Heir to the Ice Queen (Book 1)

Ch. 2

     "What was that for?" I asked calmly. I've learned throughout the years not to be shocked or to even get defensive about something like this.

     "For bringing attention to yourself," she said.

     "Mother, if you don't want me to bring attention to myself, then why do you insist that I attend these meetings. You know they bore me," I sighed.

     "You are to be present in these meetings because you are my heir," - Yeah what good is an heir if the ruler never dies, - " so it is mandatory that you know what I know."

     It's time to play the "I never asked for this/ I want to be normal" card.

     "Mother, let's not pretend that there is a real importance to me being here when I will never have to do this myself. You will always be the ruler, I will always be the daughter who is stuck here. Why can't I live in a cottage somewhere off, find a tall handsome and maybe even mysterious man to wed and have a simple life."

     At this point my mother and I have both risen from our thrones, she's standing tall and strong. While I pick at the spikes on my throne with my long nails, avoiding her gaze. 

     And it's not like I've never been with a man either, hello I am almost a century old here. I've had practice, but again she sees me as her lesser. So she thinks I'm still the young girl who believes love exists. 

     "So you too feel as if your life has no importance. The villager felt that way, so I put him to be a knight in training. I made your siblings before you into knights as well. Can you guess how all there lives turned out?"

     "Dead," I replied.

     "Yes, and all unimportant. I can't even remember most of their names, but you my child are different. You are my beautiful Evie, you are the only one who inherited this power."

      She came to my throne and placed her pale fingers on the arm of the chair furthest from me, almost as if she wants to touch me, but has never learned that natural affection mothers have.

     "If I'm so much like you, then why do I look like my father?" I whispered.

     Granted I have no clue who the poor guy was, but I know I didn't inherit my chestnut tan skin, black hair and eyes from my pale mother. No, she is the image of ice turned into human, while I look like a villager from the spring or summer courts dressing up in the winters blue and white.
My father very well could be from either one of the other seasonal courts, my mother has a thing for captured knights apparently. 

     At the mention of his name my mother scrunches her wrinkle free face, "that surely was something I could not control, but nevertheless the children before you looked like me but were not me. So Evie my dear, again, having you here is important. Can't you see that?"

     She walked to me and held my hand. It was awkward for her to try and show affection towards me, I knew that and she knew that. But it showed that she tried, in every way, to always prove that she was right.

     I sighed again but this time no spikes welcome me, "Yes mother I can see that but-"

     "If it's importance that you feel you lack then I will send you out there to the village," she interrupted. 

     "Wait, what?" I asked, all thoughts from me head erased.

     "You heard the villager, they need to see that we care for them. And having you go out there shows that we are tending to their care and mundane needs."

I didn't know what to say, this was the first time that I was even allowed outside of the castle grounds, let alone so far away from the castle.

     "Don't look so shocked to be going out there, I've heard from my knights that you have a habit of sneaking out there at night."

     I had a hunch that she knew this, like I said, her spies are everywhere. But no one ever tried to stop me from going out. Mostly because I was the Princess, so I did as I pleased.

     "Well you didn't expect me to stay in the castle forever, did you?" Her face was unmoved as I spoke, "so what would you have me do in the village?"

     "I want you to spy for me-"

     "Spy. How am I going to get away with that when I am the Princess?" I retaliated.

     "Because no one will be able to tell that you are a winter, let alone the Princess of it when you are in summer clothes. You will be dropped off on the summer and winter border, you will cross into summer territory and steal some commoners clothing and materials to disguise yourself like a filthy summer. 

     Then you'll come back here, looking so defenseless that some family will take you in and care for you. Now they will wonder why you left the summer court, you will tell them that the rumors about their bountiful life are untrue, that they are in fact, just rumors. That the heat dries up and kills every thing that grows on their land. Even throw in some talk that their savage warriors want to attack the nearest winter villages. They'll come begging for my help. From there you will tell them how lucky they are to be apart of the winter court."

     She said everything so sure, as if this was her plan all along. But something about this seemed random. Like this idea has been stirring for a while.

     "Why not just strike them with fear, have knights attack their village. Better yet, why not feed them more so they can actually survive winter?" I argued back. When really I rather enjoyed her plan, it was allowing me a lot of freedom, and a chance to actually explore winter. It may be my season, I may have its powers, but there is still so much I don't know about its beautiful mystery.

     "Because Evie, they need to believe that they have the better life here. If they believe it, then they won't retaliate against my ruling. And it'll put those awful rumors to bed."

     "Awe, mother. Is that it? Do you not like people talking behind your back?" I said sarcastically.
She didn't like my sassy tone very much.

     "Don't bother to pack any of your things, I'll have a knight escort you to the border and from then on you'll be alone."

     I was ready to leave, I didn't need any materials from home for this journey. But then I remembered something important, my party.

     "Wait. What If I'm not back in time for my birthday?" I asked sadly.

     "Then it looks like you'll miss it, now won't you?"

     I pouted my lip, looking saddened by the news, in a small protest. She rested her hand on my cheek and did the same.

     "Awe my poor Evie still has a lot to learn. Don't worry, we can still celebrate your birthday when you come back. I will make it very very special for you. But for now, you wanted to have responsibility and here you have it," she grabbed my cheeks, hard, " and Evie, don't blow it."

     With a final soft kiss to my forehead I left the castle, without looking back. The plans of my birthday would have to be put on hold. I wanted a big and grand celebration but I had to keep up appearances until the time was right.