Through the Ice | CLOSED

Winter Hols


Aria stepped out cautiously. She'd always had a fascination with the lake, possibly because so much water frightened her and yet had never done her actual harm, either. Never had she been more fascinated than now.

The world was white, though, Aria hadn't been out in it much the last two or three weeks, simply because it was also cold. She was dressed for the weather today, however, and was delighted at what she had found.

"Arsen, look - the top of the water has become a floor!" the blonde exclaimed, turning to look back at the shore.

Arsen wasn't there, however, and Aria deflated slightly. She had promised not to bother him anymore and was determined to keep that promise. It was hard, though. Every question she wanted to bring to him for an answer; every discovery was a wonder she wanted to share with him.

"It's not a floor," Aria muttered, mimicking Arsen's voice. "It's just frozen over because it's cold."

Aria sighed. "It is like a floor, though," she insisted to the one who wasn't there.

Sighing again, she turned away from the shore, walking further out. The girl decided that she liked when the lake was frozen over. It was a bit slippery and fun. And she didn't have to worry about getting wet. However, there was one problem with Aria discovering the ice for the first time by herself.

There was no one there to warn her that it could break.

In fact, the only warning she received was the sound of cracking ice before her 'floor' fell out from beneath her feet, plunging her into the frigid water as she gave a startled shriek.

And Aria didn't know how to swim.

Karma had been walking in the snow when she saw Aria step out onto the lake, and a warning had almost clawed its way up her throat, but she couldn't say it. She clutched at her throat, but there was no way Aria'd hear her from as far away as she was.

Karma took off at a run. "ARIA!" she had barely reached the beach when the younger girl had slipped beneath the water, making a panic rise up in her. Without a thought for herself, Karma raced onto the ice, purposefully sliding to a stop beside the hole Aria'd fallen through.

She dropped lightly to her knees, not letting the panic get to her, instead reaching into the water with a frown, hoping upon hope that Aria was not allergic to water as Arsen was.

She couldn't feel anything, not even when she reached down so her entire arm was submerged. She growled something along the lines of "You're lucky I adopted you" before plunging into the water herself.

It was cold. Deathly cold. Karma felt around in the water, opening her eyes and trying to see if she could see Aria at all. Near the bottom was the girl. Karma grabbed the shoulders of her robes and kicked as hard as she could toward the surface, pulling Aria with her.

Her head hit ice. Karma felt a little dizzy, but looked around frantically, trying to see if she could find the hole they'd come down in. There wasn't enough time, and she was worried about the girl.

With a sudden idea, Karma pulled her wand from between her teeth and pointed it at the ice. "Espullsoo!" is what it sounded like to her ears, but the ice exploded outward, leaving a hole big enough to drop a hippogriff through.

Karma resurfaced gasping for air, her right arm hooked around Aria and her left one trying to paddle for the ice. She was being weighed down by the girl in her arms and the combonation of their snow robes, but Karma kept on paddling, and with a mad rush of strength, hoisted Aria onto the ice infront of her.

She stayed in the water for a second, exhausted, but pulled herself out. She laid her arms on the ice for a full second before turning to Aria and pointing her wand at her, repeating the spell she'd heard Madame Pompfrey say once, and hoping it got the water out of Aria's lungs.

Who on earth was supposed to be watching the girl anyway?

Aria had immediately clawed for purchase on the ice that was now above her, to no avail. Panic gripped her.

Water. There was water, everywhere. It was dragging her down, carrying her to its depths, and she had no idea how to fight it. She couldn't breathe, she couldn't find the surface... she just couldn't do anything right, could she? Everything faded to black...

And suddenly she was coughing, violently, lake water being expelled from her abused lungs. Trembling, as much from cold as terror, Aria started to cry.

"I'm..." Aria sobbed between coughs, "sorry... I di-didn't... mean to.. cause trouble. I'm sorry." She looked up at her rescuer. "K-Karma? Thank you.. I'm s-sorry..." Noticing the hole in the ice nearby, she scrambled back, eyes wide and afraid. She didn't want the water to get her again. She didn't like water, not at all.

Karma nodded, trying to get to her feet. "Come... come on Aria." She said, shivering. "Let's... Go to the... Hospital wing..." She reached out her hand for the girl, knowing she needed to get inside son. "I... I can't..." She sighed and wrapped one of her arms around herself, still holding out an arm. "Let's go. If we don't, Arsen will be mad."

Aria rose to her feet, shivering, and took Karma's arm. "Th-thank you," she murmured again, teeth chattering. "So-sorry."

She seemed to be stuck on those two phrases, but she was mobile, which probably mattered a whole lot more at the moment.

Karma led the younger girl to the shore in halting steps, careful to test the ice before every step they took. It took a while, but it was the safest course of action for the two. She was shivering, cold in a way she didn't think she could be, and never hoped to be again. The cold was in her very bones, and her only hope that was Aria would be able to use the small bit of fire in her, as Arsen's kin all had, to keep the cold out.

It was odd, this caring for other people thing. First it was with Ian in the train, now Aria? This was all crazy. It was almost like having a family...

She shook the idea off as her feet finally met snow, and she stopped. Her limbs were exhasted. Diving into a freezing lake not even a week after getting hit by lighting was probably not the best plan of action, but would her Savior rather her let Aria die?

She didn't really care what he thought, but she had a small, almost insignificant hope, that maybe just letting him live would be enough for her to repay her debt. She doubted it, though.

"Are you alright, Aria?"

The return to the shore was painfully slow, as far as Aria was concerned, but she didn't want to fall into the water again, so she patiently kept the cautious pace. Granted, she also had a death grip on Karma's arm, which she released only when they reached the shore.

Falling to her knees, Aria pushed her already frozen hands through the snow until they reached the ground beneath. She could not have said why she did so, only that she somehow felt... safer, stronger, somehow.

Her teeth were still chattering, though, and she could still feel the icy water almost as though it were in her very bones.

"I-I'm... I don't know!" she cried. "It t-tried to..." But no, the water wasn't animate; it couldn't try to do anything. "I fell in! And I d-didn't know how t-to get out!

"It's c-cold." Aria looked up, sniffling both from the cold and crying. "Are y-you okay? S-sorry you had to get w-wet for me."

"Don't.... Don't worry.... about it..." Karma whispered, shivering in earnest now. Alright. So, ice cold water after getting hit by lightning. Not a good idea. Not a good idea. Not a good...

"We have... to... get to... Hospital Wing..." She murmured, teeth chattering. "We...." She stopped talking, violently shivering. "Come.... on.... Aria....."She started walking toward the castle but couldn't keep walking. She mentally cursed before sitting on the ground.

Aria glanced up sharply as Karma sat on the ground. Lots of things could happen to mortals who got too cold. Though Aria wasn't sure what being part-vampire would do to a person's mortality, Karma should be at least half-mortal. Aria herself was wholly mortal, forged by a demon or not.

The blonde curled her fingers against the frozen earth for a moment, drawing in a slow breath. And then she pushed herself to her feet. She didn't feel any warmer, and certainly not any drier, but some of the strength the freezing water seemed to have sapped from her limbs had returned.

Besides, Arsen would probably kill her if she died. Where was he, anyway? Maybe, he really didn't care...

"C-come on, Karma," Aria said, her own teeth chattering. She pulled the other girl's arm over her shoulder, pulling her up with a strength most wouldn't suspect the petite blonde of possessing. "We... can't stay h-here. I d-don't like being wet." She wrapped her other arm about Karma's waist and started towards the castle; towards warmth.

Karma let Aria pick her up, helping in the walk towards the castle. Her snow robes made her feel heavier than usual. She didn't like it. Where had her strength gone? Alright. She was still healing. She got that, but she was half-vampire. She should be stronger...

Once again she asked herself where Arsen was. He should have been watching Aria. If he had been, none of this would have happened.

Arsen had been stood leaning against the entrance hall doors for a few minutes now. He knew he had a connection to the girl but he never expected it to be this strong. He shoved his hands into his pockets and waited impatiently for her and he rescuer to come back to the castle, because he knew she had been rescued, he felt that too.

"There i was..." He said pushing himself off the door frame to meet them at the bottom of the steps. "... sitting beside the fire with a good book when i get this feeling like im drowning." He said crossing his arms across his chest. "Why would i feel like that Aria?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

Karma glared at Arsen, her knees almost giving out as they passed through the doors of the Entrance Hall. "Shut it, Demon boy." She grunted, feeling the change in temperature even though it didn't really reach her. The cold was down in her core. She shivered, but refused to stop. "Aria. Ignore him." She muttered. It was... cold. She frowned, fighting to hide her lack of strength from Arsen. "Let's.... go." She was still shivering. Damn it. She needed... warmth. She needed...

Karma locked her eyes on the direction of the Hospital Wing and continued walking.

He laughed at Karma, his head thrown back so his laughter could fill the grounds. "Have you seen yourself Black?" He asked watching her in amusement as she walked past. "Why don't you just ask? I know you're just dying to its written all over your face." He smiled holding his hand out and slowly opening it to reveal a small ball of fire.

Karma shivered, her eyes narrowed and her jaw set. "I... Don't... Need... Your... Help." she grunted, trying to ignore the ball of heat in his hand. She wanted it. Merlin, did she want it. But she would not ask for it. She would rather... She would rather...

She paled, teeth chattering. "I just... I just... need.... the hospital wing." She said with conviction. If she died on the way there... well, so be it.

He laughed again and caught Aria in a hug and set them both on fire. Warming her from the bones outward. "Suit yourself." He shrugged slowly letting the flames go out before finally letting go of Aria.

"Just don't come back crying to me when you die cause ill just help send you down to hell." He smiled sitting down on the step smugly with his book.

Karma wanted it. She wanted to be set on fire so much. It just looked so... warm...

She scowled. "You're Welcome for saving her, Arsen." She muttered, still shivering. She wrapped her arms around herself. She'd be fine. She'd be fine. She'd be....

Finally, self preservation kicked in. "Arse..." She whimpered. "Arsen. Will you...?" She couldn't say it. She just couldn't. Her pride wouldn't let her. He'd get some sort of enjoyment out of it, the git.

Aria had bitten her lip, hanging her head in shame. She hadn't done it on purpose! How was she to know the ice would break? No one ever told her.

The blonde was pulled away from Karma as Arsen wrapped her in his arms and set them afire - such pretty flames. She hadn't realized how very cold she'd become until she was warm again. Aria smiled up at the boy, only to look away again as she remembered why she needed warmed again, in the first place.

"Thank you," she said. Aria looked at Karma. Karma was always so strong, it must be hard for her to admit when she needed help. Arsen didn't always make people feel very good about needing help, either.

"Arsen," Aria spoke up when it seemed Karma really wasn't going to. "Won't you warm up Karma, too? I-it's my fault she got cold and wet in the first place. Please, Arsen? I'll try really hard not to bother you again." Her mismatched eyes gazed at Arsen pleadingly, and she had her hands clasped in front of her in a show of supplication.

He looked up casually from his book but with his eyes still following the text until he finally finished the line. Now the line had finished his eyes flicked up to look at her. "Yes Karma? I don't quite understand." He said innocently before turning to look at Aria.

He raised an eyebrow and got to his feet, leaving his book on the step. "Who made you such a kill joy?" He asked dusting his trousers down. "But such a tempting offer." He said spreading his arms wide for Karma to walk into. "Catch them now whilst they are still hot."

Karma glared at Arsen, but she still stepped into his embrace, her shivers wracking her violently. She glanced behind her at Aria with a grateful smile, teeth chattering. "Well?" She muttered, her eyes gazing two feet to Arsen's left, decidedly uncomfortable. "Get on... with it....."

He shook his head with a smile as he tightened his arms around her. "You know, i've saved your life twice now." He said turning up the heat as they both exploded into flames. The flames with Aria were a normal flame and he concealed most of the heat out of habbit but with Karma, he let her feel a slight burning just for fun.

As soon as he felt she was warm enough he opened his arms agains and took a step back. "You're welcome."

Karma stepped out of the warmth, feeling a bit singed. She was sure he did it on purpose, but didn't elaborate on the thought. "Hopefully, You won't have to save my life again, Demon Boy." She said softly. She stepped back the second he realesed her, not wanting to be stuck inside his embrace for longer than necessary.

Suddenly she was tired.

Karma turned and hugged Aria. Her other conscience suddenly taking over."No more walking on Ice unless I say so, alright?" She looked into the girl's mitch-matched eyes. "Don't worry about it. I'll save you every time this git's too late." She smiled. "See you around, sister. Just remember, you're a Black now. You'll always be one, even if you become something else in the future."

She turned toward the Dungeons, her other consciousness leaving. She frowned, even more tired than before.

Aria nodded her understanding. She was in no way tempted to venture anywhere near the lake, let alone onto the ice. The blonde smiled happily back at the other girl, watching her as she left.

Turning back towards Arsen, Aria's smile faltered and she hung her head, once more. "Thank you," she mumbled, "and I'm really sorry." Tears stung her eyes. She had tried so hard not to bother him anymore, but now she'd ruined it. No wonder he didn't like her - she was always causing trouble.

He smiled. "Typical Karma, i save your life and you can't even say thanks." He said returning to his step. Might as well get reading out here, after all it was such a nice night.

"It's fine just don't do it again. If father kills me for your mistake im taking you down with me." He said casually as he tried to find his place on the page.

Alyssa walked into the entrance hall dressed in warm clothes, ready to have fun in the winter snow, when she sees three people standing in the hall, AND TWO OF THEM ARE ON FIRE!! The third girl, a beautiful blond, doesnt see, phased that the two people standing next to her are aflame. Alyssa stood froven in the spot, what was she to do? Once the flames died down, the two who had been aflame said some things, seeming as if being on fire did nothing to them, then parted the girl heading past Alyssa to the dungeons. When she passed, Alyssa remembered where she was, and where she was going, she started on her way again, but couldnt help looking at the boy and girl left in the entrance hall. She smelled a burning smoke coming off them, but not the campfire woodsie smoke, it was house on fire, disaster smoke. She sensed something dangerous and powerfull underneath their beautifull exteriors. She didnt realise she had been staring untill they said...

"Got a staring problem puffle?" He spat seeing her looking as he watch Karma leave. "Stare for any longer and the other puffles will find you a pile of ash." He said walking up the entrance steps into the castle.