Even though ZaiWin¹Literally zai (blade) + win (chaos). was a much more rigorous and much less patient teacher than MenTar²Literally men (lake) + tar (wind) had been, he hadn’t lied when he’d bragged about being a better shoot than MenTar. He was extremely picky, constantly correcting him, even regarding little things Snow doubted would make much difference, but he still didn’t mind it. It was good to have something to do, for a change, something to focus his attention on, something that allowed him to feel that he was becoming better at something.

While MenTar’s bow had been one of focus and concentration, ZaiWin’s was more of deadly speed and accuracy.

Even though ZaiWin would endlessly pester him about the details, like the angle of his arm, which part of his finger should touch the arrow, or the perfect distance between his feet, when actually shooting, he would simply raise his arms and release the arrow in one single fluid gesture, almost as natural as breathing. There was no thought, no planning, no preparation. And yet his body was the living example of all those small details he kept nagging him about.

“So here you are! I was looking for you guys!” an excited, annoying voice called for them, and Snow immediately frowned, lowering his bow, turning to see Storm happily skipping towards them, a huge smile on her lips.

“It’s almost dark, you know? Come, come! You’re already late!” she went on nonstop, and, wrapping her arms around ZaiWin’s arm, happily pulled him away. “You too, pretty boy! Come!” she added, peering back at Snow, and his frown only deepened.

“Go where?” ZaiWin asked, even though he was already following her, and Storm directed her huge smile up at him.

“Why, to celebrate, of course! Everyone’s already there! The only ones missing are our two guests of honor!”

“What?”

Carefully placing his bow down, Snow sighed and resigned himself to following them. He did not like Storm one bit! But ZaWin seemed willing to indulge her every whim. Of course he could simply turn around and walk the other way. But, somehow, the idea of living him alone with her annoyed him even more. And so he followed them as she happily chattered away, telling ZaiWin all about how beautiful and wonderful the waterfall cavern was, as if they hadn't been the ones to find it in the first place!

When they passed by her house and didn’t even slow down Snow started to curiously peer ahead, wondering where she was taking them. And then the loud, rowdy sound of voices reached him, of people talking and laughing, and he noticed that the door of the tavern that had been closed was now open, a warm light spilling outside. The small space was now packed with people, Snow realized once they reached it.

“Here! Here! I’ve brought them!” Storm proudly announced and dragged ZaiWin inside.

“Hey! Finally!! We were starting to wonder if we’d have to finish all this ale on our own!” a large man boomed, laughing wholeheartedly, a large flagon on his hand. “Come on in, little lord! Join us!!” he invited, with a wide gesture of his arm, spilling half the contents of his jug, and Storm guided ZaiWin deeper into that compact mass of people.

Standing by the door, Snow seriously considered turning around and leaving. The only thing he disliked more than small, closed spaces, were small, closed spaces packed with people.

“This way, Snow,” a gentle voice called him and he saw that Rain was also there, as were many of the women he’d seen around the village.

Gritting his teeth, he stepped into the loud tavern and gratefully accepted the chair she had offered him.

“I know it’s a bit loud, but just put up with them for a while,” she pleaded with an apologetically smile on her face. “It’s been a while since everyone has been this excited about something. It’s nice being able to see everyone with a smile on their faces.”

Snow raised his head and took a wide glance around. True enough, everyone looked really happy, even the always scowling, always angry-looking Grisly was now laughing while taking large gulps from his jug.

Snow sighed. It was true that it was nice seeing everyone this happy, but he still didn’t like the loud atmosphere, the air smelling stuffy, acrid and sweaty. Still, he did not want to be the reason why their fun was spoiled, and so he prepared himself to silently endure it.

His gaze found ZaiWin easily enough. He was like a dark spot amongst the others, even though, for a change, his tunic was actually gray. He too was smiling, but Snow had become familiar with that smile when he'd first met ZenTar; that fake, polite smile that didn’t quite reach the person’s eyes. In fact, ZaiWin didn’t look relaxed at all, Snow concluded by the way he made a point to always keep his back to a wall, his hard blue eyes skimming the room every so often. He had thought he trusted these people. Apparently he’d been wrong.

A small hand slapped his back hard, making him lean forward and leaving a painful, burning sensation in its place. And a burst of singsong laughter filled his ears, a voice that by know he’d be able to recognize anywhere.

“And here is our hero! I heard you were the one who found that cavern!” Storm laughed out loud and wrapped an arm around Snow’s shoulders, leaning forward so that her face would stand right next to his. “You really did well, pretty boy!” she grinned, ruffling his hair, and he tried to get rid of her sticky hands.

“Leave him be, Storm,” Rain chided but Storm grabbed his head and rubbed her cheek against his.

“Why, mom? This brat is like our savior! We should build him a statue or something! Damn! And you smell really good too,” she added, turning to sniff his neck, sending creepy shivers down Snow's back, making his hair stand on edge. Placing both hands on her forehead, he tried his best to push her away.

Storm laughed, her dark eyes glowing mischievously.

“Why are you so embarrassed for? Look at you! Blushing all the way up to your ears! So cute!” she added, poking his burning cheeks, and the other woman sitting around the table laughed at his obvious embarrassment. “Want this big sister to give you a kiss?”

Snow quickly shook his head. He had kissed a lot of people before, but somehow the way she said it made him feel it was not the same.

“Why? Not pretty enough?” she went on, nonstop. “Would you give me a kiss if I were taller, with long, black hair?”

Snow’s cheeks burned even more, his gaze turning cold, and Storm laughed again.

“Fine, fine! I won’t tease you anymore. But in exchange you have to have a drink with me!” she declared, finally straightening her back, and Snow sighed in relief when he was finally able to stop trying to keep her away from him. His reprieve, however, was short-lived, and he almost jumped off his seat when a large flagon filled with some strange yellowish liquid was placed right in front of him.

“Here you go!”

Jumping to sit on the table right beside him, an equally large jug on her hand, Storm smiled broadly at him, her tanned cheeks flushed, her eyes gleaming. Since he just sat there, staring up at her, she touched her jug to his.

“Pick it up. It won’t bite you, you know?”

Snow looked at the cup and at its liquid contents. It smelled kind of sweet, almost fruity, not a bad smell at all. And so he curiously picked it up, to which Storm happily nodded her approval.

“Here, here! To our hero!” she claimed and, taking her own jug to her lips, gave it a large gulp. However, when she looked back at him, Snow still hadn’t moved. And so she pushed the jug to his lips, leaning forward again to look him in the eye.

“Give it a try, brat! Or would you rather a kiss?”

Snow blushed again and, closing his eyes, filled his mouth with the fresh, bubbling liquid. It wasn’t sweet at all!, he immediately concluded, grimacing when he forced himself to swallow it. But then a warm sensation immediately flooded his stomach, expanding from the inside out.

Storm laughed happily, roughly slapping his shoulder.

“Not that bad, right? We brew it ourselves!” she was saying, and Snow nodded, looking inside his jug.

It was kind of bitter, but it actually wasn’t all that bad.

“Drink! Drink more!” She pushed his jug to his lips again and Snow took another gulp. Bitter, but then … warmth …

By the fourth gulp he took, a pleasant numbing sensation took over his entire body. The people around him were still loud but, somehow, that didn’t bother him anymore, the warm light surrounding him looking golden and beautiful. A pair of warm hands framed his face and he raised his head to look up, frowning when two dark eyes looked down at him.

“Are you drunk already, pretty boy?” Storm asked, still smiling, and he quickly swatted her hands away, leaning back in his chair.

“Why the cold shoulder? Aren’t we best-friends by now?”

He glared at her and swatted her hand again when she tried to touch him.

“I don’t like you!” he openly declared and she laughed, jumping from the table to sit on his lap.

“Now, now, don’t be like that!” She patted his head and Snow looked at her with an angry face. “Wow! Your hair is really soft as well!” she went on, an amazed expression on her face, and he tried to push her hands away.

“Don’t touch!”

“Why not? It’s all soft, and smooth, and fluffy, like a chick's feathers!” She rubbed her cheek against the top of his head and Snow pushed her away.

“Don’t touch!!”

“Damn! You’re such a sour face! Here! Drink some more!” she grabbed his jug and pushed it against his chest. “That will make you happier.”

Looking down at his cup Snow nodded obediently, and took another gulp.

“See? All better now, right? Now, won’t you give me a kiss?” she asked, leaning forward, but Snow pressed both hands against her lips, shaking his head.

“Because you don’t like me?” she managed to mumble.

“I don’t like you!” He frowned. “And I can’t.”

Storm’s eyebrows shot to her forehead at that, and she pushed his hands down so she could freely speak.

“You can’t?!”

“I can’t.”

“Why?”

Snow’s frown deepened at that, a complicated expression taking over his face. Storm chuckled and laughed happily.

“Did someone told you you can’t?”

Snow nodded and she laughed some more.

“I see, I see! Right! You’re actually a good boy! Aren't you?” she ruffled his hair and Snow efficiently swatted her hand away.

“I said, don’t touch!” he repeated, raising his voice to an angry tone, and Storm raised both hands in the air.

“Fine, fine! No touching the hair. I get it.”

Relaxing a bit, Snow grabbed the collar of his tunic and fanned it against his chest.

“Are you hot?” she asked and he nodded.

He was really hot, almost as if he were running a fever, droplets of sweat sliding down his back.

“Well then, you may as well undress! It’s not like you are a girl, right?” she went on, already pulling his tunic free. “And everyone here has already seen a naked man. I promise they won't look twice at a little kid like you!”

Snow nodded again. Undressing didn’t sound bad at all, if that meant that he could finally feel some fresh air against his hot skin.

“That is enough,” a low, grave voice said and, when Snow looked down, a large pale hand was holding Storm's hand in place.

Storm looked up at ZaiWin and her smile only broadened.

“I was wondering when you’d get here.”

Snow frowned. He knew that hand, but something about that picture just wasn’t right. Grabbing both hands he quickly separated them.

“Snow …” ZaiWin started, trying to reach for him, but his hand was quickly swatted, before Snow looked up at him, an angry expression on his face.

“Don’t touch!”

Storm laughed out loud, swinging her legs back and forth, and hugged the boy’s head against her chest.

“Now here is a good boy! Can I keep him, Win?”

ZaiWin scowled.

“You cannot!”

“It’s hot!” Snow complained, pushing her away, and then his pale eyes suddenly came alight, as if he’d just remembered something important. In the next instant the temperature inside the room had dropped considerably, and light, white snowflakes started falling from the ceiling.

All around everyone went suddenly deadly quiet, their expressions baffled as they looked up. But then they cheered loudly, raising their arms and laughing, some trying to catch snowflakes with their mouths. As to be expected Storm was amongst them, excitedly jumping up and down on Snow’s lap, her head tilted back, stretching her tongue out as far as it would go.

Silvareiel

? Yay! A bit of silly happiness ? And I like how honest Snow becomes with just a few sips ?