Sunset Legend

• 24 •

I stood, staring back into the eyes of hell while his men advanced on Jaxon. I had to do something, but at the same time I couldn't without raising suspicion. Frosts watched me, his grin evil as he heard the ruffling of men behind him.
"Enough!" The queen demanded. Frosts lip turned up a snarl before he looked over at the queen. While Frosts coldly asked what the problem was I looked over at Jaxon. He was pushed deep into the snow, a man holding his hands behind his back as the other had a gun frozen mid air.
"You are disgusting!" I screamed, shoving weakly at the back of Frosts. The queen's eyes focused on me as Frosts turned around to glare at me. "You would of killed him right here? For what reason does he deserve to die? If you think I would watch you murder an innocent man and marry you, then you are absolutely insane." His chest was heaving as he took one large step. I stood my ground, tilting my head to look up at his face that was raging.
Before he could say anything, the queen appeared next to us, pulling me back two steps away from him.
"Spoken like a queen. He saved her life, Frosts. Don't be an imbecile," the queen said, looking truly disgusted. Frosts glanced between the queen and I for a minute before rolling his head on his neck. I heard a crack that made me jump.
"Let him go," Frosts said, his tone clearly unhappy. Jaxon shoved at the men as he stood, wiping the snow off the front of his shirt.
"Let's get inside. Get you cleaned up," the queen said, looking at both Jaxon and I.
"I will be back after I finish this business. I except you in our cozy bed when I return, snowflake." His voice was laced with a promise as he blew me a kiss. I flicked him a finger of choice over my shoulder before disappearing into the castle.
"Your room is on the other side, Dash. Penelope? Show him to his room please," the queen ordered. I could see through his glamour at the yellow glow that dared to give him away as he looked me in the eye. As the queen began to tug me away, I watched him mouth if he even touches you. I tried to give him a reassuring smile, but it was hard to do on shaky legs.
I followed behind the queen who wouldn't stop talking about how much I was going to love the new castle. I nodded when appropriate, but spent most of the conversation feeling her heartbeat run through my veins.
She pushed open a large, no surprise here, white door to what must be Frosts and my room. Everything was white; the bed post, the carpet, the furniture. The only thing that had any color was the pale blue sheets on the bed.
"Go get a shower and I will send Lila in to dress you." With a quick smile, the queen left the room.
I watched her shut the door as I sucked in all the air my lungs could hold before grabbing a pillow and screaming all my anger into it. After that, I decided a warm shower was most likely needed before my bones froze together.
An hour later I was dressed in a large, ombre blue ballgown with diamonds outlining the hems. Lila had put my hair up into the same updo the queen wore before placing a diamond tiara on my head. I had not said a single word to Lila and she had not tried to talk to me either.
I smacked away the skirt as I tried to find somewhere to rest my hands. Stupid ballgowns.
I was lead down to a room on the second floor by some man. I could only assume it was a den from the randomly placed chairs and fire place. The king sat in a blue chair in the corner. When I arrived in the doorway, he nearly kicked the chair over he got up so fast.
"Solstice!" He screeched, wrapping his arms tightly around me. I felt the tears rising in my eyes as I truly hugged him back. This poor man had no idea the lie that was his life. Yet he was nothing but kind to me.
"Dad," I cried, the words feeling weird on my tongue. The queen watched from the corner, her lips down in a frown at our reunion. When my eyes met hers however, a false fat grin was on her face.
"Look at our family," she said, pulling us all into a hug. I searched Hue's eyes for any sign of anything, but I found nothing.
"I'm sure you must be starving, honey. Let's go get some food," Hue said, grabbing my hand and leading me out of the room. From the look on the queen's face, I could tell this was not part of her plan.
Jaxon was already seated in a chair at the excessively long crystal table. He was dressed in a blue tuxedo. I looked through his glamour, imagining the bleach blond hair and gray eyes. That color would look terrible on him.
"Who is this?" Hue asked, going over and shaking his hand.
"He saved me," I said for the second time today. Hue's hand shake turned into a hug filled with many thanks. I could see the sad smile on Jaxon's face from here, thinking the same thing I had.
We all sat, Hue at the head of the table with the queen next to me and Jaxon across from the queen.
"Did you like Lila?" The queen asked after an awkward silence as we ate.
"No," I answered simply.
"Why not?" Hue asked, diving into the meat that was on his plate.
"She isn't Bells," I said, coldly. Jaxon watched me carefully as I stared at the queen. The fake sadness on her face made me want to end her life right here, right now.
"She didn't make-"
"Out from the storm. I know." The queen stared at me in horror from the sharpness in my voice.
"Now I understand you were away for a while, but do not come back in here with no manners or respect and expect us to be okay with it," the queen said.
"You make it sound like I was on vacation. You don't even know what I went through," I said through clenched teeth. "There was no, were you locked up? Did they beat you? Did they force you to do anything? Thanks for the concern, mother." Her eyes turned into slits as she glared at me.
"Is there something you need to say to me?" She challenged. I threw the napkin that was on my lap down onto the table.
"Yes. Fuck you for giving me away to Frosts like I am his goddamn pet," I spat at her. I almost wanted to laugh at her reaction. It looked like she was ready to have a heart attack. Poor Hue looked confused as he stared at his wife with wide eyes. I turned on my heel and stormed back up to where I thought my room was. No, not even my room. I swore, throwing open the bland door to the bland room. I watched as it bounced off the wall and closed.
I stared at a tall lamp in the corner of the room, it's pole completely covered in diamonds. I stomped over to it, picked it up to swing at the mirror that was laughing at me.
Warm hands wrapped over mine right as I was about to lift the lamp up to swing. Jaxon stood in front of me, looking like his handsome self. I wanted to cry at the color of him in this boring room.
"I don't think this is the best idea," he said softly. I let him remove the lamp from my grasp and put it back to where it belonged.
"Everything is so bland. How did I live like this?" I whispered, looking at all the white.
"Because the queen is a bitch," he replied simply. I looked up into the gray eyes swirled with emotion that turned my knees weak.
I collapsed into his chest with heavy sobs. "Don't leave me alone with him," I gasped. His arms wrapped around my waist and brought me as close as I could come in this stupid ballgown.
"I never planned to," he whispered into my hair after he took the tiara off. "I'll throw a roll of toilet paper at his head if he gets to close."
I snorted into his chest. My shaking shoulders slowed as I laughed again, imagining a floating toilet paper roll smacking Frosts upside the head.
I wiped away the mess that I could before I looked back up at him. "I don't know what I did to deserve you."
"You went to hell and back. I'm the lucky one." I sighed as he planted a sweet kiss to my forehead. "Just know whenever you think you are alone with Frosts, you're not. Okay? I'm not just going to stand by and watch this time." I nodded, wiping at my nose as Jaxon stepped away from me. The air instantly felt colder. "I'm going back before anyone guesses anything." He stopped, his mind turning at what he should say next. I didn't have any words either, so instead I reached my hand out and gave his a squeeze.

Lila had come in later that evening and instructed me to change into a night gown. I rolled my eyes at the lack of freedom I had here. I was changed into a, to my surprise, lavender night gown. She undid my updo which left waves in my hair. After she decided that was good enough, she set up my night stand with a cup of hot chocolate and a book.
I sat in the bed, crossed legged, ready to move at every sound that came from outside my door.
It was nearly midnight by the time the door swung open, an exhausted Frosts appearing. As if he forgot I would be here, a wicked grin pulled his lips up.
"Snowflake. I heard you weren't good today." His lips turned out in a mocking pout as he shook off the thick winter coast.
"The queen come crying to you," I said, mocking his pouted lips. He stood in a white tee shirt, showing off every sculpted muscle he worked on.
"Since when did you address her as that?" He asked curiously, opening up a drawer.
"She isn't much of a mother figure any more," I hissed. Frosts only smiled as he started unbuttoning his pants. I found the ceiling rather interesting.
"Oh come on, you know you want a piece of this, snowflake." I glared over at him, grateful that he slipped on a pair of blue pajama pants. He bounced over to the bed, leaping on it before laying next to me with his head propped up on his hand. He was not even a foot away from me as he laid on his side.
"I'd rather die."
"We could arrange that." I looked into his blue eyes that danced with danger.
"You need me too much," I stated. Wiggling as far away from him as I could.
"For what? Your magical powers? Oh please. I'm not the queen." My body felt stiff as I stared at him. So he knew, he knew all along what she was up to. "Don't look so surprised. She wanted you to help over power me and control everyone in these lands. How disappointed she was when you disappeared before she could use your little talent. And you think I'm the bad guy?"
I felt his presence then. I don't know where he was, but I knew he was in this room like he promised.
"Does she know?" I dared to ask, not expecting this at all.
"That I know her plan? No. I'll kill her before she even thinks of a real plan to overtake my lands." He shifted to lay on his back, his hands behind his head. "But to clarify, I am still the bad guy." Frosts turned to me to wink.
"You're disgusting. Killing an entire castle full of innocent people. Almost killing Dash for no reason," I hissed. Frost sat up then, tilting his head at me. His teeth as sharp as ever as he grinned.
"Not for no reason. I saw the way he looks at you. I'll kill anyone that looks at you like that. Because you're only ever mine." My eyes narrowed at him. Jaxon's presence felt stronger. I could only imagine that he was standing a foot behind Frosts, thinking about snapping his neck. "And that darling bodyguard of yours. With the stupid hair. I've watched him watch every move you made. I should of killed him when I had the chance."
Don't kill him yet, Solstice. Don't kill him yet.
"What an odd coincidence he disappeared when you did," Frosts added, tapping his finger lightly against his chin.
"I wouldn't even know if he kidnapped me. I was stuck in a dungeon with damn chains," I said roughly.
"Oh you must of been so lonely," he said without an ounce of sympathy in his voice. "Now you're accompanied by me." His trade mark wicked grin returned.
"I'd rather be stuck in the dungeon again."