Bom put her husband’s plate on the table, shifted it slightly then spun around on the spot. Flinging a rainbow across the ceiling Bom giggled as it evaporated.  Daesung had been away with his troops for over a year and Bom had missed him more than she had ever thought of missing anyone.  TaeYang had returned with his troops almost two months before and gone straight to work trying to straighten out the army still in Seoulician.  Bom knew nothing about armies and soldiers.  She did know that a lot of soldiers wanted to kill the king.  Pushing her lips together in a troubled pout Bom wondered about those rumours.  As a child living in Ilindria she had heard a lot of royal news from her parents.  Now living in Seoulician, even as the wife of JiYong’s second head general, she heard almost no direct news from the palace.  For a few years she had missed hearing from her childhood friend.  But as the rumours became worse and worse Bom stopped thinking of JiYong as the exciting boy who played with fire and worried for the young man who was burning his kingdom down.  Bom’s pout turned into an honest frown of concern as her thoughts turned to Dara.  Bom had married Daesung soon after Dara’s eighteenth birthday.  It was not until several months later that Bom realised she had left her best friend just when Dara had probably the most need of her.

Someone knocked and Bom jumped, her heart thumping in excitement and curiosity.  It wouldn’t be Daesung.  He would throw the door open and laugh as Bom launched herself into his arms so he could hug the breath out of her.  Opening the door Bom gasped and threw her arms around Dara, simultaneously pulling her into the room.

As soon as Dara saw Bom’s face again and felt her friend’s hug, she could feel herself relax.  Melting into the hug she let her face rest against Bom’s shoulder and took a deep breath.  Her memories in the snow outside had almost turned into a vision and Dara had felt all the pain from her mother’s death seep into her again as she travelled over the ground which had not yet turned to snow in Seoulician.  It was good to be back with a very reality-grounded Bom.  Very soon though Bom let go of her and began asking questions.  How was Minzy? Could she still form marble shapes with her hands?  Did she miss Bom?   TaeYang asked about her often.   How was everyone else?  Why was Dara here?  Why had it taken Dara so long to come and visit?  What had been happening in Ilindria in the three years since Bom had been married?  Then remembering all the rumours, Bom stopped awkwardly.  Dara smiled slightly and pointed to the window.  Bom looked and Dara’s smile turned genuine as she saw her friend’s face round in shock.  In the distance Bom could see the white hillsides of Ilindria and knew it had to be snow. 

“What… Dara what has been happening?”  Bom turned round and sat down in front of her friend.

Dara dropped into the seat near Bom and started talking.  She told her friend how, JiYong had spoken about his kingdom at her eighteenth birthday and not what Dara had wanted him to talk about, how she had married JiYong’s older brother so her kingdom would have a king, how her husband had changed and gradually began wreaking the kingdom.  And finally, how he had threatened JiYong’s death and war against the land of Seoulician.

As she talked about her husband Dara automatically pulled her arms around herself and looking around in astonishment, Bom noticed the floor and walls beginning to shimmer with ice.    Sitting back in her own chair with a sigh Bom eyed her friend, lips once again pouting as she thought.  Seeing it Dara smiled for the second time.  As children Dara had called Bom, “Boomin” because she reminded Dara of the cute children’s book character called a moomin. 

“Sooo… What do you want me to do?”  Inquired Bom bluntly and Dara’s smile died.

“Well, nothing.  I just wanted to see you again before I go to see JiYong.  I don’t know… what will happen after that.  My husband knows I’ve left.  If nothing else the Winter will tell him that.”

Bom looked out the window again at the shimmering white in the distance.  It had begun turning the dark, menacing blue of a snowstorm.  “It really is winter then?”

“Yes.  I made it. I was frightened and I no longer have control over it.”  Dara’s words faltered as she admitted this.  She was terribly afraid that if she couldn’t control the ice in her being that she would eventually become like JiYong and his brother.

“Sure you can control it.  Just don’t be frightened.”  Bom sounded so sure and so cheerful.  Dara stared at her.

“But there is so much that is frightening.”

HIIIIII I'm back everybody! :D again sorry for the long delay moving on to more important stuff...

BIGBANG COMEBACK YOOO!!!!!! AND T.O.P has instagram!! :O I know aye!!! And Jinusean who I didn't even KNOW I loved!

Anyway... thanks guys for not giving up on me and hope this is stil... ummm... not boring?