Deviating from the original plot

Chapter six

Victoria couldn't help but laugh as well. Cedric skated over, shaking his head in amusement. "That was lackluster."

"Try doing fancy spins while holding a tiny human and see how you do," Edmund shot back, carefully lifting Clara off him and sitting up.

Clara beamed, completely unbothered. "Can we go again?"

Rosalie laughed. "You really are brave, aren't you?"

Cedric turned to her with a knowing look. "Alright, cousin. Now that you've had time to warm up, I say we test how well you can really skate."

Victoria narrowed her eyes. "That sounds suspicious."

Cedric grinned mischievously. "You're catching on."

Before she could protest, he took her hand and pulled her forward. Victoria barely had time to gasp before she was gliding across the ice at a much faster speed than she was prepared for.

"Cedric—!" she yelped, grabbing onto his arm for dear life.

"Relax, just go with it," he said easily, steering them across the frozen lake. "You're doing great."

Victoria's heart pounded as she struggled to keep up with him. "You are going too fast!"

Rosalie skated alongside them, laughing. "Look at you go!"

Victoria was not having it. "I am not prepared for this!"

The moment she felt herself losing balance, instinct took over. Without thinking, she grabbed onto Cedric's coat in a desperate attempt to steady herself—only to yank him down with her.

Cedric hit the ice with an exaggerated groan while Victoria landed beside him in an undignified heap. For a moment, there was silence. Then Rosalie burst into laughter, clutching her sides.

"I— I can't breathe," she wheezed between laughs. "That was spectacular."

Edmund skated over, holding Clara's hand while smirking. "Well, Cedric, that was definitely embarrassing for you."

Victoria pushed herself up, rubbing her sore wrist. "That was entirely your fault," she shot at Cedric.

He propped himself up on his elbows, looking entirely unbothered. "Technically, you pulled me down."

"Because you were too brash. I said I wasn't prepared!" Victoria frowned.

Cedric sighed, sitting up and brushing ice off his coat. "And here I was, just trying to help."

Victoria huffed. "Help would have been letting me move at my own pace."

He grinned. "But where's the fun in that?"

Victoria groaned and shoved him lightly, which only made Rosalie laugh harder.

Clara giggled uncontrollably. "You fell!"

Victoria sighed, brushing snow off her coat. "Yes, Clara. I noticed."

Clara wiggled excitedly. "Can I fall down too?"

Edmund shook his head. "No, Clara. That's not the goal."

Rosalie reached out to help Victoria up. "Come on, cousin. Let's try again—at a reasonable speed this time."

Victoria eyed Cedric warily as she took Rosalie's hand. "You stay far away from me."

Cedric only laughed. The skating continued for a little while longer, with Rosalie patiently helping Victoria gain more confidence on the ice. Clara, despite Edmund's best efforts, kept trying to fall on purpose.