“No, no. That one is just too… big,” Arianna said, wincing as the girl brushing her hair brushed a little too hard. “Sorry,” the girl whispered as a lady-in-waiting brought out another dress.

            A knock on the door.

            Arianna jerked in her chair. “Come in!”

            A soft creak and none other than the Queen stepped in. She had blonde hair in contrast to Arianna’s dark brown. Her eyes were just as blue, yet were more at the icy end of the spectrum. Penciled eyebrows always seemed to dip under her circlet. Her lip slimmed as soon as she saw the Princess slouched on the chair. “Better posture is important for a Princess. Chin up, hands off the chair arms,” she reprimanded on habit. Arianna blew a mental raspberry but still managed to sit up straight. Before she could say anything the Queen continued, “Arianna- I was just coming to ask you-well, is this necessary? You just came back and you still have so much catching up to do. Why go back to Baroke?”

            “Because I like the weather,” Arianna said, pasting a smile on her face, “It’s so sunny and warm there.”

            The Queen looked around the room for a chair to sit and finding none, sat very delicately on the bed. When she looked up her eyes were full of the annoying concern Arianna had to deal with almost every day. “Princess Arianna- I, I need to talk to you.”

            Oh, ho. Arianna thought. What now? She tried to look interested, but knew that this lecture was going to go through one ear and out the other.

            “You are nineteen, Princess. You are of age. I think now would be the time to start looking for a husband and the future King. I haven’t brought this up before only by the… King’s wishes. But I believe that your time has come.”

            A pause. Arianna was cringing internally. No. No. She’s not going there, she thought.

            The Queen looked pained. Her mouth opened then closed. She bit her lip. Then she looked at Arianna with pinched eyebrows, “Princess, are you interested in anyone? Perhaps…. Daemon?”

            Arianna said nothing.

            The Queen cleared her throat, “Or Fraylon? Is he nobility?”

            Fraylon? Arianna started laughing at the thought. “No.” she managed.

            The Queen looked frustrated. “Are you interested in anyone?”

            The lady-in-waiting wielding the dress smirked. Arianna gave her the stink eye. Don’t. You. Dare. She thought. The Queen caught the glance and jumped on the opportunity, “You do like someone? Would it be the Prince of Shanur? The Viking Prince? The Prince of Caimendur?”

            Arianna blushed, “Mother, please!”

            The Queen lowered her voice, “Is it someone in Baroke? Is that why you’re going back?”

            Arianna pretended to be very interested in her nails, “No. It’s just… they are to have a great ball at Baroke. I was hoping to go and practice my dancing.” She didn’t realize how weak and stupid it sounded until she said it.

            “Go all the way to Baroke for dancing?” The Queen asked, her voice getting shrilly. She laughed, a high, tinkling laugh. “Well, if the Princess of Grunde wants to go for a little ‘dance’ I’ll make sure she goes in proper style! Carriages, servants, dresses,” she tittered, “We’ll impress that special someone! If you are to leave tomorrow, I have to get started!” And with that, she was off in a whirlwind.

            No sooner had Arianna sighed and leaned back in her chair that she heard a soft knock on the door. “Come in,” she moaned.

            Fraylon peeked his head in. His hair was already starting to grow out and Arianna cringed as she saw the blonde starting to show through. “Hi Arianna,” he said.

            Arianna sat up a little straighter, “What’s wrong, Frayfray?” She waved off the ladies-in-waiting offhandedly.

            Fraylon slipped in, a small smile on his face, “Are you ready to go?”

            “Yes! I can’t wait, but my mother isn’t making it easy for me. How about you? You ready to go flying again?”

            Fraylon sighed wistfully, “More than you can imagine.” Arianna watched him walk over to the huge windows overlooking the mountain peaks. “But… I wish I could fly here before I leave.” His fingers brushed the window, creating instant Jack Frost. “Baroke is nice but it’s always too hot for me. But here, I feel more alive in the cold, like I could spread my wings and fly so fast…” He turned his head when he felt the heat from a warm hand on his shoulder.

            “I’m sure you could. Tell you what; I’ll talk to Daemon about it. I’m sure he could find time to do a nice flight with you before we leave. Say, I haven’t seen him lately. What’s he been up to?” she asked jokingly.

            Fraylon’s eyes grew stormy. “Busy. Like always.” He didn’t want to tell her that the Rider had been avoiding the Princess at all costs.

            Arianna sighed, “He’s always been like that. But not this bad. Is he doing okay?”

            “He’s fine its just,” Fraylon looked into Arianna’s trusting eyes and it felt like someone had put a dart in his chest. He just wanted to spill the beans right then and there; that Daemon probably murdered both Jaydon and Ralem, but his Rider had told him not to. It was killing the frost dragon, who seemed to be tough against the wind dragon and his Rider, but agonized at the thought of seriously hurting them, or even worse; killing them,. Arianna loved them. Fraylon knew this. How would she be if she knew…

            “Frayfray? What’s wrong?” Arianna asked nervously. Fraylon jerked back to the reality that he was about to crack the glass with his intense cold. His bones creaked as he moved away, rolling his shoulders.

            He tried to lie like humans did all the time. To say, ‘nothing’ or ‘I like it’ or ‘it looks great on you’ when everything seemed wrong, when he hated it, or when they looked like an overstuffed guinea hen. But even as his lips mouthed the words he said, “Arianna, I don’t want to go!” He felt horrified as he said this, and immediately shut up.

            “Why not?” Arianna asked.

            “Because, this is my home you know?” Fraylon said, a million miles an hour, “I love Grunde. Everything about it. This is where I belong.”

            Arianna could catch something else in his voice, like he wasn’t telling the whole truth. She took his freezing hand and started warming it with her own, “You’re not telling me everything. Why don’t you want to go back?” she asked.

            Fraylon tried to avoid her gaze, but his eyes went to hers like a magnet. It was so hard to keep a secret from the Princess! He bit his lip and shook his head but his heart seemed so heavy that it was going to explode if he didn’t say anything. “I’m… I’m scared.” He finally admitted.

            Arianna made an ‘aww, poor baby’ face and sat him down on the window seat. “Why? Is it traveling?”

            “I’m scared that Ralem is going to hurt me,” Fraylon said softly. If he’s alive, that is. He thought.

            “Why would he do that to you?”

            “I…. I can’t tell you. But we can’t go back. He’s going to kill us!” Fraylon sounded miserable. “Daemon is scared too. I can feel it!”

            “Shhh, shh,” Arianna said and he leaned into her gratefully, “It’s going to be okay. He’s not going to hurt either of you. I’ll make sure of it.”

            “Promise?” Fraylon asked.

            “Promise,” Arianna said, “And that’s the promise of a Princess. Besides, Ralem is like a teddy bear. He sometimes seems a little rough around the edges, but he is a big softie. He wouldn’t hurt you.” But right as she said that, she thought back to the day she had left, when he had told her to leave. He had seemed pretty ticked then, but he wouldn’t have hurt her, would he? Then her heart lifted at the memory of Jaydon, sweet Jaydon’s parting words. He had told her that he was standing there for Ralem, that he knew his Rider more than he knew himself. That he loved Arianna and hated to see her go. And then their foreheads had touched and she had felt like she was to explode with sudden happiness. At that moment, how Arianna just wanted to sink into Jaydon’s warm, safe arms and never leave…

            Fraylon sighed and brought Arianna to the present. She wasn’t in Jaydon’s warm arms, but holding a freezing cold frost dragon. She winced when she saw that goose bumps were crawling up her arms and her finger tips were turning a dark blue. She politely separated herself from Fraylon, who started apologizing profusely when he saw he had nearly frozen her stiff.

            She brushed it off, “Hey, I know what will cheer you up! Do you like shopping? I know Jaydon does. I don’t know if it’s a dragon thing.” She smiled at him.

            He cringed at the mention of Jaydon, “I’m not too fond of it, truthfully.”

            “So, you’re not into jewelry or anything?”

            “No,” Fraylon laughed, “I’m more into different things…”

            “Like what? Do you have a hoard in a boot?”

            “My hoard… in a boot?” Fraylon laughed, the corners of his eyes crinkling.

            Arianna laughed too and her eyes got that far-away look, “Yes. Jaydon has his hoard of jewels in some of Ralem’s boots. Actually, before I left he showed me them. He had ten pairs of Ralem’s old boots full to the top of gems! I think it’s kind of cute really.”

            Fraylon bit his lip and looked away, his hands clenching. “I don’t have a hoard. Daemon says it’s a waste of space.”

            Arianna leaned closer to him, her eyes deeply compassionate. “You’re a dragon, Fray. Be proud of that. Don’t let Daemon take that away from you.”

Fraylon said nothing.

“Here,” Arianna extended a hand and helped him up. “We are getting you a proper hoard, today. Tell me, what do you like?”

Fraylon smiled a small smile, “I… I’ve always liked glass. It reminds me of ice, like the way it reflects the light. It is also so smooth and pretty. I have… a vase in my room that I shine every night. It’s blue, like a mountain flower,” He looked down as if embarrassed.

“Okay, then that’s what we’re going to get!” Arianna said, starting for the door, “I know just the place!”

“But Daemon-”

Arianna turned around slowly. “Fraylon, you know that I love you. You’re a great friend of mine, and always have been. That’s why I’ve got to say this,” she said, her tone of voice clearly intoning that she did not want to say this. “Fraylon you are a special dragon. But you have to learn to be independent. Don’t let Daemon hide what a wonderful dragon you are! I don’t care what Daemon wants you to be like, I like you for the way you are. So loosen up, I’ll talk to him if anything comes up,” she smiled up at him.

He smiled back but thought, you don’t know Daemon.

She tugged at his hand, “Let’s go. I know just the shops to hit! Then I can have an excuse to get away from the castle!”

They laughed together and headed off into the snow to the glass shop, and soon back to Baroke.