This work is done without their knowledge or involvement. I peeked around the boulder I was hiding behind. There was Finn, bending down to examine the tracks I had left. I was so sure that I had covered them this time.
He looked up at me and I saw the bandages he had applied to his face and arm, to cover up the burns I had inflicted on him. I turned and ran, the best I could. My flames were now so depleted. He had hounded me for days without rest. I marveled at his endurance, in his condition, then put all my attention into making my way through the rocks ahead of me.
Here on the edges of the Fire Kingdom there was nothing to burn to recharge my flames, but soon I would be home. I turned back towards Finn and gathered my flames. You mean to douse me to death! I blasted him with what little remained of my fires. His clothing caught fire and burned away as he screamed. I screamed as the water ate away at me, but now I was so weak I could not resist it.
This time there was much less pain, but instead I felt numb and so very weak. I collapsed in Finn's arms and he collapsed under me. I felt so chill. The only warmth available was from Finn's body and I instinctively snuggled up against it. I closed my eyes, too weak to move. Is this what death was like? But no, I continued to draw breath. I rested there for a minute in his arms, his warm breath on my shoulder. I found the strength to look into Finn's face. His bandages were gone, but his skin was unblemished. I ran my hand over his cheek that had been so burned, along his arm that had been so damaged, down his chest.
He was completely undamaged and totally nude. For the first time I saw a boy without any clothes on, and he was pressed up against me. I noticed that my garments of ember were gone, washed away by the water. In spite of the chill in the air I pushed away from Finn's slacking embrace, rolled over to a sitting position, then stood and summoned my flames to recreate my dress. Nothing happened. My strength exhausted, I fell, into his arms, and into darkness.
Sometime later I awoke to the sounds of a small fire and the smell of smoke. I opened my eyes and saw I was in a cave of some sort. There was a fire near the entrance and Jake was cooking something over it. I turned to the sound of Finn's voice. He was sitting next to me, without a shirt on. I glanced down and saw that he was at least wearing pants.
I didn't even look at you, I mean after you fell asleep. It was Jake who dressed you. I wore a thin shirt that was long enough to reach down to my thighs. I ran my hand down it and felt some sort of thin shorts under that.
So I had to split it. I swear I didn't look. Sorry about splashing your highness. I stood and turned to the cave entrance. I saw that it was raining outside. With nothing left to lose, I walked out and stood under the rain. Finn picked up the bowl and raised a spoon of the soup to my lips. So called food made up mostly of water?
How absurd. But I drank from the spoon anyway. It's warmth comforted me and I was so very hungry. Finn raised another spoonful of the soup and I drank that down as Jake draped the blanket over our shoulders.
Then I grabbed the bowl from Finn's hand with both of my hands and quickly drank the rest down. I felt no pain from introducing water into my body.
Just a gentle warmth. Again I snuggled up against Finn as I sought the warmth of his bare chest to counter the chill of my damp shirt. Do you want some more? I was acting like a small miserable creature, seeking what little warmth it could find. Just call me Sholeh. I blushed and pushed away from him. I stared at his yellow hair, a sign of great strength amoungst the fire folk. I shook the image of his nude form from my head. I am a princess no longer. I have seen what has happened to you water folk when they have wandered into my Father's kingdom.
They have burned like this! I mean Sholeh. Then he stopped. I looked down at my right hand. I was holding a piece of the fire in my hand. It wasn't burning my flesh. I didn't feel any pain at all, but I was just holding it. The flame started to die down as there was no fuel for it to burn. I pushed my strength into it and it brightened. Then I tried to draw it back into my body. The flame flattened against my palm but refused to enter. I closed my fist over it to snuff it out. Once more I leaned back against his slight warmth.
My boy Finn here gets carried away at times. Will you be returning to your kingdom? After the storm passed we rode on Jake's back back to their treehouse. It was an unfamilar mode of transport for me, as I had always moved under my own power before. Finn wrapped his arms around me to help keep me stable as I held the blanket wrapped around us. Finn showed me a video game. I played for a few minutes then put down the controller and walked over to the window. You went pow, pow, pow, pow, pow. That's why I thought you'd like that game.
They didn't have your head start, with your ability to carry fire in your hands. The color of cool water or the very hotest stars. Jake walked in with a covered pot and placed it on the table. Do you think she'll do it? Everybody was so afraid of her. I tried to run out and see her, but Father had me locked up in that lamp you found me in.
Is she really that dangerous? She's cool, but she still spooks Jake, for fun. For what he thinks of Marceline, she might as well be a guy named Marshall Lee. He doesn't really see her as a girl. By accident.