Doña Paloma and Chancellor Esteban stood at the edge of Castillo Park, the site of the first annual Winter Fun Festival thanks to the careful planning of Princess Elena and the magical skills of her royal wizard, Mateo. They watched as Avalorans of all ages enjoyed the snowpark Mateo had conjured for the occasion.
"It would be a shame if someone accidentally got snow all over your expensive dress," Esteban teased, raising an elegantly groomed eyebrow, mischief gleaming in his eye as he raised the snowball he'd crafted in challenge.
"You wouldn't dare," Doña Paloma glared at Esteban through narrowed eyes, fluttering her fan haughtily.
"Is that a challenge?"
"No, it's a fact. I swear, if so much as a single snowflake touches me, I will not rest until I have made you pay!" she hissed.
Snapping her fan shut, she turned on her heel and stalked away.
SPLAT!
Doña Paloma cried out as she froze, gritting her teeth and clenching her fists in anger. Clumps of snow clung to her hair, dribbling down the back of her dress.
An angry growl rose from the back of her throat as she whirled, looking daggers at the chancellor— who stared in wide eyed shock, a snowball in hand.
Seeing the livid expression on her face; the wet, disheveled hair; and the snow clumps splattered along her shoulders, the shock vanished as he doubled over into hysterical fits of laughter
"HOW DARE—" Doña Paloma spluttered, her face a mask of pure rage.
"It wasn't me!" Esteban gasped. He dropped the snowball and raised his hands in surrender. "I swear!"
"You must take me for a fool if you think for one second that I believe your lies!" she glared.
"I didn't do it! But, if it makes you feel better, you look good in snow," he chuckled.
"Oh, you asked for it!" Doña Paloma hissed as she stooped down to scoop up a snowball of her own.
"Now Doña, let's not be hasty!" Esteban took a step back, his hands raised in surrender.
"I warned you! But you didn't listen! Typical!"
Backing away further Esteban pleaded, "Be reasonable! It really wasn't—"
SPLAT!
Doña Paloma let the snowball fly, hitting the chancellor square in the face. Shocked, Esteban spluttered as he blinked rapidly, trying to clear his vision.
She watched, a triumphant gleam in her eye as Esteban wipe the snow from his face. "So, dear Chancellor, how does it feel—"
SPLAT!
Doña Paloma gasped as a snowball exploded against her shoulder.
"Sorry señora! We tried not to hit you again!" a village boy called out, turning to join the other children.
Doña Paloma stared after the child, her mouth half open from the surprise. A feeling of dread welled up in her stomach–– she hated admitting she was wrong. Turning to Esteban, who had cleared the snow from his face and had scooped up another snowball, glaring ferociously.
Laughing nervously, she fanned herself. "So, I–– er–– I suppose I owe you an apology."
"Oh, I don't think that will be necessary," his lips twitched into a feline grin as he prowled forward, snowball at the ready.
"Now chancellor! Can't we just forgive and forget?! This isn't how royal officials should behave!"
"Perhaps you should have thought of that before. It's only fair," he purred, stopping to fling the snowball at her.
Doña Paloma shrieked as the snowball splattered across the front of her dress, stumbling backwards and landing on her backside in the soft snow. She was a sight to see, sprawled in the snow, strands of hair sticking to her cheeks, snow clinging to every inch of her dress.
Esteban stared in horror, hurrying forward and reaching out a hand. "Doña! Are you ok? I apologize! I did not mean for you to fall! Here, let me help you!"
She looked up at him, eyes narrowing as she glared. A hit of mischief sparked as she took his hand and pulled–– hard. Esteban lost his balance and fell face first into the snow beside her.
Doña Paloma shrieked with laughter at the fallen chancellor as she scooped up another handful of snow.
Esteban struggled into a sitting position, coughing and spluttering. He looked at her and demanded, "What was that for?"
"I told you!" she gasped through the laughter, "I told you that you would pay if you hit me with even a snowflake. I don't care that it was in retaliation!"
He shouted as she lunged toward him and mashed the soft snow against his face. Throwing an arm around his neck and pulling him into a headlock as she dropped a bit of snow down the neck of his jacket. Esteban cried out and threw his weight into her, knocking her off balance. He took advantage and sat up, though her arm was still looped around his neck. Sliding his arm around her back to hold her in place, he laughed as he scooped up a bit more snow with his free hand and––
"Esteban? Doña Paloma?" The pair froze at the sound of the youthful female voice. Looking up in surprise they saw Naomi standing before them, one hand on a hip as she watched them, grinning as her eyes crinkled with laughter.
"Naomi? What's going on?" Elena's voice called out as she approached with Mateo and Gabe in tow. They all froze at the sight of the chancellor sprawled in the snow with the magister of the trade guild, their arms around each other.
"Cousin?" Elena asked, her forehead furrowing in confusion as Mateo and Gabe struggled to contain their laughter.
"You know," Naomi drawled, "that's not very chancellor-like behavior."
Esteban and Doña Paloma seemed to remember that they were sitting together in a rather scandalous manner and scrambled to their feet, each tripping and stumbling over the other as they attempted to right themselves.
"I don't know what you're talking about, Ms. Turner," he said as he brushed the snow off of his jacket and smoothed his mustache.
"Oh? You don't think there's anything odd about being caught in a passionate embrace with the magister of trade sitting in a pile of snow?" Naomi raised a sardonic eyebrow
Esteban and Doña Paloma exchanged a glance and made a silent pact.
We shall never speak of this again.
Agreed.
Nodding, he offered his arm, which she took, and they turned, walking away with as much dignity as they could muster knowing that their hair was a mess, their clothes rumpled and their backsides covered in snow–– trying to tune out the laughter of the four teens echoing in their wake.
A/N - so this may be a tiny bit out of character, considering how prim and proper these two usually are, but at the same time I don't find it hard to believe that they'd get carried away withntheir little rivalry. Either way, I tried to keep it humorous. Plus it's hard to write a dignified snowball fight, lol!
