Cindalina chuckled, "Only if it's the wedding day, child. Most grooms go with their fiancee's to pick out the dress so that they may pick a tux. If not, I'm afraid our men wouldn't wear them, the procrastinators they are. Speaking of Dimitrius, though, that boy needs to get up soon if he's to see his father before he leaves for his vacation.. Why don't you run over and fetch him, dear. Then you can talk to him in private about.. yesterday," she added gently.

Ariala nodded. "Alright, I'll be back." She said, wrapping her face in her scarf. Ariala left the small cottage and ran towards Dimitrius's cottage.

Ariala knocked on the door and shivering a little at a passing breeze. She wrapped her arms around herself and waited for Dimitrius to answer the door.

Dimitrius awoke to the sound of the door. Sighing, he got out of bed, not bothering to throw on a shirt, and stumbled to the door as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. When he opened the door, he blushed as he stood there in just a pair of sweatpants, "A-Ariala! What are you doing here? Come inside before you freeze, I'll be right back, let me go change," he added quickly as he left the door open and darted back to his bedroom to throw on a shirt.

Coming back out, Dimitrius smiled at Ariala, happy to see her, "Always good to wake up to a beautiful woman at my door, what time is it, love? Did I make you wait long at Aunty Lina's? I'm really sorry, I.. yesterday... I had a bad run in with Marreck and Emelaide and I just get really tired after fighting with Emelaide.. I'm really sorry, Ariala.. Please forgive me.."

Ariala pulled Dimitrius towards her by the front of his shirt and gave him a long kiss. "You're already forgiven." She said after she pulled away. Ariala let go of his shirt, taking a step away. "You're aunt told me everything." She said. "I just wish that you and Marreck would find a way to get along." She admitted.

Dimitrius blushed, "I'm sorry Ari.. I just.. I don't think I can ever like him - put up with him for your sake, possibly, but never like him. He just gets on my nerves.. And about kissing Emelaide, surely you know it wasn't a kiss of love - it just just a small kiss on the corner of her mouth to piss Marreck off, please forgive me if it hurt you and made you think less of me, it truly wasn't my intention.."

"I know." Ariala said with a small smile. "But I don't understand why you don't like him. He's obviously fallen hard for Emelaide. Why can't you just accept that? You know, he had the same problem with you and me as you do about him and Emelaide. I just want you two to get along. Genuinely get along, not just for my sake."

Pulling her into a hug, Dimitrius placed a gentle kiss upon her head as he held her close, "That's not it, my love. It's just.. I don't see how he can truly love her.. she's no different than I am - if anything she's worse because her magic kills plants faster than mine does.. He claims he hates me because I'm a 'plant-killer', as he so kindly put it, so wouldn't that mean he would grow to hate Emelaide for the same reason? I don't want her getting hurt, especially not by a jerk like him.. she deserves better than that.. But, I suppose you're right, it's none of my business and I should just let them be. I promise you, I will not say another cruel word to Marreck if I can possibly help it, I'll try to keep my temper. Maybe one day.. I'll come to see him as a friend of sorts.. but that won't be for awhile I'm afraid, forgive me.."

"Marreck's not a jerk." Ariala said, slightly defensive. "Sure he was upset you killed his plant. Being a Winter Elf you wouldn't understand. I know it may sound stupid to you but Spring Elves are connected to nature and we hate to see the things we grow suffer. Especially if the elf that destroyed them did it out of spite." She said, a bit of fire in her eyes. "Marreck would never hate Emelaide for killing plants. As a Winter Elf its her job, but what you did was purely out of anger and it wasn't the natural cycle."

"Oh, so trying to strangle me with a vine is alright simply because Emelaide and I were arguing?! I don't have a right to defend myself to keep him from killing me?! Thank you for showing me clearly, I didn't realize how much in the wrong I was!" Dimitrius said cooly before going to his bedroom, changing, and coming out all in the matter of a minute or two. Grabbing his jacket, Dimitrius avoided eye contact with Ariala as he stood in front of her nervously, "I can see all we're going to do is fight... I'd better go speak with my father... he's leaving for his annual vacation this evening.. if you still wish to marry me, I'd best catch him and request our out-of-Kingdom marraige."

"You're not just going to leave in the middle of a fight." Ariala said, glaring at him. "Would that be how you'd handle all our fights? You're just going to walk out on me? That doesn't work for me. I wasn't saying what Marreck did was right but neither were you, Dimitrius." She said, heatedly. "If you're looking for me to pick sides then don't. I love you but I'm not going to look down upon my friend because you feel you were right. You were both rash and acting like children so if you're looking for someone to pick your side then I suggest you look elsewhere."

"If you think you haven't chosen sides, you're wrong. You just stood there and defended Marreck by saying what I did was out of spite. But no, I was not looking for you to pick sides, much less mine, and I had no intention of making you feel as if you needed to look down upon your friend - I would never ask you to do such a thing. But yes, I must leave because there is no point in continuing this discussion with both of us losing our tempers!"

"If you weren't so thick skulled we wouldn't be fighting! I defended Marreck because he's my friend. If I had disrespected Emelaide somehow you'd be defending her also. If you want to leave then fine. I'll be back in Elimlee. There's obviously no point in me being here any longer." Ariala said before storming out of the small cottage and running back towards her own home.

Dimitrius sighed as he put on his jacket and headed out the door. Watching Ariala until she was out of sight, Dimitrius punched his door in frustration, fearing he'd just ruined the best thing that ever happened to him in the matter of minutes.

Shoving his hands in his pockets, Dimitrius headed off towards the Palace, the one place he vowed he'd never return three years prior.

Ariala changed her course soon after leaving Dimitrius behind. She walked back to Cindalina's house, her face still contorted with anger. Ariala knocked on the door, wise enough to know that she wouldn't be able to deal with Dimitrius without some advice. Something the elder elf was sure to have. Ariala shifted her weight, left foot to right then back again, in an attempt to calm herself before Cindalina opened the door.

"Come on in Ariala! I'm afraid I can't greet you at the moment, I'm still wrapping up your clothing while trying to bake! I'm in the kitchen at the moment if you'd like to come in and join me!" Cindalina called out from across the cottage.

-----------

Upon reaching the Palace, the guards bowed and began addressing him formally, Dimitrius simply rolled his eyes, "Tell him I need to talk to him about a marriage. Tell him it's urgent I speak with him before he leaves."

The guards immediately set off in search of the King while attendants swarmed around Dimitrius and brought him into the Palace Court to await the arrival of his father.

"Your nephew is the most stubborn elf I've ever met." Ariala said after walking into the cottage. She unwrapped her scarf as she reached Cindalina. "I mean honestly. He thinks I'm just going to tell him that Marreck was a jerk simply because he wants to hear it. Marreck was trying to protect Emelaide. I'm not saying Marreck was right in creating the vine but that doesn't mean he's a bad person. Dimitrius would've acted out also. He's just so..." Ariala sighed as she paced the length of the kitchen. "Fustrating! He's so fustrating sometimes." She said, finally deciding upon the right word.

Ariala stopped pacing, looking up at Cindalina and feeling somewhat better having vented. "Would you like some help?" She asked.

Cindalina laughed as she looked up from her wrapping at Ariala, "Ariala, my child, Dimitrius is used to having everyone agree with him, you'll do him some good. And you're right, Dimitrius would have acted out in the same way had the situation been reversed. He just doesn't like you seeing him in a poor light, is all. I'd let him cool down and wait for him to come to you, for he surely will. However, after seeing his father and asking him to speak with the Royals of your Kingdom, he may be in a worse off mood than before.. I'd steer clear unless he comes to you. Oh! Yes, if you'd like to help you can check those cookies in the oven, they should be just about done. If they are, bring them over to the windowsill to cool, the potholders are hanging on the wall next to the stove, be careful not to burn yourself."

Ariala walked over to the potholders then back to the stove and opened the door slowly, feeling the heat from the oven and smiling. She missed the heat in Elimlee already. The cookies were in fact done. Ariala reached into the oven, being careful not to bump the door with her arm and brought the tray out. She shut the door with one hand while the other balanced the tray of cookies. She moved towards the window, placing the tray on the windowsill. "They smell delicious." Ariala said to Cindalina, replacing the potholders to where they had been.

"You may have one if you wish, they were meant for you after all, just be careful not to burn your tongue," Cindalina added with a wink as she finished wrapping another outfit and began work on another, "And be sure to turn the oven off as well, I'll save part of the dough to add to ice-cream for Dimitrius later on. Would you like some?"

"I'll wait til they cool. And no thank you for the ice cream. I don't particularly care for ice cream, it always makes my stomach feel off." Ariala said with a smile, crossing the kitchen and shutting off the oven. Ariala sat at the table and folded her hands. She gazed out the window to see the snowfall which had just begun.

Cindalina's eyes flicked up at Ariala for a brief moment before returning to her work and inquiring, "Would you like to talk, Ariala? I'll listen to whatever you have to say and give you truthful answers, you know from our discussion today I do not sugar-coat things, not even when it comes to the Prince himself, and you look as if you could do with a good venting."

"I'm fine. Really." Ariala said, smiling at the elder elf. "I just hate that Dimitrius and I left things unresolved and we left with such tempers. Its makes me feel strange to know we've been left on bad terms. I wish I could talk to him." She said, moving her eyes back to the snowfall. "Its so pretty here. I wonder where we'll live when we're married." She said dreamily, daydreaming of a life married to Dimitrius.

"Here, I expect. I doubt his father will truly allow him to give up the throne, though I can't truly see our dear Trius ruling a Kingdom, can you? We'll just have to hope my sister has a son this time around. She bore a girl after her last pregnancy, and unfortunately they can't allow a girl to take the throne, so Trius is still set the take it when his father dies," Cindalina said as she finished another outfit and began working on another, her thoughts annoyed with her brother-in-law, "But of course you knew all this, so perhaps Dimitrius will find away so that you two may live on the Border. That way the climate is perfect for the both of you and you're in a fine distance from both Kingdoms so you two may continue your work for the Seasons. Have you thought about where you'd like to be married, Ariala? Or what to have at the reception? Or perhaps who you'd like to be your bridesmaid and flower-girl?"

"I didn't know he had a sister..." Ariala said, her voice trailing off. Shaking her head, Ariala cleared her thoughts before answering Cindalina. "I'm not sure where to have the wedding. Spring Elves have always had weddings at the Palace but considering we're from different seasons, I'm not sure what we'll do. Erreminette will be my bridesmaid and my cousin, Ilsa, will be the flower-girl. She's only 70 years old, ten in human years. She's very adorable. Would you consider making the dresses for Erreminette and Ilsa?" Ariala asked. "I'll understand if you wouldn't, I only ask because you've done such an amazing job with my Winterglade clothes."

Cindalina nodded, "Aye, he does. Not allowed to see her of course, after turning his back on the family before she was conceived. It's a sore subject, it's not a wonder you don't know she exists. As for the dresses, I'd be more than happy to make them for you! Simply honored! I'm sure Erreminette will fit into some of your clothes, but I'll back an extra outfit just in case, and I'll pack a special outfit for Ilsa so you can bring the two of them over for proper measurements, how does that sound?"