In My Possession

Chapter 20-Ice Prince

"In What year was Adamar founded?" I sat slumped in my chair as Mrs. Hetten drilled me on history.

"1564?" I guessed, she gave me a dissapointed look.

"1673. Now what were the two parties in the Civil war?"

"The Thompsonians and the Renewers." I answered confidently, I had studied the civil war for an hour last night.

"Correct. For once." She added.

"When was parliment formed?"

"1784." She gave me a look.

"1785. When-"

"Mrs. Hettens?" I unterrupted, she gave me an impatient look.

"Yes Miss Ward?" I tucked one leg under me.

"Can you tell me about Emily?" She looked at me in admiration.

"I assume you mean our 7th Queen Emily Jane Sonell?" I stared at her in confusion.

"I-I think so.." SHe gave me a small smile.

"I'm glad your showing some sliver interest in your countries history, though it's not unusual you would ask about her. She is the one who started the crowning ritual." I nodded in confirmation.

"So what would you like to know?" SHe siad, settling back in her chair, reaching for her mug of tea she brought to every lesson. I tried to think how I could go about this without hinting about what I knew.

"Is it true she was a witch?" I finally asked.

"It was greatly rumoured at the time that she was dabbling in witchcraft, that she had bewitched the king into marrying her in fact. And there were recorded incidences of fires put out in an instant, diseases cured, flowers bloomed in her prescence. You'd think that people would think her an angel but what with the nasty affair with Benjamin brooks."

"Benjamin." I mumurmered, looking down at my hands.

"Yes, Benjamin. He claimed that Emily was his betrothed and that by marrying her the king had broken a sacred law." She leaned forward as if she was sharing a particulary juicy piece of gossip though the subjects were long dead.

"And then he said something most wicked. He said that if Emily was so power hungry that she would break her vows to him just to marry the king then she could have the whole world in her possession." I hung to her every word, swallowing against my dry throat.

"Benjamin swore to give her that power, but in return she would be come a creature, something that resembles a human but could not love or be born from parents. Something other, sinister and dark. But that's all just folklore.  Now lets get back to studying."

I only paid half attention to the rest of the history lesson, aggravating Mrs. Hettens even more. When the time came for me to get ready for an ice skating date with Caleb I rushed out the door, scattering some papers on the table. When I reach my room I pick my way through my clothes, grabbing a thick sweater and coat and winding a scarf around my neck. I went downstairs to meet Caleb at the door, he was similarly dressed in a warm winter coat. He smiled at me, a spark of excitement in his eyes.

"You look beautiful." He commented,  taking me in.

"Beautiful and Bulky." I replied dryly, walking out the door wiht out a backwards glance towards him. Celab was definitely the most flirty of the brothers, always complimenting me and making suggestions.

He quickly skipped in front of me, opening the car door. I silently slid inside, wiating while he went around. We were driven and escorted everywhere. Before we went on a date the entire building where we would be going was searched and then each employee went through a background check. Security gaurds- undercover and in plain sight woud be stationed around the rink. Our car had bullet proof windows and could reach up to speeds of 200 miles an hour.

"Do you skate a lot?" Caleb asked as he slid in and signaled to the driver to go.

"No, the last time I went I was ten."

"Oh, that's a shame. I love to skate, its exhilarating." His face was lit up with enthusiasm, his body turned towards mine.

"The speed, the chill." He shook his head in disbelief. "It feels like you're flying."

"So I assume you go a lot then?" His face fell, his large eyes making me want to comfort him.

"No, too many safety precautions. But I get to go,like, once a year." I hadn't thought about how their lives were affected.

"That sucks." He nodded in agreement.

"But the place we're going to is super cool becuase every once in a while they'll blow snow around so you feel like it's snowing. Only a little, cause of visibility, but it's fun."

We got to the rink and got our skates, ignoring the stares that people were giving us. I could see a teenage girl snapping a picture of us on her phone.

"They're so annoying." I said under my breath to Caleb, who was lacing up my skates." He looked up to the girl who had taken the picture and back to me.

"You learn to ignore them, they'll leave us alone once they realized we don't shoot spoarks or anything." I luaghed and he stood offering his hadn to me. I took it, and I could feel his fingers curving around mine-an invitaion. I quickly let go, reaching for my gloves without looking at him.

"Let's go." I said. We walked through the doors and were hit by an icy blast of air and the booming of music. I awkardly walker over to the rink nad very slowly set my foot on the ice. Bracing the wall with both hands I set my other foot on the ice. I felt so precarious, balanced on two thin knives on slippery ice.

Caleb glided past me and I felt a surge of jealousy. How could a man be so graceful?

"Come one, it's easy!" He yelled, spinning in circles. You can do this I thought to myself. I let go of the wall and pushed. Too hard. I stumbled and landed on my butt. I laughed at myself, trying to get up, I braced my hands on the ice but they just slipped out from under me again. Caleb chuckled and held out his hand again. I gratefully took it, thinking it would take me a good ten minutes to get up without help.

He yanked me up, making me fall against him, my arms around his back. Caleb held me tightly against him. OUr faces were inches apart, our breaths mingling in the air. Calebs eyes were wild, searching my own. THey were such a starange color, very pale like the ice around us. He fit in this winter landscape. His head started to move towards mine nad I quickly pushed away. I had no intention of going down that road.

I tried hobble around, tied to mimic the movements aroun me. I heard a sigh and caleb came up behind me, setting his hands on my wiast.

"You have to push of each foot." He moved my hips, demonstrating. hid grip was unerving, too distracting and I turned to face him.

"Don't touch me Caleb." I hissed. He smiled sadly. As if on cue, snow began to fall from the ceiling, falling in his gelled hair, making him look etheral.

"I'm just trying to do my duty to my country." He said in a husky voice.

"Is that what I am to you? A job to be accomplishes, a tool to get you the throne?" Anger colored my voice and Ishoved him back and he stumble but didn't fall.

"What do you want me to say Cammie? That it was love at first sight? That I shouldn't be king? I'm just trying to make something here." He defended himself, wiping the snow angrily from his head.

"Make something here?" I cried. "Make what?" He came up close to me, leaning in until we were eye to eye.

"I'm trying to make us fall in love with each other Cammie. Becasue no matter how much I wnat to be King, I need to spend the rest of my life with someone I love." He whispered, He drew back from me, giving me a mournful gaze.

"How about we get some hot chocolate and then we can get one of those walkers until you find you legs." I nodded mutely, letting him walk away.