He meets me partway, arms wide, letting out a grunt as I practically throw myself into his embrace. Piers hugs me tight against his tall, lean frame, the soft wool of his longcoat heating up the space between us. Icy blonde hair sweeps over me as his lips descend, a soft and friendly kiss to my mouth warming me up on the inside as the folds of his coat engulf me. I welcome the relief from the swirling cold of my inner turmoil.
Pale gray eyes sparkle as he smiles, pale, angular face calculating despite his grin. "Why, Your Highness," he says, "what a surprise to find you here."
I relax into his teasing, so grateful he's here to keep me from spiraling further down into my gloom. This I don't resist, the show of emotion more a game, a hint of fun I can cling to as the years go by. I may not
