Frost Bite.

Chapter Ten.

Aron.

The following morning was the morning that she would appear before the people to be names the next Commander of the Royal Guard. Her armor was partly done, the breast place, skirt and boots were ready to be worn so my father had instructed me to deliver them to her before the ceremony. I walked the halls with the pieces wrapped in black fabric, tucked away under my arm with a long sleeve brown shirt dangling loosely from my torso. I stopped outside her Chamber door and raised a hand to rasp my knuckles against the black wood "Enter" her voice called from inside, causing a chill to be sent down the back of my spine. I pushed the door open to reveal a sight that I hadn't been expecting to see. She was just stepping out of the tub, her bare feet stepping onto the steps one after the other as she wrung out her hair on the top of her head. Her eyes were too busy focusing on where she stepped as not to slip to notice that it was me "Mila, would you mind handing me my gown?" she asked and when there was no reply, she looked up at me, her eyes locking with mind from across the room. A flicker of pain crossed her eyes when she fell silent, her movements becoming slower, smaller as if she was afraid that I would run away if she moved too abruptly. After some time of staring at each other, I averted my eyes and cleared my throat "Delivery for the ceremony" I explained, raising the armor that was wrapped in fabric. It cluttered as I moved to set it down on the table in the center of the sitting area. She watched me, her body dripping with droplets of water that made her skin glisten in the light of the morning sun that shone in through the window behind the tub. The room smelt of roses and lavender, she smelt of roses and lavender "Aron" her words were like a whisper, breathless as she descended the steps and moved to join me in the living area, in front of the fireplace. I couldn't bring myself to move, eyes locked onto her with a hunger, a predatory need to hunt her, to touch her. She reached out a hand towards me, eyes searching my features and when her fingers were about to graze my cheek, a loud clutter echoed throughout the room. I glanced back, over my shoulder and in the direction of the door that was now open and revealed a servant girl, a trey laying at her feet. A tea cup, a tea pot, sugar cubes and milk were splattered all over the floor "Forgive me, my lady" she quickly said then fell to her knees to start cleaning. I glanced back in Blythe's direction to see her looking at the girl with pained eyes then turned to leave. Stepping past the servant without so much as a word or a glance back in the wolf's direction. I knew that if I looked back, i wouldn't be able to control myself, despite the fact that there was a girl with us in the room, none of that would matter. I ducked around a corner and leaned back against the wall, my teeth grit and a frustrating grunt mixed with a strangled cry escaped my lips while I ran a hand through my hair.

Blythe.

"Mila-." I began, my voice low and cautious as I approached her. She was too busy picking up the porcelain pieces to look at me and in her frantic rush to clean up the mess, she cut herself on a shattered shard. She cried out, raising her hand to look at her palm that was bleeding, crimson droplets plummeting down onto the marble floor. I went down on both knees in front of her, one hand moving to gently cup hers while the other reached for the cloth that hung from her shoulder. I wrapped it tightly around her palm and applied pressure with my thumb "I thought you and lord Aron weren't-." her words trailed off, shaky as she tried to hold back her tears. I looked at her, studying her features as she tried to hide her face from me, to hide her pain. It was then that I realized that it was no longer just about me, about my pain but about everyone else's pain as well. Aron, Nixtoni and Mila were all going through their own series of pain much like I was. I smiled sadly at her "I do care for him, deeply in fact" I whispered, causing her to look up at me with red, tear filled eyes. I had admitted it out loud and there was no going back from that. The grief in her eyes, the grief in his from the night before "But I can no longer cause innocent people pain" Selene had chosen Nixtoni to be my mate, she had said on the day of my birth that the first born son to the King would be my destiny. I reached out to wipe at the tears that fell from her eyes then stood, my own eyes growing wetter as I smiled down at her "He is not mine, he is not my fate" with that I turned away from her, the tears spilling from my eyes as I reached for my gown, tugging it onto my body and tying it around the waist. Something inside of me had died that day, the day of my naming before the people. I grew colder, harsher as I dressed in that armor, as my hair was braided tightly against my skull, as I was given a black cape to wear, a helm to carry and wrist bands to bind me to the Royal family of Trigaurd blood. Nixtoni held my life in the palm of his hand, he held the heart of my wolf in his chest and my new title in his mouth. I gazed out at the day beyond the window, a gloomy one much like any other but there was something heartbreaking about that day. A member of the Royal Guard came to fetch me, kneeling by the door as he spoke to me. I inhaled as a commoner and exhaled as a Commander then turned, my cape fluttering around me, to leave for the throne room with the Knight leading the way.

Nixon.

The way she walked was different, her head held high, eyes darker than they were before with an air of importance about her. The doors had been opened for her to step inside, her armor clad boots cluttering against the marble flooring. The Knights that lined the room banged their spears against the floor once, creating a powerful sound that bounced off the stone walls when she passed. Zane shot me a knowing look then glanced at Aron who stood at my side, an old friend and trusted Hunter. Blythe stopped at the bottom of the steps, her thighs, stomach and arms left exposed from the odd design of her armor "My King" she addressed me, her eyes locked only on my form. I rose and the guards lowered the stained glass window that sat behind the thrones to create a platform that overlooked the City of Vextin. My brothers departed for the platform, standing as they had been seated and waiting for me to join them in the center as their King. Her head was slightly bowed towards me in respect when I held my hand out for her to take "Shall we?" I asked and her response was to nod, taking my hand to allow me to lead her onto the platform. Aron watched her but she barely paid him any attention when we passed. Once on the platform I stopped a few paces ahead of my brothers, leading her to kneel in front of me, facing the gathered crowd of people below. The harsh winds caused my coat, the same one as before, and her cape to flutter wildly, strands of her silver hair coming undone from its braid "People of Vextin!" my voice boomed over the crowd, urging them to calm down from their cheering at the sight of me. I raised my hand, palm stretched towards them and they grew silent. Thousands of people stood waiting, watching us, watching her with curious eyes "Yesterday we mourned the death of Sir Edmer Callow, but today we celebrate the Knighting or a new Commander"

Zane.

Her pain had gotten to her, that much was clear to see from how she acted. She was a warrior, one who not only fought battles among people but who raged war within herself. She knelt before the people, eyes empty, her heart broken. It was an ideal situation for me to swoop in and take her shattered pieces for myself, to put them back together with gold, the gold of a Prince and not the silver of a King. Nixtoni spoke out over the crowds but my focus was not on it, rather it was on the Huntsman that stood in the throne room far behind us, waiting for his King. Nixon and Aron had been friends since childhood although one was of noble blood and the other a commoner. Nixon trusted the Hunter more than he trusted his own flesh a blood, but I wondered how he would react when he would learn of the she wolf's interest in the Huntsman. I could not tell him, for as long as it remained a secret, she could not fully commit to my brother, giving me a chance to take her for myself. It wasn't just lust that drove me, the night before had sparked my interest in her, a desire to be close to her, to learn as much as I could about her. My games of only wanting her body were replaced by something much more. My sole desire was to become her mate, to experience the bond she had spoken so highly of "I present to you Lady Blythe Redwood, ninth Commander of the Royal Guard!" my brother's voice announced among the crowd but there was no reaction, a shock was sent throughout the masses at the mention of a woman Commander, the first of her kind. My brother called for his sword, a fine weapon that was hand crafted by the best blacksmith in all of Myres and it was brought to him by a Knight. He took his weapon, holding it as a King would and placed the tip on the top of her head "I, King Nixtoni Triguard of the four Realms of Myres" he began, moving his sword from her head to her right shoulder as he spoke "Now proclaim thee, Lady Blythe Redwood of the moon" gasps resounded as the word 'moon' escaped him. It meant that she was born of the moon, born of the goddess Selene, born a wolf. It was a blow that danced across the people, one that could be left in the atmosphere around us as his blade moved to her left shoulder "The ninth Commander of the Royal Guard" he then took his blade and cut through the air above her in an X motion that finalized his words for all to see that they were set in stone by their ruler and King. He handed the sword back to the Knight and addressed Blythe "You may now rise as a Commander who serves the four Realms and pledge your loyalty to the Royal bloodline" I could see Nazaiha and Navil watching with discomfort, their eyes locked onto the woman as she stood, her armor and chain mail cluttering when she did. They disliked her for not only being a woman but because she was a wolf. When she spoke, power emitted from her, a power very few people had yet to experience. Being a wolf meant that you were born with power, an instinct to be a ruler and it could be heard in her every word, not only by us but by the people "As the ninth Commander of the Royal Guard, I pledge my loyalty to the white bear of Myres!" she turned to look back at Nixtoni, her eyes sad but stern as they locked eyes with my brothers green set. Her helm was still tucked away underneath her right arm and her black cape stood out against her silver armor "I swear to both serve and protect the current King of the Realms with my life and soul as justly and honorably as I am capable of" she took her helm in both hands and knelt before my brother, bowing her head to show both submission and respect to him before thousands of on looking eyes. His necklace hung from her neck, catching the eyes of me and the rest of my brothers. She placed her helmet at his feet then said in a final, monotone declaration "I am yours to command" at those words, the Huntsman fled, his sudden movements catching my eyes. He hurried from the throne room, anger and jealousy radiating from him like the decay of a corpse. The slamming of the double doors were drowned out by the people erupting into cheers and shouts of praise. They began to chant the words "And so the wolf bows!" over and over again as my brother looks out onto them and Blythe gazes up at him with a mixture of hatred, sadness and submission.