Fire and Ice

Carriage Cries

                            ~Storm's POV~

The two of us didn't exchange a word.
I sat there to myself on one side of the carriage and my Father at the other, looking out the window.

I could tell he was distraught.
He just didn't want to show it.

His posture and face gave off the idea of discomfort and insincerity, but his eyes told the story of sorrow and confusion.

"What were her last words?" My father said humbly, interrupting my thoughts.

I didn't answer back quickly.
I knew what she said, I just didn't know how he would react to them.

"She said...." I began, my father's gazed moving from the window to me, "Take care of Gray for me."

My Father nodded once at my words and went back to looking out the window.
He is calmer than I thought.

But not even a few seconds after I being to hear small sniffles from my father.
I look to him to see that tears began to make there way down his cheeks.

"Why....why would she be thinking about me in her last moments? I would she be thinking about my care and not her own while in that state?" My father lightly sobbed out.

I didn't answer his questions. I don't think he wanted them answered.
But mostly....I didn't know what to say.

My Father's eyes were wide and his posture was slumped. It was almost like he was breaking down, lost, and confused.

He was always as cold as ice.
Smiled but never meant it.
Kind but never felt it.
But now....
he was melting.
And I had to sit here and watch it.

This...this was the most silently horrifying thing I have seen in my life.
And I couldn't do anything about it.

~Nashi's POV~

I opened the door to the carriage and stepped in. My brother was already seated on the right bench so I joined him.

My father, right behind me, entered the carriage, sitting on the left bench behind where the driver was on the other side of the wall.

About the time we were in the carriage it began to move, following Lord Gray's carriage.

At first we sat there in silence, my Father and Jude only stared at each other ruthlessly yet still.

"Jude, when we get to the castle, will you hug mother please?" I asked as we entered the more populated parts of the town.

Jude's gaze turned soft and looked to me.

"I know she will be happy to see you again, and....I want you to smile at her, and hug her. Even if you never do it again, just this once, for me?"

My older brother let out a sigh and lightly closed his eyes.
"As you wish." was all that left his lips.

I smiled at his kind response.
"Thank you." I hummed.

The trip home went silent again.
We soon entered castle range, we were going to be back at the castle soon.

I was so happy to be able to see my mother again. Just be in her arms.
All four of us were going to be together again.
I didn't think this would ever be possible.
My heart was pounding with joy,

I couldn't wait.

The main gates opened and our carriages rolled into the court yard.
It was still snowing outside, the sky was crying frozen tears over the land. For it has lost its Queen.

When the carriage stopped, a soldier opened the door for our exit.

"Ladies first." My father said looking to me.

I nodded and stepped out of the carriage, holding the soldiers hand as my foot met with stone.

My father was next to exit the carriage, then my brother. They were both silent and didn't speak a word.

Then something to my left caught my attention.
Lord Gray's carriage was opened and out stepped Storm. He looked tired and his eyes had the familiar look of fear in them.

"Father." Storm addressed the interior of the carriage.
A few moments after his words, Lord Gray stepped out.

He had wide eyes and was slumped over like he was newly shaped clay.
The whites of his eyes were red from irritation of salt.

He had cried.
But he had stopped.

The king didn't venture far before he fell in the snow.
Lord Gray was down on the ground. Snow clenched in his hands and pressed tightly to the point it leaked out of the side of his fits.

Then the man started to cry.

It was quiet but prominent in the cold silent breeze.
I looked over to Storm but he didn't seem to want to care for his Father.

The Ice prince was stand close by but he was looking to the ground, away from the king.

That's when I stepped in.

With matted hair, bruised skin, torn clothes, and limping form, I moved over to the sorrowful king and knelt in front of him.

He didn't knowledge my presence but I know he saw I was there.
Without consent I went all the way down to the kings level and pulled him into an embrace.

He gasped for a short second but then returned to crying.
Lord Gray excepted my invitation and put his arms around me. Hugging me desperately, like a child would a teddy bear when he was upset, the king continued to cry in that early morning snow.

When the love of his life had just left him.