The night was brisk and cold against my burning skin as the hills rolled by, breaking into cotton candy trees, and eventually snowy mountains. Funny how the outside world still intrigued me even on the worst night of my life, the night everything was turned upside down.

Why? was all I could think, What did I ever do to deserve this?

The sky was full of stars that winked back at me, constellations I'd never seen splayed across the heavens. I thought of the flowers I'd touched earlier. What were they called?

Posies? Forget-me-nots? Both names I'd only ever heard my subjects talking about in idle chit-chat.

I stopped when my feet hit the ice. It burned and tingled through my custom-made silk flame proof slippers. Snow sizzled and hissed where it touched my skin. It reminded me of Finn. Why does he have to be a water Gollum? He's... so...

Distracted by my wistful thoughts, I didn't hear the groaning and creaking beneath my feet. The ice cracked, splintered and gave way underneath me.

I screamed, water that felt like knives cascaded into my mouth and lungs, burning all the way down. It hurt! Oh how it hurt, like poison inside my helpless system.

I blacked out.

When I awoke, cold arms were wrapped around my waist and legs. A large mountain loomed out of the darkness, the door glowing against the blank backdrop.

"Welcome to your new home princess. Your cage is over there, don't worry, I filled it with tonnes of cool stuff. And the bathroom's through there, cos' ya' know, you need to do your business SOME time."

I looked up into his face as he lowered me onto a bed made of ice surrounded by bars. Pointed nose, long white beard, blue skin, sharp teeth.

The bed started melting where it touched my back, sending waves of pain every few seconds. My body convulsed like a puppet whose strings were being yanked in a million different directions.

The old man didn't seem to notice, but instead kept talking, even when a puddle of water spread to the hem of his dark blue tunic.

"Who... Who are you?" I interrupted his constant stream of idiotic blathering.

He laughed. "Oh silly me, I forgot to introduce myself! I'm Ice King, your new hubby. Don't worry princess, I won't let Finn and Jake take you away. Not this time!"

I perked up at the names. "Finn? What about him?"

Ice King rolled his eyes. "They're like my best bosoms. Well, Finn is, not so much Jake. They're always like 'Stealing princesses is wrong' and 'You're grounded!' Well I'm sick of it! Let me keep one! If I can't have PB, let me have this one. Stupid Finn and his monster crush on Princess Bubblegum."

My ears perked up at that. "Who's this Princess Bubblegum?"

Ice King's eyes went misty and he stared off into the middle distance. "She's a beeeaaaauuutiful princess, and I love her, but FINN is always taking her away from me, when it's SOOOOO obvious he only wants her to himself. Anyway, I'll go get dinner started, we're having roast penguin!"

As Ice King left my vision started to blur. Most of my body was submerged in freezing cold water, and the puddle was getting deeper. It became harder and harder to breathe.

So this is what it feels like to die...

I never once imagined that I wouldn't live to be at least seventy, and would never have kids, or experience the outside world...

Fear gripped me in an iron vice and choked the remaining air out of me until I fell unconscious again.

I woke up to crashing sounds, ice splintering, angry shouts and grunts.

Then Finn raced around the corner... my Finn...

"Flame Princess! Are you okay?!"

I didn't answer, just watched him with a burning intensity as he scooped me up and jumped onto Jake's back. "Go Jake, go!"

The sun was peaking over the hills as we fled the Ice Kingdom and headed towards the Treehouse. Then I realised something... Why wasn't I burning him?

I jumped out of his grasp and gasped. His skin glowed a faint blue and he smiled at me. "I talked to Flambo and he hooked me up with that spell he used on Jake before."

I blushed as we touched down. He looked so innocent with the light shining in his face, reaching for me...

"I can't believe you saved me" I grinned, feeling my flame grow brighter.

He blushed, something I noticed he tended to do a lot. "I already told you I would defy nature for you."

I closed the gap between us, throwing my arms around his neck, pulling off his hat and running my fingers through his golden hair as my lips crushed against his.

The sun was fully in the sky by the time we pulled apart.

"I'll see you tomorrow, I have to go and talk to Princess Bubblegum about something. She didn't really tell me what."

I drew away from him, reminded of what Ice King had told me.

"What's wrong?"

"Princess Bubblegum. You like her, don't you?"

Finn blushed again. "Nah man, I mean woman. She's too old for me anyway. I thought you knew that I liked you anyway!" he smiled and pulled me close.

"I can blow her off. For you"

My flame blazed ever brighter as he caressed my cheek and kissed me again.

I felt elated to be alive.

"Thank you, Finn the human," I whispered, "Thank you."