The Icebound Treaty

Prologue

Queen Cassandra, renowned for her bravery and kindness throughout her kingdom, descended the stairs with shaking legs. In her hand, she carried the parchment that she had just finished reading.

The news inside the letter was disturbing to say the least.

As the queen reached the floor of Castle Araluen, she found a familiar, humble door. She knocked once and waited.

"Come in," called a distracted voice from inside. Quickly, Cassandra opened the door and entered, shutting it firmly behind her.

"My lady," the familiar voice said. Cassandra waved away the formality, holding up the letter.

"You need to read this," she stated plainly. She didn't bother to wait for the man to cross the room and retrieve the letter. Instead, she marched across the wooden floor and laid the parchment on the busy desk.

Gilan stood in inquiry, glancing once at Cassandra before leaning over to inspect the parchment.

"Oh, my..." his voice died as he finished the letter and his mouth gaped.

"Indeed," Cassandra replied, her face troubled. "Gilan, what are we going to do?"

The Ranger Commandant slowly met the queen's gaze, shaking his head in wonder.

"I... I don't know," he said, deepening Cassandra's worry. Gilan never used that phrase. He was always planning, always coming up with clever solutions to difficult problems. There was good foundation behind why he was the Ranger Commandant, after all.

"We have to meet them in Skandia this year," Cassandra reminded her friend. "We switch out every time, and last year the meeting was in Araluen."

"I know," Gilan replied softly.

"This doesn't sound safe," Cassandra continued. "If what this letter says is true, any Araluen on Skandian soil could be in danger."

"I know, Cassandra," Gilan repeated.

Cassandra took a deep breath, attempting to calm her nerves.

"I'm sorry," she apologized. "I'm simply trying to figure out how we are going to fix this."

Gilan nodded, dropping back to his simple wooden chair and tapping his fingers on his leg in thought.

"I can see no other way out," he finally admitted. Cassandra felt a slight ray of hope.

"What have you decided?" she asked.

Gilan rose, grabbing a nearby blank parchment and a quill and ink.

"I'll have to send the letter at once," he said even as he wrote. "We'll have to send for Halt and Will and ask them to help us."