AN: Wow life has suddenly become hectic. I've somehow booked in 6 photoshoots over the next year plus comic cons too so bear with me! I'm going to meet Sarah J Maas, author of Throne of glass tomorrow too so SO excited!

'So the invites have been decided… we will send them out to the guests this afternoon via special delivery.' Martina, our court's party planner, said as she scribbled some information onto her clipboard. 'Now we need to decide décor.'

Amelie looked across at me with an encouraging smile and I looked at the notes and jottings we had made together that morning with Zed, who was just as nervous as I was, but perhaps for different reasons. Not only were we worried about planning a party that lived up to his mother's expectations, but we also needed to ensure that it was secure enough. A party where the Royal family and other nobles would be in attendance would be a target for Prince Arkane and his rebels for sure, just like the Harvest Ball had been. And the thought made the party even more terrifying. We had considered cancelling it but it had been tradition for almost one hundred years so that was out of the question.

'For flowers arrangements, we are looking at whites, silvers and blues.' I said to Martina and she scribbled the information onto her clipboard. 'anemones, ranunculus, lotus pods, dried artichokes, garden and spray roses, dusty miller, eucalyptus, and privet berries for example.'

Martina raised her eyebrows as an expression resembling surprise crossed her facial features, 'those would look lovely together and are easy to source this time of year.'

Amelie rolled her eyes from behind the party planner. She'd already known that, which was why she'd suggested the flowers when we had looked at pictures of different flowers in the castle library earlier that day. I sent her a warning look as Martina jotted down what I had said.

'And what other décor, for your Highness?' Martina glanced across at Zed from under her thick lashes. I'd not missed the adoring glances she had given my fiancé over the last hour as we'd planned this party. Zed, however, seemed oblivious. Or if he did realise, he was not responding with the smirk that he would have given her five months ago.

'Lady Sky and I want the castle to look wintery for the occasion… fairy lights, candles and lanterns everywhere, pinecones, berries and we would like stars to be spread around the castle, woven into the flowers and lights.' He placed his hand on top of mine and Martina glanced at our intertwined fingers where they lay on the table. I had noticed but was choosing to ignore, he added into my head as Martina returned her eyes to her notes as she quickly scribed what he had said, the only woman worthy of my smirk is you, my love. I raised a brow and he smirked on cue as I resisted the urge to role my eyes.

'Is there anything else you require?'

'That it all,' I said. 'I trust the chefs here to make the usual cuisine for the occasion and when the day comes we want the décor to flow out into the courtyard too, where we will have an outdoor dancefloor as well as indoor. Perfect for dancing under the stars.'

Zed squeezed my hand and I smiled across at him as Martina knocked over her glass of water. We both flinched, jumpy from the news we had shared before bed the previous night. It was a surprise we had slept so well, but I knew we wouldn't have if we had been sleeping separately.

'You are dismissed, Martina.' Zed said to our party planner as one of the maids swept in with a towel and began mopping up the mess. 'Thank you for your help and let us know if there is anything you are unable to source.'

'Of course, Your Highness.' She clambered to her feet clumsily and curtsied to him before curtsying to me, 'My lady.' And then she hurried from the room.

'She seemed a little unprepared for the job,' Scoffed Amelie as she stood too.

'She is new,' Zed replied, 'the usual planner is pregnant.'

'Babies, who'd want them?' Amelie rolled her eyes dramatically and left the room, navy fabric of her dress trailing behind her as she walked like a glamorous villain from a fairytale movie.

'Apparently not Amelie,' Zed murmured as my Lady-in-Waiting left the room.

'I can't believe there's no snow yet!' I groaned that afternoon. Amelie was working with the party planner and Zed and I had escaped. We'd moved away from the castle and forest and were riding our horses along the mountain range. The air was bitter and the coolness kissed the tip of my nose and my flushed red cheeks as I pulled my thick cloak tighter around myself.

'Usually there is a dusting by now.' Zed said, thoughtfully as we reached a clearing in the rocks and trees. I gawped in awe at the view of the valley below; the castle and town were just about visible, as were the trees, rocks and mountains that stretched for miles into the distance. Zed dismounted his horse in one smooth, swift action and moved to assist me. I hopped down beside him, not needing his help, and I straightened my blouse and cloak as I straightened my body.

'Maybe I've scared the snow away.' I said as we walked towards a large rock together. We stood next to it, our feet on the edge of a steep drop, and Zed wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling my back against his chest.

'I very much doubt that, my love.' He replied softly.

He was quiet for a moment as we looked out and the valley. A cool breeze whipped past us, blowing at my plaited hair.

'Zed, will you teach me to shield?' I asked, turning in his arms. His eyes turned surprise and then a slow smile crept across his face.

'Are you trying to stop me reading your thoughts?' He asked and I tried to keep my face and body calm as I thought of the person I was trying to protect myself from.

'Yes,' I lied and he grinned, making me roll my eyes. His fingers caught a strand of my hair as it blew in the breeze and he tucked it carefully behind my ear, letting his skin brush the back of my ear as he did so. The hairs on my head stood on end at the contact.

'Close your eyes,' He said softly and I did as he instructed, wondering if perhaps he was going to lean forwards and kiss me. But he didn't. 'I need you to search for my power.'

'Erm, what?'

He laughed at my informality and casualness and I knew Lady Evelyn would have scolded me for addressing a prince and my betrothed in that manner. 'Every savant runs on a kind of frequency. Mine should be reasonably easy to find as I am your soulfinder,' His voice said. 'Search for my power in your mind.'

I frowned but I stood patiently as I tried to allow my brain to sort through what was going on. I could hear birds. I could feel the breeze. I could smell the pine trees. I… 'I've found you.' I said as my mind caught something else… another mind. Zed's ability. I could feel the power surging through his body just like his blood did. It felt… strange.

'Good,' Zed said. 'Now I want you to throw up a wall in your mind.'

'A wall?' I laughed and I brought up the tattered wall of the bedroom I had grown up in, throwing it into my mind. The tattered walls covered with old photographs stood before me and I smiled. But then it shattered and I frowned, opening my eyes to find Zed watching me.

Something stronger than that, my love. Zed's voice drifted into my mind.

Did you just break my wall?

He laughed softly aloud as his hand gently caressed my cheek.

'That's very distracting,' I murmured and he gave me a lopsided grin.

'Try again,' He said to me and I closed my eyes again, stopping myself from getting lost in Zed's deep blue eyes that seemed to burn right through my skin and into my soul. In my mind, I pictured a room once again but the walls I threw up this time were stone. Stone walls like the stone that surrounded our castle home. But they crumbled once more as a canon flew through them. I let out a hiss and Zed squeezed my hand. 'I want you to picture someone in your head that you are afraid of. Someone or something that terrifies you.' I tensed and my stomach churned as I pictured the man in my head. Him. The one with the piercing eyes and scarred face. And he was looking right at me. As he moved towards me, the wind carrying my name, I threw up walls. But these weren't brick or stone. The walls were steel. Thick, strong, sturdy layers of metal boxing me in and protecting me. I heard a rumble and felt the ground vibrate slightly as the man tried to get in, the power tried to seep its way towards me. But no luck. My wall held strong. My body shook and trembled as I held the wall in place and then I swayed as I returned to reality.

'Sky?' Zed said as he caught me before I could fall to the ground. 'Sky?' His voice was panicked. Hurt. Worried.

'I'm fine.'

'Your nose.' He wiped my nose with his cloak and then I saw the blood staining his navy velvet cloak. A nosebleed. 'I think you overworked yourself. Are you feeling okay?'

'I'm fine.' I repeated, trying to stand up but my body had other ideas; I swayed again and then I turned around, just in time to throw-up.

'You are certainly not fine.' He pulled back my hair and rubbed my back as I emptied the contents of my stomach onto the rocky, frost-covered ground. 'Come on, we are going home.'

Zed didn't listen to my reluctant groans when he insisted on lifting me onto his horse and he didn't listen when I argued as he clambered behind me, holding me against his chest. At some point I had drifted off into a deep sleep, and I woke up on the sofa in the observatory. A blanket was laid across me and Zed was sat on an armchair across from me, a book balanced in his hands.

'Hey,' I gave him a sleepy smile and he glanced up from his book to meet my open eyes, before he swiftly moved to kneel at my side.

'How are you feeling?' He asked, his deep blue eyes scanning mine. 'Nauseous? Aching head?'

'A little groggy but I'll be fine,' I replied. 'What time is it?' I squinted at the windows, seeing that the sky outside was already dark.

'Six,' He said. 'Now that you are awake, I will have some food sent up to us.'

'We can have dinner downstairs,' I pushed myself up and then I spotted the makeshift blanket fort that had been built in front of a television. Blankets were draped over a frame and fairylights were wound in and out of the fabric. It was something I'd always wanted to do as a child and to some extent I had; with blankets and chairs but no fairylights. I smiled. 'Is that a blanket fort?'

'I thought we could relax up here this evening,' He replied. 'A movie and some food and some rest for you.' He leaned forwards and placed a kiss to my forehead. My heart did a little somersault in my chest and I smiled at the cute gesture.

'That sounds perfect.'

An hour later and our bellies were filled with warm food, the fire beside us was crackling and roaring, heating our bodies, and my body was leaning against Zed's as he held me against him. My head still ached but my body felt somewhat relaxed for the first time in a while. I leaned further back into my Prince's arms, relieved to have him to myself. I was thankful to have him back safely and to be spending time away from Amelie and the others. Just the two of us. My fiancé and I. The reminder that he was my betrothed, my present and my future, made my heart thud quicker in my chest. It still seemed like some cruel fairytale I would wake up from, especially in times like this.

'Penny for your thoughts,' Zed murmured, his breath tickling my ear and sending goosebumps sparking across my skin.

'You could just pull them from my head?' I teased and he placed a small kiss behind my ear that made my hair stand on end.

'Now where would be the fun in that?' He chuckled softly, his hands tightening around my waist.

'Is this all some dream or fairytale?' I asked him and he pulled me closer as I twisted in my lap to look at him. In the lit blanket fort his eyes sparkled.

'I certainly hope not,' He replied, 'because everything right now is perfect.'

I tried not to think of the man who had haunted my dreams every night that Zed had been away. I tried to push him from my head and I reminded myself that I was with Zed. Safe.

Zed's hand moved to caress my cheek and my body relaxed once more at his gentle touch. 'I'm curious,' I said to him and he tilted his head slightly. 'Would you be with me right now if I wasn't your soulfinder?'

He blinked, 'Why would you ask me that?'

I bit my lip as my cheeks flushed, 'Did you feel that you had to choose me because of it or…'

He caught both of my cheeks in his hands as his eyes stared into mine, 'I would choose you, in a hundred lifetimes, in a hundred worlds, in any version of reality… even if you were not my soulfinder, I would choose you, Sky Bright,' His thumbs caressed my cheeks. 'Because I love you and I have loved you from that first night you stood up to me.'

'I always thought that Amelie would have been a better princess than me… she's good as this event stuff and with the public.'

Zed rolled his eyes, 'She has grown up with the experience I suppose, but Amelie is not you.' His mouth twitched at the sides like he was resisting a smile, 'You are strong, stubborn, beautiful and creative among many other things.'

I blushed and looked down at my lap, breaking eye contact. 'I can't believe I'm the person you've chosen to spend the rest of your life with.'

'I can.' He tilted my chin up so that I was looking at him once more. 'I can believe that I am going to spend the rest of my days with my best friend, my soulfinder, my future wife and the future mother of my children,' I swallowed at the latter and his eyes scanned mine. 'You do want children do you not? Only after what Amelie said this morning…'

'I want children,' I cut off his rambling. 'Just maybe not seven. Your mother is a brave woman.'

He flashed a crooked grin, 'But seven children would be great fun to ma-' I punched him in the arm before he could finish the sentence, my face heating up. He laughed and I rolled my eyes as he pulled me in closer to him. 'Only a few children then,' he chuckled and I nodded in agreement as he pressed his lips to my forehead.

'Wake up, my love,' Feather-light kisses were being sprinkled across my face like snowflakes kissing my skin. 'Wake up.' It was a gentle wake-up call, one that didn't leave me cursing or groaning. I opened my eyes to find Zed's face over mine, his deep blue eyes wide awake and shining as if he'd woken up hours ago. He wasn't dressed yet, his bare chest showing-off his muscles and tattooed upper-body, as he ducked down to plant a gentle kiss on my lips. 'Good morning, beautiful.'

'You're in an awfully good mood this morning.' I commented and he grinned down at me.

'When am I not in a good mood in the morning?'

'When you're woken up prematurely,' I replied. 'There's usually a lot of grumbling and groaning.'

'I think you will find that you are the same.' He reached for my left hand and brought it to his lips, kissing just above the engagement ring that sat there.

'If you wake me up like this every day then I'll forever be a morning person.' He grinned as I sat up in our double bed. 'To what do I owe this pleasure?'

'Close your eyes.' He said and I raised an eyebrow. 'Please.'

I closed my eyes. 'It's not my birthday.'

'Oh, I know.' He laughed softly as he helped me out of bed. I slipped my feet into the slippers and kept my eyes closed as he wrapped my robe around my nightgown. Then he placed his hands over my eyes and walked me forwards.

'You didn't buy me a gift did you? Because there's still twenty days under Winter Solstice.'

'No gifts,' He promised. I felt a cool blast of air and I shivered.

'Is there a refrigerator in our room?'

He laughed softly as a cool breeze whipped around my legs. 'Open your eyes.' His hands moved and I opened my eyes, stumbling at the sight before me. The landscape in front of me, the view from our balcony in our bedroom, was completely white. White with thick snow. The snow covered the mountains in sprinklings like icing sugar and the lake in the distance had been turned into an ice-rink. I glanced down at my feet, at the cold blanket of snow nibbling at my slipper-clad toes.

'It's incredible,' I whispered as Zed wrapped his arms around my waist. He was still shirtless, but he felt warm compared to the bitter air surrounding us. But I didn't move. The view was too breath-taking.

'It is,' He replied in agreement, pressing a kiss to the side of my head. 'Want to go out in it?'

'Really?' I beamed and he nodded.

'Wrap up warm,' He said, 'I will send a message to the kitchen to ask them to prepare us some warm breakfast and then we will went out into the snow.'

'It looks so magical.' I said and he squeezed my waist.

'Happy 1st December, my love.'

I didn't hesitate. Abby and Chloe dressed me in black leather trousers, a blouse and an underbust corset with an embroidered jacket, boots and my navy velvet cloak to keep me warm. And then, as soon as I had something in my stomach, I was running out into the snow-covered courtyard with Zed chasing after me, his laughter echoing off of the buildings surrounding us. A few guards smiled and shook their heads as I sprinted past them like an excited child, the tread of my boots crunching on the snow and salt-covered path as I flew through the gates and out into the countryside. The air was quiet and I paused for a moment to take in my surroundings; snow-covered tree-tops, the ice-covered river and lake in the distance and the steam of my breath as it melt the bitter air. I bent down in the snow, scooping up the snow into my hand and I smiled, despite the ice melting to water and soaking my gloves.

'The little things,' Zed murmured from behind me and I smiled. The little things. Yes, those were the best things in life; the ocean, the breeze in your hair, turtles hatching on a beach, Aurora Borealis dancing overhead and now this… snow. A wicked grin spread across my face and I turned before Zed could stop me, launching a snowball into his face. 'Hey!' He yelped, ducking down to grab some snow of his own.

'No!' I shrieked, running from him across the open with nowhere to hide. Our guards stood aside, watching us with bemused expressions as we launched snow at each other. My aim had become pretty good and I barely missed a shot as I threw snowball after snowball in Zed's direction. But his stride was bigger, his legs longer, and he caught up with me before I could dart out of the way. I let out a shriek as he tackled me to the ground and I shoved and fought so that I was on top of him, holding him down.

'Nice try.' I said to him and he gave me a cocky grin.

'Who is to say that I am not letting you win?'

I rolled my eyes. 'I was training even when you were away. I'm stronger than I was before.'

'I have seen the dent in the dining room table.' He smirked and I scooped up the snow, shoving it in his face before I leapt to my feet again and raced off as snowballs flew my way. I reached the trees and sheltered behind them, catching my breath as I held snow in each hand, ready to attack.

'Not bad,' The voice caught me off-guard and I leapt out of my skin, turning round to see Rowan leaning against another tree, arms folded and cocky grin on his face. His eyes looked down to the hilt of my sword, which I clutched tightly with my right hand.

'Do you have to do that?' I said as I attempted to slow my heart rate.

He shrugged, 'teleporter fun.' I released the hilt of my sword. 'Jumpy, much?'

I narrowed my eyes, 'You shouldn't be sneaking up on me.'

'Sorry, your highness.' He bowed his head to me in a way that almost seemed mocking and then, before I could stop myself, I launched the snowballs at him. They hit him right in the face. Bullseye. I beamed as I ran back towards Zed and found myself between two enemies as snowballs were launched my way.

'Need some help?!' Amelie called out as she ran into the snow in her dress and cloak. She ran with elegance, her hair bouncing behind her as she held up her skirts and joined in the snowball fight. Our laughter and shrieks echoed around the surrounding valleys and I was sure that the whole of Aldheim could hear us.

Three hours later and we were all soaked through and sat in front of the log fire. Rowan had argued about needing to go on duty but Zed had insisted he stayed for lunch and the four of us were sat in front of the fire, warming ourselves and drying damp clothes as we ate tomato soup and crusty bread. I had changed, as had Amelie, into a new black dress, but my plaited hair was still damp even though it had been restyled. Zed's arm was casually wrapped around my waist and his warmth radiated the bare parts of my waistline on show thanks to the Aldheim fashion.

'Sky and I definitely won.' Amelie said, flicking her damp hair over her shoulder. Rowan flinched and I wondered if some of the cold droplets had caught his skin. I hoped they had.

'Unlikely,' Zed shook his head, 'We destroyed you both.'

'Right,' Amelie rolled her eyes. 'Who spent more time face-down in the snow?'

'We let you win.' Rowan scoffed, 'Or we'd never had heard the end of it.'

'Unlikely story.' I narrowed my eyes at him just as one of our housekeepers cleared their throats in the doorway.

'Your Highness, My ladies, Captain, I'm terribly sorry to interrupt.' The housekeeper said as we all twisted our heads. 'But my Lord and Lady, you have guests.'

Zed and I got to our feet and left Amelie sticking her tongue out at Rowan in an incredibly lady-like fashion as we walked into the hallway. My mouth stretched out into a beam when I saw who was standing there; Diamond and Trace and Yves and Phoenix. Bags were being wheeled in behind them as Diamond, Phoenix and I pulled each other into an oversized group hug and squealed at each other.

We heard three male sighs as we looked over at our soulfinders, who shook their heads at us as smiles played on their lips. 'Girls.'