Farewell was such a thorn to the soul as she kissed each of her little fathers' foreheads. Pearly droplets were now burdening their eyes as they said, "Fare thee well" to each other. Her loving woodland creatures were not spared from the long endearment of kisses, giving each of them equal warmth that the pale princess always possessed.
"I will be back, my dearies. After I returned to the palace, I promised that I would send for you." Maria Blanca vowed as her prince mounted her on his steed.
"We are always here for you, my child," Geola said, wiping the jovial tears that flooded his eyes.
"It will not be long. I owe my whole life to you for giving me a loving home when I needed it."
Prince Seigmund also expressed his gratitude to everyone, then rode off with his princess as they journeyed back to the palace.
"I cannot believe spring has come." Maria Blanca muttered, looking at the vastness of the wonders that had been buried under the blanket of snow for how many years.
The prince's heart was pounding inside his chest—joyous to have his princess safe in his arms as she leaned into him. He said nothing but only planted kisses on his beloved's head, savouring the breath of spring as he also wondered—still baffled at the miracle that Heaven bestowed upon them. "What lovely scene it is. An Easter. Thank God I have you now to protect." Another kiss on Maria Blanca's head as he continued to ponder, looking at the same scenery which life returned in bliss.
Indeed, never had they thought that winter would pass, fading as if Heaven itself blew it all away.
Never had they thought that Queen Gertrude's curse would dispel—broken, like a shattered glass, all because of a kiss. Well, not just any kiss, but true love's kiss, matched with the soul's sincerity and the heart's pureness.
Now, evil had fled, burned and turned to dark ash; the pale princess and her prince rejoiced as they returned to the palace with all petrified souls now free from their own curse, free to celebrate their renaissance.
Once the servants saw their princess, they all cheered and raised their handkerchiefs, blessing her arrival.
"Long live the princess!" They clamoured, crying in delight as she waved and smiled at them.
Olga and Winifred ran towards their dear Maria Blanca, calling out her name as Prince Seigmund gently placed her down.
"Princess! Our princess!" The old nursemaids wailed, opening their arms to their beloved.
"Olga! Winifred!" Maria Blanca also called out, warmly accepting their embrace that epitomised their yearning for her. "Oh, I truly missed you!"
"We have been looking for you, love," Winifred said, cupping her cheeks and kissing them. "Our hearts were breaking when we could not find you. We have searched and searched—leaving no stones unturned—but there was no sign of you."
"But we all knew by then that it was your evil aunt who had inflicted such a travesty upon you. Her puny maid's tongue could no longer carry the heavy weight of her sin." Olga added, still mad at what happened to Maria Blanca under Gertrude's wickedness.
"I am here now, my dearies." She beamed a lovely smile, assuring them as she wiped away the tears rolling from their eyes. "I am alive and well."
Filled with glee and gratitude, the reunion added contentment in each of their hearts, beating in unison as the rhythm of spring echoed from far and wide.
"Oh, my darling! I really thought hope was lost. But I am very happy you are now back here with us. And look, the flowers were now in bloom!" Winifred cried even more, giving her princess more kisses on the face before embracing her.
"My heart also leaps to see all of you." Once she was released from the tight embrace, Maria Blanca then told her nursemaids, "I wanted to tell you also that the seven dwarves helped me survive, and also the animals in the forest!"
Olga and Winifred looked at each other, curious about the dwarves and animals. "Dwarves? Animals?" They asked the princess with one brow raised.
"Like trolls, my dear?" Olga followed.
"Oh, no… Never like trolls!" Maria Blanca giggled at their unbridled imagination. "The seven dwarves are just little people. I call them my 'little fathers' for they took good care of me, especially when Aunt Gertrude found me and hurt me; they never left my side. Also, the animals were there. They are all the sweetest! But there is this one person who never ceased to protect me…" With her hand stretched, welcoming him into the conversation, Maria Blanca told her nursemaids about Prince Seigmund's chivalry and how he was the most valiant, even if he was cursed into an elk.
Elated with her story, the nursemaids also informed the pale princess of how Prince Seigmund destroyed her wicked aunt before their introduction.
"The prince is truly a brave man, my dear." Prince Seigmund became bashful from Olga's compliment. "When we found him, bloodied and weak, he was muttering no one but you and how he wanted to bring you home. Look now, he truly kept his promise."
"It is my duty, madame." Prince Seigmund bowed gently as he took Maria Blanca's hand, raised it, and kissed her fingers, deliberately putting crimson on her cheeks.
The news of their return and the winter vanishing reached the ears of King Jarvis, who was in disbelief at first, bowing his bewildered head in his hands, which rested on a table. He was lost for words when he learned that both his son and Princess Maria Blanca were alive, even writing a letter to him.
"My God! My God!" He hoarsely uttered as his tears fell all of a sudden.
Everyone in the palace of Ostaricum was in a frenzy upon learning the report of their prince, whom they thought was long gone. There were rejoices and hymns of gratitude raised towards the heavens. Even the queen could say nothing except to cry happy tears along with Prince Seigmund's younger siblings.
There was a cacophony of merry cheers from the servants, befitting the spring's glory and harmony.
Such news also reached King Arnulf, who stayed under the care of King Jarvis's household for years. Housed in the quiet yet calm walls of one of the Ostaricum King's castles, King Arnulf was in recovery, although his vitality remained buried under his shattered psyche. Upon learning from King Jarvis himself what had happened to his daughter, there was a twinkle in his dull eyes, signalling the return of life to his soul.
"Maria Blanca… alive?" He faced his friend, eyes pleading for an immediate answer, even hoping to offer some reassurance.
"Yes, brother." King Jarvis told him, placing a hand on his shoulder. "The princess is now back in the palace with my son, and they are now waiting for us."
King Arnulf clasped his hands into a prayer, bowed his head, and cried. He did not know what to say. He was nonplussed and burdened by regret that punished him up to that very moment. Since he was rescued from the hands of death by King Jarvis and Prince Seigmund, all he had in his thoughts were guilt and mournful wails of his daughter, begging for forgiveness for all his sins, especially for being an absent father.
The invitation was definitely enticing. Seeing his daughter once more would be the greatest gift, but he knew deep inside he did not deserve Maria Blanca's sweet and pure heart. After all the misery he had placed upon his daughter, and also the kingdom, King Arnulf could not stop loathing himself and buried himself deep in a pit full of sorrows and remorse.
He said nothing for about a minute, crying until his eyes stung.
King Jarvis was patient with him, understanding the emotions swirling like a storm inside him. The silence surrounding them was heavy. However, it was not a bother, sensing it was more an aid in clearing their convoluted thoughts than a bleating tone that scratched their ears.
After a momentary pause, King Arnulf looked up, facing the wide window that showcased the clearness of the day, and then said to his fellow monarch, "I am the cause of all the misery that has happened to my kingdom. I am the cause of my daughter's misery." He turned his head towards King Jarvis with tears still present in his eyes and on his cheeks as he continued, "I do not forgive myself. How can I? I abandoned my daughter, whom I should have taken care of. I—I should have cared for her. She—she is my dear Isadora's gift."
King Jarvis sat beside him, sighed, and shared that he understood his pain. He might not have walked on his shoes, but the guilt he was feeling was the same plague he knew too well when he thought his son was dead. "You are not alone in your sorrow, brother. When I thought my son had died, I was angry at myself. I became a recluse, a madman walking. The only thing that kept me from losing my mind was hearing my wife and my other children's cries, for they too suffer from losing Seigmund. I realised I was becoming selfish, and I was also reminded of my duty to my people. We are allowed to cry, Arnulf—we are human after all. But as kings and fathers, we should stand firm and be the first ones to face the problem. It is what was intended for us."
"I could not forgive myself…" King Arnulf broke down, trembling as he recalled her daughter's frightened face whenever her passed by her. "Even if I beg for mercy, I do not know if my daughter could ever forgive me."
"Listen to me, Arnulf, there is no harm in trying to ask for forgiveness. If your daughter does not forgive you, try again tomorrow. Every waking moment is another chance to ask for forgiveness, especially if you really set your heart into it."
Arnulf looked out the window again and studied the clarity of the sky and the birds that were flying in the air. The soaring beasts looked so free, so serene as they sang their song that their ancestors also sang long before them. The air was crisp, too, so it would be odd to ignore it.
As he continued to stare at the scenery, King Arnulf took a deep breath and repeated what his fellow king had encouraged him, "Every waking moment is another chance…" He reflected on every word, absorbing its meaning, and let the fibres of his body feel it. "You are maybe right, brother. I should not stop asking for forgiveness until my heart is settled."
"I know everything will be alright. Just put faith in it." King Jarvis cheered, smiling at his downheartened brethren, who he witnessed were withering not until the good news came knocking at their door.
As soon as the weather was fair, King Jarvis and King Arnulf travelled, making their return to the Kingdom of Erdestea. At first, the Ostaricum King did not allow his friend to join him on the trip, fearing that his health might turn fragile again. Yet, King Arnulf insisted on joining him and bothered not whether his health would decline or stabilise.
"I want to see my daughter, Jarvis. Please let me return with you!" He begged his brethren, holding his shoulder as he forced him with an elated spirit that was not present before.
King Jarvis looked at him and observed the lines on his face, feeling the desperation in his voice, and let out a sigh of content as he calmly waved his white banner, "Alright, brother. I understand the need for reunion with your daughter. But let me remind you that, for now, I am responsible for you. We cannot let you go weak as we head on with our journey."
King Arnulf curved a small smile at him as he patted his hand and said, "I give you my trust."
At last, the two kings set out on their journey, hearts full of hope and prayer that God would bless them with fair weather for the number of days they travelled. They even looked up into the heavens, exalting the might of God as they quietly said their gratitude for keeping their children alive.
***
The welcoming colours of spring that now gloried in the vastness of Erdestea smiled at the kings, who were in awe of such a sight.
While riding on their horses, hoping for a fresh breeze and relishing the remaining time of their journey away from the dullness and inclusiveness of the carriage, King Arnulf and King Jarvis could not keep their jaws up, lost in words, noticing that winter was indeed no more.
"Good Lord!" King Jarvis exclaimed—a tone that was just higher than a whisper, but enough to be heard.
"Spring seems like a wishful thinking when the cursed snow began. How beautiful the colours were." King Arnulf noted that he could not keep his eyes off the beauty before him.
The king of Erdestea became tearful as he recalled the charm his kingdom always had. When he was still a young boy, he enjoyed the time when spring came, for aside from the great hunt, he did enjoy hiking in the forest with his father and their band of merry men, just simply studying the wildlife that pranced around the wide green follies and taking in the air that soothed their lungs. He also remembered how his beloved Isadora loved to check on her garden, pulling weeds and nurturing her young sprouts as she waited for them to bloom in time for midspring.
"It is such a wonderful day, isn't it, Arnulf?" She looked up to him after hours of tilling the earth and planting seeds in it. "When we have children, I want them to enjoy and appreciate the flowers and plants we have here." As she smiled, the king's heart warmed, falling in love with her once more.
"I am sure they will love it, my love." He answered as he knelt beside her and kissed her.
Experiencing spring was also remembering his Queen Isadora. Feeling the sweeping breath of spring brushing through his skin, it was also a moment for him to remember Maria Blanca, who did not deserve the coldness he gave to her.
Once at the gates, countless people were already cheering and welcoming them, smiling from ear to ear and waving at them with their handkerchiefs. King Arnulf recognised some of his subjects, waving and smiling at them, but unknowingly realised how his tears took over and trickled down his face, ecstatic to be with his people again.
"I missed all of you…" He remarked, smiling at the menagerie of individuals who continued to greet him warmly, King Jarvis, and their entourage.
Trumpets were blown, and drums were beaten in a celebratory rhythm as soldiers all waited in line—-awaiting their king who rose from the palms of death.
By the gates of the palace of Erdestea, there were more people ready to welcome the kings, clapping, dancing, and making all merry noises to signify that the day was blessed and God had shown mercy upon them. King Arnulf could not believe that even after what his inattention to his duties before he was cursed to be thrown in death, his subjects forgave him—welcoming him with joy that truly struck his mournful heart with bliss which he thought was only possible for those who had lived a saintly life.
"Will my daughter also forgive me?" The king thought to himself as they neared the main entrance, where all his soldiers and past advisers waited.
As the two kings dismounted from their horses, a band of old advisers cheered for them, kissing their hands, and praised the heavens for their safe travel.
"God bless you, Your Majesties!" One adviser boomed his glee as his fat cheeks showed delight to the monarchs.
"Winter has passed, my good lords. The sun is smiling once more." Another one added, giving King Arnulf and King Jarvis the warmest of all gentlemen's handshakes.
While the group conversed about the rebirth of Erdestea, there, waiting at the main door of the palace, were none other than Princess Maria Blanca and Prince Seigmund, smiling as their hearts soared into the sky as they lovingly gazed at their fathers, who seemed to be in jubilee.
Feeling his heart swaying in a melody of amor, along with the winds, King Arnulf heard the voice of his beloved wife, Queen Isadora, telling him soothingly, "I miss you, my darling—my love. But she also missed you…" Feeling her soft hands guiding his face to turn around and look up, the king of Erdestea finally saw his dear daughter waving at him, a smile on her lips as beautiful as the blooming flowers on the pavement.
"My sweet…" He whispered in a voice that trembled from the whirlwind of emotions. "Maria Blanca! Oh, my sweet Maria Blanca!" He called her, bolting towards her as he opened his arms, ready to welcome her beautiful daughter.
"Papa!" Maria Blanca ran towards him, crying and opening her arms, as well, for her yearning for his love was now burning bright—burning her heart and soul like the sun itself.
When they embraced, father and daughter started to cry. There were no words, no salutations, but just pure emotions, especially with the paternal love that had long been dormant.
Maria Blanca cried on his chest as she heard his heart beating. She cried all those unsaid words and all those dreams about wanting her father's love that her younger self tried to tell him, yet such boldness was still in its infancy—still growing inside her. "Papa…" It was the only word she could speak as her hands turned even whiter while she crumpled his clothing.
"There, there…" King Arnulf comforted her while one hand brushed her hair. "There is no need to be sorrowful, my love. In fact, I should be the one to say my deepest apology to you. I do not deserve your pure soul. I do not deserve the goodness that is in your heart. I do not deserve your sweetness, even your love. I understand if it befits to disregard me, but with all my heart and soul, I am truly sorry. You do not deserve the coldness I had shown you. My apologies… my apologies…"
Maria Blanca raised her head and stared into her father with her gold eyes glimmering with pure love as sunlight beamed down on them, "I am not angry at you, Papa. I have forgiven you long before. Dry those tears now and let us all live in peace."
King Arnulf broke down, finally letting all his emotions take over him as he tightened his embrace on her. "Oh, love… My daughter…" He wailed, whispering to her as he leaned his chin on her head. "I really do not deserve your kindness." He felt his guilt crawling out, trying to wound him even more, not until he heard his daughter tell him how she never loathed him and even forgave him. Her words were like a divine sword, striking him directly at his heart to vanquish the cursed sorrows and darkness that had consumed him.
Her genuineness reminded him of Isadora and how he now realised how similar she was to her. He was more remorseful, yet he felt light and somewhat free as a bird whose cage had been finally opened.
"Bless your heart, my dear… Oh, God bless you." He told her as he kissed her head, never wanting to let go of her.
"I love you, papa. Do not feel sad anymore." Maria Blanca smiled and leaned back to her father's chest, imagining that her mother's spirit was also there with them, joining in their embrace.
King Jarvis and Prince Seigmund also had their sweet moment—a reunion where father and son could not believe such a miracle would be possible.
The king of Ostaricum was crying his eyes out, embracing his son tightly, knowing that God had heard him and death never won. "My son…" He told him as sentimental words stumbled at the tip of his tongue.
"I am here now, Father. I am alive and very much alright." Prince Seigmund responded, trying not to shed more tears on such a wonderful day. As they released each other from their embrace, he stared into his father's eyes and said, "It was a curse that changed me into an elk. I lost my voice and was in agony knowing I could not communicate with you—tell you what happened to me. But, all is fine now—very good—that witch is finally dead!"
King Jarvis pulled his son closer to him, embracing him once more as he comforted him like he usually did when he was still a little boy. "No need to fret now, my lad. What is important now is that you are back to yourself, and no more curses befell upon you."
The sun's grin was wide as he sat on his throne, praising the Divine Providence for finally permitting him to illuminate the once dreary kingdom of Erdestea. Heaven showed joy as it hovered mightily in bright blue, bringing brightness and vanishing the despondency that once gloried on the land.
As families now united, peace was now the music echoing on hither-tither, making the dejected fruits of winter seem like scenes meant to be buried in the dark ages. As the kings and their children entered the palace proper, a merrier feast awaited them, with loyal servants cheering and blessing them with good health.
"Did I not tell you that all will be alright? Now, gaze at the smiling faces, brother, this is a celebration." King Jarvis excitedly opened his arms theatrically as he pointed at the feast that was before them.
"Indeed." King Arnulf found himself dumbfounded, filled with surprise and gratitude for the warmth extended to him and his guests.
"Now, with the children…" King Jarvis looked at brethren teasingly, raising a brow like a mischief god about to blurt out an unforeseen remark. "When are we going to plan for the cathedrals to ring their booming wedding bells?"
The monarch of Erdestea was caught off guard at first, with widened eyes as he faced him. King Arnulf then laughed and gazed at his daughter, who definitely showed affection towards Prince Seigmund, noting the glow in her face and the equal ardour the boy had for her. "As soon as possible…Is that too much, brother?" Both kings then laughed and shook hands, sealing a bond between the two kingdoms with a promise of unity and continuous harmony.