Author stuff: I honestly have never written a brotp before. Honestly, in my fifteen years of writing, I've never written one — or knowingly done so. So it was interesting. Dreamlit-daedalist, I hope this gives you some comfort while you wait for Winter. It was supposed to be an AU and a drabble, but I could only think of them as kids and… Okay, me writing kids is adorable and protective Winter had become my favorite thing.

Hamdi and I decided "Princess Squad" is the name of the WinterxCinder brotp. (It was between that, Winder, and Cinter. Princess Squad if funner to say.)

Requestor: dreamlit-daedalist

Prompt: WinterxCinder brotp, drabble, "doesn't have to be an AU (though that's highly encouraged)".

My Princess

By iOc

"Die, you monster," Winter said, swinging a foam sword down towards Jacin. The blond's eyes widened, and he looked about for a way to escape. He cried out when the fake blade thwacked him in the head and arms several times.

"Help," he said, ducking and scooting away from her. "Help!"

"Winter, not so hard," Evert said, watching them with a bemused smile. His daughter stopped beating Jacin and nodded.

"Okay, Papa," she said before returning to her battle once more.

Jacin, while she was distracted, had scrambled away. He started up the ladder to their tree house. It was built in a squat tree overlooking Artemisia Lake and made of recycled materials. While it could be used by any of the noble children, it was most frequented by Princess Winter, Jacin, and the most constant companion, Princess Selene.

From the ground, Winter could see the rather bored Selene tossing pebbles over the railing and into the lake. They needed those for later, though, she supposed, they could get more.

"I'm coming for you, my princess," Winter said, waving the sword over her head. Selene looked at her, uninterested. Really, the girl didn't know how important this game was. They had to beat Jacin, they had to show him that girls were just as good as boys.

"I have her," Jacin said, looping his arms around Selene's stomach. The girl gave a cry of protest and pinched his arms with her sharp nails. "Ow! She pinched me!"

"Play nice, you three," someone said from where the adults were setting up their picnic.

"Selene, climb down," Winter said, her foot barely on the first step.

"Ah," Selene said. She wasn't one much for words, but Winter loved her anyway. Selene spoke when she wanted something or had something intelligent to say. She was very observant. But for the meantime, Winter acted as her translator as she always knew what her cousin meant.

She watched as Selene started down but was stopped by Jacin.

"No," he said, "Winter has to come up here and fight for you."

Selene swatted at him, letting go of the ladder. Winter just barely realized that Selene wasn't holding on to the ladder — like they were all told to — when she moved to catch the smaller girl.

Selene landed heavily on Winter, crying out when she landed. She looked down at Winter and then to the adults, who all rushed over to them, before she really started to cry.

Winter sat up as best she could and wrapped her arms around her, trying to ease the sobs. Selene's tears streamed down her cheeks, and her face turned blotchy and red. Her shrieks were piercing.

Evert was the first to reach them, taking Selene up in his arms and attempting to shush her as he looked both her and Winter over. Jacin, meanwhile, climbed down and tried to apologize.

"I'm sorry," he said, looking between Selene, the adults, and Winter — who was growing more enraged by the second. "I didn't mean… I'm sorry. Is she hurt?"

Winter wasn't sure what spurned her to do it, but she punched Jacin's cheek.

"Stupid boy!" Winter said, slapping her hand down on his head. A hearty clap, resounded with each blow. "Stupid, stupid, stupid — hey!"

She was pulled off his by his father. Her arms flailed about as she tried to escape and reach him. Jacin was gaping at her in awe and in terror, ducking behind his mother's skirts.

"I hate you!"

"Winter, you don't mean that," her father said.

"I hate him. He hurt Selene. He hurt my Selene!"

"Selene is fine."

Winter looked at her cousin in her father's arms. The girl sniffed pathetically, looking at Winter with worried eyes. She reached out to Winter, sliding out of Evret's grasp as he steadied her on her feet, and hobbled over to her.

Selene wrapped her arms around Winter, burying her face in her shoulder. Winter returned the embrace and squeezed her tight. No one hurt her Selene, no one.

"I'm sorry," Winter said, looking up to Jacin.

"It's okay," he said. "It didn't really hurt."

Winter could see his cheek already blossoming into a purple bruise, however she decided not to tell him that. Instead, she picked up her fallen sword and took Selene's hand.

"Come along, my princess," she said. "We have to slay the evil monster."

"Ah."

"That's not fair! Mom!"

Together, Winter and Selene gave chase to Jacin around the tree and their laughing parents. Winter didn't think it could get any better than that moment.

Author stuff cont'd: I was going to do a scene about what happened post-war after that, so that this could have a very happy ending and no one would feel bad. But that didn't pan out. (Sorry about that.)

But, yay, happy scene! And (I hope it came across) bromance. Winter is protective and loving of Selene — she calls her "my Selene" and the happiness of her being alive was an overwhelming feeling I got from the little preview we got of Winter.

If anyone couldn't tell, this was inspired by the "why is it always a prince?" question. Winter as Selene/Cinder's knight in pretty dress armor? Yes!

Note: If anyone has any oneshot or drabble requests, feel free to PM me on here, or message me on tumblr. If you do it on tumblr, just tell me you ffnet username (and/or if you have an AO3 account and the username on there). I'll be accepting requests until Sunday.