The Rebel and the Icequeen

Gossip

 Louises POV 

All the following morning I sit thinking about the things that Liam said. I just need to know if what he said is true. Do people really think I'm cold and heartless? It makes me sad that anyone would think that about me, but I also know how I've acted in recent years. I used to imagine my life to be very different. I had been naive and dreamed of the wonderful world at the royal court. I had dreamed of being a role model for the people, of influencing and being able to change something. I had dreamed of being loved and adored infinitely. However, my reality is completely different. I never expected to end up here and like that. A small tear runs down my cheek and I'm glad that no one is around to see my weak moment. Weakness is dangerous here at the court, everyone takes advantage of your weakness immediately.  

An hour later, I'm walking the busy downtown streets. The streets are narrow and filled with vendors selling their goods. I wear Eliv's maid's clothes and hide my hair under a hood. Without makeup and especially without all the jewelry, I'm hardly recognizable. People are talking loudly around me and I feel a little uncomfortable about myself. I'm afraid someone might recognize me, but for the time being my irrational worry remains unfounded. People don't pay any attention to me and since I keep my head down, nobody can see my face. “Are you lost, beautiful woman,” I hear a manly voice, but I don't react to it, after all, he can't possibly mean me. 

"Hello, you," I hear the voice again and look up. I am curious who has such a beautiful, dark, deep voice. 

"Oh, and I thought you'd sleep standing up," says the voice and I finally recognize who is talking there. He is a tall man, with enormous shoulders and a nice smile. He has striking red hair and a slight downy chin. 

“I'm Espen and you?” He asks and now comes close to me to let more passers-by pass by. I put on a shy smile and look up at him. 

"Lou," I answer softly. 

"Nice to meet you Lou," he says with a laugh. 

“But we don't even know each other,” I reply before I can think about it. 

"I would like to change that, do you want to have a drink?"  

I don't know the answer to that. I don't even know this pushy guy and have never been hit on so clumsily. He could be a murderer or a r****t, waiting for stupid little girls to fall for him. But maybe I´m also imagining things, where there are none. Maybe the guy can tell me what I want to know. So I smile nicely and nod. His smile grows even wider and he leads me gentlemen like down the street into a small dim bar. He buys both of us a beer and we sit down at an empty table. 

“What is such a beautiful young woman like you doing here alone?” He asks after a while and looks at me curiously. 

"I just wanted to look around a little," I reply charmingly, maintaining my shy smile. He must think I'm a naive little girl so I'll just let him believe it. 

"You're not from here, are you?" 

"What makes you think that?" 

"I would have noticed you here before." 

I think about whether and how I can use his suggestion. After all, I could say I am only here for a visit. 

“I'm really not from here, I visit my aunt, who lives here, and I was curious about the queen. I was hoping to see her,” I declare innocently. 

"You won't have any luck there," he replies apologetically, as if he was personally responsible for it. Carefully he reaches out his hand to mine and places his on it. His fingers gently caress mine. 

“What is she like?” I ask further, because finally the conversation is going in the desired direction. 

"Well, I don't really know either, because she only shows up very rarely, but you can hear a lot of gossip here and there," he almost whispers and leans a little closer over the table. I smile at him curiously and invitingly so that he keeps talking. 

“It is said that the king killed her sister and threatened to do the same to her if she did not behave. Everyone who has ever seen her says her heart was frozen to ice back then and since then she has been silent and cold. However, they also say that she is the prettiest girl in the whole kingdom. " 

What he says makes me sad. Because somehow it's true what he says. Not that the king blackmailed me, but that he had my sister executed. My older sister and I were never very close because she always seemed jealous. Nevertheless, it hit me when Darion said my sister was a member of the rebels and must therefore be executed. I haven't thought about Marietta in a long time. It is a part of the past that I have locked up deep inside myself so as not to break more from it internally. Still, my hands are shaking slightly and I quickly pull my hands out from under his and hide them under the table before Espen can notice. 

"Do you really think she's as cold as everyone says she is?" I ask, to distract from the subject. 

"Hard to say, I think she's bitter and of course King Darion is not an easy man, so she's definitely not happy." 

Espen was right about that, too. I sighed deeply and ran my fingers through my hair. I feel tired and exhausted from this conversation and just want to go back home in my bed. Espen has evoked memories in me that I would have preferred to stay buried. 

"Thanks for the beer and the entertainment," I say and get up. I just leave my untouched beer there. 

“Hey wait, I don't know anything about you yet,” he calls after me, but before he can reach me, I run out of the bar and disappear into the crowd of the street. I've heard enough. More than enough to throw myself into depression again, but I'm stronger, I want to be stronger. What I need now is a distraction.