After Zorander has been gone from the castle for a week, Annaliese decides she is ready to visit his lonely tower. She promised to keep it in order after all.

At the top of the stairs she removes the key hidden in the gargoyle's foot and unlocks the heavy door. The room is basically as she had last seen except there is a quiet she finds disheartening.

A few books are missing from the shelves. His table is still a mess of various instruments and vials and she vows to make sure that it will be clean when he returns.In the center of the table however is a stack of parchments, neatly gathered. She approaches and on the top sheet finds a note addressed to her.

Princess Annaliese,

If I know you, I've only been gone a few days before you have come to look through my lair. So, to keep you busy while I'm away, I have left a little project for you. Each page here has the steps you need to take each day to create a potion. It will take you almost 11 months to complete if you do everything perfectly. Consider this a sort of Birthday Present for next year. But to be ready by then you probably need to start right away...

Zorander

Annaliese's eyes widen as she reads. A gift! For her! All that "preparing" for the council he insisted he had to do. This must have taken a large portion of his time the last 6 weeks before he left. Her eyes grow wet but she blinks away the tears and removes the note from the pile, revealing the next page with more text.

Day 1

In my medium size cauldron mix together in precisely this order...

She reads on. A recipe for an unknown potion! She is delighted beyond words. Annaliese immediately sets to work gathering the ingredients to begin her potion. Once the items are in the cauldron as instructed, she summons a small flame and sets the cauldron atop its heat. Satisfied she is complete she looks back to the bottom of the parchment.

Don't look ahead at the pages that follow or you might ruin the surprise. Everything you need is in my workshop. You made sure of that with your timeless gathering runs in the garden these last few weeks. If you were anyone else I would think you might be tempted to peek but I trust you to follow instructions throughly. Turn the page tomorrow and we will continue this lesson.

Annaliese desperately wants to turn the page, to flip through the stack, but he is right. He knows her and he knows she won't if he clearly says "no".

Closing the door behind her, she turns the key. She hides the key back in the old statue and takes off to the gardens for a stroll, her eyes sparkling.

Days turn into weeks and Annaliese is diligent with her potion. Every day, as early as possible, she runs to the tower, eagerly turning the page to her next instruction. Some days are less exciting than others:

Day 11

Stir the cauldron.

Yes really that's it. Until tomorrow then.

Others more complex:

Day 23

You must add EXACTLY 3 drops of the red vial I left labeled "Day 23". Don't ask what's in it. You would probably prefer not to know. After that is done, stir for precisely 1 minute (use the hourglass with the brass handle, not the silver one). The color should turn to a soft blue. Not as bright as the sky. Greyish I guess. Once it stops changing, cover the cauldron with the green cloth I left by the bookshelf and leave it for at least 3 hours. Come back, remove the cloth, stir another full minute exactly, and then let it rest untouched for 12-20 hours. No more, no less.

Annaliese had never taken so much care with any chore, any hobby... anything. How he could top the snow crystals she couldn't imagine but she is in wonder. But mostly, she loves to read his words each day. Beyond the steps of the spell, his words are personal. It is his voice on each page, and she feels as though he had been in the room just before she arrived, leaving something just for her. She envisions him dark and imposing, draped in his robes, muttering ancient words, with that smirk in his eyes. In her mind he pushes the sleeves up on his robe to free his movement, a tattoo of unknown text around his left forearm, a path of symbols snaking to his elbow on his right.

In these moments she shakes off the image, cheeks hot and heart racing.

Three months come and go and Annaliese is relatively certain the potion is exactly where it should be. Today her message is one of the more simplistic

Day 92

Add 1 dried foxglove blossom. Do not stir. Be sure when you return tomorrow it has been less than 1 full day before the next step. But don't be impatient. At least 18 hours should pass.

Very strange writing to you in the future while you read it from the past.

To kill some time, Annaliese decides to roam down the stone steps of the tower. To a room she has never entered: Zorander's private chamber. That is, his bedroom.

Three months with no inhabitant, it might be getting dusty down there. Maybe she should clean it? Her heart beats a little faster. Because she knows she has never been invited there? Would he be upset if she was snooping in his private space?

Curiosity wins. She opens the door to the stone steps leading down into the center of his chamber.

Her first reaction to the room is that it is startlingly clean. Of course it is, she thinks to herself. Probably an enchantment to keep any dust or dirt from collecting. It is half furnished room. A bed, completely made, a writing desk, and a tall wardrobe.

She crosses the room and looks inside the piece to find a tall mirror leaning against the back panel and a robe hanging to the far right, almost unseen at first glance.

She touches the heavy fabric. It's cool from hanging in the chilly room. Carefully she removes it and carries it across the room, seating herself on his bed.

Annaliese lays back onto his pillow and pulls the robe over her, hoping to find his scent on the fabric. His sent of smoke and spices and old books. It's faint but she finds it. Or she imagines she does at least. It doesn't really matter if it's there or not. The memory is enough.

Weeks become months and Christmas is upon the kingdom. Annaliese wakes to find the holiday white with fresh snow. Her heart swells at the sight and she rushes to join her family in the hall to celebrate together.

"Happy Christmas, Everyone!" She hugs all the members of her family.

Annaliese spends the morning laughing, eating, drinking, and opening gifts with her family. Queen Aramina is cheered to see her daughter in such high spirits. The effect she feels over the loss of the Royal Sorcerer is evident to the queen. Others may not have noticed but a Mother knows. She knew Annaliese had been passionate about her magic study but is beginning to suspect it is the company that has captured her attention. It is a mild concern, nibbling at the back of her mind. An older man and a sorcerer at that?... Surely there is nothing more than a young crush.

In the middle of the day a member of the castle staff approaches the family and clears his throat. "Excuse me, Your Majesty, but a young man has just arrived and requests the audience of yourself and Princess Ashlyn."

Ashlyn screams a tiny scream then fans herself. "Oh, Daddy, it must be Dominick." Quickly turning to her sister, "How do I look? Am I blushing? Quick someone I need a mirror!"

King Randolph instructs the man to show the gentleman into the room.

Dominick of the kingdom of Bulovia enters the room. He bows to the king first, then the queen. A quick glance to Ashlyn and he begins, "Your Majesty, as we have spoken first in private and now in the company of your family, I come to officially ask for Princess Ashlyn's hand. Someday, with your leave, I would make her my queen."

In all the excitement, proper princess etiquette was thrown out the window when Ashlyn ran to Dominick yelling yes! yes!

King Randolph chuckles slightly. "Well I think I couldn't possibly say no, Prince Dominick. I know you will make my little girl very happy. I look forward to our families uniting in a strong friendship for generations to come."

Everyone is in a merry mood. The growing family lights their Christmas candle together.

As the day's festivities come to their end, Annaliese excuses herself under the pretense of sleep and instead walks up the familiar steps to his tower.

Their tower.

Her spell step today is basic and she finishes quickly. Once complete, she looks out the tower window at the white snow gleaming in firelight around the castle's perimeter and pulls the tiny gold box from her pocket. Carefully, she picks up a single crystal, holds it away from her and shatters it between her fingers. The weather outside seems to blow through the portal and she is immediately standing in snow, staring up at the stars, and holding herself for warmth.

"Happy Christmas, Zorander."