Statera *Chosen At Birth*

Chapter Thirty-Six

Fiona stood at her window staring out into the snow-covered landscape. When she woke up the day after the attack, she stood in that same spot for hours admiring the beautiful and serene snowfall. She sighed in frustration at her own emotions. She hoped that finding Daniel would mean a chance to apologize, a chance at a second chance. Suppose not. She can't blame him for that.

With Isabel being pregnant with the Chosen One, as they call him, Jake was becoming desperate in his quest for a unified world again. Fiona was upset at the pregnancy, but why does it matter to her now. She couldn't stand the way Daniel would follow her around like a lost puppy dog, but now... She wanted the attention again. To feel special.

The longer she watched the snow, the deeper her thoughts became. It pained her to know that the group she loved like family was now torn apart. The twins are fighting with each other, Bestienna is disappointed with her, Daniel hates her, and Alek... She swallowed the lump in her throat before a tear could shed. She remembered watching him die in Bestienna's arms, she regrets following behind Jake now. But she couldn't leave his side just like that.

A loud knock on her bedroom door scared her, she glared at the door. She told everyone in the castle to leave her be, "Who is it and what do you want?" She asked in annoyance without even turning around to look.

"It's Joseph," She groaned, the last person she wanted to see right now, "I was just making sure that you're alright." He stated and she huffed. Had she really gotten that transparent lately to where her emotions were being shown around the wrong people? The sun had just begun to set when the door opened.

"I'm fine. Now, what do you actually want? You didn't come all the way from Zomban to ask me how I was." His eyes widened at my observations. She had obviously caught him red handed at trying to be sneaky, but it never works. For being the magic pure element, an element that manipulates the mind and eyes, he was bad at it.

"Jake wanted to know if your army was ready." She looked at him in confusion, he narrowed his eyes at her, "Jake is sending everyone up north to snuff Isabel out and kill her. Weren't you paying attention?" He asked, but Fiona's spine tingled. It didn't feel right to kill a pregnant woman and her unborn child.

"Apparently not." A woman wearing a green dress with black roses all over it clicked into the room wearing heels. Her cocoa colored skin complemented the forest green dress well as she walked into the light from the window. Jazmine Tonali, leader of the dark fairies. She was a dangerous opponent, and to make matters worse, she knew it.

"What are you doing here?" Fiona spat; Joseph quickly moved out of the way. On occasion, the two got into small sparring matches that were violent.

"Making sure that you don't do anything stupid. You've been abnormally transparent recently and Jake doesn't like it. I enjoy it, nice to know what my frenemies are thinking." She mocked while walking closer until they were able to look clearly into each other's eyes, "You don't want to end up like Alek, do you?" She bit down the anger so that Jazmine couldn't see that she was getting to her.

"When and where?" Fiona asked before her emotions could take over. Jazmine walked away towards the door.

"Atlantic City, day after tomorrow. Gather all your troops in one spot. Yours are arriving by portal." She walked out of the room with Joseph not too far behind. The door suddenly closed shut and a dragon cry echoed over the trees.

Fiona gasped when the snow slowly turned grey and powdery. It's already happening, her kingdom was beginning to die. She couldn't do anything to save it, Jake had her relic. All the regret and guilt flooded her entire mind, body, and soul She rushed out of her room and into the throne room.

"Alexandra!" Fiona yelled in a panic, she had to figure this out as soon as possible and play both sides to save her kingdom. She looked around waiting for someone under a tree sized ice sculpture that towered in the large round room.

"Yes, my queen?" She replied after walking in through the main door. She looked at Fiona with nervous, icy blue eyes.

"I know you just got here from Cavaroon, but I need you to go to Arbolinger." Alexandra's eyes widened with horror that she'd been figured out as a rebel and spy. She began shaking and fear flooded her eyes.

"Oh, please forgive me Fiona." She cried out, Fiona backed up and looked at her like she was insane.

"It's fine, but I need you to do something for me." This time Alexandra was confused and stopped making a fuss to listen, "Go to Arbolinger and warn Bestienna that Atlantic City is being attacked the day after tomorrow." Alexandra couldn't believe what she was hearing. Attacking a city with a population like that? Surely the merfolk would retaliate with everything.

"Ok, I will do it. But why?" Alexandra asked and Fiona looked down. The only people she could show her emotions too were the werewolves that stayed by her side, which she also felt guilty for.

"I don't want our home to die." Fiona stated. Despite the dark meaning, Alexandra smiled at the relief that the ice kingdom wouldn't become a part of Jake's wasteland.