Princess of the Phrost (the miniseries): Creation

A Glance

Safri was jolted from her slumber when the shrill sound of her mother's voice rang out in the quiet room. She fumbled until she found the source, the mirror her mother had given her, and she was shocked to see the Phrost queen's-tired face.

"Summoning circles have very few boundaries but only true descendants of the first dark king are capable of creating them. Your father can't" Ratha revealed when asked how she managed it; adding it was specially spelled to reach beyond the Phrost. That and the realm's very weak wards. Safri launched into the details of her time in the Lesserworld, the feel of the sun, the smell of flowers and fresh cut grass as well as her friends.

"I see you've found my old friend. How is Nabeh?" Queen Ratha smiled warmly hearing Safri's assessment of the famed warlock. Warlocks were essentially human but were also up to half demon, the percentage as well as their level of power depended on the realm from which it came. It was said that when a young warlock reached maturity, they suffered the horrors of hell's realms until they reached the kingdom of their father where the warlock resided until they were taught to control their magic. Only after did they have the choice of returning to the Lesserworld or traveling through to the eighth realm where they claimed their full demon. Nabeh was said to not only be immortal, but he was the only known warlock to have traveled all eight realms and returned. Safri panicked when her mother warned that her father was furious she had run away and had both guards and warlocks searching for her.

"He's to go to the seekers soon. Naamarie" Ratha spit out quickly before vanishing. Ratha left her daughter stunned, afraid and feeling guilty. Her father hadn't realized she completely left the realm yet. Keeping this secret was clearly weighing on her mother and King LuVon's temper was well known throughout the land but Safri knew she couldn't go back. Just the thought of leaving made her heart physically ache.

It was early morning so she showered, knowing she'd never be able to fall back to sleep noticing the symbol at the nape of her neck, so she summoned Nabeh who invited her to the hotel in Jackson. Safri got into her favorite King of The Bums hoodie then slipped from the house and headed out. She loved her newfound style and not having to wear armor and weapons every day was a plus though she still only stuck to dark colors. Safri was content on the open road humming mindlessly to the radio until she passed the markers letting her know she was leaving Starkville. Her heart seemed to constrict, forcing Safri to bring the car to a screeching halt. Her eyes watered as she forced air into her lungs, fighting the urge to turn back until the pain lessened. The car crawled forward but her sadness only grew with every mile. By the time Safri reached the address she had regained her composure, but the subtle ache still haunted her as she peered out at the seemingly abandoned hotel. She debated on whether or not to leave when the door swung open, and the dark-haired girl waved her in. Like with Aymon, she instructed Safri to remove her shoes before disappearing through a door at the end of the hallway.

"My dear Safri just in time for a little wine and boy talk" Nabeh called, getting her attention. The hotel was beautifully decorated and could grace the cover of any household magazine, turning her attention to her host. She noticed that his appearance had also changed.

"You're blue" she commented, taking in both his new hair and eye color.

"I prefer the term gorgeous but a "hello" or "don't you look stunning today" would be welcomed" Nabeh smirked offering her a glass of wine while leading her to the living area.

"You're in love" he commented. With no further comments, Nabeh sat casually sipping his wine, amused by Safri's shocked expression. Before she could catch herself Safri began telling Nabeh about her dreams, about the feelings that plagued her when she simply thought about leaving and the panic attack she had on the way to meet him, feeling lightheaded as the story came to an end. Safri woke stretched across Nabeh's couch feeling the fresh effects of the spell as she downed the disgusting potion that awaited her.

"Wine?" he asked again and this time she accepted, marveling at the way the blood in her veins began to sing as the chilled liquid eased down her throat.

"That mark and those eyes are not some genetic flaw, it is a sign that the times are changing and that the suffering is coming to an end" Nabeh commented, letting it sink in before continuing.

"The two of you are the giant pieces to a puzzle that has been waiting an awfully long time to be completed. Together the two of you will either damn the Overworld to darkness or restore its light but the time to make that decision is now" Nabeh concluded.

"Who is "we"?" Safri questioned but he deflected. Instead Nabeh insisted she stop focusing on the leaves on the trees and bathe in the feelings surrounding the things she did not see. He was near now, closing in a little more every day and Nabeh warned that they would be thrust into their destiny at full speed.

"Your existence has already given the people hope, now you have to save them" Nabeh concluded.

"I can't save anyone. I'm tinu' en ksh, my people hate me"

"So change their minds. You are no longer a child Safri, who does and doesn't like you isn't important anymore because you are their queen. Whether they like it or not" Nabeh insisted.

"You've spent your entire life pretending to be exactly what your father wished. You inspired fear so they fear you. Change their minds my queen, show them who you really are" he encouraged. The wail of Safri's phone broke their intense stare down and she quickly answered putting Amelie's mind at ease; she hadn't realized how late it had gotten.

"I do own a phone. Popping up in a mirror is rude especially since if you want to see me naked you only have to ask. Your Grace" he smiled, plucking it from her hands and entering his number.

Nabeh's words echoed in her mind during the drive home, welcoming the rush of air filling her lungs when she crossed the marker for Starkville. It was twilight when she returned, finding Amelie and Ryna waiting with worried expressions. Safri simply told them she had been visiting a friend and retired to her room mentally drained as she tried to forget Nabeh's warning. Leaving it be for now, she happily settled into bed, to drift off to her place of solace. Sitting on the edge of the cliff Safri took in Nabeh's advice and focused on what she felt instead of what she could see, finding the sensation overwhelming. She did love him, whoever he/it was. It was at that moment Safri found her inspiration. She had already done portraits of her mother, her father, the boy on the cliff and the barren lands she used to call her home but for her final piece Safri wanted to tell a story. Taking off the next day she put her all into her work, only this time she wasn't painting the scenery, she painted her emotions. At Nabeh's request, Safri expressed what she felt instead of what she saw and was puzzled looking over her work when she finished, something was missing. Safri sat pondering how to embody something she couldn't see, the feeling she got when she recalled the haunting memory couldn't be put into words. Grabbing a fine tipped brush and white ash paint she added an abstract human figure amongst the trees, the figure stood out in the painting, the one sliver of light in the darkness. Just like in her dream. Safri sat smiling at the painting in its entirety, it in its own way brought her peace. The painting earned praise from the entire school, awarding Miya Stevens the "Artist of the Year" award.

"Artist of the year has never gone to a freshman!" Ryna gushed while they cleaned out their studios for break. Safri had been listening but was distracted by the increase of her heart rate as a beautiful blue-eyed boy strolled past with a smile that made her every nerve come alive. He nodded and made his way out the door but stopped quickly spinning around and meeting her unsubtle gaze. Safri committed his image to memory; he was tall, reddish-brown hair, clearly athletic and his eyes were a blue all their own. Her blue. The boy turned quickly and hurried away but Safri knew what she had felt. It was the feeling she got every time she closed her eyes and found herself on the edge of that cliff. With him out of sight, she sensed the absence of him. Just as she did when she woke up. In the blink of an eye, Safri did away with the love she had for metaphysical being and replaced it with not only something tangible but something she felt was hers and hers alone.