Fire and Ice

CHAPTER 7

He couldn’t believe it. He had heard so many stories of the Ice Queen, and none of them had been pleasant. He never understood why his father King Leon wanted her as an ally. His father had met with her and other Kings, so he had talked with her. He must have known she was a fair person, but he would still refer to her as the Ice Queen. He doesn’t remember his father ever having anything bad to say about her, but that didn’t change the fact the other Kingdoms hated her. Marcus not only met the Ice Queen, but she also saved his life with daggers she was an expert at throwing, bandaged his wounds and made broths with her medicinal knowledge of herbs, and she was kind. She was kind, but when it came down to it, she wasn’t modest. He seen her anger began to build when she ripped her dress sleeve down revealing her own wound and pulling her dress up to reveal her thighs. She was unlike any woman, let alone Queen, he had ever met. Not only was Marcus certain there wasn’t any other woman like her in the world, but she was also the type of woman he had been wanting. He didn’t want a dainty woman who sat quietly and bowed her head. He wanted a woman with strength and courage and who wasn’t afraid to challenge him. He couldn’t stand any of the princesses his father, King Leon, tried to have him marry. They were so, obedient. It was like having a conversation with a servant. Marcus knew the type of woman he wanted; he just didn’t think she existed until now. That is why he decided to get away for a few days. His father was adamant he meet another princess. His father had no idea where he was or if he was alive. He should send word, but he didn’t want Queen Joselynn to know he was royalty yet. He wanted to get to know her instead of the rumors. That is what he would do, get to know the woman he has always wanted.

It was exactly noon when Joselyn came back to Marcus’s chambers. She opened the door to find him sitting up in the bed deep in thought. “What has you thinking so hard?” asked Joselynn. Marcus snapped out of his plans to get to know Queen Joselyn and replied, “Nothing My Queen.” Joselyn gave him a look of unbelief and said, “You can call me Joselyn.” Marcus became more amazed at this woman every time she came to see him. “You don’t know me, but you will let me call you Joselyn instead of Queen?” Marcus asked. With a simple reply Joselyn answered, “Yes.” “I don’t hear your guards refer to you as Joselyn, they always call you My Queen, why do I not have to abide by the same rules?” Joselyn laughed in amusement. Marcus was not like any man she had ever met. He never showed fear, and he constantly questioned her even though he knew she was Queen. “I prefer we are on a first name basis, no titles. My guards and my people refer to me as Queen because I am their Queen, and they say it out of respect.” Joselyn said with a satisfying response. Marcus wasn’t finished. From the time Joselyn boiled the broth, placed it in a bowl, and put it to his lips he still peppered her with questions. Joselyn wasn’t used to interrogations, but she answered his questions. As he sipped the broth, Marcus said “Why do they call you the Ice Queen? You don’t behave as horribly as the rumors I have heard.” Joselyn just smiled and said, “Maybe that is your problem. You believed rumors instead of getting facts.” Marcus was dumbfounded. He knew she was right. He knew nothing about her except for rumors, and he made his decision about her based solely on those. “You didn’t answer my question,” he said. “How do I know I can trust you?” Joselyn asked. Marcus handed her the empty bowl before saying, “You don’t.” Joselyn was happily surprised by Marcus. He did not shy away from asking her questions and responded to hers truthfully. She enjoyed being in his company. He was easy to talk to and somehow made her feel carefree. “Well, Joselyn began, If I don’t know whether or not I can trust you, then I can’t tell you why I was given the nickname Ice Queen.” Marcus just laughed, but then his mood turned more serious. “Joselyn, you said the King of Doran tried to have you killed?” Joselyn took in a deep breath and answered, “Yes, that’s right.” “Well, what will you do about it?” Marcus inquired further. “Well Marcus, the King of Doran wants my Kingdom and that’s it. So much so he sent men to kill me. I don’t wish to go to war, but that is the only way now. The King of Doran is already in the process of gathering his allies, and I have done the same. When my allies arrive for a ball, I will explain to the Kings what needs to be done. They can choose among themselves who gets his land, I don’t want it.” Joselyn stated. She wasn’t sure why she confided all of this to Marcus. It was a mistake to reveal her strategy, however she didn’t feel uneasy about it. “So, you don’t want his Kingdom?” Marcus asked. “No, I don’t. I don’t want to go to war. However, the safety of my people comes first, and he has already proven he is not going to stop. My goal is to kill the King of Doran, and that’s it.” Joselyn said. This was a first for Marcus. When Kings go to war it is to conquer a Kingdom and gain its lands. Joselyn however couldn’t care less about more land. All she wanted was the safety of her people. Marcus didn’t want to show his understandings of why Royalty goes to war, but he did want to know her opinion of his father. “I have never known of Royalty caring so much for their people, except King Leon.” Joselyn studied Marcus’s face as much as he studied hers. Joselyn then said, “King Leon cares greatly for his people. I have known him all my life. He is a great King and I hope to be more like him someday.” Marcus couldn’t believe his ears. She looked up to his father. Not only did she not have a bad word to say about him, but he never had a bad word to say about her. Marcus was considered King Leon’s rebel child because he wouldn’t marry just any princess so he could take over a kingdom. Joselyn was like him in many ways. She wouldn’t marry just any King to rule her kingdom. “Why is it you haven’t married?” Marcus asked. Joselyn smiled and said, “I will not marry just anybody, especially a stuffy king who wants my Kingdom. When I marry, I want it to be for love. I know it sounds like a silly notion, but that is what I want.” Marcus wanted to delve a little deeper so he baited her with, “When you think about it, love is a silly notion. All Kings end up having several mistresses anyway, that is common knowledge.” Joselyn looked at him and responded, “That is why I want love. I want to give all my heart and soul to one man, and in return I want that man to give all his heart and soul to me. There would be no mistresses because I would be what he wanted and all he would ever want. That is the main reason I am not married.” Marcus was beaming on the inside. His father didn’t have mistresses, he only had an eye for his mother. He was taught to be loyal and faithful to his wife, unlike most Royal men. Marcus didn’t marry because he had the same silly notion as Joselyn, love. Joselyn sat on the side of the bed talking with Marcus for a couple of hours. Joselyn finally noticed the time and said “Oh my goodness Marcus, I have been gone from my duties too long. The time has flown by. I will be back to give your last bowl of broth tonight.” Marcus felt a sadness when she left, but he was ecstatic over getting to know Joselyn. She is everything he wanted, and nothing like what people say. He still couldn’t figure out why she was given the name the Ice Queen, and that was something she was not going to reveal.