3,000 Years

Snow Angels and Snowmen

"Why are you helping me make a snowman, Sir Meliodas?" Elizabeth blinked, curious as to why her favourite knight was helping her to make a snowman. Her little mittens ceased moving to pat down snow, the owner sniffling as the cold nipped at her button nose once more.

Normally, there wouldn't be time for such things. The older children, Elizabeth's sisters and the trio of troublemakers, were always more interested in sneaking cookies from the castle kitchens than playing in the snow. Her father was also very busy at this time, helping to please guests and keep everything in order over the holidays. As a result, Elizabeth's snow time was rather limited, even if the material was in abundance, simply because no-one could supervise her within it.

But this time round, Sir Meliodas was here. That meant Elizabeth had someone to supervise her outside, and the knight had effortlessly headed out into the freezing cold to join her. An odd thing, as everyone usually avoided the cold. Sir Meliodas seemed to be at home with it.

"I like the snow," The knight grinned in response, not at all bothered by the gelid temperature.

"Oh..." Elizabeth reddened a little, her blush hidden by her already frost-bitten face. She returned to patting down snow and completing her snowman, sticking two twigs in his side (arms), collecting some coal for buttons, eyes and a mouth, gifting him with a carrot nose, and putting a scarf around his neck (with some help from Sir Meliodas).

"That's a pretty good snowman, Ellie," Meliodas whistled, placing the child back onto the powdered ground.

The princess had done pretty well for a kid her age, putting a lot of love and care into her snow creation. It was obvious from how she had concentrated so deeply on getting everything right. Or perhaps Meliodas was a little bias. He tended to be with Elizabeth...

"Really?" Elizabeth peered up at the knight, her blue eyes sparkling.

"Yep," Meliodas nodded.

At his words, Elizabeth studied the snowman once more. He looked pretty ok, owning all the things a standard snow person should own, but something was missing. Something made him seem out of place outside in the milky snow and gentle frosty winds.

The few trees in the gardens were all in their huddles, the bricks walls all met with each other, even the few robins that hopped about eventually met someone; the snowman had no-one. Nothing. It was as if the snowman had nothing to pair himself with, nothing to belong to, and Elizabeth didn't quite like that. She didn't want the snowman to be alone once she'd gone inside. That would be cruel.

"I think he's pretty lonely," The princess frowned, her little eyes crinkling with thought.

Suddenly, she then dropped back into the snow. Updrafts of snow flew into the air, the flakes floating back down to land on the small child. Then, her little arms and legs moved as swiftly as possible to part the snow about her.

Not more than a few seconds after, she was stood up, snow scattered in her hair and on her clothes, smiling at Sir Meliodas. Where she once lay was a snow angel, the snow pushed aside from the hollowed shape.

"There!" Elizabeth beamed, looking down at her snow angel. "Now he won't be lonely."

Meliodas could only chuckle in response, knowing all too well that only Elizabeth would think of something so silly. Only Elizabeth could consider the feelings of a frozen snowman. A snowman that would eventually melt away after the snow angel was covered by another layer of frost and ice.

"Yep, now he won't be lonely," Meliodas nodded, agreeing.

If only he could melt away like the snowman.