Heart of the Winter King

The Curse Revealed

The following morning, Aeon awoke with the remnants of her strange encounter in the mirror room still lingering in her mind. The image of Kaidan—frozen, shadowed, and silent—haunted her every thought. She had wandered through the palace before with suspicion, but now that suspicion had turned into something far more tangible. She knew something was terribly wrong, not just with her brother's disappearance but with the entire Winter Court. The icy façade of the palace, beautiful and cold, seemed to be hiding something much darker.

As she dressed in the furs provided to her, Aeon couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched—by more than just the ever-present eyes of the Winter Fae. It was as if the very walls of the palace were aware of her movements, the cold itself pressing in on her like a living entity. The air was thick with secrets, and Aeon was determined to uncover them, no matter the cost.

The palace staff were a quiet, unassuming lot—pale, ethereal creatures who moved silently through the halls, tending to the endless needs of the Winter Court. They rarely spoke to Aeon, acknowledging her only with brief nods or sidelong glances. But Aeon had noticed one servant in particular, a young fae woman named Sylas, who seemed different. Unlike the others, Sylas had an air of curiosity about her, a flicker of life that set her apart from the cold, detached servants who haunted the palace like ghosts.

Aeon had crossed paths with Sylas several times since her arrival, and she sensed that the girl might know more than she let on. Today, Aeon was determined to find out.

Later that afternoon, as Aeon wandered through the lower halls of the palace, she saw Sylas again, quietly polishing a crystal vase in an alcove near one of the grand windows. The pale winter light filtered through the frost-covered glass, casting delicate shadows across the room. Aeon approached cautiously, her heart pounding with the anticipation of what she was about to do.

"Sylas," she said softly.

The girl looked up, her pale eyes widening slightly in surprise. "Lady Aeon," she said, her voice quiet but not unfriendly. "How may I assist you?"

Aeon glanced around, making sure they were alone. "I need to ask you something... personal. About the Winter King."

At the mention of Aelion, Sylas's expression changed. Her face became tense, and she lowered her gaze. "It is not wise to speak of the king so openly," she whispered, her hands trembling slightly as she continued polishing the vase.

Aeon stepped closer, lowering her voice as well. "Please, Sylas. I need to know the truth. There is something happening in this palace, something you're all hiding. I've seen things—heard things. And I think it has to do with the curse."

Sylas's hands stilled. The air between them seemed to grow colder, and for a long moment, the servant said nothing. Then, slowly, she looked up, her eyes filled with a mixture of fear and sorrow.

"What have you heard?" Sylas asked, her voice barely audible.

"I've heard whispers," Aeon replied, leaning in closer. "The court fears something. A curse. And I believe it has something to do with the Winter King—something to do with why this land is locked in eternal winter."

Sylas swallowed hard, her fingers clutching the cloth she had been using to polish the vase. For a moment, Aeon thought she wouldn't answer, that she would retreat into the same fearful silence that had kept the rest of the palace staff at bay. But then, with a deep breath, Sylas spoke.

"There is a curse," Sylas admitted, her voice trembling. "But it is worse than you think."

Aeon's heart quickened. She had expected some resistance, but hearing those words from Sylas sent a chill down her spine. "Tell me," she urged gently. "I need to understand."

Sylas looked around the room nervously, as if expecting someone to overhear them. Then, in a quiet, hesitant voice, she began to speak.

"Long ago, before the eternal winter, the king was... different. He was warm, kind, and his kingdom flourished. The seasons changed as they were meant to, and the people lived in peace. But everything changed when he met Isolde, a powerful fae sorceress."

Aeon's breath caught. She had heard the name Isolde before, whispered in court gossip. The sorceress who had once been close to Aelion, though the details had always been vague. "What happened with Isolde?" Aeon asked.

Sylas's eyes darkened with sorrow. "Isolde and the king were... close. Some say she loved him, though he did not return her affections. When the king fell in love with another—a mortal woman named Eira—Isolde's jealousy consumed her. She cursed him, a curse so terrible that it froze his heart and locked the kingdom in eternal winter."

Aeon's stomach twisted. "His heart... it's literally frozen?"

Sylas nodded, her face pale. "Yes. The curse turned his heart to ice, and with it, his ability to feel warmth, love, or any emotion. He became cold, distant, and the kingdom changed with him. The seasons no longer turned, and the winter never ended."

The revelation hit Aeon like a blow. Aelion's coldness wasn't just a matter of temperament—it was a result of the curse that had locked him in this frozen state, cut off from his own emotions, from the warmth of life itself. The weight of the curse wasn't just his to bear—it had affected the entire realm, leaving it in a state of suspended cold.

"Is there a way to break the curse?" Aeon asked, her voice urgent.

Sylas hesitated, her hands trembling as she wrung the cloth between her fingers. "There are rumors," she whispered. "But nothing certain. The curse can only be broken by a love as strong as the one he lost—a love that can thaw the ice around his heart. But no one believes it can be done. His heart has been frozen for centuries, and no one has ever come close to reaching him."

Aeon felt a lump form in her throat. A love as strong as the one he lost? Could it be true? Was that why Aelion had allowed her to stay—for a month, no less? Was he testing her, waiting to see if she could somehow break the curse that had bound him for so long? The thought was terrifying, but it also ignited a flicker of hope deep inside her.

But there was something else—something that gnawed at the back of her mind.

"My brother," Aeon said, her voice faltering. "Kaidan. Could he be... connected to this?"

Sylas's expression darkened further. "I don't know. The king... he takes mortals sometimes. No one knows why. But if your brother was taken, it could be because of the curse. Some believe that the Winter King uses the essence of mortals to keep himself alive, to sustain his power."

Aeon's blood ran cold. Could her brother be part of this dark magic, trapped somewhere in the palace, tied to the curse that had frozen Aelion's heart? The thought was unbearable, but Aeon knew she couldn't ignore it.

"I have to find him," Aeon whispered. "I have to find Kaidan. And I have to find a way to break this curse."

Sylas reached out, placing a trembling hand on Aeon's arm. "Be careful," she warned. "The Winter King may seem indifferent, but he is powerful, and his curse runs deep. If you truly seek to break it, you will face dangers greater than you can imagine."

Aeon nodded, her resolve hardening. The curse had to be broken—not just for Aelion's sake, but for Kaidan's, and for the entire kingdom trapped in this endless winter. She had come here to negotiate peace, but now, she knew her mission was far more complicated—and far more dangerous—than she had ever imagined.

The curse was real. Aelion's heart was frozen. And the key to everything lay in unlocking it.