"Hello? Sir? Are you in there?"

William knocked on the heavy wooden door, but no one answered. My father will be so upset. He fumed, knowing that if he didn't return home with his father's package, his immediate future would doubtless be rather unpleasant. William stepped back from the door, pulling his cloak up around his neck and face to protect him from the bitterly cold wind.

After a moment's thought, he decided it was better to return home late than empty handed, and set off for the main avenue of the village. He would simply wait for the apothecary to return.

It's not fair, he thought angrily as he walked through the village bazaar, I hate winter. All around him people walked stooped over, protecting their faces from the wind that nipped at them every step of the way. William remembered when the land was as warm as summer all year round, but that had all changed in an instant.

William had been a child when, nearly a decade ago, Miranda�known to most as the Ice Queen, though it was never said to her face�had whispered lies in the king's ear, forever changing the lives of William and his father.

Before Miranda, William's father�a powerful wizard�had been an advisor to the kingdom's aging leader, but the sorceress's sweet tongue had convinced the king his loyal servant coveted his power. The king�without heirs and ever fearful of an attempt on his rule�had ordered the wizard put to death.

William and his father had fled deep into the forest to a new home. This one was protected from prying eyes by powerful hexes. Miranda had flown into a rage at the wizard's escape, and despite the pleading of the king, had used her magic and spells to throw the nation into eternal winter as punishment. She had promised a return of summer only when the wizard was captured and brought to her. But the weather had hardened the hearts of the people and, although there were a certain few who knew of the wizard's general whereabouts, no one had informed on him to the Ice Queen, which infuriated her further.

Although banished, William's father still felt a responsibility for watching over the kingdom. Certain reagents could only be had in the village, and for a price, so once a month he sent William to see the apothecary. In exchange for a handful of coins, the warty old man handed William a package wrapped in cloth and twine. How the man knew his father's order, William never asked. And his father had ordered him to never look inside the packages.

But today the apothecary was nowhere to be found. It never occurred to William that one of the Queen's spies had seen him going to and fro to the apothecary's door. Word of such a thing immediately found its way to the Queen. All her men were immediately put on alert to watch for the fair-haired boy.

William knew none of this, of course, so he trudged the snowy village streets, blissfully unaware of the danger, waiting for a moment when he might return to retrieve his father's package.

Ahead, William heard the sounds of a crowd and hurried to see what was causing the commotion. To his delight, it was a street fair. He laughed as he saw the expressions on the faces of the children. Their wonder and astonishment was clear to see, even through the bitter chill.

As William admired a contortionist, a vision of beauty passed in front of his eyes, and his breath was taken away, as it always was. She was beautiful, with long blonde hair that fell to her waist. Her skin was pale and flawless, her cheeks rosy from the cold. She appeared almost dainty. Fragile. William couldn't tear his eyes away.

He never could. For as long as William had been coming to the village he had seen her, and each time he saw the fair-haired maiden, his mouth dried up and a lump formed in his throat. Someday I'll speak with her, William promised himself. Someday I'll learn her name.

As he watched, the girl took the arm of an elderly lady and began steering the old woman through the crowd. William moved closer, wanting to get a better glimpse of this beauty, but found himself cut off as a crowd of people surged past.

Finally, he managed to break through the crowd, but the girl was nowhere to be seen. Saddened, William kept moving along the street until he came upon a street magician.

William scoffed. This was no wizard�the man had no real power�but he was good at his craft, and the crowd was entertained. Trying to decide where to go next, William looked over the crowd. There was the girl, standing close by, also watching the magician. William's heart skipped a beat

William edged slowly toward the girl, unsure if he would speak to her or just bask in her presence. As he neared, the crowd hushed.

No doubt the magician is preparing his final trick, William thought.

Suddenly a child screamed, then a second and a third. William jerked his head around, and was terrified to see a dragon flying above the village square. It was blood red, and steam billowed from its nostrils as it soared through the gray skies.

"Run!" William screamed, but the crowd seemed transfixed by the beast. It circled overhead, gradually sinking lower and lower until it seemed to William that he could reach out and touch it. Then he realized it was heading straight for the girl, who seemed frozen in place.

Without a thought, William threw himself in front of the girl, even though he knew his skinny frame could never protect her from a dragon attack. He looked for some sort of weapon, but saw only a muddy garden hoe. It would have to do. Brandishing the tool by the handle he waved it in front of the dragon, but still the beast grew closer.

As it hovered directly overhead, William gave a strangled yell and thrust the sharp end of the hoe up into the soft underbelly of the beast with all his might. The crowd grew silent. William was scarcely able to breath, thrusting again and again until the dragon seemed to deflate and promptly fell to the ground. William exhaled heavily, nervous sweat pouring out over his forehead.

He looked down, noticing for the first time the dragon looked... flat. Confused, William poked at the dead animal with the hoe.

It was paper!

All around him, people whispered and pointed and laughed at the red-faced William, who was still holding the garden hoe protectively at arm's length. He looked at the girl, standing beside him. A small smile playing over her face.

"The magician," she said softly. "It was his trick."

Her voice! William was in love with the sound of her voice. So enamored was William that it took a moment for her words to register, but their meaning was quickly clear as the crowd parted, letting through an angry little man. His face was as red as the dragon.

"What have you done?" the magician yelled at William, pointing to the ground. "You've ruined it! You fool!"

William shrugged helplessly.

"I didn't know," he said. The magician glared in disbelief before turning and stalking away.

"Don't move," he threatened over his shoulder. "I'm going to get one of the king's guards."

William prepared to bolt, but a tiny hand caught the sleeve of his tunic.

"Thank you," the girl said quietly. "That was brave."

"But it was paper," William said. He had never felt so foolish.

"You didn't know, and you fought to protect me. A lady is forever grateful to her brave knight," she said, blushing slightly, and stood on tiptoes to plant a soft kiss on William's cheek. "Thank you."

William stood, nearly speechless, embarrassed at the sudden attention.

"I... I'm William," he finally blurted.

"I am Celeste," the girl answered. The two stood there, staring into each other's eyes, unaware of anything around them.

William found himself, almost without thought, leaning toward the girl. Her eyes widened a bit as she realized his intent before she too moved to meet William. Their lips met in a kiss, sending little tremors of pleasure up and down William's spine. Her lips were so soft as they moved against his. He reached out, pulling the girl against him. Her softness pressed delightfully against him. She moaned into his mouth as he ran his fingers over the back of her neck.

Suddenly, they were interrupted.

"There he is! That's the man!" the magician yelled, pulling a guard behind him. "Arrest him!"

William pulled away, feeling dazed and a bit unsteady. The kiss had been... powerful. The girl looked as if she felt the same. Celeste gave William one more quick kiss before putting her hands in the middle of his chest and pushing him away.

"You'd better go," she offered with a giggle, before stepping in front of the guards' path to block their progress. She looked back at him, urging him on with her eyes. "Run!" she said.

William ran.

"Get out! All of you! Out!" the Ice Queen screamed at her servants, who went scurrying from her private chambers. Miranda was beyond outrage. Ten years it had been, and all her efforts to get rid of the weakling king had so far failed. Her desire for power was becoming all-consuming.

When the noise and activity from her servants finally ceased, Miranda walked to a cabinet, temporarily unbinding her spell with a wave of her hand. The cabinet was empty, but for a single, shallow bowl. Reaching in, Miranda gently cradled the dish in her arms and carried it to a low, wooden table.

After wiping the bowl clean of any dirt or dust so that it shone in the dim candlelight, Miranda reached for a pitcher filled to the brim with pure spring water. Careful not to spill a single drop�for the power of the spell demanded an exact amount be used�Miranda filled the bowl.

As always when she performed a seeing, the pitcher appeared too full, the bowl not large enough. Miranda poured until the pitcher was empty and the bowl nearly overflowed. Now began the waiting, for the spell demanded complete stillness. Miranda stood, scarcely daring to breathe, while the water settled. The room, Miranda, the bowl, and the water itself must all be perfectly still.

After many minutes, Miranda approached the bowl, gathering her robes tightly to avoid any accidental touches with the water. Any disturbance now and the spell would be broken. Leaning down so that her face was but a hairs' breadth away from the surface of the water, Miranda began chanting.

She watched, entranced as always at the way the water ebbed and flowed from just a gentle breath, but knew the bowl was acting on its own, now. A faint glow seemed to come from just under the surface of the water. It was ready.

"The king," she hissed. "Show me the king." The water seemed to quiver for a moment before suddenly freezing in place. Just below the surface of the water, an image seemed to flow in, becoming more and more clear until the bowl became a window into the king's chamber.

Miranda watched as the king�sickly and feeble�lay in his bed, surrounded by his advisors and guards. As always, she looked for signs of weakness around the king but there were none. He had an army ready to defend him, and Miranda knew her own magic would be useless against so much steel and brawn. No�she would have to wait for him to die on his own, and make her play for power then.

With a wave of her hand, the view of the king flowed away. After a moment, the water snapped back into place, ready for Miranda's next request.

"The wizard," Miranda intoned. The wizard had no name, or at least none she'd ever heard. He was always just "The Wizard." Rumor had that he had come to the kingdom from across the sea. Some said he had arrived one hundred years ago, some said a thousand. Nevertheless, Miranda knew the wizard was her only hope to overthrow the king before his death. If he would not aid her in her quest for power, he would die. If she could find him.

Miranda knew the wizard had not vanished, although that clearly was his wish. No, the wizard was out there�somewhere�still protecting the king. His spells were everywhere, annoying and effective, making Miranda's attempts to seize power more and more difficult every day.

"The wizard," Miranda said again. She sighed in frustration. The bowl�as with every attempt to locate the wizard�revealed nothing of the wizard's whereabouts.

"Show me his son," Miranda requested. "The wizard's son." She expected to see nothing, and was surprised, then outraged, to find the boy, much older than she remembered, in the village! Miranda even knew the place. He was standing there talking to a girl. Suddenly the boy turned and began to run�someone was chasing after him.

Miranda was incensed. The boy was there for the taking but, as she watched, the skinny youth vaulted over a horse cart and into an alley, eluding the king's oafish guard who slipped on a patch of ice and fell flat on his face.

It wasn't until William turned to run, however, that Miranda saw the face of the girl he'd been talking to. It was Celeste, the Ice Queen's own daughter!

Her anger boiled over and she splashed her hand down into the water. A few drops spilled over the edge. The glow from inside the bowl immediately winked out, and Miranda was once again alone.

Why did I have to make such a fool of myself? William wondered as he trudged through the forest, leaving only momentary footprints in the snow. Thanks to one of his father's spells, any tracks he made were almost instantly gone.

Celeste. Celeste was her name, and she was beautiful. But she must think I'm a fool!

After escaping from the king's guard, William had taken a long path home, not wanting to risk being followed. Suddenly he heard the distant sound of barking, and a chill went through his body. The dogs were loose again. William heard them through the forest. At the sound of their frantic barking and growling�closer than he'd thought at first�his heart started beating faster, and he quickened his pace.

As the dogs neared, William's long strides turned to a jog and finally into a full run. He scaled a small hill, slipping in the snow, and almost tumbled to the ground. William grabbed hold of a small sapling for support and prepared to run again. The cottage was close. Suddenly the dogs were on him.

"You, boy! Stop your running!"

William looked over his shoulder, and saw one of the king's guards pointing his direction.

"Me?" The man nodded and moved closer. William forced himself to stand still, shaking a bit under the watchful eyes and frothing mouths of the guard dogs that now circled him. William stood�frozen in place�until the guard was standing directly in front of him. The man�out of shape and out of breath�leaned down, staring William in the eye.

"Where were you going, boy?" he wheezed, pushing a meaty finger into William's chest. This was a different guard from the one chasing him in the village, and William felt a chill pass through him. Had they followed him? Had they found his father? Was he to be put to death?

"I'm not a boy." His voice quivered, much shakier than he would have liked.

"What are you, then?" the guard asked.

"I'm a man." William had recently come of age but was slight of build, much to his disappointment. He was forever being dismissed as younger than he truly was.

"Impossible," the guard laughed. "I see no man's growth on your chin. You must be a woman."

William bit his tongue, angry as always at his father's refusal to teach him any spells. If only he could learn just one, William though. If any man deserved to choke to death on his own black tongue, it was this guard.

But William's father didn't feel it appropriate for his son to learn spells or potions.

"They're not for you to learn," he said when asked. "Wizarding is my job. Yours is to grow older and wiser."

But that didn't stop him from wishing some sort of ill to befall upon the guard. Perhaps a dragon�a real one this time�would swoop down from the sky and haul the man's fat carcass away. William glared, but said nothing. The guard sensed the boy's anger, and his hand moved to the hilt of his sword as he backed up a step. His eyes were wary and suspicious.

"Where were you going?" he repeated. "This is the king's land. You're trespassing."

"I was going home to my father," William answered carefully. He glanced behind him. He had made it to within ten paces of home. Ten paces to freedom from the prying, bloodshot eyes of the fat guard.

"Home? What home?" the guard asked, peering behind William into the darkness. The guard could see nothing, William knew. The wizard's spells guaranteed that only William and the wizard could see the cottage.

The only reason the guard had made it this close, William knew, was because William himself had led him here. People traveling unescorted through the forest found themselves unknowingly taking a wide arc around the cottage, forever walking in circles around it.

William blanched at his foolish error. He had almost given away their secret location! Wanting to distract the guard, and hopeful his father would sense the disturbance outside in the clearing, William reached down�slowly and deliberately�and picked up his leather satchel. With the guard's watchful eye on him, William stood and held it out to the guard.

"Speak, boy. What were you doing?"

"I was... I was running an errand for my father. I was to pick something up for him in the village."

"What?"

"I don't know." William shrugged his shoulders helplessly. He'd been too rushed to try the apothecary once more, and William wouldn't have known the contents of the package even if he had. His father often sent William on errands, but had threatened his son with painful boils that oozed pus and blood should he ever look inside.

"Fetching packages for daddy, are you?" the guard laughed. "Hand it over, boy, before you lose a finger. Or worse." The guard brandished his sword in front of him, grinning a gap-toothed smile as he advanced on the trembling boy.

"But I don't have any package," William stammered. Suddenly a flash of light burst out from behind William. At once, the guard fell to the ground, his sword ripped from his grip. He writhed in agony, releasing a high-pitched scream as he clutched at his sword hand. Or rather, where the hand would have been, had it still been attached to his wrist. William looked around, but saw only the shattered remains of the broken sword. The hand was nowhere�it had simply ceased to exist, leaving behind nothing but a bloody stump.

"Leave us," came a low voice. William turned at the voice of his father and almost burst into laughter. The mighty wizard, shrouded by the power of the spell, stood in the doorway, wearing nothing but a nightshirt and slippers. He was holding a mug of steaming brew in his hand, all the while shaking his head in disappointment at his son.

But the guard saw something entirely different. To him, the wizard appeared monstrous�ten feet tall and with eyes as red as blood and teeth as sharp as knives. The guard, still holding his injured arm to his side, took one last glance at the apparition and took flight. William knew the man�once he had been attended to�would tell the queen, who would demand a search be made of the forest, but he also knew there once the guard was gone there was no chance of being found. He would never be able to find this part of the forest again.

When the guard had fled down the hill and out of sight, William turned to the house, knowing he was due a tongue-lashing.

"You let him get away?" Miranda screamed, her face inches from the guard's trembling face.

"I'm sorry, milady," the guard stammered, cowering before the Ice Queen. He shook uncontrollably. The Queen looked at the guard, who shrank back as much as he was able from her furious gaze.

"What happened?" she hissed, leaning forward once more.

"I... I don't know. One moment the boy was walking through the forest and the next... the next minute he's gone and I'm left with this." The guard didn't feel the need to mention the demon he had seen appear out of nowhere�the demon responsible for his missing hand. He knew he wouldn't be believed. The guard held up his bloody arm. The stump had been hastily wrapped, but the injury still throbbed with pain and the bandage was soaked through with his blood.

"You fool!" the Queen screamed. "I need that boy to lead me to his father!"

The guard trembled, wondering exactly who the son and father were.

"We have nothing!" Miranda continued, ignoring the guard, who was now down on his knees, begging for his life. "Nothing!" She motioned to one of her private guards, who snapped to attention at her signal. "Take him away."

Her guard roughly grabbed the injured man�still blubbering incoherently� and dragged him away while Miranda fought the urge to scream out her frustrations once again. How could she ever ascend to her throne, when these... these imbeciles around her were unable to perform a simple task?

Watch for the wizard's son. Follow him. Report where he lives. Such a simple task, and yet once more a complete and utter failure. Even a child should be able to do this, she thought.

Miranda snapped her fingers and a servant stepped out of the shadows.

"Yes, milady?" he asked, bowing deeply at the waist. "How may I serve you?"

"Bring me a boy," she said.

Celeste was almost in a daze as she walked through the village and toward her home. He kissed me! Celeste had long been enamored with William, although she hadn't known his name before today, but had given up hope of ever talking to the strange, skinny boy she saw in the village.

He finally kissed me! She hoped she would see him again.

Celeste realized she was almost home. She was startled as she was nearly knocked to the ground as a man rushed through the front door, screaming in agony. His arm was dripping blood, leaving a crimson trail behind him in the snow. Celeste stepped carefully over the red droplets, not wanting to stain her dress. She arrived at her mother's door, surprised to see the trail of blood continued inside.

What had her mother done now? Celeste fought the urge to scream. Why couldn't her mother have been a seamstress or midwife? Why did her mother have to be such a... well, Celeste didn't like to say what she thought. Like everyone else, she lived in fear of her.

Seeing her mother in deep conversation with one of the village children, Celeste paused in the doorway and listened. Their words were hushed, but Celeste heard enough to hear her mother say to the child, "Look everywhere for him. I know he's in the woods somewhere. And when you find him, mark the way!"

The boy seemed nervous, but nodded vigorously. He understood. He would find the person she was seeking.

After a moment the boy also ran from the room, leaving Celeste's mother alone with one of her servants.

"Let the guards know," she told him. "When the little runt finds the wizard and his son, bring them to me. I'll kill them myself."

Celeste's eyes grew large when she heard her mother's words. Someone would die because her mother wished it.

"Hello?" she said nervously, poking her head into her mother's room. Furious at the intrusion, Miranda turned and screamed at her daughter.

"Out!" she yelled. "Leave me alone!" Celeste backed away from the doorway and went to her room.

It was a moment before Miranda realized it had been Celeste, and she quickly called after her, but Celeste was scared, and refused to come out. It was easy to see why so many people called her mother the Ice Queen.

"What were you thinking?" the wizard asked once the guard had gone. William lowered his head, unable to look his father in the eye, ashamed of the danger he'd nearly brought to his home.

"I'm sorry. It... it got dark much quicker than I expected and... and there was... a long wait before I could get your package," he stammered, fearful of revealing exactly why he'd been late.

His blatant lie was met with a moment of silence before his father chuckled lightly. It was obvious there had been no long wait, just as there was no package.

"Who is she?"

"What?" William looked up at his father, surprised to see a glint of humor in the older man's eyes.

"Who's the girl?"

"I... I don't know what you're talking about," he stammered.

"Come now. You're not normally so foolish as to lead one of the king's guards so close."

"She was beautiful!" blurted William, surprised at his outburst. Had his father put some sort of truth spell on him? He glanced up at his father who shook his head, as if reading William's mind.

"And...?"

"She was beautiful."

The wizard laughed, long and loud, at that. He was old, older even than his son knew, and had loved many women over what seemed many lifetimes, and yet... nothing changed.

"Go to bed," he said. "It's late. I'm sure you can think about your beauty while you sleep."

"Yes, Father." William hurried to his room. His thoughts�as his father knew they would�focused solely on Celeste.

Celeste woke early the next morning, before the sun had fully risen. Slipping past her mother's guards, she hurried through the kitchen, grabbing a small loaf of bread and a hunk of cheese on her way out the door. Outside was quiet. Her footfalls were muffled by a new blanket of snow, and she had no trouble reaching the edge of the village, and then the forest, without being seen.

Her task was clear. Find the boy. She knew�somehow�that the two of them were meant to be together. There was no doubt in her mind. She shivered at the realization of what she was saying, but she trusted her intuition. The gangly, wide-eyed boy was drawn to her, and she to him, and Celeste intended to find out what magic he might have, what spells he might have cast over her. She had never been in love before, and rather liked the feeling.

Reaching the edge of the forest, Celeste looked over her shoulder. The world was still asleep and shrouded in a veil of mist and fog. With one last glance�satisfied she had slipped out of the village undetected�Celeste walked into the fog and disappeared into the trees.

The boy had gone this way, she knew, so she would follow, and she would find him.

She didn't notice that she was being followed.

As a thin beam of pale yellow sunlight streamed in through the bedroom window, William yawned, stretching his arms out over his head. He had not slept well, being preoccupied with thoughts of the beauty he had seen the day before, and when sleep had at last come to him, his dreams had been filled with her as well. Those had been a bit more... pleasant, he had to admit, as evidenced by the stains on his bedding.

Quickly, he stripped off his nightclothes and into his trousers and a heavy tunic. The calendar showed it was summer but, because of the Ice Queen, that was certainly not the case. While the daytime hours�on occasion�could be almost bearable, mornings were especially frigid.

Being careful not to make too much noise, William opened the door to the cottage. He was confident that he could leave undetected. Of course his father would know his whereabouts�even without the aid of his magic the wizard seemed always to know where his son was�but no other human eye would be looking at this particular bare patch of forest, he was certain.

Walking a few hundred feet away, William began thinking once again of the girl from the day before. Who was she? Where did she live? These were two of a myriad of questions he had. With little conscious thought, William found himself walking to his favorite spot in the forest�a hot water spring that never froze over. Even with snow on the ground, the warm water would feel wonderful.

As he reached the canopied clearing, he was surprised to see the girl, Celeste. What was she doing in the forest?

She was standing at the edge of a pool of water with her back to him. William was surprised to see another human so deep in the woods, much less someone he had seen so recently. And, as he watched, Celeste dropped her robe and stepped into the pool at the bottom of the falls. She was exquisite�her skin was a pale, flawless ivory marked only by the two pink nipples at the tips of her breasts and the tangle of curls between her legs.

As William watched from the bushes, she began to bathe, scooping up handfuls of warm water and pouring them down on herself. William was entranced by the trickle of water as dripped down her body, between the firm cheeks of her buttocks and finally down her legs and back into the pool, where it was once more scooped up to begin another journey. This time the path led the water down her chest, between her breasts and over her rounded belly, before splashing between her thighs and wetting her thatch of pubic hair.

William found that he was hard under his tunic�his prick was thick and full as he stared at the girl's naked body. He was entranced by her beauty and scarcely aware of the cold from the snow and ice that seeped in between the seams of his clothing as he stood there. He fought the urge to pleasure himself as he watched this... this mysterious goddess, this Celeste.

Finally, she was finished, and walked quickly out of the pond to her robes. Water and steam cascaded off her body as she stood in a patch of sunlight. Once she had dried, she found a rock and sat, braiding her long hair. William was almost certain he caught her looking in his direction. Had she seen him? Should he say something? She would know he had watched her.

Taking a deep breath, William moved out of the bushes and into the clearing.

"I've been waiting for you," she said.

"Is she gone?" Miranda asked a guard, looking out past the edge of the village and into the forest. The guard nodded. Knowing well that any guards following behind her daughter would soon be spotted, a young boy�no more than ten or eleven years of age�had been called into service. He was to lag behind Celeste, following her wherever she went. Never so close as to be noticed, but always within eyesight.

Miranda knew the wizard and his son were out there somewhere, and all the signs pointed to her daughter being the key to finding them. First Miranda had seen Celeste talking to the wizard's son, and now her daughter was sneaking away early in the morning, and heading in the same direction the son had taken to escape the king's guards.

She gave explicit instructions to her guard. Wait at the edge of the forest. Let the boy find the girl and come back for you. He'll lead you to the girl, who will undoubtedly lead you to the boy and then to the father. The wizard must be kept alive�that was most important. What happened to the others was of little concern to Miranda.

The guard seemed surprised the Ice Queen was willing to sacrifice her own flesh and blood, but kept his tongue.

This would destroy her daughter, Miranda knew, but it was of no consequence. Once the Ice Queen ascended the throne, any heirs would simply be targets for corruption and greed, and Miranda would not risk to easily losing what she had fought for.

I've lived for a hundred years; I'll rule for a thousand. Miranda knew as soon as she was crowned, she would have no use for Celeste. It was a shame, in a way. Her daughter was beautiful and kind, generous and caring, but�as far as Miranda was concerned�three of those qualities were weaknesses, to be crushed underfoot, smothered like a cooking fire, never to burst into flames again.

Yes, her daughter would be dead soon enough. There was no other option, it was either Miranda or Celeste, and Miranda had no intention of dying anytime soon.

She noticed the guard still standing there.

"Go!" she screamed.

The girl spoke again. "I'm Celeste."

"I remember," William said. "I'm William."

"I remember."

The two stood facing each other, both at a loss for words. Finally, Celeste stepped closer, pressing herself against William. William began to pull away, fearful she might feel his still erect member pressing against her abdomen but, when she ground her hips against his own, he began to relax. Celeste put her hand on his chest, feeling the beating of his heart.

"I didn't get a chance to thank you properly, kind sir," she said. "You saved my life."

"I... it was only... paper..." but William was cut off as Celeste leaned forward, pressing her mouth to his. Any thoughts of protesting his foolishness vanished the moment their lips met. Her mouth was soft, sweeter than he would have imagined, and when her lips parted, William followed suit, allowing her tongue to dart in and out of his mouth.

When Celeste stepped back, she had a look in her eyes that William couldn't read.

"What?" he stammered, but her intentions quickly became clear. Reaching down, Celeste grabbed at the hem of her garment and, with a quick tug, pulled it up and over her head. She was completely nude underneath, and still a bit damp from her bath. Tiny droplets of water clung to the bush of hair between her legs. Celeste shivered when the cold air hit her skin, and she pressed herself close to William.

"Touch me," she said. This time William was less nervous, allowing his hands to roam down the smooth expanse of her back, going so far as to cup the firm mounds of her buttocks. They were firm, soft and muscular and, as he fondled her, Celeste moaned into his mouth, and pressed her breasts more tightly against his chest. She hissed in pleasure as her nipples scraped against the rough fabric of his cloak.

While one hand toyed with the hair on the back of his neck, Celeste slid the other down the front of his tunic. Reaching his waist, she slipped her hand inside the folds of his clothing and, reaching lower, quickly came into contact with the proof of his arousal.

It was William's turn to gasp as her hand wrapped around his erection, both from the shock of it and from her cold fingers. He felt light headed as she stroked him, and he worried that his excitement and nervousness might lead to a quick end. As William began to feel his passion begin to boil over, he was relieved to feel Celeste release her grip on him. His respite was short, however, as the girl jerked roughly on his tunic, baring his chest to the open air. Her fingers felt like tiny, hot pokers, fresh from the fire, as they moved against his skin.

But the arousal William felt was nothing like the sensation when Celeste released the tie on his trousers. They fell around his ankles and pooled on the ground. His cock bobbed up and down in the air.

"It's beautiful," she cooed, again wrapping her fingers around his shaft. William threw his head back, fighting hard to avoid a quick orgasm. His rod jerked in her grip when she leaned down and kissed its purple tip.

"Oh, gods," he moaned, his hips flexing as he felt her hot breath on his member. He'd never felt so pleasantly hard in his life, and her soft lips against his flesh almost brought him over the edge.

Celeste giggled, kissing up and down his length, her touch feathery light on his sensitive skin. Grinning lustily, she opened her mouth, her wet, pink tongue darting out to bathe William's prick with her saliva. With a jerk, William felt an all-too-familiar sensation boiling up from his groin and he quickly pulled away.

"Stop. Stop!" he gasped, putting a hand on her shoulder. Celeste looked up at him, a puzzled expression on her face.

"Didn't you like it?" she asked.

"Too much," he confessed. "I liked it too much. I was almost ready to..."

"Should I stop? I thought you would want your release." Celeste looked confused, but her distress quickly turned to arousal as William pushed her to her back, making sure she was on their clothes and not the frozen ground, and positioned himself between her thighs. Her cunt mound was dripping with her juices, and her outer lips were puffy and red with arousal.

"We can do that later," William said. He trailed his fingers through her curls of pubic hair. Her pelt was soft�much smoother than his own coarse hair�and his mouth watered as he imagined pushing his tongue through her damp curls. "There's something I want to do first." As he leaned forward, Celeste caught him by the hair.

"You don't have to," she warned, conflicted at the thought of what William was about to do. She was aroused, but thought William might be disgusted at the act.

"I'm going to do it," he said, licking his lips in anticipation, "and I'm going to enjoy it."

"Yes," Celeste said, releasing her grip on his hair and guiding him to her slick opening, "then I shall enjoy it also."

William extended his tongue, gliding along the inside of Celeste's muscular thighs. Her muscles twitched at the contact and her legs clamped down around William's neck, trapping him against her pussy. She was wildly aroused and her musky scent permeated the outdoors. William imagined he could see steam rising up from her pussy into the cool morning air.

"Oh, yes," she hissed as she felt his tongue begin to bathe her hot flesh. William had gradually moved closer and closer to her opening, never quite penetrating her, but his tongue was like fire as it licked up one side of her pussy and down the other.

"You like this?" he grinned up from between her thighs, his face already coated with her juices. Celeste nodded frantically in approval, not wanting him to stop his ministrations.

"Yes, now hurry!" she pleaded, once more pulling his face against her wet center. Her moans grew higher and higher as William abandoned all teasing and his tongue pushed as deeply into her slick tunnel as he was able. Reaching his hands underneath Celeste's squirming body, William grabbed hold of her firm buttocks and pulled her tightly against his face, deepening the contact.

His mouth seemed to be everywhere at once. First licking at her opening, lapping up her sticky juices, then at the top of her slit, paying careful attention to her pleasure button before kissing all over the matted hair covering her mound.

Celeste was in ecstasy and, as her pleasure built, she ran her hands up and down her sides and down the outside of her thighs before returning to her chest. Her hardened nipples were two bright pink pebbles atop the soft white mounds of her breasts. She tugged roughly at them as the sensations of her own hands, coupled with William's ever-probing tongue, pushed her over the edge.

"Aiyeeee!" she screamed as her pleasure crested in wave after wave. Her tummy trembled and her thighs shook as her pussy began to spasm in orgasm.

William continued through the climax, his licking and nibbling becoming less and less frantic. He lightened his strokes as Celeste panted above him, her breathing slowly returning to normal. Finally, she let out a small shudder and her hands returned to his head, not to push him away, but gently stroking his hair.

"Thank you," she whispered. "No one... no one has ever done that for me."

"It was my pleasure."

"I see that." Celeste giggled, her eyes looking pointedly at William's groin, where his erection jutted proudly outward. "Let me take care of that," she said, reaching out to caress his rod.

"Wait." William had been ready to surrender himself fully to her gentle touches, when a faint sound caught his attention.

"Why?"

"Quiet," William hissed, his senses on edge. "We're being watched. Were you followed?"

"What? Where?"

"In the bushes, on the other side of the pond." William saw the glint of sunlight reflecting off something shiny. "There are two of them."

Two of the Ice Queen's guards burst from the undergrowth, shouting and gesturing to William and Celeste, who reacted in shock at seeing the heavily armed men in their black armor.

"Mother's guards!" she blurted.

"What?"

"Run!" Celeste shouted, grabbing William by the wrist. He had barely enough time to grab his tunic before a frightened Celeste pulled him to his feet and dragged him into the forest. Her garments were left behind.

"Where are we going?" William asked. Celeste didn't answer but kept running doggedly ahead.

Through the trees the two ran, frantically trying to keep ahead of the larger, slower, but more heavily armed soldiers. Over an icy stream and through a patch of frozen foliage until at last Celeste pulled up short, bent over at the waist to catch her breath. William cringed as he looked at the girl, her skin marked and marred as leaves and thorns had pricked and torn at her flesh.

"Are you all right?" he asked, listening with one ear for the snapping of branches that would signal the arrival of their assailants. The girl nodded breathlessly. She looked up at William, her emotions raw on her face.

"Who are you?" she asked. "Why does my mother want with you?"

The wizard paused, his morning meal forgotten. He had felt something, he was sure of it. Something he'd hoped never to feel again. It worried him. Abandoning his food, the wizened old man quickly strode to his cabinet. Unlocking it with a wave of his hand, he began pulling out vials of chemicals and herbs.

She was out there somewhere. Closer than she'd been during his time of hiding. Even as he worked, he could feel her presence moving ever closer.

The wizard's hands shook as he assembled his tools on the worktable in front of him. What was he feeling? It was something unfamiliar. His heart was racing, and there was a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead. The wizard reached up and cleared the perspiration from his face. He took a breath, trying to understand this emotion, for only when he had understood what this emotion was could he combat it.

With a shock, the wizard realized his hands were shaking and his pulse was almost pounding in his temples. He forced himself to slow his breathing, realizing exactly what he was experiencing. The realization did not make him happy. He knew the emotion.

It was fear.

"Don't lose her!" the Ice Queen screamed. She was alone in her chambers, hovering as close as she dared to the saucer. She had once again filled the shallow seeing dish full of still water, and watched in rapt attention as her daughter and the wizard's son raced through the forest, nearly losing her guards time and again.

Finally, her excitement growing, the Ice Queen watched as the young couple broke out into a small, empty clearing. The wizard's son looked behind them, checking to see if the guards were still following. Imagining that the two were alone, the boy reached out into the empty forest air. He gripped and twisted at something the Ice Queen could not see, until suddenly a shaft of light broke through the forest air.

The queen gasped as she watched the boy, and then her daughter, step forward, disappearing bit by bit into the light.

She had done it�she had found the wizard's secret home. If only the two pathetic excuses for guards could manage to remember the location, Miranda knew she could end this, and soon.

"We have to leave, now!" commanded the wizard. He towered over his son and the girl�now dressed in one of William's nightshirts�furious at the betrayal he felt. "Do you even know what you've done?"

"Father, no. It's fine. We weren't followed. I made sure of it." William tried to act calm, but inside he trembled. He'd never seen his father behave this way. Not since the night they were forced to flee the castle, at any rate.

"William, William, William. It doesn't matter. The Ice Queen will be here, and soon, I should imagine."

Now it was Celeste's turn to be frightened.

"Mother? What would she...?"

"Mother?" William looked at the girl in amazement, stepping back a pace from where he had previously stood. "That evil... she's your mother?"

The wizard nodded slowly, a look of anger mixed with frustration etched on his face.

"I told you, time and again," he said slowly. "Never bring a stranger to this house. The queen has spies everywhere."

"I'm not a spy!" spat Celeste, her fear turning to anger. "I... I hate her!"

"She's your mother?" William asked once more. Celeste nodded, and tears formed in her eyes. I won't cry, she promised, fearing William's rebuke. Not now. Not in front of these two.

"There's no time to waste," the wizard said. He grabbed a satchel and began filling it with food and clothing, along with vials of powders and bits of plants he would need. "Hurry!" he said, seeing his son and the girl still standing there. "We must leave, and soon."

"Why?" Celeste asked, fingering the necklace she wore around her neck. "We're not in any danger."

The wizard turned and stared at the girl, his face full of scorn. "How can you possibly think that?" he asked in amazement. "The Ice Queen... your mother... will be after us. And when she finds us, she'll try to kill us. And you too, if you're in her way."

"She wouldn't! My amulet," she explained. "It's cold... as ice." The necklace had been a present from her mother, long ago. It was a protective amulet, her mother had said, and would only grow warm when her daughter was in danger.

"All the more reason to hurry," the wizard muttered.

Celeste looked to William for support, but he gave a quick shake of his head and hurried to help his father. "Not now," he mouthed silently. William was worried. He had never seen his father this scared, and it scared him.

"Where are we going?" William asked. The wizard looked up, but paused when he saw Celeste still standing there, unsure of what he could say around the girl. "It's fine, father," William stressed. "Celeste is... she's fine. I love her." William blurted the words without thinking and spun to look at Celeste when he heard her gasp of surprise, but he saw only adoration on her face.

"I believe you," the wizard replied. "It's her mother I don't trust."

Celeste looked back and forth between the two men as they argued, her head spinning.

"I don't understand," she finally said, interrupting William as he tried once more to convince his father of her�Celeste's�innocence where her mother was concerned. "What has my mother done?"

The wizard looked at his son. This is your job, his look told William. Sighing heavily, William turned to Celeste and began to tell the tale of a king, a wizard, and an evil, would-be queen.

"Boy, are you sure it was this way?" Miranda was sick and tired of trudging through the woods in the middle of the night. She wondered if the village ruffian wasn't intentionally leading them in circles. In fact, the Ice Queen was certain she and her band of guardsmen had passed by the same fallen tree at least twice, but the young boy was positive they were heading in the right direction.

"It's just this way, mum. I mean, your highness," he said over his shoulder. "I tied a bit of cloth around a branch just ahead, so I'd remember where it was."

Miranda grumbled, but nodded. What other choice did she have? About the time Celeste and the boy had entered what Miranda felt was the wizard's home, a servant had entered the Ice Queen's chambers. The stillness of the water had been disturbed, and the vision winked out in the blink of an eye. Minutes later, once Miranda had dispatched the servant and refilled the shallow dish, there was no sign of either the boy or Celeste. And, as always, there was no sign of the wizard.

So here she was, following a child through the woods with only the light of the moon to guide them. Miranda was cold, her robes were soaked from the heavy snowfall, and she was cranky.

"Are we close?" she snapped after walking for a few more minutes. The boy nodded excitedly, running ahead to the base of a thick oak. For a moment the queen was puzzled, for it appeared that a single red leaf still clung to the tree. Then the boy turned, a triumphant look on his face. He held up the leaf, which turned out to be a scarf, which he quickly tucked into his trousers.

"There," he said proudly. He pushed aside a bit of undergrowth and pointed.

The Ice Queen's breath caught in her throat. It was just as she had seen. A clearing, unnatural in its appearance this deep in the forest.

And magic.

Miranda could feel it everywhere. It was almost dizzying in its power and she felt nauseous for a moment before taking a deep breath to steady herself.

He was here. The wizard was here. After so many months and years spent searching, Miranda had finally found him.

Miranda looked overhead. It was late, and neither she nor her guards were in any condition to fight, especially against the wizard on his home turf.

"Spread out," she whispered, not wanting to give away their presence. "Rest now. We fight in the morning."

She and her guards set up camp a hundred yards from the wizard's hidden home, never realizing their every move was being watched from inside the house.

Celeste lay with her back to William, crying into her fists, which she had balled up and was pressing into her eyes as hard as she could.

"I didn't know," she sobbed quietly. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

William reached over, resting his hand on her shoulder. He could feel her shaking and began rubbing up and down her arm to try and calm her.

"Shhhh," he whispered. "It's all right."

Celeste rolled over to face William, a look of incredulity on her face.

"No, it's not," she said. "It's not all right! What will happen to you? Or your father? Or me? I'm so sorry; I can't believe I led my mother straight to you. I want to kill her!"

The wizard had seen the approach of the Ice Queen and her guards, but had decided it would be foolish to attempt to slip past them when they were still alert.

"Let the guards grow drowsy and dull throughout the night," he said. "The forest is large and, just before dawn breaks, we should be able to sneak past their sentry."

So William and Celeste had headed to bed, although sleep was slow in coming. The wizard himself needed little rest. Instead, he chose to use the time to prepare for their unexpected and unwanted guests.

"Everything will work out," William said. "You heard my father."

Celeste nodded slowly. She appreciated the attempt at kindness, but knew she was to blame somehow, and all William's comforting words wouldn't change the sense of dread she felt. People would die in the morning, and all because of her. It was all her fault.

"Hold me," she said, reaching out to wrap her arms around William's neck. He opened his arms, allowing Celeste to snuggle up next to him. She nestled against his side, resting her head on William's chest. Celeste was still shaking a bit, and William ran his hands up and down her back.

"It's all right," he murmured again and again, hoping to calm her nerves. Eventually William felt Celeste begin to breathe more evenly. Thinking she was asleep, he tried to pull his arm out from under her. Her weight, though slight, had cut off the flow of blood into his arm. He squeezed his fist, trying to increase the circulation into his hand.

Celeste hadn't quite dozed off, however, and the sudden movement only jarred her fully awake.

"Are you still up?" she asked, reaching up to touch his face.

"Sorry," he whispered.

Celeste smiled in the darkness, twisting around so the two were lying together�she in front, William behind�facing the same direction. She reached back, pulling William's right arm over her shoulders. William held back for a moment, unsure when he felt his hand pressing against the upper slope of Celeste's breast, but allowed himself to relax when he heard Celeste's sigh of content.

"That's better," she said. His mere presence was comforting, and his hand on her breast felt... right.

William tried to hold back, but couldn't help himself from squeezing gently on Celeste's firm orb. Her breast was smooth and firm, just like the rest of her and, as he cupped the flesh in his palm, William felt the nipple firm up and lengthen against his fingers.

Celeste reached down, removing William's hand from her breast. She leaned up and William feared his touches were unwelcome, but Celeste merely held his hand to her lips and gave it a quick kiss before returning his hand to her warm breast.

"You may continue," she whispered hotly. She was beginning to become aroused by his gentle touch.

William happily complied, treating first one breast, then the other, to a series of light pinches and smooth caresses until Celeste thought she might burst from the attention. Both her nipples were as hard as pebbles and she found the arousal almost painfully intense.

Once again, she reached up, grabbing his hand by the wrist. This time, her intent was to stop his actions, but he was only momentarily disappointed. Instead of bringing his teasing to a halt, Celeste pushed William's hand further down her body. She grabbed at the hem of her short nightshirt and guided him between her legs.

"Touch me," she whispered as quietly as she could, aware of the presence of the wizard in the next room.

William had no such awareness. His entire mind focused on the heat and wetness he felt as his hand dipped lower, over Celeste's slightly rounded belly, and between her parted thighs. She was a cauldron there�the opening to her pussy was already damp with arousal. William slid the pad of his finger between her swollen lips, drawing a tiny gasp from her as his finger brushed against the nub of her clitoris.

He continued exploring, his finger pressing further inward, parting her fat outer lips, and dipping into the opening of her wetness. She was hot inside and, as William gently moved his fingertips over her aroused flesh, he felt her muscles twitching in response, as if trying to draw him in.

Celeste was not idle as William attended to her desires. She reached back between their bodies to grope blindly at the front of William's sleeping gown. She managed to squirm a hand inside and grinned as William groaned. Celeste had found his manhood, hot and hard and ready. She squeezed gently on his turgid flesh, feeling the engorged member twitch in response.

William pushed forward, trapping Celeste's hand between his abdomen and the soft curve of her ass. Celeste reached her other hand between her thighs and stroked at William's scrotum, gently cupping his balls in the palm of her warm hand. William hissed his pleasure in Celeste's ear, tweaking her clit in response.

Celeste was beyond ready by now. She felt her slick, lubricating oils pooling in the opening of her pussy. Parting her legs in invitation, she grabbed William's cock and slipped him between her legs. The fat head of his cock lay nestled against her opening. Just a push and he would be inside her, filling her, fulfilling her needs, and his.

"Are you sure?" William asked, his breath hot against the back of Celeste's neck.

"Yes, oh yes," she moaned. "Do it. Push it in me."

With a grunt, William pushed forward, burying himself to the hilt in one stroke. Celeste moaned her approval as she felt his shaft invading her slick tunnel, stretching and spreading her as he filled her. He kept thrusting, slowly and steadily, until he was all the way in. Celeste was full�more so than ever before�as William's chest pressed against her back, the fur from his groin against her ass.

"Wait a moment," Celeste whispered, fighting to avoid screaming out her pleasure, positive it would awake not only the wizard, but any of her mother's guards who might be nearby. "Let me get used to you." She reached between her thighs, stimulating her clit with her finger. William gritted his teeth as Celeste's pussy began to spasm around his cock. Each spasm brought with it a tiny spurt of her lubricant.

William lay still, fighting his own battle to avoid spurting his seed deep inside Celeste's pussy. Her inner walls clutched at him, fluttering around his shaft as he fought for control. Both gasped when Celeste moved away, testing her readiness to continue. It was fantastic�William's cock slipped free of her clutches with ease. Both groaned at the intense feelings, and she nodded for him to continue.

He relaxed his hips, allowing his prick to slide out of her cunt until just the head was left inside. Celeste groaned; already she felt incomplete without him filling her. The emptiness lasted only a moment, however; William tightened his grip on Celeste's hip and pressed forward once more.

She was so tight that each thrust threatened to bring William to the edge of orgasm. Leaning forward, he pressed his lips along the edge of her shoulder and onto her back, peppering the damp skin with quick kisses. She sighed in approval, reaching a hand over her shoulder. She pulled William forward, turning her neck until their lips met. They kissed, deep and long as their tongues slid back and forth between their mouths.

Eventually William broke the kiss. He was aroused, riding the razor's edge of his control. He knew he was close. He rolled Celeste over onto her belly so the firm cheeks of her ass pressed back against his groin. Breaking their coupling, she rose to her knees, supporting herself on her elbows, and thrust her buttocks into the air. He reached around and cupped her hanging breasts in his hands as he pushed back into her wet warmth.

Celeste almost screamed�her nipples were like hot pokers, and William's gentle touches were driving her to a crushing orgasm. She rocked her hips, reminding William that he was currently buried inside her, to beg him to continue.

William grinned, watching as Celeste moved back and forth along his prick. Each time he withdrew, he was slick with her juices. He began a steady pumping, watching in fascination as Celeste's thin membranes seemed almost to grab at his shaft, almost to beg him to thrust ahead once more.

As he did so, William was vaguely aware of Celeste trembling in another orgasm, but he was in a fog of his own. He was close. Grabbing her hips, he began plowing ahead as fast as he could. The tingling sensation he felt in his balls quickly moved up his shaft, and soon the first sticky spurt erupted from his cock. He froze, as he released his seed into Celeste's warm tunnel.

Celeste looked back over her shoulder at William. Her mouth was hanging open as she panted in ecstasy. His orgasm had triggered another tiny climax for her, who looked back in amazement. She had never felt anything close to this�not with a man and certainly not by her own hand. William wiped the sweat from his brow, grinning down at the fully flushed Celeste.

Carefully he pulled his rapidly deflating penis from Celeste's pussy. Despite spurting what felt like a cupful of sperm, little more than a few drops escaped from between her fleshy lips. As soon as she was able, Celeste spun around and threw her arms around William's neck. She kissed him passionately on the lips.

"Thank you, thank you," she whispered, again and again. William, for his part, stroked the damp skin of Celeste's back, murmuring his own endearments in her ear. Spent from their passion, the two covered themselves with a quilt and fell into a deep sleep.

The sky outside was still dark the next morning when William awoke. He reached for Celeste, surprised to not feel her warm body pressed against his own. He frowned, opening his eyes only to find himself alone under the blanket.

Still groggy, William stood and walked into his father's room. The wizard looked up at the sound of his son approaching. His face was expressionless.

"We must go," the wizard said. "Now."

"But where is Celeste?"

"Gone."

"Gone where?"

The wizard sighed, not wanting to upset his son. He had been awake an hour earlier when he heard the sounds of Celeste trying to sneak away from the cottage undetected. As the girl reached the door, she heard a noise and whirled around. She was startled to see the wizard standing there.

"Would you betray us like this?" he asked. Celeste was momentarily confused, then angered.

"Never!" she spat. "Is that what you think?"

"What can I think? You are the daughter of the Ice Queen."

"I'm nothing like her!" Celeste's eyes narrowed. "I hate her. I'm leaving so... so she doesn't find you."

Without another word, Celeste spun on her heel and was quickly out the door. The wizard made no move to stop her.

As William listened to his father, he grew first upset and then anxious.

"We have to find her," he pleaded. "She's in just as much danger as we are!"

The wizard nodded. It was true. The Ice Queen's lust for power would have forced aside any concern she might have had for her daughter.

"We'll only put ourselves in danger," the wizard sighed. William looked at his father in surprise.

"You don't think we should at least look for her? What if her mother finds her? Surely, she'll be tortured! She's been to our home..." The suggestion was clear. She's been here before, so she can find it again. But still the wizard said nothing. William wanted to shout in frustration. "Fine," he said finally. If you won't go after her, I will."

With that, William threw on a warm cloak and his heavy boots and prepared to go off in search of Celeste. He looked outside, and saw it was snowing. His heart sank. He had hoped to be able to track her, but that would be nearly impossible. She had only been gone an hour, but already there were no visible footprints leading away from the cottage.

"Wait." The wizard spoke from inside the house. "You'll never find her."

William looked back at his father in gratitude. He waited while his father grabbed his own hooded cloak and walking staff. The two quietly left the house and, with the aid of a spell, managed to walk past Miranda's guards without being seen. Maybe with a little magic, we can find her.

Celeste was utterly and completely lost. As she walked through the undergrowth, she wished the trees overhead let in more light. The sun had risen, but only a few shafts of light poked through the heavy leaves. Travel was precarious at best, dangerous at worst.

Adding to her problems, Celeste wasn't even sure she was moving in the right direction. She had fled from the wizard's home before dawn, easily slipping past her mother's guard. Her heart was breaking at leaving William behind, although she was sure it was for the best.

In her haste, she had run without watching where she was going, intent only on moving away from the cottage as fast as her legs would carry her. Soon, however, Celeste slowed as she began thinking over what she had done.

Was it really wise to leave the wizard and his son? There were William's feelings to consider, along with her own. Second, although he had been displeased with his son for bringing a stranger to his home�especially the Ice Queen's daughter�the wizard had actually seemed to like Celeste. And third, with Miranda on the warpath, did Celeste really want to go back to her?

She decided she didn't but, after only a few short minutes alone in the woods, with no one to lead her in either direction�back to the wizard's cottage or back in the direction of the village�Celeste was forced to admit she had no idea where she was. She thought the wizard's home was somewhere to her right, but she couldn't see it. Not that she expected to be able to�it was protected too well with the wizard's magic�but she couldn't even see any signs that anyone had ever been in this part of the forest. And the fact that it had begun to snow meant she wasn't able to follow her own tracks.

What can I do? I'm probably walking in circles!

Celeste sat on a fallen tree, trying to think of a way out of her mess. She knew that her mother would eventually start looking for her. She had seen the magic of the shallow dish, but that wasn't the kind of rescue she wanted. In fact�and the thought shook her to the core�what if her mother had already seen where she was, and knew where the wizard lived? William would be in danger!

It was thoughts like this which had led to her fleeing the wizard's home in the first place, but now Celeste wanted nothing more than to find her way back and warn them. They may be in danger and not know it!

Celeste picked herself up and dusted off her clothes. She began a determined march back toward what she hoped was the wizard's home, hopeful she could once again sneak past her mother.

As she picked her way through a tangle of bushes, she thought she heard voices up ahead. Celeste immediately dropped to the ground, but not before seeing the familiar black armor of one of her mother's private guards. She held her breath, trying to shrink back into the woods.

Celeste knew she was going to die.

Miranda was frustrated. It was just after dawn and there had been no sign of movement from inside the cottage. Could the wizard and his son slipped by her during the night? Miranda grew furious at the thought.

Suddenly, one of her guards cocked his head. His hand waved to the rest to be quiet. Motioning, he indicated that he had heard a noise coming from the bushes just outside the clearing.

Was it the boy? Miranda wondered. Their young guide had fled the night before after receiving the sackful of sweets she had promised him. Was he coming back for more? The Ice Queen would know soon enough. The noise�whatever it was�had begun again. It was the sound of boots crunching through snow, of frozen branches being pushed aside.

Miranda's guards turned to the noise, ready to pounce on whatever came through the bushes. The Ice Queen gasped aloud as she came face to face with the intruder.

"Mother!" It was Celeste. She stood there, her eyes flicking back and forth between Miranda and her guards. "No!" She spun away, back through the bushes, away from her mother, away from danger.

Miranda's heart pounded in her chest. "After her!" she screamed at her guards, who had yet to chase after the girl. "Don't let the little bitch escape!"

Every step was harder than the one before as the wizard and his son trudged through the forest. The snow was coming down harder and the wind had picked up. The two men were bundled against the cold, but the wind seemed to blow right through their clothes.

"We must move faster," the wizard said over his shoulder. "If the Ice Queen finds Celeste..." He let the words hang there. William knew full well what would happen if Miranda found Celeste. Celeste's mind may not know the way back to the wizard's hidden home, but her body did. William shuddered as he pictured the outcome. The wizard had explained that the body, once separated from the brain... William didn't want to imagine it again.

"Not good," the wizard muttered. "Not good at all." The old man bent down, examining a series of tracks not quite buried by the new snow.

"What is it?' William asked, fearing he knew the answer.

"Men. Lots of them. Too many to count."

"Soldiers?"

"I fear so. And two other sets of prints, one a child and one..."

"A woman?"

"Yes."

"The Ice Queen?"

The wizard nodded. "I believe so. They're headed that direction," he pointed.

"Back... back to our house?" William asked, his pulse racing. The wizard nodded. "How... how did they find it? Did they... find Celeste?"

The wizard shrugged. "If they have, then she's already dead."

William's legs gave out under him and he slumped to the ground. The snow beneath him began to melt, but he didn't feel the wetness seeping through his clothing.

"Hurry," the wizard pleaded with his son. "We don't know that she's dead but, if we stay here too long, she surely will be."

"All right." William dragged himself back to his feet and the two began hurrying back to their home.

They had walked a few hundred paces, and were able to see the prints of Miranda and her guards more clearly now. They were catching up, but to what? The wizard's face grew grim as he realized how close they were to the cottage. Once the Ice Queen found it, there was little he could do to stop her. His best chance was to catch her before she found his hidden home.

He motioned to William to hurry. His son nodded, and prepared to break into a jog. Suddenly, a scream pierced the silence of the forest.

"Mother, no!" Celeste begged, her teeth chattering against each other. She was freezing, stripped naked, and staked to the ground. Her back and thighs were numb, and her skin was beginning to turn blue. It had all been so unexpected. After surprising Miranda and her guards, Celeste had only managed to run a few steps before she was tackled to the ground, trapped beneath the weight of one of the soldiers.

Miranda had tried to ingratiate herself to her daughter, but Celeste knew her mother as she truly was, and refused to talk. She refused even to say that she had no idea where the wizard lived. The Ice Queen was incensed and, before Celeste knew what was happening, her robes were torn from her body. And ropes held her to the frozen ground.

Miranda ignored her daughter's pleas for mercy. Celeste meant little to Miranda now. It would be but a short time until she had the information she needed. She turned to face her daughter, but spoke to one of the men standing watch over Celeste.

"Get rid of the head when I'm finished. I need the body."

Celeste gasped, both at her mother's words and what was held in her hand�a knife, chipped from bone. It was twisted, and gnarled, and deadly. Its blade glinted pearly white in the winter sun. Its only imperfection was a slight discoloration. Celeste's guts churned when she realized the stain was blood.

Her lips trembling, Celeste tried once more to reason with her mother, but the Ice Queen was far beyond negotiation. Ignoring the sound of her daughter's quivering voice, Miranda began murmuring incantations as she waved the knife over her head. Her arms swept from side to side and soon her entire body was swaying back and forth.

The spell was strong, but only worked for a short period of time. To control the body fully, Miranda needed to drain the corpse of its blood within minutes of death. After the body was burned, the ashes needed to be mixed with some of the still-warm blood, and ground into a paste. Smeared onto the body of the spell weaver, it would act as a guide, lead Miranda to the wizard's home.

Her chanting finished, the Ice Queen stood over her daughter, knife raised high in the air.

Before Miranda could thrust the blade downward, a beam of light flashed through the forest and the knife was thrown from her hand. The Ice Queen looked around in confusion. There was another flash, and the guard standing at the edge of the clearing fell to the ground without a sound. One by one her guards were felled silently. At last only Miranda stood, alone in the center of the clearing.

The Wizard, she thought, a thrill running through her body. It would end today.

"I know you're there!" she screamed out loud. "Come out and face me, you coward!"

William watched in amazement as his father, with little more than a flick of his wrist, send spell after spell crashing through the cold winter air. First the knife and then, one by one, Miranda's guards dropped to the ground.

Frustrated, Miranda screamed out her challenge to the wizard, who put his finger to his lips as he looked as his son.

"Be quiet," he whispered. "No noise. Stay here, and be careful."

William nodded his acknowledgment, watching in trepidation as his father stepped into the clearing, holding nothing but his walking stick in his hands.

"Miranda," he said, nodding slightly in the direction of the furious sorceress.

"Wizard!" she spat. Miranda dropped into a slight crouch, her hands held out in front of her, preparing to ward off any attack the wizard might make. "I hope you're ready to die!"

The wizard shrugged. "Today would be as good as any, but I don't think it will come to that."

Miranda, further incensed, lashed out. A debilitating spell�orange, jagged and followed by a trail of smoke�shot from her fingertips. William cringed in his hiding place, but the wizard merely shrugged, and held his walking stick in front of him. The spell glanced away without harming him.

The casual display seemed to spur on the Ice Queen, who threw out spell after spell at her ancient foe, all to no effect.

"Little Miranda," the wizard chuckled as another charm glanced off his outstretched fingers. "As always... all flash and fire, and no substance. Have you learned nothing?"

Miranda swore and threw off another spell. Again, William's father deflected it easily. The Ice Queen stared at her foe�it had been so long that she had forgotten how truly powerful he was. As if reading her thoughts, the wizard flicked his wrist. Miranda screamed as a fireball, five feet in diameter and white hot, hurtled her direction. It took all her skill to deflect the flaming sphere.

William watched from the bushes as the two fought furiously. Spell met counter-spell, again and again, with neither opponent gaining an inch.

Seeing an opening as he realized no one was paying him any attention, William began creeping slowly around the edge of the clearing, closer to the bound Celeste. Believing the coast was clear he pushed aside the low hanging branch of a tree and began crawling to her, using the fallen body of one of Miranda's guards to shield his movement.

Reaching Celeste, William gave her a quick kiss on the forehead before attempting to loosen the knots in the rope around her wrists and ankles. As much as he pulled and twisted, it appeared to be in vain. William cursed as he found the knots to be tightened with a spell. There was nothing he could do.

Suddenly Celeste screamed.

"No!" shouted the wizard.

William turned his head just in time to see a purple spell heading his direction. The last thing he saw before the spell landed was the smug look on the Ice Queen's face.

The wizard stood, momentarily frozen in place. Miranda turned her head, an evil grin splitting her face.

"So sorry," she said, her eyes glancing to where William lay, crumpled over Celeste. The wizard's heart fell�he had failed. Even if he defeated Miranda, his life would be empty. His son�his only son�was dead.

As he stood there, grieving for his son, Miranda flung a spell in his direction. He deflected it as before, but the effort seemed to take a great deal of strength. Previously, the Ice Queen's magic had been basic, almost child-like in its simplicity. This recent one, however, was much stronger, much darker.

He braced himself for the next spell. This time it was streaks of green lightning that seemed to set all his nerves on fire. Another came, and another, and each further penetrated the wizard's diminishing defenses.

He was growing weaker. Yet another spell landed. This one dropped him to his knees. He glanced one more time to his fallen son, still slumped over Celeste. He knew it was finished�the Ice Queen had won.

The wizard closed his eyes, preparing for defeat.

Pain.

Head-splitting, eardrum-rattling pain. William slowly opened his eyes, stunned to be alive. Terrified of breathing to heavily for fear of alerting Miranda, William rolled off Celeste. When he dared glance over to the witch and his father, William almost screamed.

It was too late. His father was defeated. The wizard had a long black cut all along the top of his head. He had fallen in front of the Ice Queen with his eyes closed. As he watched, Miranda raised her arms to the sky, preparing her ultimate spell.

As the Ice Queen chanted, William looked around the ground, desperately searching for some kind of weapon. Finally, his eyes lit on an unlikely choice: Miranda's own knife, thrown out of her hand early in the battle.

It lay, half buried in the ground, its twisted, boney shaft lightly stained with blood. Reaching out his hand, William grabbed it by the handle. It was light, and he feared it might be too fragile.

Looking up, William nearly gasped. Above the Ice Queen, dark clouds had spun themselves into a funnel, which was slowly dropping to the ground. As William watched, a glow seemed to form between Miranda's hands, still raised high above her head.

Her chanting grew louder now, more frantic, and William feared her spell might be complete before he could move.

Ignoring the pain left over from the Ice Queen's spell, William dragged himself to his feet as quietly as he was able. Careful of any patches of ice he ran as fast as he was able, knife raised high in the air.

Just as he reached the Ice Queen and prepared to plunge the blade down into her back, Miranda turned, alerted by the sudden noise. Her eyes grew wide as she saw her new attacker.

"No!" she screamed, but it was too late.

William brought down the knife and, with all his might, thrust it into the Ice Queen's chest. He felt the twisted blade slip easily between two ribs and down into the soft flesh beneath. Miranda gasped, and a great gout of red blood spewed out of her mouth. She backed up, her hands clutching at the handle of the knife that now protruded from her chest. But her hands were red and slippery from the blood, and she could get no grip on the knife.

She fell to her knees. Her face had an expression of stunned disbelief. Slowly, the light dimmed in her eyes and, with one last rattle from deep in her throat, the Ice Queen died.

William rushed to his father, praying with all his might that the wizard might not be dead. What can I do? he thought, knowing nothing about what might help bring back the unconscious man.

As he watched, the wizard slowly opened his eyes. William laughed in joy as he saw his father's stunned look.

"You were dead," the old man said slowly.

"So were you," William laughed in reply. He reached out, helping his father to his feet. Together they walked to where Celeste lay on the ground. Her bonds had loosened as Miranda's death destroyed the power of the spell. Eventually, Celeste also regained consciousness, and smiled when she saw father and son standing over her.

"Are you really alive?" she asked. William and the wizard laughed.

"Yes."

"Is... is it over?" she asked. William nodded, tilting his head in the direction of where Miranda's body lay. Celeste looked but once at her mother, but refused any hint of sympathy. "Good," was all she would say.

Suddenly a drop of water fell down on William's face. He looked up. The dark clouds that the Ice Queen had summoned had risen and, as they rose, their color lightened. Another drop fell.

it was rain.

William laughed as drop after drop of rain fell to the ground. Rain! The first in years. William looked at his father in surprise.

"Her power is gone," the wizard said, sensing his son's question.

"Then the winter is over," Celeste said in amazement. The wizard nodded.

"Spring is coming."

The End