The party was trekking through the Caer Pelyn range, exhausted but peaceful. Nothing so far had happened but the occasional skirmish. However, the weather was worsening—Ewan pointed out that even in fall, there was horrible weather sometimes. Finally, it started to snow lightly. Nobody was particularly bothered, so they sent the next two people with sentry duty out to scout the way ahead, to see if the weather was worse there.

Those people were Eirika and Seth, much to the Paladin's dismay. He protested, but Eirika waved him off, along with the other members of their small army-- Eirika had insisted she take turns on sentry / scout duty with everyone else. They walked, Eirika talking animatedly, and Seth nodding in the universal knight way of saying "whatever you say also happens to be my opinion". The weather was worse up higher on the trail, and it was snowing harder. Eirika looked back and pointed out, "Seth? I… I can't see them in the valley, or down lower on the mountain."

He looked, squinting, and then agreed, "Neither can I, m'lady. We should return to the trail before we lose all visibility in this snow. It looks to become much worse."

As if on cue, the wind blew harder into their faces, snow getting in Eirika's eyes. She started to shiver in her summer clothes, and Seth wished he'd thought to bring his cape with him instead of giving it to the new recruit, Amelia. Eirika shouted over the wind, now howling, "Seth! We… need… to… find… shelter!"

He nodded his head and looked around him, seeing only a grove of pines they could use. He took Eirika's hand and pulled her towards it, the princess busy trying to clear snow from her eyes. When they reached the trees, Seth noticed that Eirika's lips were turning blue, and he started to gather wood. However, most of it was much too dry—and the snow would put out a fire quickly anyway. How could he warm her…?

Eirika thought of it first and hugged him, standing as close as she possibly could. Seth protested, then realized what she wanted to accomplish and slowly sat down, letting Eirika sit on his lap with his arms around her, his back to the wind. She was shuddering with the cold in her summery clothes, and he was starting to shiver. Seth was worried, not for himself, but for his princess, whose hands were shaking terribly.

He took them and held them in his for a few minutes, breathing onto them once in a while, and they'd regained their normal color. Neither of them was protesting the closeness now, because it was share heat or freeze in the cold. Eirika's lips were still blue, and she clung to Seth's chest tightly, with hands that seemed not to be able to un-clutch his shirt. She laid her head on his shoulder, teeth chattering, and said loudly and slowly (so that he could hear over the wind), "I-I'm sorry, I know… you think this is… improper! I… apologize… Seth!"

Seth put a finger to her lips and replied, just as loudly, "Don't apologize, I would rather be improper than have you freeze, m'lady!"

Eirika nodded, biting her lip to keep from shivering horribly. Seth held her tighter, laying his head on top of hers, smoothing her hair reassuringly. He felt her smile slightly into his neck. The knight in him was still protesting vocally, but Seth shut him up with a good "It's for her safety" mental speech. Eirika's hands were linked around his back, and his around hers as well. She looked up at him, and he realized that she looked beautiful even nearly frostbitten. Snow was in her eyelashes, and flakes had melted on her cheeks into droplets of water. Her cheeks and lips were rosier than usual, and although she was very pale, he had to admit that she looked lovely. She leaned her head back into his neck carefully, sighing, "Seth, I'm afraid."

He spoke softly, reassuringly, "Don't be. Even from the elements, it is my duty to protect you."

She smiled into his neck again and then looked up, planting a soft, warm kiss on his cheek. "If we're breaking rules already, I'd rather be hanged for a wyvern than an egg."

Seth had to smile at her willfulness. He kissed the top of her head, then murmured in her ear, "Oh, we're not breaking rules, m'lady. I'm making sure you don't freeze, and I'm quite sure that falls under knightly duties…" it was with a hint of irony that he said it, and Eirika laughed. Her melodic laugh, however, turned into a hacking cough that Seth started to worry over. "Princess… you're catching sick… I can only hope the storm lets up soon."

She coughed again, then smiled at him. Seth flushed slightly as she moved her face closer to his, slowly, hesitantly, and closed her eyes. Suddenly, switching speeds, she pecked him and pulled back, blushing a deep red. Seth smiled, slightly, and Eirika beamed at him. Again hesitantly, she brushed her lips against his. It was uncoordinated, but not from nerves, Seth realized; she'd never kissed someone before. He kissed her back gently, and the Paladin felt her smile into the kiss. Eirika's fingers tangled themselves in his short hair, and she pulled back, still flushing madly. Seth spoke softly, barely realizing that the storm was lessening, "That was entirely improper, m'lady, but very warm."

Eirika smiled cheekily. "Of course that was my intent, Seth, whyever would you think otherwise?"

And she kissed him again, a short peck. Seth pulled her head to his chest, and held her tightly, whispering, "Excuses, excuses…"

"But you don't mind, do you?"

"No. Most of me doesn't. The Silver Knight is angry with himself, but Seth is very, very pleased," he said honestly, flushing a little himself but quickly returning to his normal complexion. Eirika didn't notice, because the wind and cold made both of their cheeks rosy.

Eirika replied, beaming at him, "Yes, and both Princess Eirika and Eirika are very happy with their Knight."

A faint voice called, "PRINCESS EIRIKA! GENERAL SETH! WHERE ARE YOUUUU?"

They heard wingbeats, and another voice joined the chorus. Eirika recognized them as Vanessa and Tana's voices, and she shouted, "OVER HERE! IN THE PINES!"

She looked back at Seth and spoke softly again, "Seth… I'm sorry, I've been being…"

He kissed her softly, a chaste, sweet touch that gave her butterflies. He whispered, "May as well be hanged for a wyvern as an egg, Princess."

Eirika threw her arms around him and kissed him again, surprising him so much that he nearly fell backwards onto the ground. That was how the Pegasus Knights found them, Seth's hands tangled in his princess's hair and Eirika red as a tomato, grinning at each other happily. Of course, when the two realized others were there, they separated quickly, Seth about to begin making excuses. Vanessa looked at Tana, then them, and whispered in Eirika's ear, "Don't worry. I've found out that people are more accepting of a relationship with a vassal than you'd expect."

She winked—actually winked! Eirika was taken aback, and looked at Tana, who shrugged and said, "I knew it would happen sooner or later."

Vanessa grinned and said, "Prince Ephraim made a bet that this is what you'd be up to. Should I tell him, or can I win?"

Seth spoke quietly, "You can win, if you don't mind."

Eirika giggled. "I agree."