Disclaimer: Any use of the title, dialogue, and plot is strictly prohibited. Anne of Green Gables belongs to L. M. Montgomery.


Outside the windows of the snug and cozy Green Gables kitchen, a light snow was falling and covering the surrounding orchards and fields in a pure white blanket which, to anyone, might have been a sight to enjoy if it weren't for its ability to distract. One such person, Anne Shirley, was indeed occupied with the wonder of it all and gazed, with enraptured eyes, at the twirling snowflakes and trees on which numerous icicles clung tightly to the branches.

She was brought back to reality by a knock which came upon the door. In a burst of excitement, the eleven-year-old quickly looked away from the window and ran to meet Diana holding two pairs of ice skates.

"I came to ask if you wanted to skate on the Lake of Shining waters," she said in response to Anne's bewildered expression. "I got one pair for Christmas and used my birthday money to get a second pair for you."

"This day is even more magical now! I should be doing needlepoint but I can't! I can hear the trees and snow calling me to enjoy this glorious day! I'll be back… won't you please come in? Let me ask Marilla."

After letting Diana in, Anne quickly shut the door and excitedly ran to where Marilla was helping Matthew gather firewood; while the woman had thought Anne could help, she knew the child had a tendency to daydream and be forgetful and, because of this, had resolved to aid her brother in the task.

"Marilla?" She ran toward the siblings breathlessly, her cheeks rosy from the cold. "Marilla, Diana's here and she's asked me to go ice skating with her on the Lake of Shining Waters. Can I, please? I promise I'll do all my chores once I come back."

"Anne, you know the rules," the older woman replied sternly. "You can't play with Diana until you've completed your share of the work. Besides, skating on a pond is unladylike. You'll both catch your death of cold."

"I know, Marilla. But it's too nice to be doing needlepoint or anything else. Please?"

Then, turning to Matthew, she asked, "Matthew, can I go with Diana to the lake? Please?"

In response to this, he considered a moment before he nodded.

"Go," he said quietly. "Go have fun."

"Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The girl kissed his cheek before running off toward the house.

"Matthew Cuthbert!" Marilla turned upon her brother. "You've gone and let the child have her way again! I told you not to interfere with raising her. If you recall, I specifically told you to allow me to do the upbringing."

"Come now, Marilla. I think a girl her age should have fun."

"Sometimes I can't understand you."

Matthew chuckled to himself. His sister could be stubborn and unreasonable at times, but that was Marilla. What she said was final and there was no sense in protesting. Still… it wouldn't hurt for Anne to enjoy herself with Diana. Deep down he believed he had been right in letting her go but thought it prudent to keep this to himself.

A few minutes later the girls were out on the Lake of Shining Waters, enjoying the fresh air as they twirled around the surface of the frozen water which, to Anne, was even more beautiful as it shone brightly in the winter sun; the name she had chosen for this spot was indeed the right one because it described the sparkle of the still pond perfectly.

"Don't you just love winter, Diana?" she enquired, looking toward the trees and listening to the silence around them. "I think it's one of my favorite seasons next to spring. Just think… in a few months everything will be green again and the birds will return. I suppose the only drawback of winter is not being able to hear the birds; there are far less than usual and it feels empty without them."

"Winter is pretty nice, especially when it snows and the frost leaves drawings on your windowpanes. I also think snowball fights are fun. We'd always have them at school… boys against girls."

"Who would win?"

"The girls. There was one year when Charlie Slone hit a girl directly in the nose and he, being a Slone, was quite proud. Of course many of the girls scolded him for it but he was too arrogant to apologize. Quite frankly, the girls could throw better than the boys."

"Charlie Slone had a right to be scolded and put in his place. He has no respect for girls and finds great enjoyment in teasing them."

Like Gilbert, she thought to herself.

Her friend nodded in assent. "Once he offered to walk me home but I politely declined and told him I could manage on my own. He's rather borish and isn't much of a conversationalist."

Anne chuckled. "I can imagine."

Later, when the girls were through with their time on the lake, Anne returned the ice skates to Diana and thanked her before heading homeward toward Green Gables. It had been a wonderful day filled with laughter and joy, but now responsibilities awaited her; she did not mind this, for she had been out in the fresh air and felt motivated to do what had to be done.