~ Apples and Snowflakes ~

"Wow," Winter said, eyes gleaming with admiration. "Is that your mage's uniform?"

Etrix sipped his rose tea, savouring the taste of blooming flowers that tickled at his tongue. His uniform was white with golden embroidery intricately woven through the fabric. On the right side of his chest was a golden hand emanating some sort of material, designed carefully enough to stand out from the rest of the simple patterns. It was the mage's crest.

"Yeah, it is. What're you writing?" He asked her, eyes watching her hand carefully scribbling something on a pretty sheet of letter paper.

"A mage has no right asking about the Princess' personal business," Ezekiel said with dangerous eyes, clutching the curved handle of his teacup.

Etrix chuckled, sipping his tea slowly. "I'm also Her Highness' playmate."

Ezekiel clenched his fists. "A playmate still has no right to inquire about Her Highness' personal matters."

"Why are you drinking tea with us anyways? Aren't you her knight?"

"Stop," Winter said with a sigh. "Zekie's drinking with us because I told him to."

"Zekie?" Etrix said with a raised eyebrow. "Why are you referring to your inferior by his nickname? He's not your lover."

Winter scowled, glaring at Etrix's ruby red eyes. "Stop causing problems. I'm starting to like your wolf form better than this one. Besides, I'm trying to write a letter so if you guys could please shut up. I can't concentrate with your bickering."

Ezekiel sipped his tea. He didn't like rose tea but it was the Princess' favourite, so he had forced himself to get used to the flowery drink. Winter brewed the tea herself and always added two sugar cubes to his cup, knowing he didn't like bitter things.

Winter sighed, holding the letter up in front of her. It was a letter of thanks, specifically describing the liking she had taken to the tree he sent her. It further described how regretful and sad she was, since there was an "accident" with its planting. She smiled to herself and thought about what to send him.

"Hey," She asked them. "What should I send the Prince?"

The room grew silent.

"Absolutely nothing." Etrix said, eyes blazing with a murderous aura.

"Her Highness should not concern herself with things like that," Ezekiel gulped his tea, suppressing the rage that built up inside him.

Winter pouted. "I'll just ask Aiden later then."

She placed the letter aside and reached for a cookie. The Palace was busy with preparations for her upcoming birthday banquet and Winter had no lessons scheduled for the day, so she settled on having tea with Etrix and Ezekiel. Alexion had come to see her last night after the incident, but she refused him. The memories of her nightmare still lingered in the back of her mind and she was afraid she wouldn't be able to suppress her rage if she were to see him. Still, she felt bad. It wasn't his fault, Winter just couldn't bring herself to look him in the eyes yet.

"Esme," She called, pulling a blue lily out from the vase on the centre of the tea table. "Give this to Alexion and tell him I'll see him tomorrow for tea."

Esme's eyes lit up with delight. "Right away, Your Highness." She took the flower and scurried out of the room.

Aiden was currently practicing swordsmanship and Lysander was away at the Academia, so her day had been more quiet than usual. She wriggled her fingers and studied them carefully.

"Are you feeling cold?" Etrix asked her.

"Nope," She said, examining her hands. "I'm just curious as to how I managed to freeze the garden."

Ezekiel flinched, remembering the sight of frozen grass and tree roots.

"It's possible that your affinity is deeply connected to your emotions." Etrix explained, picking up a scone. "You were having a bad day and Alexion worsened your mood. As a result, your emotions got the best of you."

Winter nodded, deep in thought. The same thing happened at the academy. She would have to learn to keep her emotions in check. Not that it mattered, anyways. Etrix was a walking hot water bottle.

She picked up a cookie and raised it to Ezekiel's mouth. Feeding him had become a natural thing for her, so her hand acted before her mind could process her course of actions. Ezekiel blushed, taking a bite of the cookie from her hand.

"What?" Etrix asked, bloodlust seeping from his eyes.

The cookie went up in a flame and melted into a pile of hot gooey dough in Winter's hand. She flinched and dropped it on the floor.

"Did you just melt my cookie?" She asked him. She was lucky her affinity was ice, otherwise the dough would've scorched her hand.

"There was something wrong with the cookie," He mumbled, turning his head to the side.

~***~

Alexion smiled, turning the lily over in his hand carefully. He knew Winter wanted space, but he couldn't help but feel as if it was his fault. Receiving a lily meant she wasn't mad at him. The thought pulled at his heartstrings.

"Your Highness," The man behind him called out. "It's been completed."

Alexion smirked. "Good, where are they now?"

"They've been thrown in the dungeons."

Alexion rose from his seat, gently placing the lily on his desk.

"Let's go."

~***~

"You said you would help me." Winter grumbled, waving her hands in front of her.

Ezekiel sighed. "I don't think we should be doing this."

"Shush," Winter scolded, glancing at where Aiden was dozing off on the grass. "Is he seriously sleeping?"

"His Highness' sword training was extremely hard today, Princess." Sir Emris said with a chuckle. "You'll have to excuse his behaviour."

Winter sighed. Etrix had left to attend to official mage business and Aiden promised to help her try and use her affinity. Winter sighed, fully aware she looked crazy. No matter how hard she tried, she wasn't able to freeze anything.

"Come on," She grumbled, dragging Ezekiel by his sleeve. "I want an apple."

She closed her eyes and felt the cool breeze that ruffled her hair softly. No matter how many times she came here with Ezekiel, she never got tired of it. The view from the top of the tree always helped her breathe. She glanced over at Ezekiel, who sat perched on the branch next to her.

"Pass me an apple," She said with a soft smile.

He hesitated. "Close your eyes."

Winter, confused with his request, closed her eyes hesitantly. She listened to the ruffling of leaves in the wind and felt its refreshing touch against her cheeks.

"No peeking." He whispered against the wind.

She giggled and felt something cold against her skin.

"There. Happy early birthday."

It was a simple necklace with two small jewelled charms. One of them was a pretty apple and the other one was a white snowflake.

She turned her face and met his familiar gaze. For the first time ever Ezekiel saw something flash beneath the surface of her hardened expression and clenched jaw.

He saw grief, loss, heartbreak and devastation. He saw the face of someone who had suffered unspeakable events and hid behind a mask to cope.

Winter refused to look away, even as her heavy lashes grew brimmed with tears and every last bit of emotion beat heavily against her chest. Brick by brick, she let her walls tumble down. Suddenly, she didn't feel so cold anymore. It was the first time she had ever cried from being happy.

She smiled. "Thank you so much. I love it so much."

The two of them sat in silence in their own little world. A world of apples and snowflakes.