In the great hall beneath her Dara could hear the indistinct murmur of people talking and laughing together. Swirling slightly before her mirror she watched the light splinter off the ice sparkles in her new gown and glow through the necklace she had made from JiYong’s ice stone.  Smiling she pulled her plait over one shoulder and began pressing ice blue flowers into her hair.  As she had grown, her hair had begun to shine from its roots with a deep ice-blue shine that intensified her natural golden blonde hair.  The flowers that she was twisting into it, called out that blue light and made her hair seem alive.  Her father had bought her the diamantes for that very birthday, her eighteenth and she had squealed at how delicately beautiful they were before throwing her arms around his neck and hugging him.  In the six years since her mother had died The King of Ilindria had become much quieter and much more affectionate to his energetic daughter. Dashing some stray wisps of hair back behind her ears she turned to go downstairs, wondering if JiYong would be there.  She hadn’t seen much of him over the past year or so, he was having trouble in his kingdom.  Some people said that as his parents got older and weaker that, at twenty one, JiYong had to assume more responsibilities.  Dara knew that her own father was already preparing suitable congratulations for the coronation of a new young King in the neighbouring land of Seoulician.

It took Dara only a few moments to realise when she reached the foot of the stairs that JiYong wasn’t there.  The charismatic young Fire Prince was usually the centre of any crowd he happened to be in and his unique black hair with its crisp red undercurrent was nowhere to be seen. Pushing her lower lip up slightly in her disappointment Dara went instead to her father who was talking with some of his old friends from other lands.  The king of Ilindria was getting older and his health was no longer stable enough to allow him long distance travel to his trading partners and friends in other lands.  An important birthday party was the perfect reason to draw everyone together.  Dara had blossomed under the kindly attention of each friend as she grew up and now she greeted each one almost as a second father.  Several of them asked how “that young spark of yours is” then laughed amongst each other.  Dara heard another guest being announced and turned, her cheeks rosy both from their teasing and sudden excitement.  JiYong strode into the hall, his black clothing with jet red flames edging the fabric, drawing the usual attention from everyone in sight.  Going down the hall to meet him, Dara watched his hands and wondered if he would dare to greet her the way she preferred.  JiYong lifted one hand and Dara lifted both of hers instantly, a glad smile lighting her face.  For a moment all guests held their breath as fire and ice met in the air above them and exploded into a shower of sparks and shattered ice fragments over the people beneath.  Then JiYong met her and pulled her into a hug.  He did not often greet her with his fire and Dara knew his hesitation was rooted in the memory of him burning her so many years ago as children. 

Much later that night JiYong and Dara wandered out to the fountain in the back garden of the Palace.  Dara was amusing herself by shooting ice into the fountain as it rose to the sky.  The jet of water would freeze, fall and smash before a fresh stream of water arose in its place.  JiYong watched her for several moments then sat down on the fountain edge beside her with a sigh and Dara turned to give him her full attention.

“What’s wrong JiYong?  You’ve been quiet all night and it’s not just thinking about everything you have to do at home is it?”

The young man shook his head.  He liked taking care of his kingdom and he would rather learn now while his father was still able to give some amount of advice.  In the moonlight Dara’s profile was outlined in silver fire.  JiYong reached out and traced one finger gently over the snowflake pattern on her arm.  Although she had sustained no actual burn scars from the accident so long ago, it had left with her with permanent white snowflakes outlined over her arms, legs and neck.  They were beautiful but every time he saw them JiYong remembered the small Dara’s scream of pain when she felt his fire on her.

“I wish I had not have burned you that day.”

“That was a long time ago JiYong.  I only ever remember it when you bring it up.  Which you do a lot so, I guess I think about it a lot, but you don’t need to bring it up so often.”

*  JiYong smiled slightly, his lips curving in the moon-shot darkness as he reached up to press his thumb for a minute over the stone between her collar bones and count her heart beat through it.

“I like the stone as a necklace.  You make it even prettier than when I found it.”

“You talk such rubbish!”  Laughed Dara pulling back from him.  “Are they teaching you to be a diplomat or a politician in that country of yours?” 

JiYong grinned back at her, sauciness in his face.  “Both.”  He bit his tongue quickly between crisp white teeth then shifted his hand to trace half a snowflake curved over the high edge of her cheek.  Both smiles faded as his fingernail followed the white line.

“I never want to hurt you again Dara.”

Dara leaned into his touch, wondering if maybe, after all these months, JiYong would finally ask…

“Dara, I don’t know what’s going to happen in my land.”  JiYong was looking at his hands a troubled frown on his forehead.  Dara remembered the concern she had felt for him earlier and shifted closer so she could listen to him.  “I’ve heard that my older brother is coming home.  He’s six years older than me, twenty seven.  He ran away when I was just five and no one has heard from him since but Mother has said that he was troublesome baby.  I’m hoping that he’ll have improved over the years but I’m still rather nervous about meeting again.”

As he spoke Dara could see the fire within his veins, kindling in edgy sparks and reached out to rest one arm on his forearm and cool the heat under his skin. 

“If he’s your brother I’m sure he can’t be that bad.”  JiYong glanced up and Dara smiled at him, trying to look reassuring.