The Princess of Ice

Chapter 5

    Cass walked through the forest. It had been two weeks since she last saw her deer friend. But this time she brought gifts for him. She only had her sword as she didn't want to hunt and she let her soldiers handle the castle food. She soon reached the meadow and sat on the edge until the deer herd came back. Cass laid on her back and closed her eyes then dozed off with the cold breeze blowing her hair.

    Cass woke up to something sniffing her. She opened her eyes to see a bright blue furry face in front of her. She gasped and the creature leapt back and called out. Cass sat up and looked over her shoulder and saw the stag. She smiled "sorry there buddy, didn't know it was you." she said. The stag bowed it's head then walked towards her and laid down. Cass reached out her hand and scratched behind the hart's ears. It leaned into her touch then moved it's head to her lap. Cass chuckled then checked his wounded leg which healed greatly. She patted his head. "You creatures are very mysterious." she said and the stag gave a satisfied grunt. Cass looked over at the meadow. "Where are the does?" she asked and the stag raised its head. It had a somewhat sad look in it's eyes then laid it's head back down. Cass nodded. "I see. They left you behind once they saw you were wounded and helped by a giant." she said and the stag looked at her.

    Cass sighed then reached into her bag and pulled out an apple. She showed it to the shy creature and he immediately raised his head and bit the apple from her hand. Cass chuckled then scratched in between his antlers. She examined the meadow then looked down at her sleepy friend. "The deer are beautiful, but cruel to their own kind." she whispered then hugged the deer around his neck.

    Cass stood up and grabbed her bag then threw it around her shoulder. The stag stood up and grunted then nudged her. Cass stumbled but she regained her balance and looked at him. "I have to go home." she said and the stag gave a sad bleat. Cass sighed then scratched the deer's jaw. He nudged her hand and gave her puppy deer eyes. Cass sighed, not being able to resist the puppy deer. She groaned. "Fine. you can come with." she said and the stag perked up then gave a happy bleat and pranced around her. He stopped then turned so his side was to her. He then nudged her to him with her head. She sighed then put both hands on his back and mounted him. She gripped the fur on his neck and looked at the ground. He was taller then her horse. She sighed then lightly kicked his side and they rode into the forest together back to the castle.

    Cass was silent as they rode up to the castle. The stag bleated and cass dismounted then looked at him. "Well... ill have to put you in the stalls." she said then walked off with him to the stables. She opened the stall to her horse, which was the second to largest stall, and leg the stag in. she petted the stag then turned and closed the door. As soon as cass walked out the stag started bleating. Very loudly. The nearby stable hands all looked at the stall to see a ice deer stag calling out to his frost giant friend. Cass cringed then turned and looked at the stag and they made eye contact and he stopped bleating. She turned back around and he started up again. This time he kicked the stall and cass groaned then turned around and walked over to the stall. She opened the door then grabbed a halter and put it on the stag with a lead rope, and walked him out of the stables.

    "Well I can't keep you alone..." she looked back at the stag who seemed very happy since it's stub of a tail was flicking from side to side. She sighed then looked around and found a large sheet in the stables. She quickly snatched it then threw it over the stag. She walked around the castle until she found the back door. She waited until the guard had walked the other way before she slipped the very stubborn stag through the door. She walked through the silent hallways, the only sound were her footsteps and the stomps of the deer. They walked to the main staircase and cass made sure there were no servants around. Cass took the deer up the stairs then ran with him to her room. She shoved the deer into her room and quickly closed the door and took the sheet off of the deer. The stag looked around then found a nice place to lay down and watch his frost giant friend.

    Cass took her leather armor off then put them in her wardrobe. She slipped her belt off then set it on her desk and laid down on her bed. The stag got up then put it's head on her stomach as he laid down next to the bed. Cass absentmindly scratched it's head and hummed to herself. She was pulled out of her rare relaxed trance when there was a knock on her door and skorri's voice filled her ears. "Cass?" he said and cass shot up in her bed. "Oh crap..." she muttered then looked at the stag. She quickly got up then put the sheet over the stag. She ran to the door and opened it a crack with a smile. Skorri looked at cass with a smile. "Hello cass. I have good news. The wolf you killed has been skinned and now the fur is a brand new cloak." he handed out his arms which held the cape.

    Cass gave a kind smile before she grabbed the cape. "Thank yo-" she was cut off from her politness when the stag made a very loud, very panicked bleat. Skorri and cass froze then looked at each other. Cass quickly threw the cape to the side and tried to close the door but skorri stopped her from doing so. "Cass let me in!" he yelled and cass held her back to the door. "No!" she called back and almost stumbled as he hit the door with his fist. "Cass what are you hiding?" he asked and cass looked at him. "Nothing." he sighed and hit the door again which sent cass flying into her stag. She looked up and skorri walked in. he looked at the blanket covered stag as it popped it's head out and bleated at skorri. Skorri gave a very confused look to cass and the stag. "Cass.... what is this...?" he asked and cass chuckled nervously. "My new pet..." she said and skorri sighed.

    "AN ICE DEER?"