown hair was revealed. 

“Hey, I’m Mia!” she said. 

“I’m Alice! Are you from this town? I’ve never heard that name before,” she asked curiously. 

“No, I’m from quite far away actually, but I came here looking for stuff! I heard this area has a big market,” Mia replied. “Wanna come with?” 

“Sure!”

This stranger had a different aura from anyone Alice had ever met. Unfamiliar but definitely not unsettling. It sparked Alice’s curiosity. Alice and Mia walked side by side, going back to the market. 

“Your eyes are really pretty,” Mia pointed out. “They have the colour of the ocean.”

“Thank you, I’ve always wanted to go there,” Alice revealed. 

“I hope you go there someday,” Mia smiled. They looked around at the different stands in the market. 

“What exactly are you looking for?” Alice asked. 

“Nothing specific really, maybe some pocket watches or jewelry? I like collecting those,” Mia explained. They looked around.

“Hey, Mia! You might like this?” Alice suggested pointing at a golden bracelet with a little flower engraving. 

“Wow!” Mia exclaimed. Then her gaze fell on something else. “Oh, this one is also gorgeous!” she said. It was a pendant with a silver snowflake charm, and a mesmerising blue gem in the middle. “Look at how shiny the sapphire is!”

“It’s beautiful,” Alice agreed. 

“Here,” Mia said, handing her the pendant. 

“What..?” Alice asked confused. 

“Take it, but promise to keep it forever!” Mia said looking her in the eye. 

“Ah, I promise! But why are you giving it to me? It looks really precious!”

“Because the snowflake reminds me of you. You’re a winter friend!”

“What’s that?” Alice asked curiously. 

“Where I’m from, there’s a saying. Summer friends melt away like summer snows, but winter friends are friends forever. I think you’re a winter friend,” Mia explained smiling warmly. Alice held the pendant close to her heart. 

“I’ve never had a friend before, thank you so much!” 

“Oh, don’t mention it!” Mia assured putting her hand on her shoulder. 

“No, I mean thank you for being my friend. Please visit me again someday,” she said and wore the pendant. “I’ll be waiting.”

“When I come back, we can go see the ocean together, okay?” Mia suggested and Alice’s eyes widened in joy. 

“Really? I would love that!” she replied and hugged Mia. Mia then waved goodbye, and walked away with her cape blowing gracefully in the wind. 

*** 

“What’s up, Mia? Where’d ya travel to this time?” a woman asked. She was wearing thick gloves and protective glasses. 

“Hey Jess, I went a while back. You know where those ruins are? Turns out it was a castle back in the day.”

“Can you give me my phone?” the other interrupted. “I need to tighten this gear right here but I can’t see a damn thing.”

“Were you even listening?” Mia asked annoyed. 

“Somethin’ bout a castle?” 

Mia sighed and handed her the phone. 

“Anyway, did you bring anythin’ for the museum?”

“Yeah, a bunch of jewelry.”

“Good, they’ll sure appreciate some medieval trinkets.” 

***

“Jess! Can I go back to the time period I visited a while ago? You know, the one with the caste and little village by the hillside?” Mia asked excitedly. 

“Sure, was it that interesting?”

“I just have a promise to keep.”

*** 

Mia’s eyes fell upon the destruction. Everything was burned to ashes. All the houses, the streets, everything had been consumed by the raging flames. Nothing was left, except some lucky sprouts that emerged from the dry soil, desperately asking for water. In the air, the smell of death still lingered. Mia’s gaze fell upon the castle on the hill, which was also reduced to nothingness. Its former glory was gone, only to be buried and brought to light by archaeologists decades later. 

***

Mia felt the soft sand beneath her palms, and the cold water touching her feet. The sound of the ocean crashing against the sharp rocks was somehow soothing. Mia smiled, and looked up to the sky. 

“I’m sorry I was too late,” she whispered. A tear rolled down her cheek. She glanced at the snowflake pendant dazzling under the blazing sun. She felt a throbbing sensation in her heart, and a lump in her throat. She tried to keep a straight face, but the surge of emotions was overwhelming. She closed her eyes as to prevent the tears that welled up in her eyes, but it didn’t stop them from streaming down her face like a waterfall. A long time passed before Mia found the strength to stand up. The sun was going down, almost as if it was sinking into the deep blue of the ocean. The sky was a fiery red colour like it was bleeding painfully. Everything seemed like an expensive painting. 

“I wish you were here to see this,” Mia mumbled. She wore a bitter smile on her face, and put the pendant down on the soft, golden sand. 

“Farewell, my winter friend.” she whispered and without another word, she returned home to the chaotic life of the present day. This was one of those occurrences that were soon forgotten. Life went on, and new things happened. Yet Mia’s winter friend was forever engraved in her heart.