Frost Burn

Fire: Chapter 8

Darha tilted her head to the side and looked curiously at the strange creature. She knew what it was; she was just having a hard time believing it was here. It was an emissary owl…from the Frost Nation. It sat on the scribe room windowsill, looking at Darha with wide and almost engaging eyes. It was probably wondering why Darha hadn’t taking the letter off its neck yet.

Darha looked at the scribe who had fetched her. “Is this…I mean…?” Darha didn’t know what to say. She wanted to ask if it was a joke or a prank, but her people wouldn’t do this for any reason, least of all during a national emergency. The scribe shrugged his shoulders helplessly. Darha looked back at the owl. It tilted its head as Darha had done a moment ago. Darha frowned. “Fetch me the letter, please.”

“I tried your majesty, but it bit me.”

“It bit you?” she asked, looking at him with furrowed brows.

The teenage boy nodded. “I believe, if history serves, only specially trained owls do that, my Queen. Those owls bite anyone outside of royalty who tries to take the parchment. Some of our message hawks do the same.”

Darha looked at the pretty white owl again. She sighed. “Okay,” she said and stepped toward it. She reached her hand out carefully, expecting to be bitten. The owl calmly held her eyes with his. Darha pinched the corner of the letter, and the strap holding it to its neck instantly came loose. The owl flew off.

Darha quickly unfolded the parchment and read.

In Greeting, Queen Darha,

I write to you on behalf of my Queen Vesna of the Frost Nation. She has been made aware of the natural turmoil that is affecting both of our nations and requests a peaceful meet with you on the Frost Nation’s shores. We request your presence in three days’ time. Since the bridges have washed away, we will expect your arrival by boat on the bank of the former Western Bridge. Please respond accordingly if you are willing.

Regards,

Servant of Queen Vesna

Aradel

Darha folded up the parchment as panic started to rise up in her chest. This was huge. This was enormous, and she was terrified. She didn’t know what to do. Dealing with the Frost Nation on these matters?

Hiding her fear, she looked at the scribe. “Have one of my men fetch Coor and Thea from the northern disaster area immediately.”

The scribe bowed low. “As you command.” He turned and left in a hurry.

Darha slowly paced the scribe room, flicking the letter back and forth between her fingers. Meet the Frost Nation on their shores? Coor wouldn’t be okay with that, but if they needed to meet with Queen Vesna, Thea would insist on a heavy Fire Nation presence. Either way, Darha had a feeling they were going to this meeting.

Darha made her way quickly to the throne room. Upon her entrance, the regional representatives waiting for her bowed low at the waist. “Ladies. Gentlemen,” Darha said shakily. She wasn’t sure if she should be making a call like this without Coor’s input. He was so much better at being royalty than she was; he always had been. He was wise, and brave, and responsible. Darha was a newborn kitten compared to the lion of a leader that her older brother was. However the tradition had always been that women in the royal family sat on the throne before men. “I need all of the forgers in every one of your regions to start repair on all the ancient boats in the archive building.”

Everyone looked around at each other, confused, and Darha nearly panicked. She felt dizzy and short of breath. She stiffly sat down on her throne, lest her legs give way. She tried to comfort herself with the thought that even if Coor refused to allow the meeting with the Frost Nation, the boats she was ordering repaired could still be used for trade, since the bridges were out. She awaited challenges and questions from the regional leaders, but none came. They all just started giving orders and instructions to their entourages and then dispersed to carry them out.