Lumimaa, Finland

Prince Mikko

As sunset approaches the end of another day in the grand northern kingdom, Lumimaa, I stand at the top edge of the grand glass staircase to my new amazing ice-themed palace that leads down to the vast white field. Just beyond the field sits the snow-covered bare-branched trees that mark the outer border of Princess Kaija's and my land. It stretches, forming a natural line that runs around the front and sides of the property. I can see the fresh clump of snow falling from a few branches to add to the shiny clumps on the ground.

I close my eyes, smiling and draw in a deep breath. When I exhale and open my eyes once again, I can see the faint visual of smoke. Even though the temperature in December is bone-chillingly cold, my hands are sweating inside of my black gloves. I take another deep breath up and look to the Heavens over my head.

I clear my throat and begin speaking to the sky, "Christmas time is nearly upon us, Mother. I want to get my beautiful princess, Kati something really special. But I don't know what? I've never really been a romantic type...well, I mean you know that. God, I'm rambling and nervous. I really really really like her."

Suddenly a jet of green energy shoots over my head.

I smile, knowing the light as it intensifies and purples, blues and teals are illuminated.

The aurora borealis.

The aurora light shoots down to the ground, spitting out the hologram image of my mother, Robin Aukustanen.

"Mother," I greet and skip down the stairs to her.

I stop before her and bow, respectfully like a gentleman.

"Mikko, I heard you needed help," she speaks. "You know I will always help you out!"

I chuckle and blush slightly as a bitter wind whips through me. "Kati deserves the world, saving me from Hilja and her gang and the wicked sorcerer Petkuttaja. I want to make Christmas super special for her."

Robin chuckles, eyeing me with a soft, understanding. "I completely understand. What does the Princess enjoy?"

"Alone time, visiting with friends and family, dominating me in sword fighting and training exercises, her snow leopard Lumikki..." I begin to list off to her.

Robin shakes her head. "Heart felt, dear."

"So alone time...like spending time with her alone? Maybe going on a date with her?" I question, hopefully.

"Yes! I believe your princess would love to be pampered on a date."

"But I already took her on quite a few date-themed sleigh rides..." I remark, looking down at my feet. "And we won't talk about the trip into Lumilahti to that Swedland restaurant. That was a bad idea." I chuckle at the memory.

The glowing visual of my mother chuckles and she puts two gently, soft hands on either side of my face. "So, think of something new...what is something you've yet to do with her? Or maybe a special location spot?"

She lets my face go and I tap my gloved finger on my cheek, thinking deeply. Then an 'ah-ha' moment hits me like a hammer on a nail.

"I know she's spoken about wanting to go see Ylivieska, Finland. The small gulf-side camp in our kingdom. I've heard it's beautifully stunning this time of the year anyway!" I exclaim, the smile returning to my face. And I'm suddenly full of excitement too. "A romantic date along the water!"

"Perfect!" Robin exclaims with a warm smile on her face. "Get on it then, Mikki. I'm so proud of you and how far you've come!"

With that, she blurs and re-energizes into the green jet of light. She shoots back into the aurora as her voice echoes down to him, "I love you, Mikki. Good luck, my son."

Princess Kaija

Another wonderful day in the vast great white north. It couldn't have been any more productive. I stomp through the mid-shin high snow with Lumi close behind me. Mikko told me to go out and grab some firewood, while he got something together.

"What do you think Mikko's planning?" I ask my snow leopard.

Lumi looks at me and gives a soft mrrrow in response to me.

I chuckle. "You're right, if I was supposed to know than he would have told me. But he didn't because he wants it to be special. To be a surprise!"

I'm walking toward the back of the castle, it's a stunning glass structure that stretches up into the sky. And yet, inside, the place is entirely habitable. There's a fireplace (who would have guessed), chairs, a kitchen, it's warm and cozy compared to the exterior. The fire doesn't touch the ice, because the inside is lined with a heat resistant brick. The place is durable and a complete trick on the ice.

It's home.

It's freedom.

It's perfect.

I trudge inside and drop the firewood into the pit of the fireplace. Then I straighten up and flick my braided pigtails behind me as I stand and admire my job. "Now, let's go find Mikko?"

I turn from the fireplace, just as a black mist whips from the fireplace and manifests into a familiar figure before me. Lumi crouches down, growling and flashing her canines at the black mist figure.

"Petkuttaja, what are you doing here?"

Petkuttaja laughs. "You thought you'd destroyed me?" He walks forward, puffs of black mist trailing off him like smoke tendrils. He rounds me, placing a construct of a hand on my shoulder and dragging it around. "You didn't, Princess...you only captured my living vessel but you can not destroy me."

"Petkuttaja, you will not ruin our Christmas!" I snap at him, eyeing him with a stern glare.

Petkuttaja snickers. "We'll see about that." He snaps and Lumi freezes in place, a growling statue. Then he grabs my chin and hovers before me, laughing evilly.

He doesn't sense Mikko entering the room to the scene.

Mikko snatches up his sword, which has been leaning up against the side of the fireplace wall. He lifts it up and swings it at the black mist form.

Petkuttaja vanishes into thin air in an array of dark sparkles and wicked laughter.

At once, Lumi unfreezes and shakes her head, finding the threat gone.

Mikko drops the sword on the ground and rushes over to me, taking me into his arms. "Are you okay? How the heck did he get in here?"

"I-I don't know..." I stammer out, shaking my head and feeling slightly faint.

"I did not plan on singing this Christmas, so I hope that was all an allusion and not real," Mikko remarks, hugging me close to him.

"I didn't plan on hearing your sultry voice this Christmas, either," I joke back and wrap my arms around him.

"Well, don't let me get in the way," a familiar voice chuckles.

"Kylaa," Mikko chuckles, pulling away from me. "You act as though you haven't walked in on us making out."

"Just keep it to that. I don't need to see a certain holiday package come out of your pants this Christmas," Kylaa teases with a sly smirk on her face. "But what's with all the embracing and strange faces? Don't tell me, Lumi's not a girl cat?!"

Lumi grunts and cocks her head to one side in bewilderment and then tosses an unamused face in the archer's direction.

"Petkuttaja," I respond to her. "He was just in here threatening."

"That sorcerer vanished into the amulet and that one guy is still locked away in Valtakunta. There's no way that was Petku." Kylaa hangs up her bow and quiver that is full of arrows.

"So we thought too..." Mikko mutters, scratching his head.

Lumi picks up the sword that is on the ground into her mouth and sets it back up against the wall with care and skill.

Prince Mikko

I can't believe it, Petkuttaja's spirit wasn't destroyed completely and the prick can still manifest himself and attack us! And tomorrow is Christmas too! I can NOT let Petkuttaja destroy my idea for Kaija's date!

"So, what do you have planned for Christmas tomorrow? I'm assuming that you two would like some alone time," Kylaa remarks, rounding the couch and plopping down onto it. "Lumi and I will hang here, no problem."

Lumi shoots her a look. Then brightens and jumps on her paws, before jumping up onto the couch's long recliner end (perfect for a snow leopard to fit on). She lays down, putting her head on her paws and looks at us dreamily and satisfied.

"Well, I guess Lumi's fine with it!" I remark, clasping my hands together.

"Swell! I don't know who's got the idea, but the two of us will let you be and have some amazing alone time together." She leans back and kicks off her boots. "Besides, I know the others, Lukkas, Essi, Jess and Susi, will be arriving tomorrow night, someone's gotta be here to welcome them."

"I heard Jess has a new animal companion she's helping to nurture," Kaija remarks with a smile.

"I heard that you should find something suitable to wear tomorrow," I say with a wink and sly smirk.

Kaija shoots me a playful death glare.

The next day...

Prince Mikko

Well, she found something suitable alright. Kaija steps out of her room and into the hallway. She has found a stunning cyan blue long-sleeved dress to wear with silver decor lining the collar and forming an oval at the waist area. Her hair is unbraided and thrown in a neat up-do with curls looping in a cascade out the back of a silver tiara. She has faint matching blue eyeshadow to highlight her sparkling hazel eyes as well.

I, myself, have decided to throw on a simple black boots and pants combination with a silver and white long-sleeve shirt and black jacket.

"You look..." I manage to get out before her beauty chops off my thoughts and I trail off like a hopeless romantic.

"Stunning, breathless, amazing, drop dead gorgeous?" Kaija suggests with a playful smile on her face.

I gain my composure back to finish my sentence. "...All of the above. Much better than me."

The ginger haired princess stops before me. I can smell the enticing aroma of her intoxicating rose oil perfume. She brushes her a curling strand of hair out of her face. "Oh, come on now, you look like a hot bad boy character from a vampire teen novel," she hisses, seductively, and clutches onto the sides of my jacket.

I'm breathless at her words for a split second, before I remember the plan. The date. I clear my throat and hold out my arm in a gentlemanly manner for her to take. "Shall we get going? I know you've had enough sleigh rides, but just bare with one more to the actual surprise?"

Kaija giggles and loops her arm around mine. "Let's go!"

We walk out of the palace and down the stairs to where the glistening ice carriage is with Varas the horse attached to it. He tosses his head and whinnies in greeting.

I lean over and whisper to Kaija, "Varas is more than comfortable with me now. I'm a frequent sleigh-rider."

Kaija giggles. "Not sure if that's a good or bad thing, Mikki."

I climb up into the carriage and turn, offering my hand to the princess. She takes my hand and her dress skirt with the other and carefully steps up to join me. We sit down together on the back seat, facing forward toward Varas, who scoops at the snow with a dark hoof. Kaija sighs and relaxes, letting her head fall gently against my shoulder.

Varas looks back at me with annoyed, questioning eyes.

"Don't worry, Varas, man, I promise no singing on this trip. Just take us to the gulf-side camp of Ylivieska."

Kaija gasps. "Mikki! That's where we're going! Oh, I've always wanted to go there and see that camp! You--"

"I know, I know, I'm pampering you," I remark, boasting arrogance. "I'm such a husband."

Kaija giggles and puts her hand on my arm, looking up into my eyes as Varas sets off through the snow with the sleigh in tow, heading for the line of trees. "Yeah, don't get a full head now."

"I am not, I..." I trail off as Varas heads into the woods and through the snow-covered branches I can see a dark sky billowing towards us. "Petkuttaja, dang it! Not right now or today, man!"

Kaija looks toward the sky, seeing the same thing. "Mikko..."

But the cloud is moving too fast towards us like it is in fast forward. The wind picks up, whipping bitter cold blasts at us. Varas halts, sensing the danger and that's when the snow flurries strike.

"BLIZZARD!!" Kaija screams and buries her head against my side.

The visibility is cut to a fourth of a mile in all directions as I clutch tightly to my princess. The wind whips around, hurling snow and ice and cold from all directions. Thankfully, Varas is under a tree and knows how to handle the storm. But as for the two of us, we are out in the open.

I cautiously peer out to see the storm, when I see a large branch snap cleanly off a tree by the powerful gusts and is flung right at us. "KATI!" I move to block her and I feel the sharp, stinging pain in the back of my head from the sudden impact. Its quickly followed by a brief warmth and then stinging cold.

But as quick as the storm comes, it is quickly gone. The winds die down at an unrealistic speed and then there is an eerie calm.

I slowly uncurl myself from protecting Kaija, whose head shoots up to see the damage. A few trees with branches snapped, more tall clumps of snow on the ground, Icicles on my exposed skin, oh, and a nice gash on the back of my head.

"Mikki, are you okay?" Kaija asks with concern.

"Yeah," I say, feeling the gash and wincing from the pain of the blow. "I'll be fine. It's a little battle wound of bravery."

Kaija smiles at me and wraps her arms around me. "Yes! My strong, brave hero who's come a long way from being a weakling forest thief!"

"Hey," I playfully scold her with a chuckle.

"Shall we, um, carry on then?" Kaija giggles, getting back into the seat of the sleigh as Varas recovers, shaking the snow off of him and snorting a visible puff of smoke into the air from his nostrils.

I laugh along with her and nod.

Varas continues to take us toward are destination, which is roughly an hour away. The blizzard tried to foil my plans but hadn't succeeded.

"Try harder next time, Petku, you jerk," I hiss to myself as we get comfortable together once again.

About fifteen minutes from our destination, we can see through the thick patches of forest and snow, the firelight of the camp and we can hear the roar of the waves slamming against the bank. But, we can also hear howling.

"Susi?" I question, perking up and looking around. "I didn't...um..."

Suddenly about ten wolves, dark gray in color, step out from the trees, surrounding the carriage. They are all snarling and growling, ready to attack the cornered victim. But not today! I will not have my plans ruined by the wicked spirit, Petkuttaja.

"Glory be to Finland, what is this?" I exclaim, jumping up to my feet.

The leader of the pack of wolves, who is standing in front of us, snarling and eyeing Varas with a hungry look, begins to pace back and forth.

"We don't have time for--" I begin to say, drawing out my sword -- a weapon I carry on me at all times now.

"Oh, for the love of..." Kaija begins to say, jumping up to her feet behind me.

I can hear the shrill snarl battle cry of a wolf and I know it's leapt at the princess. But Kaija stuns the wolf, landing a powerful karate kick to the wild canine's chest. It flies to the snow with a whimpered yelp and hits the white with a sloshing thunk noise.

Another wolf charges Varas, leaping at the horse with ferocious snapping jaws. Another follows and then another.

Varas rears up, the chains clanging noisily. The horse swings its hooves in the air, intending to connect with a wolf, but ends up charging forward, knocking one of the wolves into the snow. Two wolves collide head-to-head, missing the horse and they fall to the snow covered ground.

Kaija and I lose our footing and crash into the back seat. One hand clutching a sword and the other clutching onto the back rim of the sleigh, snow flies on either side as the horse is in a panicked rush through the woods.

"Varas!!" I shout out.

I chance a glance back and I see the edge of the woods. We're out of them, we're on solid ground and heading right for the camp.

"VARAS!!" I repeat, raising my voice louder.

The horse gives a panicked whinny and slams his hooves against the smooth concrete ground. He skids, toward a variety of tents, the sleigh skidding out of control with him. Kaija and I are gripping onto the sleigh, screaming.

Finally, the horse and sleigh and the two of us all crash into the tents, taking them out like bowling pins. The sleigh topples over from the momentum and pins the two of us underneath it.

"No!" I gasp, dropping my sword finally.

I can hear Varas' clopping hooves as he dashes away once again from a mistake I've made. The wolves are long gone I'm sure, but...I groan, rolling over to find Kaija. She's dying of laughter and unhurt.

Well, there's a few minor scratches on her face, but she's LAUGHING.

Laughing.

No, she's dying hysterically.

"Kati...?" I question, tasting a small busted cut on my lip.

Kaija looks at me and wipes happy tears from her eyes. "Sorry, sorry, I'm okay. I know you're not expecting me to laugh, but...Petkuttaja's trying his best to ruin something you've planned for me in Ylivieska and...well, if anything, it's making things MORE romantic for me." She leans toward me, her eyes glittering. "Don't you think?"

I look at her as she bats her eyelashes in a girlish way.

I smile at her. "You're right. Let's get out of here and get to the surprise! Petkuttaja's an idiot for daring to try anything that might break us up and ruin things."

She nods.

We slide out from under the overturned sleigh, chuckling and smiling. We find that where we've crashed is actually on the far side of a huge platform. In one corner is a table and chair for two with a bouquet of white and blue flowers in a shimmering silver vase. Around the platform are sparkling, bright white lights that decorate the perimeter of its giant square shape. The wooden area also leads down to a small, private beach shore.

In the middle of the far end of it, is a small thin wooden dock that leads out into the water beyond. In the sky, stars dot the cloudless, dark blue space. A full moon shines up there as well. In the opposite corner to the table is a six foot tall snowy Christmas tree with various blue and white lights, ornaments, tinsel and a star on top of it.

"Oh my God, Mikki..." Kaija says, breathlessly. "It's beautiful."

"Just like you," I whisper, smiling and enjoying her stunned reaction.

She likes it! Perfect!

Kaija turns to me, her eyes bright and alive with jubilation. "Oh, Mikki, it's amazing!" She grabs my on either side of the arm and leans toward me to plant a kiss on my lips. "You're amazing. Merry Christmas."

"Hey, all I want for Christmas...is you..." I welcome the gentle, moist touch of her lips on mine as she presses against me, flooding me with unending warmth that it doesn't matter that it's begun to lightly snow.

THE END.