"You're right." Ariala said, trying to hide her own hard breathing. She bent over to pick up the clothes, her nerves still buzzing from the kiss. She locked her hand into his and they continued walking, only minutes from reaching the border.

Dimitrius smiled as he gazed up at the moonlight, giving her hand a gentle squeeze as they reached the border. Placing a soft kiss upon her forehead, he smiled as he spoke softly, "Good luck with your lessons tomorrow, love. Be sure not to listen to those friends of yours and simply go out there and try your best, alright?"

"Goodbye." Ariala said, giving his hand a small squeeze before beginning her run back to Elimlee to her own bed.

Before falling asleep, Ariala traced her finger along her lips, still able to feel Dimitrius' lips on her own.

Dimitrius couldn't help but smile as he walked back through the forest to his home in Winterglade, his mood ecstatic from being with Ariala, the incident between Emelaide and Ariala completely banished from his mind.

"Ariala." Ariala heard a voice whisper in the dark, making her sit upright. "Ariala, its me. Erreminette. I'm coming in now." Erreminette said, leaping into the room through the window.

"Erre, I want to sleep." Ariala said, falling back on the pillow.

"I have news." Erreminette said, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Is it going to make me happy?" Ariala asked.

"Uhm, maybe not." Erreminette said with a frown.

"Then it can wait til tomorrow." Ariala said, curling up under her blanket. "I want to keep today perfect." She said, motioning for Erreminette to leave.

"Alright." Erreminette said, usually Ariala enjoyed hearing news. She slipped back through the window she moved through the darkness to reach her own bed.

.*. The Next Day .*.
* * * * * * * * * *

The morning went by rather dully for the young elves of Winterglade. The moment Emelaide's lecture was over, she rushed home to fetch her cards before making her way towards the border to Elimlee in hopes of finding Marreck waiting for her.

Dimitrius, on the other hand, spent the morning painting the sunrise before spending the afternoon with Cindalina; spending most of his time fetching things she needed from around the town in order to make Ariala's clothing.

In the morning, Ariala rushed off to her lesson, completely forgetting Erreminette had wanted to tell her something.

Marreck on the other hand was dressed quickly, combing the hair from his eyes before leaving his house. "Off to see your Winter Elf?" Erreminette asked, her feeling of being excluded was not lost on Marreck, who chose not to ignore her.

"Yes." Marreck said, playfully hitting her in the shoulder. "Jealous?" He teased. "Tomorrow let's do something. Ariala, you, and me all together. I miss the whole joined at each others' hips thing." He said.

"Agreed." Erreminette said, her mood lightened. Then she watched Marreck rush off to the forest.

Slowing down about a mile away from the border, Emelaide shoved her cards into her coat pocket and began running her fingers through her hair, hoping to make it look somewhat presentable before she reached the border.

Marreck reached the border, his hands shoved in his pockets as he waited for Emelaide.

Maybe she isn't even coming... He sighed, shaking his head. Maybe i scared her off when we kissed and now I'll never see her again... His self-esteem dwindled as he leaned against a tree. "Idiot." He mumbled under his breath, rebuking himself for thinking that she had even liked him at all.

Emelaide chuckled as she popped her head around the tree and stood on her toes, placing a light kiss on Marreck's cheek. Grinning she stepped in front of him and gently tapped his nose as she teased, "Now that's a true statement. Did it take you all night to figure that out?"

Marreck couldn't help but smile when he saw Emelaide. "Very nice." He said with a playful eye roll. "But I'm beating you still so techinically you're losing to an idiot." He teased.

"Technicalities, technicalities," Emelaide laughed, "Besides, I haven't lost until the game is over; which won't happen because your wins so far have simply been beginner's luck."

"Well, the score's four to three. In my favor, of course." Marreck said with a smile. "One game left. Let's see if you can even the score." He said.

Emelaide smiled as she took out the cards from her pocket, "Your deal, right? If we tie for wins, you'll simply deal again and whoever wins that round wins the game. And to make it interesting, the loser has to do whatever the winner says for the entire afternoon, sound fair?"

"Sounds good to me." Marreck said, taking the cards and shuffling. He sat down in the grass, dealing the cards showing a ten of hearts and a two of clubs in front of Emelaide as well as a jack of diamonds in front of himself. "Twelve. Keep or add?" He asked.

Emelaide smiled as she sat down in the snow behind her cards, "Add."

Marreck flipped over another card for himself to show an nine of clubs for Emelaide and a three of diamonds for himself. "Rotten luck." He said to her twenty-one. "Guess we have to have a tie breaker now?"

Emelaide grinned, "If you don't mind finding out how horrible at cards you are."

Marreck gave Emelaide a gentle nudge. "So you say." He flipped over another set of cards, showing a three of diamonds and a ten of spades for Emelaide as well as an ace of spades for himself. "Unlucky thirteen. You better watch out." He teased. "Keep or add?"

Emelaide laughed, "I think I'll risk it, add."

Marreck flipped over cards for the both of them. He showed a four of hearts for Emelaide and a jack of clubs for himself. Laughing to himself he loooked up at Emelaide. "Sorry darling, it appears that thirteen really is unlucky."

Emelaide tossed him a side glare as she quickly made a snowball. In moments the snowball splattered across Marreck's face as she teased, "Oh alright, I admit it. We were well matched and you bettered me; this time. Now I'm yours for the afternoon; what shall you have me do?"

Marreck laughed as he wiped the snow off his face, moving his other hand behind his back to form his own snowball. "You shouldn't have done that." Marreck teased, pulling out his own snowball, hitting Emelaide in the arm.

Emelaide laughed as she quickly made another. Throwing it she grinned, "You've just started a war, little Spring Elf. I hope you don't expect to win against a Winter Elf!" she teased as the snowball smacked Marreck's cheek.

Marreck leaped to his feet, a snowball in his hands. "Don't be so sure of yourself." He laughed, throwing the snowball and laughing as it landed in Emelaide's hair.