Snowflakes and Roses [[Ice]]

[Ice]

Her skin was smooth as it ran across the exposed skin at the back of his neck. No matter how close they became, they always seemed to be able to get that one bit closer, becoming more and more like the one being on the backdrop of the Northern World. Ice wasn't sure how many times she had kissed a man before, but the way she kissed was better than any other woman he had had the pleasure of embracing.

As she arched her back, Ice became increasingly aware of her breasts pressed against his own chest. Her hand was in his hair, stroking it, tangling itself within its white strands. Snow was drifting onto them from the sky above, and Ice was sure they must have been coated a bit by now.

After kissing for a while longer, Ice finally detached himself from her and gave her a smile somewhere between sly and suggestive.

"So, Alaria, what do you want to do?"

[Alaria]

Ice pulled away from her, and she took in a few deep breathes. Yes, this man had the power to take her breath away. She place her hands on her thighs, just resting them there. Finally they managed to find their way to her blonde hair, parting it and then forming a braid. With the braid hanging over her shoulder, she turned to face him, a wry smile on her face. First, she stood on her toes to fix his hair. She had done some damage to it.

Second, she fixed her own body, smoothing out the stomach of her dress. Thirdly, she bent down and picked up some snow, patting it into a ball. Walking a short distance away, she held it up and put one hand on her hip, eyebrows raised.

Well, you might want to run. This snowball has a target, and your it. Laughing, she swiftly threw it at him, her laugh ringing around her. It bounced off the walls and echoed back at them. Alaria then ran and ducked behind the fountain, eyes searching to see if he was returning fire.

[Ice]

Ice didn't move as she bent down to pick up the snow upon the ground. It didn't quite click as to what she was doing until she had thrown the ball of snow, and it had collided on his head, spraying snow into his hair.

Ice laughed and bent down to pick up his own snowball, somewhat cruder than Alaria's as she had had more time to make it, and stood, waiting for her to check around the corner. He held the ball of snow high, prepared to throw.

He waited until he saw Alaria's pretty blonde face peeking from behind the fountain then threw his snowball, quickly moving towards a nearby tree. Preparing to make more snowballs, all the while laughing.

[Alaria]

Alaria watched him make duck to the tree while the snowball that he threw at her hit her in the face, knocking her to her backside. laughing, she wiped the snow from her face. Ah, he returned fire! She moved back behind the fountain and grabbed all the snow that she could. She pushed them all into balls and then gathered them in the folds of her dress, running away.

She went out and around the tree he was in, and then let loose the reign of snowballs on him. Laughing merrily, Alaria turned and ran through some snow covered trees. She would turn back every now and then to see where he was, and sometimes so that she could throw a snowball.

Catch me if you can! she yelled to him. This snowball fight had turned into a foot race of some sort. Snowballs could still be fired, but it was a type of race.

[Ice]

Ice couldn't hear anything. He stood for a moment longer before his curiosity got the better of him. He leaned from around the tree, only to be met with a snowball to the face, knocking him off his normally, steady feet to lay laughing hysterically on the ground.

Women will do that to you.

It took Ice a moment to stop laughing and stand up again. By that time Alaria had already gotten a head start on him, and was running away, still throwing snowballs. Ice, for his part, abandoned snowballs to simply chase her. Her dress was flying around her, and her blonde hair was flying behind her. Ice's hair was covered in snow, but it was hard to recognise, given its colour. Ice was smiling. It felt so good, like it was a long forgotten feeling alien to him. As his lips curved upwards, thoughts of war, of loss, all sad thoughts, all solemn thoughts were trod into the ground with his footsteps. They didn't matter anymore. They never would. Time was no longer in the North. No time would ever pass again. It would always just be Ice and Alaria together. Ice could wish for nothing more at that point.

The air was crisp, but it had never felt so soft; The snow was cold, but it had never been so welcoming, and Alaria had never looked so beautiful as she did then, trapped in the timeless park with Ice.

[Alaria]

Alaria turned around to see one of her snowballs hit him and knock him square on his backside. Laughing, she didnt watch what she was doing, and almost ran into a tree. He got up laughing and ran after her, abandoning the snowballs. Swiftly he gained speed on her, and she could hear him right behind her.

She dodged trees and stumps, and those big ravines too. As suddenly as she was running, she was gone. Behind a huge tree that had leaped up into her way. She had silently thrown herself behind it, back pressed to the bark. Breathing heavily, she tried to steady her breath so that he would not find her. She peaked around the corner and noticed his hair was slightly whiter than normal. Snow. Nodding her head, she waited a few seconds, then ducked back behind him. But when she did, she could not find him. Stopping in her tracks, Alaria looked around for him.

Panic rose in her chest and she spun in circles to find him. Her fingers were wringing themselves into her dress, ruffling the material. Had she taken a wrong turn? Her eyes searched frantically for him.

Ice! Ice where are you? she yelled. Distraught, she sat down on a stump, hands on forehead. The snap of a twig made her grab a snowy branch and wield it as a weapon. Something moved in the shadows where the noise came from.

Ice? she whispered.

[Ice]

Ice sniggered silently as she spun around, looking for him. He crouched down with a mischievious smile across his lips and moved silently into a nearby bush. His white clothing blended in perfectly with the snow covering the leaves.

Crack.

Ice winced slightly, he must have stood on a branch. Now Alaria was looking at where he was, though he doubted she was really looking at him. When she asked if it was indeed he that was there, Ice knew his doubts had been well-placed.

For a moment, Ice just sat and looked across at her and the stick she wielded, trying so hard not to laugh. It was all to amusing to watch her, though he wasn't sure why. Finally, Ice decided he should do something, he wasn't that cruel as to keep her in suspence.

So, in one long, fluid move, Ice burst from the bushes to land directly in front of her.

"Boo!"

He took her in his arms and once again fell down into the snow.

[Alaria]

Alaria jumped when Ice came directly out of the bushes she faced to land in front of her. He laughed and grabbed hold of her, bringing her to the ground with him. Giggling, she laid semi on top of him, laughing. Her laugh shook her whole body. With gentle hands, she traced her pointer fingers down his jaw line, then kissed him softly. An idea popped into her head.

Ice. You should throw a Winter Ball. Invite those all around us to come, even the Southerners. It would be joyous, and something that could help us with a peace treaty again. We could have a big banquet, with lots of food. What do you think? I would love to get dressed up in a beautiful gown and...] Grinning, she rolled off him and into the snow. Making a snow angel, she rolled back over to lay next to him.

And see you in your best attire. Winking, Alaria picked up a twig and began to trace stars in the snow. Frowning, she began to draw something else, something different. A dress prehaps? Yes, thats what it was. Her best dress was the one that she had on now. And it was currently being ruined by her frollicking with Ice. Smudging it out of the snow, she looked down at her dress. Her frown deepened. Pushing hair from her face, she stared up at the sky. It was beginning to get dark. The real cold would come on soon. Rolling over, she tried to put on a smile, but the dress subject was still on her mind.

Lets go somewhere? We could sit by a fire there, and drink something hot. That sounded so good. The dress issue pushed it from her head though. She had to save up for almost a year to afford the one that she had on now. And if Ice liked the Winter Ball idea, then she couldn't possibly ask him to make the Ball a year away. She would have to find someway to get another one. Collapsing in the snow, she watched the powder fall down on her. The thought of a fireplace sounded even more inviting. Shoving it from her mind all together, Alaria turned her glance to Ice. She fingered the sequins on the waist of her dress.

[Ice]

Ice embraced Alaria down there, on the ground. They both laughed for a moment before a spontaneous kiss. Then Alaria was talking again, and Ice propped himself up onto his arm to listen to what she was saying, and let her know that he was paying attention.

"Hmmm . . ." Ice rolled the idea over his tongue for a moment, looking up at the canopy, thinking silently before talking. "If we were to have a ball . . ." Ice looked across at her with a curious amusement playing in his eyes. "It would not be in Svëna. The Southerners would never come here, it is too cold for them. I would rather not have them all around here in any rate."

Ice let that thought linger for a moment longer before continuing. "However, the Isle of Emerals has always been used as neutral ground for all armies. It would not be too hot for us, and nor would it be too cold for the Southerners. If I was to host a ball, ironically it would not be in my land. Rather in the land that has never belonged to any of the major armies."

He broke off to watch her trace in the snow. It was a dress. An idea formed in the back of Ice's mind and he smiled.

"Yes," Ice said, "Would you like to go to a fire, or drink hot cocoa while skating across ice?"

[Alaria]

Alaria grinned. So, he was thinking about her Ball idea. It would be great fun. Dancing, laughing, eating and drinking. She laid her head on his chest and thought for a minute. Yes, it would probably be a better idea to hold the ball in some other land, one that was neutral and wouldn't spark rivalry between the two nations. Her eyes found his, and she held them there for a moment, before sitting up. Old battle wounds were hurting her again. Holding a hand to her chest, she turned away, ashamed.

Yes, we could go ice skating. And hot chocolate would be wonderful. The stars were out now, and she looked up to them. The souls of past rulers were up there, watching down on them. She put both hands in her lap and could feel her friend on her thigh, waiting to be used. Shakr'am. He was whispering to her, asking to be led into battle.

I'm ready to go when you are. Alaria smiled and turned back to him, excited to be going ice skating. There wasn't much to do when you lived by yourself and your only friend was always out hunting. Ice was great. He was a friend, more than a friend. She took his hands in hers and kissed his cheek and then got ready to stand.

[Ice]

Ice was quick to stand up, nimble as he was. And he offered a hand to Alaria to lift her up towards him. He could still feel the slightly wet and warm area on his cheek where her lips had brushed across him, and it made him smile again. A warm smile, and for the first time in Ice's life, he was giving someone an affectionate smile.

"I have hot chocolate at my inn." Ice said never taking his eyes of her, "and a brilliant river for ice skating." Ice took his eyes off her for a moment to look at the stars. They shone with a envy that they could never touch a human, and that their beauty was so much less than Alaria's. The stars may have been out of Ice's reach, but he was well out of there's.

It didn't take long to be walking out of the city towards Ice's inn, where hot chocolate, ice skating and their own unshakeable company would be waiting for them, for the rest of the night. And for the first time in so long, Ice found himself happy and hopeful.

[Alaria]

Alaria grabbed his hand and stood up, stiffling a yawn. Soon they were walking down the snowy streets towards his inn, towards hot chocolate, and towards ice skating. Her hands found his, and her head found his shoulder, resting there slightly. She had one last thing on her mind to talk to him about.

Ice, I'm sorry about those robes. The ones that were ruined that day after the battle. They were nice, and I never meant to do that. She didn't want to put a damper on the mood, seeing as how it was cheery and loving, but she just had to appoligise. Otherwise, it wouldn't be right.

They were soon out of city limits and nearing his inn. Their breath was visable in the night air, and she couldn't wait to get in the inn, and then ice skate. She had been to his inn a few times before, and had left a coat and pair of skates there. Alaria could only hope that maybe they were still there.