Latisha looked around her, as she stared upon the glassy, smooth, newly frozen pond that reflected the dim light of the fire nearby. The sound of the gathering skaters chatted all around Latisha. She stood sat down upon the ground by the edge of the bank of the pond as she clipped on her skating blades to the bottom of her brown boots. They fit in securely after she tied the string around them a few times. She stat still for a few moments, watching the passing skaters upon the wide pond stretching fifty yards away into the distance, a grand place to skate. The blades of the skates from the skaters scratched the smooth surface of the pond, looping in ever direction.

A young man tapped her upon the soldier, making Latisha stand up and turn around to face Hadrian. He smiled at her and motioned to the pond, "Hello," he began. "My name is Hadrian, you were sitting all alone, I wondered if you would like to skate with me? As it is, I am partnerless," he grinned. "Every other girl seemed to have found a partner."

Latisha smiled and gave a little laugh then straitened up again. "Hadrian," she began trying to word her thoughts. "I - I wanted to thank you, for, for what you did."

"Nonsense!" Hadrian grinned a boyishly while taking her hand in his own. "It was nothing, shall we skate?"

Latisha nodded.

"I should warn you," Hadrian began. "I am not good at style in my skating. I mostly only skate for speed, though I shall try not to drag you along, I shall reserve my energized skating for after the skate."

Latisha laughed out loud as they stepped down the two foot bank of the pond until they were standing upon the ice. She steadied herself as she almost fell backwards upon the glossy ice, but Hadrian kept a hold upon her hand saving her from an embarrassing fall. She looked up at him grinning.

"I fear I shall fall flat down, and pull you with me before this night is half passed." Latisha laughed as they skated slowly to a more clear area of the pond, away from most of the crowd.

"Nay!" Hadrian grinned. "But can you keep up with me?"

Latisha smiled a little shyly. "Keep a hold upon my hand and I'll probably end up tripping you!" she giggled softly.

The two quickened and sped across the empty area of the pond, as the night breeze blew against their faces and nipped at their noses. Latisha let go of Hadrian's hand, and put every muscle she had into keeping up with his swift evenly paced smooth strides across the frozen water. Latisha focused too much on making speed, and not enough on balance.

It happened. Amidst the two young people's screams of delight and laughter, Latisha lost her balance, falling headlong up against Hadrian who was just ahead of her, and they both tumbled flat face down upon the cold ice. Latisha was shaking with laughter as she lay still for a moment, and looked the few feet away to the figure of Hadrian. He was now upon his knees, and in the midst of rising back to his feet. He let out a slight groan. "Aah!" he winced, forcing on a smile.

Latisha gasped, "Are you okay?!" she asked worriedly, stopping her laughter as she climbed to her knees, breathing fast from her previous excursion.

"Aye," Hadrian grinned good-naturedly as he forced himself to his feet. He took a step on his skates over towards Latisha to most likely help her up when he winced again and had not the correct balance. He took one awkward step near her, tripped upon her outstretched leg, and fell forward.

Latisha saw his skates go up, and the next moment he was laying face down upon the ice, with his eyes shut closed as if in pain. She gasped as she moved to his side. "Hadrian!" she cried in alarm stifling giggles. "Are you alright?!"

There was a slight pause as Latisha saw Hadrian's mouth turn upward in a slight grin, his eyes were still shut closed. She saw him shaking in silent laughter, and she knew he was alright when he opened his eyes and grinned up at her. "Aye, I'm fine!" he grinned breaking into a laugh as he rose to his knees once more.

The night quickly passed by as the hours slipped away ever ticking into the dark evening. The two young people had their first real conversation, and they found out that they had many similarities. Hadrian also liked to sketch, though Latisha would never have guessed it. It was upon that cold winter's night that both of them came to an unwritten understanding, they were now friends, not just acquaintance's, and seemingly the best of friends, as if they had know each other since they were little children.

The snow began to fall harder, and the skaters glided to the edge of the pond and began climbing up the bank. They sat in couples and small chattering groups as they walked farther away down the path and began taking off the blades that were attached to their boots by a couple of leather throngs.

The moon was slightly hidden by the clouds, as the snow flakes fell faster, and a deep misty fog crept over the dark land. The minstrels began packing away their instruments - a final show that the festival was done.

Hadrian glided slowly along the ice at Latisha's side, as they waited in line to make their way off of the ice. A few minutes later the two were standing by the bank, and Latisha scrambled up the less steep area of the bank, followed close behind by Hadrian. She sat with her feet dangling over the edge, as she began unfastening the leather throngs that had in place her new skating blades. A moment later she had the two blades safely stashed away in her deep pockets of her great  layered woolen skirt.

The air was deep and dark, as the two chatted lightly for a few moments before Latisha made her leave of Hadrian, and proceeded down the long empty lain away from the dying fire.

A great wind picked up in the cold night air as Latisha made her way up the the foothills of the Tynendell mountains. The wind tugged at the hood of her cloak, and blew it off of her head, the wind cutting cold upon her nose and cheeks.

She lifted up her skirts and made into a swift run, trying to get back to her small cottage home before it got any later upon this foggy night. The snow stopped for the time being, and moon came out from behind the clouds for a little while. The air up in the grassy foothills of Adrin seemed unusually still, even at this late hour of the night.

Not even the sound of a distant wolf was heard, nothing but the still chilling wind that swept over the hills. The trees growing up the craggy hills shook in the dark air, their leafless bare branches crackling mysteriously in the dark night.

Latisha felt suddenly uncomfortable being all alone and still a mile to go to her home. Something was not right at all, something about the air left a foreboding, creeping feeling about her. She quickened her pace slightly as she hurried to get home to her warm fire and cozy house.

The fog wrapped around the girl as she began to run up the hill sides, heading strait for her home. The whole hillside was enclosed in a dense fog, which even the moon was hard to penetrate. The wind died down, and the trees stood still, only the fog remained. The fog and the cold winter's night, and the girl, every hurrying home.

What seemed like forever Latisha finally saw her familiar cottage standing just as it always did, situated up the edge of the hill, a sharp craggy cliff side next to it as it stood as it were, guarding the nearby mountains.

Latisha hurried across the frozen ground, and put her hand upon the hand of the door but it would not open, it was locked. For a moment, Latisha stood still, wondering what she was going to do. She moved a few yards over to a closed shuttered window and tried to peek in through the cracks. The room was light by a great fire in the hearth, and she saw the figure of her brother laying as one dead, outstretched upon the floor.

Latisha gasped under her breath, as she not only saw her brother in that state, but also a man standing over him, a knife in his hand.

~The Authoress