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“Thank the gods,” Ardyss replied. “But maybe you have a strategy?”
“Well, first of all, nothing’s ever going to happen while you’re hiding behind a wall,” Stark said, glad for the opportunity to get down to business. “They’re just snowballs, right? No ice, no rocks?”
“Just snow,” Ardyss agreed.
“Then let’s get out there and try to dodge them,” Stark said. “Worst case, we can take the hit.”
“Interesting,” Ardyss said. “Guys, come listen to this.”
The others began to gather, and Stark felt the old sense of pride and responsibility come back to him, settling on his shoulders like a mantle.
He started to lay out his plan, enjoying the murmurs of agreement that rippled through the group as they listened.
Olivia was watching him, a tiny smile teasing at the corners of her lips as she took in the strategy that would win the battle and get her down to the little town in record time.
“Are we ready?” Stark asked at last.
“One hundred percent,” Ardyss said.
The others were nodding and taking their places. Stark removed his coat and laid it down so that Olivia could help him transfer half the snowballs onto it. As a Maltaffian he didn’t really feel the cold, and he had other plans for the sled.
When the snowballs had been placed on the coat, Olivia put her arms up and he lifted her effortlessly in one arm, grabbing the sled with the other, and took off up the hill.
The other team started yelling as snowballs flew through the air.
But, as Stark suspected, a moving target was too hard to hit from behind the walls and trees, and most of the snowy missiles were easy enough to dodge.
A few players slipped out from behind the barriers totry and get a better shot. What they hadn’t realized was that Stark, Olivia and the sled were only a distraction.
As they sent snowballs up the hill after the two, the smaller team was coming out from behind their own snow embankment, dragging Stark’s snowball covered coat behind them.
And by the time their opponents noticed, it was too late. They were being pelted by the smaller team.
“Now?” Olivia asked, when they reached the top of the hill.
“Now,” Stark agreed, setting the sled down.
Their teammates were now providing the distraction, so he was able to get himself and Olivia settled on the red sled and ensure they could both reach the supply of snowballs they had with them.
“Here we go,” he said, one arm wrapped firmly around her waist.
As the sled began to sail down the hill he wondered if she would get scared. They were going faster than he’d expected, and she was so soft and vulnerable.
But his fierce little fighter screamed with joy and began hurling snowballs at their enemies as they approached, her hair flying out behind her, half covering his eyes. Stark laughed and joined her, blasting the opponents as they whizzed by.
Though they were moving very quickly, they were able to see when the opposing team lifted their hands in surrender.
Cheers broke out among their own team and Olivia laughed, the sound like festival bells as they slid the rest of the way down the hill, nearly hitting a little cart, butcoming to a stop just before it. Olivia let out a startled little scream and then let her head fall back, laughing again.
Stark held her, knowing in a moment she would scramble up. The feeling of her small body shaking with laughter against his filled him with an odd tenderness.
“Hot chocolate?” the man pushing the cart asked. “Roasted chestnuts?”
“Yes, please,” Olivia replied with a big smile.
Stark let her go and watched her approach the cart with a smile. Yet again, jealousy licked at his insides, even though the man had a long white beard was clearly only being friendly.
What is happening to me?
