Her mother grew confused. “Aren't you going to-” but Diamond turned away from her mother and flew out the open window.
Diamond flew across the castle wall knowing her mother would not approve of her exit out the window and into the sky. She glided through her icy town, the many levels of it, and toward the quaint iced coffee shop just out of town. Despite being dressed for a formal occasion,
Diamond was still going to stop in for her daily treat.
Once there, she landed on the snowflake strip that acted as high rise stepping stones and glanced over the side when someone who knew her family called out from below. "Yoo-hoo, Ms. Dust! Tell your mother those beads she wanted are in!"
She gave a half wave back answering. "She doesn't need any more beads, Mrs. Freeze.”
Mrs. Freeze huffed, gathering up her bags as her wings fluttered in annoyance. "Well I never!"
Diamond pouted and called back. "Aw, don't say that. Never is a long time!"
"I'm talking to your mother about this!"
Moving out of the way as someone exited the coffee shop, she shifted a bit and then let her attention flit back to the woman. "I think that's a great idea!" She sassed. "That way you can tell her about the beads! Have a good day, Mrs. Freeze!"
She turned away from the woman below, smirking when the woman cursed that she hoped her coffee was served hot. How little she knew.
Diamond entered the fabulous little corner of her world and made her way past the many people waiting in line to a solid ice stone door and tapped once-waited- then tapped twice in quick recession. The door was slid open by the Barista who only deals with the upper class and greeted her with a nod.
"Ms. Dust."
She glided inside. "Merry."
Merry led her to the regular table she frequented and asked Diamond if she wanted her usual.
"Yes, but with something a little extra."
One eyebrow rose in curiosity. "And what would that be?"
"Nutmeg and a hint of cayenne pepper."
Her eyes bugged as she leaned in and whispered. "Cayenne pepper? Are you crazy? That's illegal."
Diamond pouted. "But you heated it up for me and that's illegal too."
Merry straightened with a narrowed gaze. "There's no one else who will serve it that way. Do you really want to ‘out’ your only source of getting your fix?"
Diamond sighed and glanced down at her menu. "I guess not."
"Good. So, your regular, Ms. Dust?"
She handed Merry the menu. "If I must."
Merry flitted off to go get the dangerous heated treat and she sat back debating on pulling out one of her parchment books.
While in her indecision another barista fairie slid open the ice stone door to one Prince Graupel Greenland. He looked dressed to impress. He stepped in and his eyes wandered the room until they landed on her and stayed.
That was new, and so was his direct path toward her - except for yesterday when Sleet came to try and find out information. He's been searching out all of her relatives, Diamond was just the last one he thought he could break.
Diamond's petite wings fluttered nervously, fantasizing that he was coming toward her to greet her with a kiss. Sigh, always wishful thinking, Diamond.
He stopped right by the empty stool across from her and cleared his throat. "Ms. Dust, may I join you once again?"
Diamond stilled her wings and gave a slight nod, not sure if she could deny him or not as panic welled up inside.
He tugged out the stool, pushing his long royal coat back behind the stool so he wouldn’t sit on it and sat with a sigh.
"Prince Greenland," his barista properly named him, "The black iced mocha or..."
"Coal black, with a spirit of warmth." He interrupted her.
"But sir-"
"That is what I want," he stated firmly.
His barista spared a glance to Diamond then nodded. "Yes, sir." She replied, scurrying away.
Diamond relaxed as her eyebrows raised in question. "Warmth, Graupel?" She tisked. "The youngest winter prince disappoints. Wasn’t it you that was just calling me out for a hot concoction yesterday?" It was at this time her outlawed hot concoction arrived, steaming from the mug that held it.
Graupel’s lips turned upward, amused. "I see my suggestion didn't stick."
She wrapped her hands around the deadly drink and took a sip, not in the least bit ashamed since he had indulged as well. She sighed as it burned going down then addressed him. "And I see that I’ve tempted you to the hot side. Plus, don't you know?" She leaned in closer over the table as if telling a secret. He met her halfway, her lips a hairsbreadth away from his, "Fairies expect more from their Royals. You just broke that poor barista’s vision on how loyal our Royals are. A summer shame."
Diamond sat back on her stool, smirking as she took another sip of her drink and watched his own get delivered. He grunted a 'thank you' and wrapped his strong blue hands around the mug, the heat causing his blue skin to lighten.
"You’re a terrible influence and it's all I have to warm my frozen heart.”
Her eyes flitted from his hands to intense crystal eyes. The side of his mouth quirked up as he raised his mug to take a sip.
"What?" She didn’t understand. Was he trying to say he had a blue heart?
Graupel took a sip and drew the mug away from his lips as his gaze came back to hers. "Why do I toy with the deadly sin of the simple raise in temperature? Your answer, to cure my frozen heart."
The room seemed to still, not a flutter or a whisper of wings sounded as he said this.
"Surely your heart has not plummeted to the icy depths of a blue beat?" She took a sip before replying. "My dear prince, I do believe..." she reached over to touch his hand. "That you are-" she gasped, pulling away as warmth spread throughout her palm. "What was that?"
The prince also seemed surprised then schooled his features. "We merely touched warm hands due to the heat of our mugs, that is all."
Skeptical about his reasoning she nodded in agreement. "Of course, that's precisely what it was, just the merest residue of heat."
He cleared his throat. "Quite, right."
Diamond cast her glance down to her mug and sighed, wondering if the tingling heat was what Graupel said, residual heat, but her tiny purple heart that pounded suggested otherwise. She gripped her mug and stole another peek at the prince across from her. He was staring at his coffee that had a thin sheet of coffee ice floating on top, a tall tale sign that his drink had cooled.
The two of them sat there in silence until the prince spoke once again. "Do you, by any chance, know who my eldest brother has been keeping an eye on?"
Diamond broke out into a laugh. "Are you asking if I know who Prince Sleet is lusting after?"
Graupel’s face flushed light blue as he got up angrily. "Never mind." He muttered dropping his coins on the table.
"You know what they say: A curious fairie gets caught, bought, and pinned." She imitated a pin sticking into the soft velvet of a specimen board. "Hate to be in some humans collection."
He paused. "No, a satisfied fairie is a lucky one indeed. For when the wrath of the pin appears, invisible they can be. Satisfaction,” he said with a raised eyebrow, " can be very fulfilling. It's how you choose your curiosity that can get a you caught. This time, I did not choose well. Good day, Diamond."
Embarrassed, she waited until he left before leaving as well. When she reached to put her coins down, it was then she noticed that he had left enough coins for her drink. Did that mean what she thought it meant? That they just had a-a date?
Chapter Four
The moon was out shining bright above the town with their moon beams gracing him with their low light and encouragement when Prince Graupel flew away. He was discouraged on how flustered he'd gotten. The mere thought of his brother Sleet being interested with that smart mouth woman made his frozen walls crack. No way. Never. That little frostbite had-bite.