Author Note:
Merry whatever-you-celebrate!!
I celebrate Christmas, which is why I'm just doing a 'fan-service' cutesy chapter today! Anyway, enjoy!!
I wake up in the palace's large, soft bed. Zack's arms wrapped around my waist. I snuggle back into his chest. He lets out a soft groan,
"Stop fucking moving and sleep," he growls. I nod, but my eyes flicker open, immediately going to look out the window. I bolt upright. "WHAT DID I SAY!" Zack asks, glaring up at me, I grab his arm, dragging him out of the bed and toward the window. I press my hands against the glass,
"Look!" I say happily, "Snow!" I add. The ground is covered in a beautiful sheet of white, the tree branches holding icicles. It glints a shiny while in the moonlight.
"Yay. Cold wet crap," Zack mutters. "Can I go back to bed now?" he turns away. I keep my grip on his arm,
"Come on! It's the Winter Solstice," I tell him, he sighs,
"So?" he mutters, "Who gives a damn," I sigh,
"Please?" I beg him, he sighs laboredly,
"Fine," he mutters. I grin.
"Thank you," I tell him with another smile, he groans,
"Whatever. Just go to the damn tree already," he growls. I smile, this is probably as good as it's gonna get... I tug Zack down the stairs, and into the room with the massive central evergreen tree. Lights and gold and silver flood over the green leaves. I gaze up at it happily, I tug him over to the small buffet table, and grab two small glasses of wine. I hand one to Zack, he takes it, although begrudgingly. I hold my own, carefully cupping it between my hands.
Zack immediately throws it back,
"ZACK!" I screech, he looks at me curiously, "Your supposed to make a toast, then I'll drink mine, and then I'll make a toast, and you drink," I explain, handing him another glass, he groans in annoyance.
"Fine," he mutters, then shifts uncomfortably, "How do I do the damn toast?" he growls, I sigh softly,
"I'll go first then," I tell him softly. I smile slightly into my glass, "To the snow, for being brilliant and smooth. For never having a single flaw. That is until we interfere." I look up at him, and gently guide his hand into the air, "To perfection, no matter how brief," I tell him with a small smile. He sighs, smiling a bit, and then immediately downs the drink.
"To..." he hesitates, "to..." he tries again, I smile softly,
"It's okay, you've never done these before. Normally I have to do a big one every year, so I'm more used to making the toasts. You don't have to make one," I add. He nods in relief.
I down the drink, letting the cool liquid slide down my throat. I don't even stop drinking when it burns my throat.
I must drink it all at once, it's tradition. I get to the bottom and stop, I gently take the three empty glasses, walking toward the small setup where I neatly set them down.
"Okay, we can go back to the room now!" I tell Zack with a smile. He hesitates,
"Are you sure? Aren't there more traditions?" he questions. I shrug.
"It's still early. Besides, I'll have to do the rest of the traditions later with everyone else anyway," I tell him calmly, he furrows his brow,
"I don't see why you were so excited," he mutters. I shrug slightly,
"I don't really love all the traditions, or the huge celebrations, but I love... I love the snow. And I love the allowance to make hot chocolate water with mint. And... I love the way it seems to bring families together. I see it down in the village. Family from all around will come just to see the ones they care about. Even if it's just for one... short day... and they make the day last every second they can squeeze out of it," I tell him with a tiny smile. "And even my family comes home. My father stops wars for the Winter Solstice, and even enemies will become friends, just for the single day. Even if it means tomorrow they'll go back to slaughtering each other, for that one day... there is no bloodshed. There is no hate. There is no death," I whisper softly, remembering how precious that seemed when I was younger. How much more precious it is now that I know how terrible the wars can be. How deadly.
To my surprise, he stays silent. I smile slightly.
"Come on, I'm tired," I tell him slowly walking past him. He follows after me as I bound up the stairs to my room. I flop down on the bed, curling up slightly. Zack sighs, and lays down behind me, gently wrapping his arms around my waist. I snuggle into his warmth.
"Just go to sleep. I'll wake up when you have to see to the tradition crap," he mutters. I roll over, facing him for only a moment before burying my head into his chest.
"Thank you... Zack," I mumble. He sighs,
"I would say anytime," he mutters,
"But that would be a lie," I finish the sentence for him, knowing how much he hates lies. He holds onto me,
"Yeah. Stop finishing my sentence though, it's creepy," he mutters. I smile,
"Okay," I whisper softly.
His lips lightly press against the top of my head. I chuckle,
"You're such a tsundere," I mumble gently to him. He growls,
"Shut up," he orders. I chuckle again,
"Will do," I tell him, my eyes drifting closed.
YOU ARE READING
Kingdom Come
Random[Y/N] is the princess of the Gardener Kingdom, but when her carriage is attacked, she finds herself with the wanted murderer, Isaac (Zack) Foster. As she masquerades as a simple peasant, she finds herself no longer fearing Zack, and realizing more a...
