Sunset Legend

• 4 •

I crouched down as best as I could in this dress, faking concern for my mother. She was apologizing profusely to Frosts as he sat back in his chair, an ice bag to his jaw.
"Mother?" She turned to me, blue eyes wild and lost. "I think it's best if you rest." I tucked a piece of hair behind her ear as she nodded. The doctor agreed rest was the best option here. He couldn't find anything wrong with her.
My father kindly instructed the South family to leave as he and the doctor helped my mother up and out of the room to get to hers. I wasn't waiting around to say my farewells, so I quickly followed suit behind them.
I was walking down the long hallway that lead to the stairs closest to my room, trying to wrap my mind around what had just happened. I was moved into another persons body. This was not normal, I was no longer normal. I thought I was just the dull princess who would follow suit in her mother's footsteps. My mother was going crazy, maybe she is ill? Why would she force me into a marriage? My father did not like this at all, but his mind is busy with worry for her.
I was forced out of my thoughts when my back was thrown up against a wall. Frosts was standing before me, his hand around my throat. His hair was wild on his head, his eyes bouncing around my face. His hand was not tight enough around my throat so that I was suffocating, but my breaths were short as I began to panic.
"What the hell was that?" He whispered, looking down at me. The top of my head barely pushed past his shoulder in height. I tried to kick at him, but with one step his body was pushed against mine and I was pinned between him and the wall.
"Don't ever do that to my father again," I hissed, daring to look him straight in the eye. His brows pulled together as he pushed harder on my throat.
"Whatever you can do, I will find out. I'll see you in a week for our wedding," his voice was dark, his look even more menacing as his grip around my throat loosened. His lips brushed my forehead in a kiss before his body was off of mine and casually walking down the hallway with his hands in his pockets.
I fought the food in my stomach that was rising as I tried to forget about how deathly cold his lips were. My legs gave out from under me as I collapsed to the floor with heavy sobs.
I hated my mother.

I didn't remember falling asleep and I didn't remember falling asleep in my bed. When I woke, I found myself out of my dress and in my nightgown. Bells was sitting on the couch beneath the window, eyes glued to me. When she saw me awaken, she jumped to her feet and hurried to the side of the bed.
"Princess Solstice? Are you feeling okay?" I watched as she pressed the back of her hand to my forehead.
"I feel fine. What happened?" Bells stood standing as I sat up in my bed, bringing the blankets up with me.
"I found you in the hallway on the floor. I couldn't tell if you were unconscious or sleeping so I rushed and got the closest bodyguard. He said you were just sleeping. I brought you up here and changed you out of the dress." Her face was nothing but concern. I smiled, grabbing her hands in mine and squeezed.
"You are so wonderful. Thank you." She finally smiled, the muscles in her face relaxing. She insisted on bring me some food and water no matter how many times I said I was fine.
It was nearly noon and I knew I couldn't stay in my night gown all day. I walked over to my closet, ignoring all the fancy clothes my mother insisted I wore even just around the castle. I pushed aside a pair of shoes to reveal a hidden drawer. From there, I pulled out a pair of black leggings and an oversized, pale pink sweater. I quickly changed and threw my hair up into a knot before sitting back on my bed.
Bells returned with the promised plate of food and water. I gave her my thanks and the order of going and getting the rest she clearly needed.
I sat on my bed eating the prepared brunch that was a mix of fruits and eggs and toasts. The sun was at its highest above the castle, shining down on the snow with so much force the snow looked fake it was sparkling so much.
"Knock knock." I looked over to see Mas already in my room, standing in front the closed door. I just stared at him. "Can I come in?"
"No," I answered, looking away from him and at my food as I ate another piece of the orange.
"No?"
"Yes."
"I can come in?"
"No, Mas. Incase you didn't know what happened last night, you left me. I told you I trusted you and you fucking left me alone with him." My voice came out strong like I intended, but by the last few words it was wobbly. I pretended chewing my toast was taking awhile as I stared at my white painted toes.
"Solstice," he whispered, still standing by the door by the sound of his voice. I ignored him, getting off the bed to set my food on the bench. I wasn't hungry anymore. "Solstice?"
I stood in the middle of my room, arms crossed over my chest as I finally looked at him. He took this as an invitation to take a steps towards me till there was only two feet between us.
"I was still there," he said. I spun on my heel and decided this was a conversation I should be sitting for as I sat on my couch.
"You left me when I needed you there. My mother was giving me away to him." I couldn't say his name. Mas sighed, joining me on the couch as he sat on the far end. I pulled my knees up to my chest as I sat facing him, my shoulder leaning against the back of the couch.
"I couldn't let the king of the South see me. He knows my face. If I stayed the hell that would of happened would of been much worse." He mimicked my position so that our toes were an inch away from touching as we faced each other.
"But in the hallway-"
"I was there. I wanted to kill him. I wanted to-" his eyes met mine before he shook his head, sparing me the details. "I was there, not even three feet away. The time was not right for me to confront him. Not yet." I was confused, I was still hurt, and I was lost. I didn't know who I was anymore. I didn't know who I could trust.
"The wedding is in a week, Mas. You can't let this happen," I begged. I would of begged anyone at this point to help me get out of this, stranger or not.
"The queen is already forming a plan. It won't."
His queen. I forgotten all about this in the mess of last night.
"Who is your queen? I know you are not from here." Mas only titled his head. He wasn't surprised that I knew. He didn't seem to affected at all. Did he want me to know?
"You'll meet her soon enough. For now, I really do need you to trust me. Go along with the wedding plans as best you can, but stay away from your mother. You cannot be alone with her anymore." I should of been afraid of the fact that I couldn't trust my own mother anymore, but I wasn't. I hated her with a burning passion.
"How can I trust you? You let him touch me."
I shivered, remembering the dead lips. Mas's face was blank, showing no sign of any emotion.
"You don't really have a choice at this point. Be married to that frozen devil or trust me. You'll realize soon enough why I couldn't interfere and maybe you'll trust me again. Trust is a dangerous game, but the one we're playing is a hell of a lot worse." He untucked his legs to get off the couch. I watched as he walked out of my room without turning back.
I forced the tears to not fall as I looked over the beautiful snow. The snowflakes that were falling were large and in different shapes. I watched as some of the staff stuck their tongues out to catch the snowflakes. I could hear their laughter three stories up. The snow was once so heavenly to me, safe and beautiful. I slammed the curtains together, making the snow disappear from my view.
I didn't care for it now.