Rin laughed as she bent down in the snow, scooping a handful up and patting it together. "Demon… come out come out wherever you are."
She heard a female giggled and turned, throwing the snow in the direction. It landed with a stiff thud on a tree but then she ran to a tree herself, hiding as another snowball was returned towards her.
She made two balls and looked for the sisters, licking her lips in excitement. She heard movement to the side in the snow and jumped out, throwing her handful towards it. There was a sharp 'Oww'. Rin laughed as Angel brushed the snow off her hair but soon found herself shivering as Demon threw one from behind, the snow trickling down her back under her cloak and dress. "Oi Demon! No back shots remember!"
The woman laughed. "Sorry, but you left yourself open!"
The Princess formed a snowball and threw it, catching the woman on the back as she dove for cover, then turned and went to find somewhere new to hide. She ran for a while, panting from exhaustion and from her thick fur coat she was wearing. Hiding behind a tree, she looked back, watching for movement, making a snowball in her gloved hands. Something moved to the side and she threw the snowball.
Gasping loudly, she covered her mouth. "Oh, I am so sorry sir." She ran over as the man brushed the remains of the snowball that had hit his shoulder. "I'm so sorry."
"It's fine. I heard you playing here. I came over to ask for your help."
"Of course sir, in…. Duck!"
The man ducked just in time as a snowball flew over his head, Angel giggling as she hid behind a tree.
Rin looked back and panted for a moment then looked at the man. "Sorry sir, my friends are a little excitable."
He knelt in the snow for a moment, his eyes narrow and tight on the forest. "Well, I think you need some back up."
She smiled at him as she saw him scoop up some snow, sculpting it in his hands. She did the same and she charged off with the stranger, throwing the snow at the two sisters. After the first shot, they leant on two trees, panting from exhaustion. The man looked at her and gave a small strange nod. "I'm Sesshomaru by the way."
"I'm Rin."
"And they are?"
"Angel and Demon, my ladies in waiting."
"Ladies in waiting?" His golden eyes narrowed on her. "Who are you again?"
She opened her mouth but a sound came from the trees. "Princess!"
The two sisters ran over, the blonde grabbing the woman while the black haired one pulled a small knife from her waist, holding it towards the man. "You stay away from her."
"Demon… he was just playing with me. It's alright."
The woman looked at the princess then at the man, lowering the blade. He was dressed as a noble, even if he was unarmed, didn't have a coat of any kind and his hands were bare. Her amethyst eyes lowered as she bowed her head in respect. "My apologies, I'm not meant to leave the princess unguarded."
The man looked at her then at the youngest of the trio. "You are the princess of this land?"
Rin bowed her head a little. "I am the Princess, Rin Moren."
Angel shivered suddenly. "Sir, since you are not a threat, how about we go inside for a hot drink? My fingers are going to fall off."
The two others laughed and Sesshomaru gave a small smile. "I would be delighted."
As they began to trudge back in the snow, the princess looked up at the man, his long smooth silver hair flowing to his shoulders. "My apologies sir, you said you needed help?"
"I was trying to find the palace. I've gotten lost in the snow."
"Well I can help you sir, we're almost there now."
The group fell into silence as forest parted around them and the palace came into sight, a large stone building with most of the wall covered in large glass windows with white frames, a bright contrast to the red bricks of the building and the dark brown doors.
The grounds around the building covered white from the snow but shaped so well that a beautiful garden was clearly underneath with a large frozen fountain was the middle.
The group walked up to the main entrance where some servants in black dresses were waiting for them, taking their coats and gloves and the group began up a staircase to find somewhere warm, the man looking around the dark wooden stairway and paintings around it very carefully.
"Rin?" The sweet voice sighed as a woman began down the stairs, stopping the group on a landing. "Rin, where have you been?"
"I was out in the snow, stepmother."
The queen continued down to the landing, dressed in an orange long skirted dress with a tight corset that pushed her breast upwards. "You could have caught a cold! You shouldn't be…." Her mouth dropped a little at the sight of the man behind them. She caught herself and held her hands over her stomach, straightening her back. "Who are you sir?"
The stranger bowed his head a little. "I am Prince Sesshomaru of Eulanul."
The queen blinked and Rin turned to face him properly. "You're a prince?"
"Yes."
The queen flinched. "We were not expecting a visitor, your highness."
The prince frowned slightly. "We did send a messenger over three weeks ago. However it is possible he met the same fate as many of my men on the way here." He lifted his head. "Your highness, you appear to have a gang of robbers on the far south of your kingdom. Many of my escort were killed or wounded in their attack. They are being tended at a nunnery at the border."
Queen Naloria blinked. "A nunnery to the south? That would probably be the nuns of Saint Angela Merici. Your men are in good hands."
"Stepmother, we should see to this at once." Rin lowered her head as she thought. "I would recommend we send a patrol of guards to the villages in the south, see if they can't deal with these villains or at least send them away."
"Yes, yes Rin you are quite correct." Naloria looked over the grand staircase for a moment. "But this is not the place to talk of such things. Please, come with me to my study, Lord Sesshomaru. Rin, you look half soaked and half frozen, go and change and have something warm to drink."
"Very well, Stepmother." Rin said with a curtsy, Angel and Demon following her example. The princess gave the prince a shy smile then went off to her rooms to change.
As Angel got out a new dress and Rin changed, Demon smiled. "He is certainly very handsome."
"I wonder why he's here."
Rin shrugged as she changed. "Probably something to do with trade. Eulanul and Granundia have always had very strong trade."
"I wonder how long he'll be staying." Angel said, fanning her face with her hand. "Just thinking about seeing that face every day… I don't think I could cope."
"Angel, he's a prince."
"A girl can dream."
"Perhaps Rin should be the one to spend time with him."
Rin turned her head to the side as Angel tied up her corset. "What do you… mean?"
Demon shrugged a shoulder lightly. "Well, weren't you saying just a few weeks ago that you don't meet anyone new? And the two of you appeared to get along very well already."
Before Rin had chance to say anything, there was a knock at the door. Demon opened it and spoke for a moment with someone outside then closed the door, looking at the princess. "The queen is requesting our company. She is in her study."
"Angel?"
"Just a little… there."
Changed into a long green dress with brown fur trim on the corset to keep her warm, Rin smiled and ran across the room and out the door. "Let's go ladies."
The two smiled and ran after her, slowing down before the study and entering. The queen was standing by the window with her hand to her lips, looking out while the prince was over by the fire with a glass in his hands, drinking slowly and carefully.
Rin gave a curtsey as she entered. "Stepmother."
The queen turned back slightly. "Angel, Demon, leave us."
The two sisters exchanged a look before stepping out of the room, closing the door and pressing their ears against the wood.
Inside, Rin blinked, confused. "What is it, stepmother?"
"Lord Sesshomaru?"
Lord Sesshomaru stood slowly and walked over to her, a head taller than her and as pale as the snow outside. "Princess, it was long ago decided by your father and mine that you and I would marry, joining our countries in a treaty that would secure both in case of invasion."
The queen gave a small whimper and covered her mouth again. "I swear, I had no idea your father had done this Rin."
Rin blinked as she looked up at the man. "An… arranged marriage?"
"Yes. However it is customary that we spend some time together so we get to know each other."
"Really?"
"Yes Princess. So I have come to meet you. You see, it is in your power, and your right, to refuse the marriage if you do not find me suitable… as it is mine to refuse you as well."
Rin blinked. "So… if I wish… I could break the…" a blush rose to her cheeks. "The engagement?" She whispered.
"Yes, princess."
"So you might not marry her?" The queen gasped, held her heart a little. "Oh, my lord, you wouldn't want her as your wife." She waved a manicured hand at the younger woman. "She spends all her time in the library, day dreaming with books."
"In fact, your highness, I quite enjoy a good book myself." He looked over at the other woman. "What is your favourite kind of book Princess?"
"I… I quite like historic books… and books about mythology."
The man smiled a little and nodded. "I am not really one for mythology but historic books are interest to me as well."
The queen walked over quickly to them, standing beside the princess and holding her shoulders. "Well, she's always running off into the gardens. I seriously doubt you would want a wife who is so…"
"With all due respect your highness, it is the princess's choice, not yours."
The queen took a step backwards and Rin lowered her head. "I… I need to think about it."
"Princess, you have all the time you desire." He looked over at the queen. "I had intended to stay longer, your highness, however with my men injured, and as you are not prepared for my company, I will return to my lands."
"Your highness, please, have dinner with us and stay here tonight and head back tomorrow."
"With your permission, I will do so." His eyes turned back to the princess as she twiddled with the hem of her sleeve. Slowly he reached out and took hold of her hand, lifting it to his lips and gently kissing the back. "Your highness."
Rin blushed even deeper and pulled her hand from his grip suddenly, stepping back and hurrying outside. The prince watched her go, his face blank, but the queen put a hand on his shoulder. "Sire, she is still young and inexperienced around men of such… authority as yourself."
The prince said nothing, just looked out the door.