The Winter King's Bride

Princess Elohra I stood by the doors of the council chamber, watching the royal advisors leave, whispering to each other as they greeted me. When the last of them walked out, I balanced the silver tray carefully in my hands and walked into the chamber. "Mother," I called for her attention as I placed the tray on her desk. "I brought fruits and wine. How did the meeting go?" She lifted her head from the parchment she was reading, acknowledging my presence. I smiled even widely until I saw her look at me- really look at me. My mother never looked at me like that unless something had been decided- something she did not wish to happen but could not stop from happening, despite being Queen. "Thank you, my dear." She picked a grape the moment I got close enough. "Elohra," she began. She rose to her feet, took the tray from my hands and kept it away. "A proposal has arrived from Solara Kingdom." She forced a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. "Th.... that's wonderful!" I smiled again. For almost two months, our Kingdom has tried to form an alliance with Solara Kingdom. It had been really difficult for my mother and the royal advisors. "Why do you look like this, mother? Is everything alright with our Kingdom?" This was something my mother had worked so hard for so I wondered why she looked gloomy. "The Prince agreed to an alliance..... through marriage." My stomach dropped, "What?" Even as a young child, my governesses, teachers and even my own mother have taught me about my responsibility to my Kingdom. They made me see that as long as I was Princess, my life was not my own. So, I had braced myself for the possibility of this happening but hearing it out loud from my mother felt like a blade passing through my chest. "Y...y.....you...." I struggled to get my breathing under control. "You mean to marry me off." I whispered. "For the good of our people." She reminded me, desperately reaching for my hand. "This union will secure peace, strengthen us and protect our Kingdom. You know this, Elohra." I did know it. I had been raised in duty, fed it, clothed in it and molded by it. However, I wished I could be selfish, just for once. "Elohra." She lifted my chin so that I could look at her. "I am your mother but I am Queen of this Kingdom. You are my daughter but you are the Princess and sole heir to the throne of kingdom." "I took an Oath to protect our Kingdom no matter what it costs. However, I would never do anything to hurt my own child." "You will do well in Solara, my dear. When the time comes, you will rule Solara and our Kingdom with your King- the prince of Solara Kingdom." "You would be the greatest Queen our Kingdoms would ever know. You will be an amazing wife to your husband. You will bear him children and you will pass on your greatness." "My future is where my Kingdom is flourishing in peace, prosperity and merriment." We said the words together- the same words everyone had repeated to me all my life. I lowered my gaze and nodded, hiding the tears building in my eyes, "If this is what is needed....then I accept." Relief washed through her shoulders, too visible for a Queen. "Thank you." She pulled me in for a hug. "I'll send out the announcement." She kissed my forehead before leaving the chamber. By tomorrow morning, every corner of the Kingdom will know that Princess Elohra is to wed the Prince of Solara. Night soon fell and I retired to my personal chamber. I took off every piece of clothing- delightfully enjoying taking off the heavy crown off my head, and slipped into my bathing chamber. Warm scented water filled the marble tub with rose petals floating lazily across the surface. I sank into it with a sigh, letting the warm heat swallow the tension from my bones. I shut my eyes, drinking in all the peace I could get before the preparations for my wedding began. For a while, all I could feel was the heat of the bath and the cool of the cold evening wind until...heat- heat unlike anything I had ever felt. A scorching burn curled up my spine like invisible flames licking my skin from within. I tried to open my eyes but mysteriously, they chose to remain shut. What was happening? I began to feel the water around my vibrate with heat- raging, boiling. And just when I thought my body would ignite, a cold hand grabbed my wrist. It was so cold, it stung- despite the scorching heat. When my eyes finally flew open, I looked around me but there was no one in the tub with me. Still, the grip-tight, alive, unforgivingly pulled. "Stop!" I choked out a scream, scrambling out of the tub. Water splashed everywhere as I fell on the floor, wrapping my arms around my body and shaking in fear. "Princess Elohra!" My maids rushed in, having heard my screams. "My lady," Tabitha, my head maid grabbed my robe and covered my body. "The water- it's burning hot." One of the other maids who had rushed to my tub, spoke but I barely heard her. My heart thundered as I could still feel the faint touch of the cold grip on my wrist. One of them got into the tub and lifted something out of it. "Your anklet, Princess." She got out of the tub and handed it over to me. "Th....th....thank you." I took it and left the chamber, still shaking. Writer's POV Far from the palace of Veloria kingdom, in a realm that shouldn't exist, a man opened his eyes. Buried beneath ice colder than Kingdoms, the dungeon door creaked open and he drew in his first breath in two centuries. "She's awake." He growled, icy blue eyes flaring alive.