Iron Frost - Clan of the Rim Chronicles #1

12

"MAY I ASK WHY you were lead to believe you could roam the palace by yourself and come down here, Princess?"

"I believe I should be able to be held captive in my own castle without someone watching my every move, Chamberlain. Especially when my guard can't keep his impulsions in his pants," I replied to him stiffly.

We were in what must have been his study, shelves lined with books surrounding us and even a table with various liquid bottles, which sparked my curiosity. What made me truly wonder though was why this room was in the bottom wing when no one ever came down here. . .

Gulbrand surveyed me a moment before showing a snide smirk. "Hm, caustic girl. You're just like your mother, aren't you."

He turned to his desk with his back to me from where I sat, probably so he couldn't see the disgruntled expression on my face. I felt insulted, not because he was berating me, but doing so to who my mother was.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I questioned him defensively.

Gulbrand turned back to me arms crossed with the same expression he'd given me since we met--a look of disdain, as if I was a pest he wanted to dispose of. Of course when Eeira was around he portrayed himself as a perfectly dutiful subject to the crown, but when it was he and Calder or he and I like we were now, his shell cracked away by the bit. That pissed me off more.

"What were you doing down here?" he asked me, waiting to judge my answer.

"Nothing, I just. . .got lost. I was trying to find my room," I lied, hoping it would save my ass.

"Your chamber is up the staircase on the top wing. Yet somehow I find you down here. Care to explain? I'm sure your advisor would love to hear of what you've been doing. Verick will certainly receive an admonition for allowing you to run off."

"I don't have to asnwer to you," I gritted at him, "I'm the princess, an Arnesen. You should be answering to me."

Gulbrand took a moment to process my words, and then he laughed which pushed my irritation further. He slowly walked over to my chair without a word, and I clenched my teeth while throwing him a glare.

"Listen to me carefully, Princess," he began, before suddenly slamming his hands down on the arms of the chair and making me jump. I was now pinned where I sat, and though I tried to scoot against the back of the chair as much as possible I knew I could go no further.

"As Chamberlain of this palace I fulfill many allegiances for the sake of this realm and the crown. I have worked extremely onerous to keep both the ephemeral and fey world in concord. I will not have an insolent teenager who has no idea of what she is truly up against to ruin that! You are going to obide by what I order you, and you will not transgress me."

He was shouting in my face now, his expression dark. I didn't know where any of this was coming from. I had only been here a span of three days and it was as if this had been buidling up for weeks. I knew I had to break free and get out of there, but I didn't know how. I could feel my powers building up inside me from fear, and the arms of the chair I gripped began to be spread over with ice and frost.

Gulbrand noticed this and firmly seized my wrist in his cold hand. "This is what I mean. This power that you have no control of, is your vexation. This is what you are up agaisnt just as much as the threat of the frozen queen."

"Let go of me," I spat at him, trying to jerk my wrist free but to no avail.

Gulbrand grasped it tighter and I felt a sensation hit my skin, watching with widened eyes as his ice began to cascade down my arm. It burned like fire, nearly like what I felt when Calder healed my wounds from the iron knight attack.