Sunset Legend

• 23 •

Leaving this morning was... rough. Summer refused to let us leave. Sol had to take her to another room after we had our hugs and exchanging of words. Watching the way Aurora talked to Jaxon was heart shattering. She had lost the love of her life and here she was risking the chance of losing her son. I couldn't watch anymore, so I left them the privacy they deserved and waited in the car that we would take until we reached the border of the Winter lands. I looked down at the thin, pastel blue night gown that Summer had torn the other day to make it look like I had a rough journey. My white hair was in a messy, unkept bun on top of my head. Walking through the snow might kill me first.
The door to the drivers side shut, making me jumping back into reality. Jaxon's eyes traveled to my legs as his hand went to shift gears. The gown had barely reached my knees standing up.
"You're going to freeze," he said, his voice raspy as his eyes turned back to the road.
"I'm hoping the border patrol will inform Frosts and they will bring a car," I said, tugging the hem down as far as it would go.
"They better," he mumbled. Jaxon wasn't going to glamour himself as the man Aurora murdered the night of the party until we arrived. His eyes would become blue, his hair a false white. He would become shorter and less built. He would have to glamour me to look weak, since my arms and legs were toned with muscle now.
I didn't know how long the drive would be, but I couldn't sit still. My foot would tap the floor or my fingers would tap my thigh to an imaginary beat.
After some time Jaxon insisted I should nap, save what energy I could. I tried, but after sitting with my eyes closed for ten minutes I gave up.
"We could talk if that would help?" Jaxon asked, glancing at my shaking elbow.
"The thought of seeing him again. It needs to be done, but he's so..." I couldn't finish my sentence as a chill ran down my spine. I shivered.
Jaxon turned the heater on before finishing it for me. "Disgusting? Evil? A heartless fucking bastard that I would strangle my goddamn self." His hands gripped the steering wheel so hard his knuckles turned white and the wheel thinned.
"Nailed it," I said, trying to lighten the mood. Jaxon still looked ready to throw the car at Frosts once we got there. "Hey," I whispered, wrapping my fingers around his elbow. His death grip on the wheel loosened under my touch. "Just think about the life we get to live afterwards. He won't hurt anyone ever again. The queen will pay for what she has done."
"What about us?" His voice was so quiet I almost missed what he said. He glanced at me, the dull and dark, lifeless gray stared into my eyes for a second before turning back to the road.
I didn't know what to say because I didn't know what would happen to us after this. One day at a time. So I leaned over the console and kissed his cheek instead.

A hand was shaking my arm. I was going to panic, but it was a gentle touch with no real hurry. One eye opened before the other one could. Jaxon was in front of me, a small smile on his lips. I was curled in a ball facing him, my knees pulled to my chest.
The snow was falling all around us. My heart stopped as I stretched out my legs and turned to see the fat snowflakes disappearing against the window.
"Ready?" Jaxon asked. I turned back to him, but he no longer looked like him. Short white hair covered his head, deep blue eyes watched me.
"Ready as I'll ever be." Then before he could add anything, I pushed open the door and stepped into the freezing cold of the Winter lands. The snow beneath my bare feet was bone chilling as I took a step forward. My teeth were already rattling by the time Jaxon crossed the front of the car and joined me. I heard him swear as he stepped closer.
"Let me carry you." His voice was lighter. I didn't like it. I was going to protest, but my toes were already numb.
Jaxon bent down, swooping me into his arms. My knees bent at his arm as the other was under my back. My arms wrapped over each other in my lap. His body was giving off enough heat to stop my teeth from rattling so loud that it echoed. I couldn't stop shaking as he pushed through the snow, glancing at me every few minutes and swearing every time.
The snowflakes finally slowed as the border tower came into sight. It was a tall, navy blue building.
Once we were close enough, a man on the ground yelled at us to halt. Jaxon put me down slowly, holding his hands up in surrender at the gun that was pointed to us.
"That can't be," whispered the guard that yelled.
"Princess Solstice?" The one with the gun asked. I nodded. The guard quickly smacked the gun out of the others hand.
"Come inside, quickly! We will call the queen!" One guard rushed inside while the other quickly came to my side. He took a long look at Jaxon.
"Who is this?" He questioned.
"He found me. He saved me," I answered. That was enough for the guard as he instructed us both to get inside. The heat that blasted my body the second I stepped into the door was heavenly. A blanket was thrown over my shoulder as I was pushed to a plush, white couch in the corner.
Jaxon went to join me until another guard stepped in his path. "Frosts will be grateful you returned the princess, but I am sure he would not be thrilled to find you next to his woman."
I saw his jaw twitch, the way it did when he became angry but could not say anything. I could just imagine the yellow burning bright behind his glamoured eyes.
"Where should I sit?" He asked carefully.
"Stand," a guard instructed.
"He saved my life. Give him a goddamn chair," I said slowly. The guards all turned to look at me in shock. I was going to take every chance I could being an authority here.
One guard bowed. "Yes, princess." He left the room and return a second later with a desk chair. Jaxon sat down in it, eyeing the guards in the room.
Another guard appeared in the room, a note in her hand. "The queen will be here shortly to pick you up. Your fiancé is unfortunately out for business until later tonight."
"Unfortunate indeed," I scoffed. I saw Jaxon fighting to keep his face still.
We sat in silence as the guards continued about their work, but with a lot more whispers than I bet would usually occur.
The door flew open, snow swirling around her body like she could control it that way. She stepped inside, a diamond studded coat over her shoulders. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. She crossed the room, her black hair in a classic updo with a large diamond crown on her head.
"Solstice?" The queen whispered as if I was fake. I stood, slowly. Her eyes took in the mess that I was before she started crying. "Darling!" She threw her arms over my shoulders and brought me into a cold hug. I hugged her back, keeping my jaw tight.
"Mom," I addressed. She wiped away her fake tears, clasping her hands together in front of her chest.
"It's really you. It's been weeks, I thought maybe..." she trailed off, like the idea of loosing me was so terrible. "But you're here! Let's get you home and cleaned up." She looped her arm through mine before half dragging me to the door. I stuck my foot in the ground, causing us both to stop.
"But that guy saved me. He deserves to come back too." The queen turned to Jaxon, seeing him for the first time. His white tuxedo was also torn and just as rugged as my night gown.
"Absolutely. Come here boy. What is your name?" Jaxon with one last nasty look to the guards, joined the queen and I.
"Dash." A look of recognition flashed across the queen's face.
"Let's go!" She walked us outside where a large carriage waited to take us back. I got in first, taking a seat on the dark blue cushion on the seat. Jaxon stepped in next, taking the seat across from me. Finally the queen joined us, sitting next to me as the door closed. With a slight jerk of the carriage, we were on our way.
"The new castle in the middle of the lands is finished. We'll be going there. Oh your father will be so excited to see you." My knee jerked at the thought of the old castle. I turned to look the queen straight in the eye.
"Who lives in the old castle?" I asked innocently. I could see the flash of darkness that covered her eyes.
She blinked it away as she said, "there was a tragic storm. A lot of the staff didn't make it out in time." I heard Jaxon's jaw snap as I pretended to be shocked. The queen wrapped an arm around me, rubbing my back. "I know. It was tragic."
"I loved that place," I said. At one time I truly did. I loved all the rooms with their extravagant decor and chandeliers. I loved my room where Bells would do my hair and keep me company. I would have dinner with Hue under beautiful snowflaked ceilings.
Now I sat, watching the queen stare out at the window at the vast array of white.
"Beautiful isn't it?" She whispered. At one point, I would of said yes. Now I thought about the beautiful city under a golden glow.
"Stunning," I said, my voice flat.
A few short minutes later, an enormous white castle came into view. Not a single color on the outside. I saw Jaxon roll his eyes in my peripheral view.
"Welcome home!" The queen shouted as she opened the door to the carriage.
My breath caught in my throat as I stared into the piercing blue eyes that watched me like he was hungry. His silver hair shinning under the sun, his uncanny white, pointed teeth greeting me with a smile. "Solstice." I pushed away the hand that was offered and leaped down into the snow.
"We thought you were away on business?" My mother asked curiously.
Frosts eyes were glued to me as he said, "and miss my snowflake's return? Never." His hand moved toward me once more. I stepped out of his reach. The amusement in his eyes clear as he spoke. "I'm glad to see you still hate me. This makes it all the more fun." His voice was low, challenging.
I crossed my arms over my chest. "I came back home to get away from the people who kidnapped me. Not back to you." His blue eyes turned into storms as he took another heavy step towards me.
Just then Jaxon leaped down from the carriage. Frosts head jerked at the sound, eyeing the man who stood before him.
"Who is this?" Frosts asked, clear distaste in his voice.
"Dash. He saved our girl!" The queen exclaimed as I shivered at the thought of being hers.
"Well, thank you for returning my bride. Men?" A few men from the front door of the castle trudged through the snow to get to us.
"Yes, sir?"
Frosts eyes poured into mine as he said, "kill him."