Frost Bite.

Chapter Eighteen.

Zane.

I dressed in my usual attire, a pair of black dress pants with polished shoes, a black shirt and a custom made coat that went with it. It was similar to the one I had given Blythe except it was plain black, apart from the family crest that was embroidered into the left breast. It was the image of a white bear, reared back on its hind limbs and surrounded by an ashen field. I stepped into the Court room later than the rest, most of them already seated at the table and waiting impatiently for me to arrive. When the Knights opened the door for me to enter, Navil looked up with annoyance written across his features. Zachary looked too bored to care and Nazaiha was sipping on a glass of wine despite the early hour. Nixtoni was leaned back in his chair, worriedly staring out of one of the windows as he fiddled with the rings on his fingers, eyes lost in thought "Brother" I greeted Nixon, drawing him out of his daze as I took a seat in the chair closest to the door. He looked at me with a blank expression that turned to a grim mask as he nodded his head in my direction, acknowledging my arrival. A tense silence surrounded us since none of us would speak, but that silence was eventually broken by Nazaiha "Why exactly have we been summoned here?" blunt and to the point was what both Navil and Nazaiha were known for, however the oldest of the two was fiercer, always annoyed and irritated whereas the younger was a calmer version, cool and collected as he stared at his wine glass, twisting it this way and that, allowing the reflective surface to catch the light "Must be serious for it to be so sudden" Zachary added, leaning his head back with his hands folded behind his head. He was the most laid back out of all of us, the youngest at eighteen which meant that he hardly ever understood the severity of things. Nixtoni looked to him as he folded his hands together on the table in front of him. He sighed deeply, eyes closed for a moment before they glanced over each of us individually "There has been a significant amount of attacks on villages to the South during the past two moon turns" Nazaiha's hand stilled, the wine dancing inside of the glass while both Navil and I tensed at the mention of the attacks. Zachary crossed his legs and hummed, eyes staring lazily up at the ceiling. Nixon turned his eyes back to the scenery beyond the window "What exactly does this have to do with the Capital?" Navil questioned. As King it would be impossible for Nixtoni to have full reach of the entire continent, as a result many Noble families have been stationed across Myres to watch over the people and report back to the King. These families have control over Royal Guards that have been sent to them, to use at their disposal so it made sense that Navil would ask such a thing. One of the Noble's should have dealt with the problem by then "They're heading North" Nixon stated, his head turning to meet Navil's gaze from across the table, a hard and stern look in his emerald eyes. He motioned to the Guard stationed by the door with a flick of his wrist and the Knight brought a map of Myres over to the table, spreading it out in front of us "The black markings are the towns and villages they have already destroyed" he explained. I glanced down at the piece of brown paper, the blank ink drawings having long since faded to a dark brown with black crosses decorating the length of it. I followed the trail as it went further North, having started in the heart of the South. A total of eight towns had been attacked from the looks of things "Destroyed?" Zachary asked, his head lowering to look at the map. He raised a single brow at the word used by our King. I watched Nixon, also wondering why he had used that specific word. Usually village raids were when they were robbed of their crops and riches but a cold chill down my spine told me that, that situation was different "These people were murdered-." Nazaiha lowered his glass of wine when Nixtoni stood from his seat, making his way over to the window, one hand pressed against the frame to support him. An air of sadness surrounded him, a black cloud of mourning "The villages burnt to the ground" my eyes narrowed at his words, the thought of hundreds of people being slaughtered in cold blood, their homes burnt to ashes. The towns they were targeting were small and far from the main roads which meant that they were traveling along the back roads "Such violent crimes can only be acts of hatred" I said, my hand placed on the surface of the table as I stared down at the map. Nazaiha glanced at me from his place while Navil refused to even look up from the paper that lay directly in front of him "What are you implying?" Nazaiha questioned as Zachary stared at me, curious as to what my reply would be. Nixon too searched my facial features, his hand balling into a fist against the window frame. My eyes flickered up to meet those of the current King "They harbor a grudge towards the Capital and its King" everyone stiffened, their breaths catching at the realization that they were heading directly for the Capital and demolishing everything that stands in their path along the way. The people who were being murdered, the houses and farms being burnt were a message for the Capital that said, clear as day 'We are coming and if anyone stands in our way, they will be disposed of' "Who in their right mind would be so naive as to advance on the Capital?" Navil spat, his teeth gritting and his fists balling at his sides. He began to tremble in rage. Nixon and I both shared a look, we knew that no one would even attempt such a thing with the Capital surrounded by Knights and people who would gladly defend their King but the very fact that they were attempting it was cause for concern. It would be idiocy to simply ignore it, they were advancing and they were most likely a deadly opponent "Regardless, Zaniel, I would like for you to investigate, find out as much about the enemy as possible" there it was, the same tone our father used to use whenever he would dish out orders, it was the voice of a King now coming from my elder brother's lips. I leaned back in my seat and nodded my head in understanding. He then turned to the rest of the men in the room, including the Knight "In the meantime we will continue as normal, my wedding will take place seven days from now" my mind went to Blythe, her shaking form in my arms, tears streaming from her eyes as blood dripped down her chin from where she had bit down on her bottom lip to stop from crying out in pain. She was so broken in that moment, so confused that she would almost throw herself at me and then my question, that idiotic question that I just had to ask. My jaw muscles tightened at the thought of having to notify her of the progressing events of the attacks as well as the wedding and my head turned to the side when I realized that it was time to make my intentions clear.

Blythe.

I was curled up underneath the sheets of my bed in the castle, my body freshly scrubbed with salt and oils and covered in a silk, silver gown that watched the color of my hair. The curtains were drawn shut and I was staring at the far wall as I listened to my wolf whimpering, curled into a tight ball at the back of my mind, her body trembling and limp, barely able to move as she squeezed her eyes shut. I gripped the pillow beside my head and closed my eyes to try and get some sleep when a light knock came from my door. I sat up, the sheets dropping down to my waist as I looked towards the black door where Mila was stood "Pardon my Lady but Prince Zaniel has requested your presence in his chambers" my eyes drooped at the thought of him, his question echoing through my mind over and over again along with his last words as he left me laying in the snow a few hours prior. I knew I had to face him eventually, being the Ninth Commander but that didn't stop me from wanting to stay in bed. I sighed and tossed my legs over the side of the bed, my feet carrying me towards the closet. It was a walk in wardrobe with everything a woman could desire, fancy dresses, shoes, jewels, coats and bags however none of them caught my eye apart from the coat Zane had given me. I slipped out of my gown as Mila stood by the closet doors, watching me tug the coat onto my shoulders, taking the time to button up every button down to just below my core. I removed my hair from the collar of it then glanced over the shoes, all heels, all perfectly detailed and extravagant. I was a Commander, not a Princess. I turned and strode past Mila, pausing halfway out the door to glance back at her "Please call me a shoe maker in the morning" with that I left, my feet carrying me further down the hall, deeper into the heart of the west wing where the Prince's resided unlike Nixon who stayed in the east wing. I knew the way to their chambers, a floor above mine with a hallway similar to the one below it. I headed for the door, furthest down the hall and raised my fist to knock, a light sound that made my stomach twist and turn with nerves. There was no reply, only the door opening to reveal a half naked Zane. He was stood with a black towel draped around his hips, using another to dry his golden hair. Droplets of water were making their way down his skin, over his chest, down to his stomach and the defined V that dipped down between his legs. I averted my eyes, instead staring at the floor below which he caught onto and only then seemed to notice the state he was in. He cleared his throat and stepped to the side, holding the door open for me "Come in" he insisted, motioning to the room and the sitting area with the hand that clutched the towel. I nodded, my legs moving, guiding me inside where the room seemed to be far grander than mine. Nixon's was larger but Zane's felt more like home, like it had been lived in and wasn't just a place to rest but a place to feel safe and secure in. The bed was a King size, covered in golden sheets and decorated with blue pillows, it looked like it had been slept in with a navy blanket tossed carelessly across it. There was a living area with grey couches and armchairs, a coffee table sat close to the fireplace, rings of wine had stained it in a few places as open books and written pieces lay splattered across it. Above the fireplace was a mirror that had a gold frame and on top of the mantel were various white, silver and gold candles along with a vase that had blue roses spilling from the top of it, the petals having started to fall down onto the all grey marble flooring. There was a balcony that overlooked the city, a dark brown table sat outside, old and damaged from the summer rains with warn chairs and a large golden, blue teacup that had been hand painted that sat in the center of the table, lavender had been placed inside but the purple color was starting to fade to brown. The bathroom was off to the side, the double doors left open to let the steam out into the rest of the room and beside that was a wardrobe, similar to mine, lined with suits, coats, dress shoes, formal shirts, rings and ties "I'll be right with you" came Zane's voice from behind me as he shut the door with a soft click. I had been running my hand along the back of one of the couches but my hand stilled when I turned my attention to him. He stepped into the wardrobe, closing the doors that were lined with gold, blue and black stained glass, making it possible for me to see the outline of his figure as he moved inside. The towels dropped to the floor which he later replaced with a pair of grey trousers, hurriedly tugged onto his legs. When he exited the closet, that was all he wore, running a hand through his wet hair with little care as to what happened to the abandoned towels. I had to remind myself that he was a member of the Royal family, a Prince even though he felt like just another man, someone I felt comfortable around despite what had transpired that morning "You wanted to see me?" I asked, turning my attention back to the detailing of the sofa, blue roses embroidered into the grey material with sapphire thread. My fingertips ran over the images, feeling the texture beneath them as Zane made his way over to the bar that sat next to the balcony doors "It would seem a rebel force is advancing on the Capital" his words caused my hand to still, my eyes to slightly widen then harden at the thought of an enemy heading for Vixten, for Nixtoni. Zane glanced back at me from over his shoulder, momentarily stilling in his movements to pour two glasses of red wine "The Nobles?" I questioned, my mind instantly going to the Nobility that was scattered across the continent, tasked with the safety of their individual areas with a small army at their disposal, given to them by the prior Kings. Zane raised his glass to his lips, his back to me as he took a sip then swallowed "They're traveling on the back roads, by the time the Royal Guard arrives, it's already too late" his explanation was accompanied by a shake of his head. He took both glasses in hand and moved towards me, his feet bare when he stopped on the other side of the couch, holding my glass out for me to take "Too late?" I took the glass, my eyes meeting his with a worried glint but the way he turned away to take a seat on the sofa was enough to tell me that the enemy were dangerous. He took another swing of the red substance then leaned his head back against the couch "They're leaving towns and villages in ruin" my back muscles stiffened at the news, the thought of someone being able to destroy an entire village or town was enough to send chills down the back of my spine. I moved around the couch so that I was stood in front of it, my eyes searching Zane's features "And the people?" his eyes closed at my question, his hand resting on the arm rest with the glass clutched between his fingers. Buildings and structures were nothing in comparison to the lives of hundreds "Murdered in cold blood" it was a shock to my system, my hand lowering down to my side, fingers gripping the edges of the glass as my lips parted, the bottom one trembling as my eyes grew wide with realization. His eyes opened, head turning to look up at me when he was greeted with nothing but silence. I slumped down onto the couch beside him, my legs feeling weak and my hands starting to shake. I set my glass down on the coffee table to refrain from spilling the wine, my eyes starring down at the floor by my feet "How could someone do such a thing?" I breathed, my mind searching for some reason why but there was nothing, no excuse for the murder of so many people. Zane stayed quiet, his eyes watching me as I processed the information. Whoever these people were, they were heading for the Capital where most of Myres's population resided, where the King resided. My jaw clenched at the thought "They can't be allowed to reach the Capital" I concluded, my eyes moving to meet his from across the length of the soda. He leaned forward, moving so that his elbows rested on his parted knees, hands both gripping his glass. His gaze moved to the fire that danced in the fireplace "I have already sent Knights South both to question the Nobles and to reside in the town of Catos where they are most likely to attack next" he agreed, lifting the edge of the glass to his pink lips, staining them red by taking another sip. I nodded in agreement to his actions, feeling that they were the best that could've been taken regarding the situation "They will report back once they have required the necessary information" he added, swirling the wine in his glass and staring down at it. I watched him, the cold, grim expression on his face one of sorrow and frustration but I could tell it wasn't just as a result of the attacks, there was something else clawing at the back of his mind "Until then, I want for you to train them, to up the patrol counts around the Capital" I stood, my fists balling at my sides as I straightened my shoulders and bowed my head in Zane's direction. He looked up at me from the sudden movement, his hand tightening around the stem of his wine glass "As you wish, my Prince" I was about to turn to leave and head for the Courtyard where I would get started on training with the younger Knights but I was brought to a stop by a hand reaching out to grab hold of my forearm. Zane had set down his glass and stood, his hand firm yet gentle around my wrist "Blythe-." he began, his voice a low whisper that caused the nervousness in the pit of my stomach to return. I stared ahead, at the far wall instead of turning to face him, to look at him. His tone had gone from serious and demanding to serious and tentative. I could feel the skin of my arm starting to tingle from his touch, the cause of him being related to my mate. My wolf stirred in the back of my mind but I didn't want to stay, didn't want to hear what I knew I would if I was to stay but I couldn't move, couldn't pull away from him no matter how hard I tried.