With the sun finally deciding to rest, its last rays canvassed the sky a beautiful orange and red hue as it sunk into the horizon revealing the playful stars to shine. Liam, as promised, was hovering around the garden gates.
He didn't know why in the world he felt the way he did, palms clammy, throat dry; perhaps it was the cold biting away at him, even through a heavy cloak designed for the very weather he stood in.
Boots lined with vibrant gradients of grey and black fur, a matching scarf wrapped tightly around his neck that draped with the cloak over his shoulders; a pair of white gloves, again, layered in fur to maintain any sort of heat that Liam thought was being drained by the stars beginning to appear overhead.
It was bone-chillingly cold. It could make frost bite feel like fingers over an open fire.
He hated the cold but loved the beauties it brought, the pure white snow atop all foundations, lining them to sparkle and shine once the sun returned from its slumber, the countless footsteps under foot that give the most satisfying crunch.
The stunning icicles hanging from every eave of the castle as well as selected flowers blossoming with no protection from tall trees rooted nearby...
Liam caught wind of a breathe of air crystallising in puffs to his left, snapping him from looking at the view.
It was the Princess as she traipsed through the snow; a heavy cloak dragged behind her while a pair of fur earmuffs concealed her ears from the bitter wind.
A definite change of clothes.
Her cheeks were flushed, hands clasped around her front as she walked, hunched over and trying to pull the heavy cloak further around her ice-cube of a frame.
She uttered, "I didn't realise how cold it had been getting lately, the snow is finally starting to settle"
Finally standing beside him, she removed her arms from her front, to which, retaining the heat for her was a light blue garment, trimmed with wool and embroidered with patterns of snow flakes.
It streamlined her figure from the wool tickling her chin all the way to her shins where thick boots kept her toes from being bitten by frost.
As she huffed at the weather, he couldn't help but stare in awe, the night sky gleamed on her, on her cheeks, on her freezing lips while the Princess breathed..
"I have only seen the southern kingdom in its brightest summers" Elianna said softly, drawing his focus.
Liam nodded, "of course, summers here are a sight to behold"
He straightened himself, "However, even in the winter the south is beautiful"
Every word was filled with pride as he described his home, the emotion behind it as powerful as his gaze that wondered over the garden yet to be entered.
Deciding to brave it, Elianna offered her concealed hand to him, the hand dawning the glove separating his skin to her scar.
He smiled at the gesture, taking it gently.
Beginning to descend, Liam guided her around the gardens, weaving through snowy paths, occasionally stopping to appreciate the truly spectacular flowers that even in this weather kept its beauty.
Elianna took it all in, listening to every word he spoke intently.
She agreed to this because it wasn't his fault; wasn't fair that she was keeping secrets from him, yet felt guilty all the same. It was for his protection. Whether he knew it or not, that found protection could only last if she kept her mouth shut, and her feelings to herself... that being said, Elianna knew a real friendship could never happen.
For it to stand the test of time, honesty would be the only way, which is why she was always distant with him. Yet no matter how much she stepped away, yelled at him, he wouldn't take no for an answer, his stubborn feet taking two steps closer as she took one back.
Elianna supposed it was in his nature to be stubborn, but it was admirable none-the less. That very fact made her chuckle, startling the person who she was thinking about.
He side glanced her.
"What~~?" he drawled, smiling at the small laugh that sounded as soft as the snow they walked upon.
Elianna, who realised she had just been caught laughed, "nothing...nothing"
She couldn't help the grin that remained a permanent feature upon her face.
"It's obviously not nothing if it made you laugh, go on then, tell me what it was" he said kindly, stopping them in their mid-walk.
Her eyes grew solemn at the request.
She stood in silence, facing him directly and unable to think of anything to replace her real thoughts.
Liam waited patiently for an answer but grew weary at her stiffness. Pushed it...
"Forget about it" she cheered, her tune changing drastically as she grabbed Liam's arms beneath his cloak so suddenly it threw him off balance. The princess was chuckling fiercely as she pulled him into in the snow, spinning and being the anchor of stability for both herself and Liam.
She didn't know what brought it on, or what pushed her to continue but she had enough of feeling dreary, instead, wanting to fill that emptiness inside her with a fun that would cling onto her as Liam did for his dear life.
"Elianna!~" he cried, unable to contain his roar of laughter as his breathing quickened, his mind going blank as they picked up in speed, spinning in the snow while holding one another.
Their pace hastened and hastened, head going dizzy as the snow brushed up and away from their feet in a circular motion.
Finally giving in while chuckling whole heartedly, Aloysia tried to stop the motion, steady herself; tried and failed.
Her body was not her own as the momentum plunged her straight for a patch of flowers nestled in a white blanket of snow; Liam, who refused to let go, went tumbling with her, falling on top of the princess as they cried out laughing.
They laid there for a good minute catching their breaths.
She could feel the weight of him crushing her legs, the warmth radiating from him at their proximity.
For Liam, his gulp of air was knocked right from within him... literally. She was the only thing in his vision, even with the cold, he felt the heat and swallowed thickly.
Her attention was above, directly at him; Liam having landed and breathing heavily, his puffs crystallising right against her face.
The night glistened, the trees fluttered gently with the breeze as well as Elianna's hair, which had knocked her earmuffs out of place.
Matching her cheeks, the tip of her nose grew red, her face now smiling a rosy smile at the prince.
His eyes pinned her, they were gorgeous.. the individual specs of a darker red flickered in between her crimson iris...
Coughing gently, Elianna took the initiative and raised her arms, pushing Liam off her and into the snow beside her. A light thumping noise of snow crunching meant he was now imprinted into the frost.
Liam held no objection, grateful for the assistance as he didn't think he could move on his own... never once in his life had he ever felt frozen in time, his limbs unresponsive.
His emotions were going haywire.
"The sky is so beautiful at this time of night" Elianna voiced.
He was glad for the nudge that reminded him who he was with, straying from gazing upon her features and up at the stars while sighing contently... the weather at no concern as he drowned out the noise and surrendered his sight to the stars.
Her breathing matched the Prince beside her. The midnight air a refreshing inhale to the senses.
"I could lie here forever" Elianna whispered, shivering slightly but kept her focus clear.
Liam saw the shiver, commenting, "Wouldn't be a good idea unless you wanted to turn into a human icicle"
Elianna sniggered under her breath at the remark, agreeing with him yet hesitated in being the first to move... because truth is... she didn't want too.
Nothing could compete with the serene surroundings of the garden, even when she only saw an inch of it.
Usually at this time she would be dressed in her night gown, gliding through the marble corridors with a lantern to guide her toward the library. A leathery book placed in her hand while the smell of parchment clogging her senses. How she hasn't thought of this sooner was beyond her.
But in that moment, she begged him that they had to do this every night.
Liam's mouth gaped at that request, quickly closing it and promising her it would be done. Though every night... he'd see what he could do...
And with that, they eventually arose together, drenched to the bone with melted ice and snow while headed into the empty castle walls.
And once embraced by the warmth of the castle lamps, they parted to their respective rooms, smiling fondly of the night and nights yet to come.