"Ariala!" Dimitrius took one look at Marreck before shoving the door open, only to stop dead in his tracks. Running over to her, he pulled her off of Adan. Turing her towards him, he wrapped his arms around her, "Shh, love. He's not worth it. He's not worth destroying your home and getting yourself worked up like this. I promise you, Marreck and I will see to it he gets what he deserves, right Marreck?" he added as he looked over his shoulder at Marreck while he gently stroked Ariala's hair, trying to calm her.

Ariala pushed Dimitrius off of her. "This isn't your fight." She said sternly, turning back to Adan who was wide-eyed at the counter. "You need to leave now." She said calmly.

"I'm not leaving. I've been assigned here. At the castle." Adan said with a smile. "I'll be seeing you around. Adan nodded at Dimitrius. "Pleasure to meet the stand in boy but I expect you won't be around much longer." He said with a laugh before taking off for the castle.

Ariala turned away from Dimitrius, embarressed by the run in with her ex-fiance. "I'm sorry you were worried." She said weakly before walking into her bedroom before slamming the door shut. She sunk to the ground, tears already falling down her cheeks. She remembered the wedding day like it was yesterday, all the faces staring at her with sympathy as Adan announced how unworthy she was.

Dimitrius sighed as he watched Ariala go. "Go on, Marreck, you'd best change before it gets too dark. Em'll need a fire tonight, the temperatures around her are going to go below what her body can handle. Make sure she stays breathing evenly, if she doesn't, get me. I'm going to stay here, make sure Ariala's alright."

"Right." Marreck said, taking off to change. He quickly pulled on his clothes then ran to Emelaide as fast as his feet would carry him.

When he reached the cottage, Marreck ran inside to start the fire before sitting next to Emelaide's head.

~-~-~

Ariala heard the exchange outside her door and rested her head against the door. Dimitrius shouldn't have had to see Adan. Adan complicated enough things, the last thing Ariala wanted to be complicated was her relationship with Dimitrius. She sat patiently, she decided she was not going to be the first one to speak.

Emelaide's thoughts were scattered as she lay in bed, unable to move or speak. She mainly worried about what Marreck thought of her and hated that she couldn't have held out until she were home and out of Marreck's sight.

'Well,' she thought miserably, 'at least Dimitrius was able to bring me home. Hopefully the temperatures don't go too low this time..'

As she heard her door open and shut, Emelaide wondered who it could have been. As the person who entered started a fire, Emelaide assumed it must be Dimitrius, little did she know it was in fact Marreck.

------------

Dimitrius walked over to the door and sat down with his back leaning against it. Turing his face towards the crack where the door shuts, Dimitrius sighed, "Ari? You alright?"

Marreck took Emelaide's hand and kissed her forehead gently, brushing back her hair. He sat beside her, doing what he could to keep her warm.

~-~-~

Ariala took a deep breath and cleared her throat to attempt to not let her voice show she was crying. "Fine. I just wish you hadn't seen that." She said pathetically.

As Marreck's lips touched her forehead, Emelaide realized that it wasn't Dimitrius sitting beside her. Although she wasn't quite sure who it was, the lips upon her forehead were familiar - so familiar, yet she was unable to place them.

------

Dimitrius shook his head, "Nonsense. You did nothing wrong. Had you not been present, I'd have done worse to him. I just don't like to see you so worked up, love, the scoundral isn't worth the effort from you. However, in a way, it was good you had the chance to express your anger towards him. Maybe, maybe now you can put it behind you and move on from it. I know he hurt you, and I know you still hurt from it no matter how much you deny it - your run-in with him proves it. But maybe now you can over-come it and be happy once more."

"Em, can you hear me?" Marreck asked, wrapping his arms around her.

~-~-~

Ariala sighed and stood up. "You're right." She said, looking in the mirror to make sure the tears were gone before opening the door.

Emelaide could feel herself blush as Marreck held her. 'Of course! How could I not have figured it out sooner?' Smiling to herself, although she was sure her mouth only twitched, not actually moved into a smile. Emelaide's thoughts then turned dark. 'Oh no.. Marreck doesn't have Winterglade clothing.. what in Antronesia is he thinking?! He'll kill himself!'

----------

Dimitrius, who was still leaning against the door as Ariala opened it, fell against Ariala, his head falling softly against her shin. Looking up at her, Dimitrius couldn't help but laugh, "Sorry, love." Standing up, he turned towards her and gently caressed her cheek, feeling the dampness of her cheeks, before leaning in for a tender kiss, "Don't worry, if you need me, I'll be here for you every step of the way. You know I love you, Ari, and I'd do anything for you."

"Don't worry, love." Marreck whispered, seeing her brow wrinkle. "You're perfectly safe now." He said. "Though next time we go for a walk let's try and not have you over work your magic." He teased.

~-~-~

Ariala laughed as Dimitrius fell backwards. "Sorry." She murmured though she wasn't sure if she should apologize considering how amusing it was. She wrapped her arms around Dimitrius's neck and pulled him into a hug.

"I know." She said, kissing his neck. "But let's not worry about Adan anymore." She whispered between kisses as she moved her lips to his jaw. "I'm a little sick of worrying about him and I'd rather just be with you." She said before her lips reached his, giving him a gentle kiss.

Oh how Emelaide wished she could speak and move at this moment. Not only did she wish to kiss him and tell him she's alright, but she wanted to be sure that he wasn't freezing to death on account of her.

------

Dimitrius smiled, "Don't be sorry, I'm happy it made you smile again. But as for Adan, I think it's best we put him behind us for now. Right now, I want nothing more than to hold you in my arms and be assured you will not shed tears over him again," he added as he placed a gentle kiss upon her forehead and held her close.

Marreck pulled her closer. "Are you warm enough?" He asked her. "I wish you could speak to let me know you're okay." He sighed.

~-~-~

"I promise." Ariala said, resting her forehead on his. "Kiss me and make it better?" She asked innocently as possible.

In truth, Emelaide was perfectly warm. Between her magic lowering the temperatures around her and the fire compensating for it when it's heat, along with Marreck's warm embrace, Emelaide couldn't have been happier. If anything, she only wished she could return his embrace.

---------

Dimitrius couldn't help but chuckle lightly at her attempted innocence. Smiling, he placed a long, sweet tender kiss upon her lips before murmuring against them softly, "More than happy to oblige, my dear."

"Em." Marreck sighed as he held her. "I'll stay until you're better." He said. "I promise."

~-~-~

Ariala pulled him closer by his neck as she deepened the kiss. She moved one hand around to his chest, grabbing his shirt and pulling him tighter against her. "I love you." She murmured, pulling away from the kiss only slightly. "Promise me you won't hurt me like he did." She whispered against his lips.

Emelaide couldn't help but worry for Marreck. She wished she could speak, or at least see, but unfortunately both would be an absolute negative until the following afternoon. Emelaide prayed that Dimitrius would come soon so that she would know whether Marreck were properly dressed for Winterglade or not. For surely Dimitrius would yell at him for her if he weren't.. right?

---------------

As his hand slid around her waist to pull her against him at the small of her back, Dimitrius kissed her passionately, tenderly, lovingly.

"I will never, in my entire life, hurt you in any way, I give you my word," he whispered softly against her lips before kissing her once more.

Ariala leaned up against the wall, pulling Dimitrius against her. She moved her lips to the nape of his neck, leaving a trail of kisses as she moved to his neck and back upwards to his ear where she gently nibbled before moving back to his lips.

Dimitrius looked at her hesitantly as he gently caressed her cheek, "Ari, we can't.. not now.. not after what you've been through today.. Promise me you won't make it harder for me to resist.. please.. You know I love you, and you know I want this as much as you, but the time's not right. How am I to know it's not simply something derived from Adan coming back? I don't want to guess, and I don't want you doing something you may regret in the morning.."

"Fair enough." Ariala sighed. He was right, the timing was all wrong. "But just know that I'd still want you just as bad if Adan had never come back." She said.

She unwrapped her arms from around him. "Ready to climb a tree?" She asked playfully. "That was the plan before all the drama after all." She said.

Dimitrius smiled as he loosened his embrace and placed a tender kiss upon her lips, "I do, and know that I'll still want you when you're ready. As for that bloody tree, I suppose you won't rest until I climb it, eh?"

"Not a chance." Ariala laughed. "Now come on." She said, taking him by the hand and pulling him to the door. "You're going to have fun."

Dimitrius chuckled as he followed her, "If you say so, love, if you say so."

When they reached the tree Ariala let go of his hand and began crawling through thte branches. "You're turn." She called down after she was a few branches up.

Dimitrius quickly followed her lead, reaching her in moments, "How far do we have to climb, love?"

"To the top." She called down, turning to continue to climb. "Its a beautiful sight. Your inner artist will be inspired." She said, sitting on one of the top branches.

Dimitrius smiled as he climbed after her, reaching the top a few minutes after she was settled. Sitting beside her, Dimitrius whispered as he placed a kiss upon her neck, "I think I much prefer looking at you, love."