The Icy Quest

Chapter 9

The door to the room opened with a loud bang as Pozhar burst in, his eyes dancing. The noise immediately awakened Pagoniá from her slumber.

"You won't believe it!" Pozhar exclaimed, his voice rising with excitement. "There are other fire people here!"

"Really?" Pagoniá beamed at him. "That's great!"

"Yeah, and watch this!" Pozhar said as he created a flame in the shape of a cat. "One of them is teaching me!"

"I learned a few things, too. Look!" Pagoniá responded playfully as she closed her eyes and pressed cold into one spot, creating a tiny little ice cube in the palm of her hand.

"Cool. Can you make it move?" Pozhar asked.

"Not quite yet," Pagoniá admitted. "But I'm working on it. Where is Tilepátheia?"

"Doing weird mind-reader stuff with the other mind-readers. I left because they were having a conversation in their minds, which I obviously couldn't participate in," Pozhar replied, a little put off. "But look what I found!" He pulled a folded up poster out of his pocket. Unfolding it, he handed it to Pagoniá for her to examine. It had a fancy octagon on it with a large man flexing his biceps in the middle. "There is going to be a carnival later today," Pozhar explained. "It will have unicyclists and a trio of acrobats. It's gonna be great!"

"Who says we're going?" Pagoniá replied, raising her eyebrows at him. "Going to a carnival would be a total waste of time."

"I guess so," Pozhar responded, his face falling. "But I still think it would be fun."

Just then, a middle aged balding servant entered the room.

"The queen has summoned you to her chambers," he informed Pagoniá. "I have been instructed to take you to her."

"I'm coming," Pagoniá answered him, standing up.

"Follow me," he instructed her. "The queen's quarters are this way." He led her along magnificent hallways until they reached a large archway that, in Pagoniá's opinion, was overly fancy with all of its ornate carvings. Under the archway was an enormous wooden door fitted with a giant brass door knocker. The servant lifted the knocker and let it bang against the door with a loud thud. The door opened smoothly despite its impressive size.

"You may enter," the queen announced. The servant gestured for Pagoniá to enter. After Pagoniá had made her way into the room, the queen excused the servant.

"As my firstborn child, you are the official crown princess of the ice people. This status means you have responsibilities to attend to. A suite has been prepared for you in the royal wing, where servants will also be assigned to you. I will tutor you in court etiquette and the customs of the ice people. In addition, you will continue your lessons with Ms. Potter. Do you understand?" the queen explained.

"Yes, mother. I understand," Pagoniá assured her. Truth be told, she was a bit stunned by what her mother had to say . She had expected a heartfelt conversation with her mother, but after all, her mother was the queen. There really wasn't time for that sort of stuff when you were royalty. The queen's next words confirmed that theory.

"I really wish I could spend time with you like a normal mother would with her daughter, but I can't. People believe that the life of royalty is just a bunch of luxury and riches, but they are wrong. Being royalty is responsibility and difficult decisions," she apologized. "The servants will escort you to your room."

After being led from the room, Pagoniá considered her mother's words. They made sense, but she wasn't sure she wanted to be royalty if what her mother had said was true. After being shown to her new suite of rooms, she pondered her predicament, trying to decide what to do.

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