Authors Note: Okay

Still working on my novel(s) and also trying to get my butt in gear for visiting my girlfriend on thursday, and also trying to figure out how I can start studying more and a whole bunch of stuff.

So, layman terms, I'm going to post whatever I have whenever I have it--but I'm still trying for two at a time. But, alas, I only have one and a half. So here;s the finished one.

How things had changed since that long time passed. Nor had thought the loss of her brother was enough of a change, but this new woman and man was a whole different level. It had been months, a little more than a year since the death of her brother, but only months since the blond arrived--and only recently since she had actually been out and about. She wondered who this Glinda was, and the man that her mother and aunts had saved on the same night Glinda had come to the castle.

"Nor, dear," Nor could hear her mother calling her, and she turned from her place at the castle window. "What are you looking at?"

"Nothing, Mama, I'm just bored." Nor walked over to her mother and tried to climb into her lap.

"No, no, none of that, you're a young woman now. You can't be climbing into my lap anymore." Her mother shook her head and lightly swatted the back of her hand. Nor, rebuffed, took a step back and tried not to show her frown. "If you're bored, why don't you go to Irji or Liir and play with them."

Nor watched as her mother walked away, and she huffed with her arms folded across her newly swelling breasts. She didn't want to spend time with those boys, not right now at least. Liir was off sulking in his own world and Irji was studying the Lurline scrolls off in the library—neither sounded much fun.

She glanced out into the snow white fields, and noticed a long slab perched against the castle's walls. A grin appeared on her face, and a brilliant idea popped into her young mind. She'd have a little adventure of her own, one much more fun then teasing Liir or 'accidently' tipping ink over Irji's notes.

With a newfound excitement, she hurried to get her coat, and once she found it, hurried down into the courtyard where the wooden sleigh was. She lifted it up and laced a rope through the two metal handles for reins. Tingles of anticipation ran rampant up and down her spin as she carried the sleigh behind her, trailing along on the snow. As her legs struggled to pull in and out of the deep snow, the icy air shot down her throat, and her lungs burned pleasantly once she made it to the top of the hill. She turned to regard her accomplishment, and a wild grin appeared across her face. She could almost see the whole kingdom from this perch, and she looked for the best slope. She found it, and quickly hurried to it. She noticed the cliff which ended a long ways off, but she shrugged it off. She figured she would stop on the sled way before she reached it.

Unable to wait another moment, she smoothed her skirt under her as she sat against the sanded wood, she took a gleeful breath and she took the reins into both hands. She had only gone sledding with her father, Fiyero, once, and that was so long ago she couldn't very well remember the mechanics of it, but she remembered clearly the rush and the thrill that coursed through her body as she and her father kicked off and raced down the hill. With a gulp of frozen air, and a little faith, she kicked off and screamed in amazement as she zoomed down the hill.

She went faster and faster, the snow from the sled's front kicked up onto her hair and hands, the wind around her rushed past her and chilled her nose and ears to a rosy red. It was amazing, and exhilarating. She felt so free. But, so soon did the ride end, and she was left in a heap in the snow, giggling like a madwoman. She quickly picked herself up, and this time went higher up. Down she went, shrieking and laughing in delight for the whole trip, then getting to her feet and climbing up the slope, higher than before, to repeat it all over again.

The sun was setting, and her hands were burning from the snow, but still, she went higher up then before, and got onto the sled. She was trembling from excitement and the cold, but she readied herself, and kicked off, and closed her eyes to relish the feeling of the wind passing through her hair, and the way her breath caught, and the way the snow hit her cheeks. She gave a loud laugh of glee before she opened her eyes, and to her horror, saw the edge of the cliff heading closer, and closer, and closer. She was so terrified, so frozen, she couldn't even scream. She couldn't steer. She was doomed.

That's what she had thought at least.

But just as death came to claim her, she felt two strong arms wrap around her, and she felt as she and the other body tumbled across the snow, and she heard the labored breathing of her savior. Her dark eyes looked up slowly to be met with hazel. Her heart was pounding in her ears, her blood was rushing through her veins, and her mind was numb to everything but those eyes.

"Next time, let's try to stop before the cliff, shall we?" came the amused, but concerned voice of her knight in shining armor.

"What…?" was all she could manage.

"Let me guess, you don't even know how to stop?" Melly smiled and grunted, and Nor could through the façade to the pain she was in.

"You're hurt." She quickly got out from under Melly and sobbed slightly, for a reason she couldn't place. "You're hurt."

"Hey, hey, Nor, don't cry." Melly lifted a hand and brushed away her tears, and gently kissed her head. "They'll get frozen in this weather, and that would just ruin that pretty face of yours." And that light touch silenced all of her tears or fears or guilt's, she felt lightheaded and her heart fluttered like a bird in the spring. "Let's get you inside and warm you up. Six is making some hot cocoa mix I got from the rehearsal meeting yesterday. I'm sure it'll taste excellent now that she's making it."

Nor didn't argue, and when Melly carried her inside because of her sprained ankle, she had no complaints. She didn't even mind that she was grounded for the next three weeks—all that seemed to matter to her now was spending time with her knight in shining armor.

AUTHORS NOTE: Oh, those little crushes! I wonder if this will be a problem later on? Oh, by the by Nor is about eleven or ten here--just starting puberty. Oh the joys.