A Woodland Queen ('Reine des Bois') — Volume 2

Winter cloaks the mountain village in a relentless white silence, the streets choked by snowdrifts and the hearths barely warming the stone‑cold chambers of the Château de Buxières. Julien de Buxières, newly affluent yet hollowed by a creeping ennui, wanders through this frozen tableau feeling as isolated as the icy streams that lash the slopes. The season’s bleakness mirrors his inner frost, and even the lively chatter of locals and the echo of hunting tales fail to stir his restless mind.

Seeking a spark of intellectual companionship, Julien journeys to the modest presbytery of Vivey, where he encounters the affable Abbé Pernot, a man whose passions range from parish duties to the meticulous collection of birds and insects. Their conversation, peppered with humor and curious hobbies, offers Julien a glimpse of a world where curiosity triumphs over idle despair. As the abbey’s quiet charm begins to thaw his wintered spirit, the promise of deeper connections—perhaps even love— flickers on the horizon, inviting listeners to follow his delicate awakening.