Frost Bite

Chapter Three.

Authors Note! 

Please note that parts of this Chapter needs to be rewritten so short summaries are given regarding a few of the scenes, however all scenes past this Chapter will he fully written but not yet edited. 

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Blythe.

I had never been to the Capital before, only heard of it from wondering travelers and barmen in small towns surrounding Vextin.                                                                                        

Aron tugged on the rope that was once again binding my wrists, leading me along the back alleys of the large city made up of built structures and paved streets. The cold cobble stone bit at my feet but I barely noticed as my eyes stared in awe at the world around me. I stumbled when a man on a horse passed us by but managed to catch myself.                                                                        

"This way" Aron instructed, slipping into a narrow passage which turned out to be a dead end. I watched him search the stone wall until he found a loose brick and pried open a door that lead directly into the Royal castle. As a hunter one would expect him to know the ins and outs of Vextin.                                                

While we walked down a corridor, lit with hundreds of candles, I thought back to the night before when I had the chance to escape but didn't.                                                                              

What would I do with my life if I ran? Sell the necklace and continue steeling to survive?                                                                         

I had no family, no one to go home to at the end of the day, no one who cared. Aron's face when I had pushed him down, the surprise made me laugh harder than anything had ever made me laugh before.                                                                                

He was just a hunter but in the few hours I had known him, he had become the only person I had spent so much time with ever since my parent's deaths a decade or so prior.                  

I rushed to Aron's side and stood up on the tips of my toes, bumping shoulders with him. He looked down at me with furrowed brows, eyes filled with annoyance.                                     

"Thank you" I muttered, eyes locked on the hallways ahead where armored suits stood motionless and paintings hung on every wall.                                                                                     

The place was like a maze with endless winding corridors and secret passage ways hidden around every corner, all of which Aron knew about.                                                                                   

"Why are you thanking me?" he asked as an image of the night before came to mind, the way I had fallen asleep beside him in the snow, only to wake up this morning with his arms wrapped around me, protecting me, pressing me up against him as if to keep me warm.                                                                                   

"Thank you for your company" he turned his head away to try and hide his shock, his hand tightening on the rope he used as a leash to guide me. He said nothing until we reached a set of stairs and I walked a few paces ahead, pausing to look back at him once I had reached the top.                                                                    

"I enjoyed spending time with you" he grunted and shook his head, uttering something under his breath that sounded like 'Damn She-wolf'                                                                           

He continued up the steps and lead me further down the hallways until a grand set of double doors came into view. Knights clad in white armor were stood on either side of the doors, they bowed and opened them, slowly revealing a large throne room, unlike anything I had ever seen before.                                            

The floor was made of white marble, the walls painted in murals of old Kings, beautiful women and white bears. Pillars of grey stretched toward the painted ceiling where iron candle chandeliers hung overhead. At the far end of the room was a platform, surrounded by steps that had a large silver and white gold throne resting in the center of it. There were two much smaller thrones on either side of the bigger one and men sat upon each of them.                                                                                 

Knights lined the room, all armed with either swords or spears. Aron dragged me forward and knelt before the throne upon which, King Nixtoni Triguard, ruler of the Four Realms sat with a crown matching his throne resting upon his head.                   

"My King, I present to you the thief that was asked for" Aron said, his head bowed, making him look less strong, less dangerous than he had looked just moments before. I was too interested in the room to really pay attention to the King and the two Prince's that sat at his sides. I could, however, feel their eyes boring holes into me.                                                                                  

"Untie her" the King demanded and Aron complied, taking a stand in front of me to untie my wrists. I looked up at him to see him gazing down into my eyes.                                           

"Forgive me" he whispered, low enough for only me to hear. I knew it was because I would certainly die within those four walls and he had been the one to lead me there. I shot him the brightest smile I could muster which caught him off guard as he stepped aside to once again reveal me to the Royal family.                

"My King" I greeted, not bothering to kneel or bow since I was scheduled to die anyway, might as well annoy him a little before I did. Aron shot me a warning look while Prince Zane's eyes roamed over me, almost lustfully.                                          

"Where is the necklace that you stole from our King brother?" Prince Navil, third born questioned, getting straight to the point. I grinned, raising a hand to unclasp a few of the coat's buttons to reveal only my neck and some cleavage where the necklace rested against my skin.                                                           

Their eyes moved to the chain that I locked a finger around, raising it enough to allowing the bear pendant to be the center of their attention.                                                             

"You mean this?" I asked, the sapphire eyes of the bear reflecting the light that pored in through the wall of windows, stationed behind the thrones.                                                 

"You're going to have to pry it from my cold, dead body" I bit out, a challenge lacing my tone.                                                            

Prince Zane suddenly threw his head back laughing, catching the attentions of everyone else in the room. Prince Navil didn't find my words funny and shot a glare in his elder brother's direction.                                                                                                 

"She's a feisty one alright" I dropped the necklace, allowing it to thud against my chest, the chain rattling. Zane continued to bore an amused smirk as Navil erupted in outrage toward my words. He was silenced by a raise of the King's hand.                     

"What is your name?" he asked, hearing his voice for the first time. It wasn't husky or worn like Aron's but strong and clear, booming even and able to bring an entire room to silence with a single uttered word. There was a dominance to his voice, a demanding tone hidden beneath the sound that sent a chill up the back of my spine. This man was powerful "Blythe" I replied, locking eyes with those familiar green eyes from a few days before. They were dark like the needles of a pine but in the light they could be mistaken for a few shades lighter than what they were. He remained quiet for some time, mauling over the name then nodded and rose from his throne. When he stood, the knights around us went down on one knee. Aron followed their example, kneeling beside me with his head bowed "Blythe, you have been found guilty of a crime punishable by death" I held my head high when his words reached me, not allowing my resolve to falter. I had been preparing myself for death for a few hours and was as ready as I would ever be to die, but with my death the end of my race would also be brought on. The wolf species would finally fall into extinction. Aron shot me a look from out of the corner of his eyes "You can either take part in a trial by combat or be executed within this throne room" my eyes widened at the first option that I was given. I looked to Aron, seeing the shock clouding his features and realized that it wasn't a common option to give. If there was a chance for me to live then I would fight, I would fight to see another day "I choose a trial by combat" Aron gritted his teeth, his head rising to meet my gaze. I grinned at him which didn't go unnoticed by the Royal family. King Nixtoni nodded his head once, turning to address his knights when I cut him off "But if it is not too much to ask, my King, I would like for a less restrictive article of clothing" I raised my arms at my sides to show how big the sleeves of the coat were on them, not to mention heavy. A fight in something like that would be suicide. I wasn't expecting what he did next. He unclasped his cape, letting it fall to the ground, shrugged off his coat then undid the buttons of his undershirt, discarding it along with everything else before he made his way down the steps and towards me. His fingers worked on undoing his white shirt buttons until he could remove it and hold it out for me to take. We locked eyes and I found myself strangely intrigued with this man. His chest and arms were bigger than Aron's and much more tone with not a single scar in sight. His lack of scars were not from his lack of fighting as a noble but instead from a lack of his enemies being able to land a blow on him. I took the shirt, his fingers brushing against my bloody ones, still streaked from the moose i had brought down the day before. He then turned to return to his throne, shrugging on his coat to conceal some of his nude torso. I couldn't take my eyes from his exposed skin as I shrugged off my own coat, allowing it to drop to the ground by my feet. I had never been ashamed of my body, never really been bothered by people seeing me naked so I casually pulled on his shirt and buttoned it up to just under my breasts. Aron's eyes followed my movements, his gaze turning to King Nixon to find that the King was admiring me. Prince Zane was also enjoying the show, a wide smile plastered across his lips. Once I nodded, the King addressed his knights "Does anyone wish to take on this thief in a trial by combat?" almost instantly the knight from the carriage stepped stood and stepped forward. His hand gripped the hilt of his sword. My eyes flickered down to it in relief, perhaps I would not have need to give into my wolf to make it through the trial "I ask for a chance to kill the wench" Nixon approved, his knights rose from their kneeling position and Aron was asked to join the Royal family on the platform, standing behind the King's throne and watching from afar. I put some distance between me and the knight who had already drawn his sword and was just begging to cut me down "Let the trial begin!" my hands flexed at my sides, claws growing longer, extending as I slightly bent my knees, grinning at the fool in front of me. My claws were black, catching the attention of everyone around me since it stood out against the white and grey background, but my opponent was too driven by rage to notice.

Blythe.

Blythe was challenged by the knight whom she had encountered in the carriage when stealing Prince, now King Nixon's necklace. His full name is Nixtoni Triguard. So as if this point she is stood in front of the knight who has his sword drawn. He attacks, slicing down and she dodges, appearing behind him faster than the speed of light. He turns to swing at her from the side but she takes a step back and he narrowly misses her, only cutting into the material of the shirt that she is wearing. The knight pulls his sword back and jabs it forward, cutting her left hip when the blade skid past her hip bone. She reaches up to grip the sword, hand bleeding as she pins it in place. She raises her leg and sends a sharp kick to his chest plate, denting it and causing him to fly into a pillar on the other side of the room with his sword still in her grasp. Aron is awe struck by her physical strength. Another knight decides to interfere, with a spear. She blocks his blow above her head and was struggling against him when an arrow, shot from behind, strikes her lower back. She falls to her knees and the sword slips, allowing the spear to slice across her left cheek in a downward motion. A second arrow strikes her right shoulder and she loses her grip on the sword, falling to all fours. She stares down at the speared knight's armored boots and realizes that the arrows did not belong to Aron since his were laced with poison which meant that a third knight had joined the battle. She moves to get up, the knight's spear ready to strike her down when the first knight, who also happens to be the Commander of the Royal Guard, orders him to stand down. The Commander sends a kick to Blythe's side and she falls but tries to get back up only to be kicked down again, this time onto her side. She notices that Aron has a bow and arrow ready, aimed at the Commander's head but she protests, insisting that she can do it on her own. The Commander had taken a step back, giving her time to get back up, both hands moving to remove each of the arrows from her back, snapping them like twigs. They fell to the floor as she ran the back of her hand along her face where the spear wound had already healed. She gives into her wolf which she then explains is a second soul inhabiting her body. A wolf is one body carrying two souls, one of a human and one of a wolf. They were two completely different personalities. Her eyes turn black, her fangs grow larger and she becomes bolder, her voice sounding huskier. Her wolf uses the words "I am going to enjoy killing you" when talking to the Commander then appears behind him in the blink of an eye, wrapping her arms around his neck and shoulders in some type of hug. Her lips are located directly by his ear where she whispers something witty before slitting his throat with her index finger. He chocks, drowns in his own blood and once dead she lets him fall limp to the floor in a pool of blood, most of which had come from his mouth. She steps over him and hears an arrow being strung. She appears before the archer knight before he could fire and takes one of his arrows, driving it up through the bottom of his chin and into his skull. He too falls dead to the ground. Last is the speared knight that she quickly disposes of by snapping his neck. She licks at her lips, covered mostly in blood from head to toe, shirt torn and eyes feral. She moves to stand at the bottom of the steps that lead to the thrones where she begins to regain control over her body, eyes once again becoming blue, fangs and claws shrinking. She stops at the top of the steps where Aron now points his arrow at her for fear of her harming the King "I believe that means that I am innocent" is what she says to Nixon. He stands, walks over to her and grants her the title of the new Commander of the Guard. He takes the pendant of his mother's necklace in his palm but lets it drop, leaving it around her neck before taking a seat on his throne once more. He commands Aron to take her to her chambers and to be cleaned, then fitted in the armory. He complies, putting away his weapons.

Aron.

Aron leads Blythe to the west wing where all chambers, apart from the King's are kept. He watches her and finds her attractive because of the blood staining her body, torn shirt that left little to the imagination and clung to her body like a glove (Yes, Aron has some sick fetishes. Point is he is turned on by her being covered in blood and half naked). He finds a servant girl and orders her to take Blythe to her chambers and to bathe her. The girl is horrified by Blythe's state but calms down when she sees that Blythe has no wounds. Aron explains that Blythe will be the new Commander of the Royal Guard then turns to leave but Blythe interrupts him. She grabs onto his arm and kisses his cheek, thanking him for wanting to protect her during the trial. She then leaves with the servant girl and Aron is left standing in the hallway, unable to move or comprehend what had just happened. He realizes that during the trial, his body had moved on its own accord and that he had had no control over his actions. It was as though he subconsciously wanted to protect her. He shakes his head, turns and heads for the armory where he was to meet Blythe after she had been bathed and properly dressed.

Blythe.

She is taken to her bed chamber which is a room described to be big enough to fit half a house. There is a king size bed pushed up against the far wall with white bed sheets that are embroidered with blue and silver thread. Blue, white, silver and black are the colors of the Triguard family line which is the Royal family of Myres, the continent and they reside in Vexin which is the Capital city. The furniture in the room including a vanity, the bed, a living room area with chairs and the doors are made of black wood. There are curtains similar to the bed sheets that hang over the balcony doors. A large tub big enough to fit seven people is pushed into one corner where a floor to ceiling window is placed, overlooking the forest and sea beyond. A screen is placed to hide the tub from people who may be sitting in the living room area where a fireplace is lit. There are candles everywhere, on the walls, furniture and dangling from the ceiling while white and black marble flooring line the entire space. The servant girl pours some hot water that she heated by the fireplace into the tub and continues to do so while cold water pours in from a bears head that is mounted on the wall. She sprinkles dried rose petals, imported from the South into the tub along with rosemary and lavender. The girl has long auburn hair that hangs down her back in a detailed braid. Her eyes are brown and she wears a white dress that goes down to the floor and has long sleeves, over that she wears a brown overcoat with brown flats. Once she is done with the tub she dries her hand on a cloth that is always dangling from her shoulder and begins to strip. She moved to take the hem of Blythe's torn shirt in her small hands to tug it over her head but Blythe catches one of her wrists and pries it away. She girl giggles and explains that it is expected of servants to bathe and dress their masters. Blythe gives in and allows her to remove her torn shirt. The girl then leads Blythe up the steps that lead to the tub and into the water where she instructs our wolf to sit on a platform in the center of it. the water level reaches to just below her breasts. The servant girl wets Blythe's shoulders, neck and back with her hands then reaches across her for a glass cup, causing her smaller breasts to press up against Blythe's back. She instructs Blythe to lean her head back so that she may wet her hair using the cup that she fills with water. The girl uses scented oils to wash Blythe's silver hair and massages it into her head as well. Once she is done with her hair, the girl moves around Blythe and heads for a cloth that is neatly folded across from Blythe. She wets it and wrings it out a few times "What is your name?" Blythe asks her and the girl replies with "I am Mila, my lady" after a few moments of inspecting the girl and realizing that she had most likely been born in the South because of her darker skin tone and beauty spots that littered her flesh, Blythe then repeats the name, tasting it. She stands and as she does she speaks the words "I may be the new Commander of the Royal Guard but I am still a commoner, just like you" the water falls from her skin, rippling the surface as she moves towards Mila, stopping only inches away from the shorter girl with her blue eyes still rimmed in a thick circle of black from having given into her wolf. Her face is still splattered in red and her fangs show through when she speaks "So please, call me Blythe" she takes the cloth, now coated in oils and salt and moves away from Mila to scrub her own body free of blood, causing the water to turn red around her. With her back to the servant girl, Blythe is caught of guard when her lips part and she asks a question, Blythe had not been expecting "Are you and lord Aron lovers?" Blythe's back muscles stiffen, her face hidden from Mila's view as she thinks of the huntsman. The image she sees is one of him working on his arrows seeming so calm and at ease, it was a stark contrast to his usual teasing, crazed side that she had seen. She remembers his taste, the taste of alcohol and musk that stained his lips when she had kissed him, she even remembered what it felt like when his hand had gripped her hip. She realizes that Mila has a thing for Aron and glances back at her from over her shoulder, trying to hide a faint grin "He is someone very important to me" she says, meaning not that she is in love with him but that he had been the first person she had encountered and spoken to in more than a decade, he was the first person to want to willingly protect her as she had seen in the throne room and the first person to not fear her for what she was despite having seen what she was capable of. She looks back down at the water and sees her own reflection, a monster "However we are not lovers, no" she responds which allows Mila to breathe a sigh of relief as Blythe asks in the back of her mind 'Who could ever love a monster?'