Rosetta

5

Jacin was sweating. He never sweated, even if he was about to go on trial. He was always consoled and content. Never nervous. But what did he have to be nervous about? Winter had arranged everything for him when he couldn't manage the words. He had been sure to take advantage of their short stay on Luna, before they had to take off to Greenland in three days time. He loosened his collar. Winter had said that she wanted to walk with him in the menagerie, that she had something 'simply wonderful' to tell him. He told her the same. Though he knew that Winter always had interesting information, looking at the small red box burning in his hand, he felt that his matters where slightly more important.
Then Jacin saw her; Winter was in a short sleeved floral gown that dropped down to her ankles and her black curls were held in a ponytail, leaving her scars on show and making them look more prominent than usual. He walked to her and she took his elbow.
They walked around each cage, looking at what animals Levana had trapped years ago. But they were treated better, now that Winter was looking after them. Sweet, caring Winter.

Winter was first to speak. "Are you ready for Greenland?" She asked, in her fragile, airy voice. "For I have packed this morning."

"Not yet, Winter. I will, just not now." He replied. Changing the subject, he added, "There was something you wanted to tell me?"

"Oh yes! Well, the 7th prototype of the device that Linh Garen made was installed in me yesterday. And it works! Oh Jacin, it works so well! Everything makes so much more sense, and I haven't had one vision since!"

Jacin looked dumbstruck. Of all things, he had not expected this. He thought about it for a second, and then realised that this was perfect. Winter was perfect. Theirs lives, if went accordingly, would be perfect. He just had to ask, and then everything would be perfect.

The walked in silence for a while, taking in the beauty of their surroundings. The lush trees that had been imported from the lumber section had overgrown onto the unused cages. Winter had also let the flowers spread wildly around the floor, so they were careful not to trip whilst walking.

Finally, Winter spoke again. "I wish we could have finished our Princess and the Guard games. We were always disturbed."

"But I never really found you, did I? I always found Vile Vielema or whatever her name was."

She giggled. "It has been so long, but now, we cannot finish them, my dear Sir Clay."

"Why?"

"For I am no longer a princess. I am just Winter."

Jacin thought before he responded. "You never needed to be a princess. You still are one, if you ask me. You look like one, in that gown, too."
She nudged him in the ribs playfully.

"I don't think I would like to become royalty again. I was a burden to all."

"You were not," he replied, shocked at her statement. "You were loved by everyone. The servants talked about you all the time, and all the guards wanted to marry you."

"You included?" She asked. Jacin began to stutter, but couldn't manage words.

He changed the subject.

"Well, I have something to tell you," He said with his usual nonchalance.
They walked around the cage Winter loved most- Ryu's old cage. The wolf that had died so that Jacin could save her.

"Tell," she replied calmly.

"All those years ago, when I killed Ryu, I looked at my guard uniform and saw something white. Something hair like. It was his fur. I knew it was his. So I did something with it."

"Did what?" She asked, confused.

"I had it crystallised. And then made into ring."

"A ring? Of all things, a ring? Why?"

"I made it into a ring," he explained. "So that we could finish our game of the Princess and the Guard."

"But how would it end?"

Jacin stopped and turned to face her. He knew that he couldn't do what she was expecting, needed to do something different.
He took her hands and brought them both to crouch on the floor.

"Winter," he whispered, opening the red box. "This is the ring." He took the ring out of the box and put it onto her left hand. It fit perfectly on her finger and the pendant- like stone shone a bright shade of magenta, with Ryu's small strand of white fur glistening in contrast.

"And I would like you to wear it there."

She gasped.

"Winter," he continued. "Would you give me the pleasure of finishing our game? I just thought that it's not right for a former princess to go travelling around the world without a husband-"

"Yes! Of course I would!" She shrieked.
She wrapped her arms around his neck and Jacin hoisted her up into the air, hearing her laugh as he set her down.

*

They were both walking to the castle when Jacin said, "I have another surprise for you."

She put her head on his shoulder. "Oh Jacin."

"You need to trust me."

She looked up at him. "My dear Sir Clay, I already do."

"Well alright then." And with that he spun her around. When he finally held her still, he clasped his hands over her eyes and lead her down the corridor.

"Jacin-" she started.

"Almost there" He took a sharp left and was presented with fierce timber doors.
He knocked a rhythm in the door.
On the other side, someone retuned it. That was the sign.
Jacin took his hands away and lead her into the ballroom. It was lightly decorated with intricate white bows on each panel of glass and a single blue banner hung from one side of the room to the other. Winter looked around. When her gaze met Jacin, her eyes were full of tears.

"Oh Jacin!" She started, wiping away her tears. "This-"
But she was interrupted by the start of music. Jacin held out his hand.

"Princess?," he asked.

"Of course, Sir Clay," she replied. She put her hand in his and they danced.