hrj

Sounds a lot like The Magicians and Mrs Quent, except for the second female protagonist. At least, there's the sentient wood engaged in a constant struggle with the kingdom for every contested acre of land, and there's the trope contrasting logical-scientific men's magic with chaotic-instinctual women's magic, and there's a certain amount of Beauty-and-the-Beast (or at least Pride-and-Prejudice).