Do you know how to ski?

The director clapped his hands together, his voice cutting through the crisp mountain air. "Well, let's start the repetition! Maeve, Layla, get in place!"

I nodded, exhaling a plume of breath into the freezing air. The snow crunched beneath my boots as I walked to the designated spot, the chill sinking through my coat.

Maeve followed, her usual cheerful demeanor replaced by an almost unnervingly serious expression as she stepped into character. She looked so different , focused, rigid, and commanding. 

"You ready for this, Your Highness?" Maeve asked, her voice low and clipped, her lips barely twitching. 

"Oh, give me a break," I shot back, already slipping into the rebellious tone of the princess. I crossed my arms and gave her an exaggerated eye-roll. "You're acting like the fate of the entire kingdom depends on me not tripping over a snowbank."