Frozen Flame

Chapter 59: Sparkling Glass

Entrance of Pale Glass

"So, this is Pale Glass?"

"Yep."

"Oh," Eliza sighed, crossing her arms as she stared down the rows of houses. "It's not what I expected."

Bob turned to her, raising an eyebrow. "What did you expect it to look like?"

She pushed out her arms, indicating something obscure, trying to explain herself. "You know... tall and vast, white and sparkly... you know, the magnificent city everyone talks about."

A smile lifted the corners of Bob's mouth. "We just entered the outskirts of the city, why would it look any different from everywhere else?"

She frowned. "I just thought it would be... bigger..."

He looked back and the houses, stepping forward. "You just wait. The centre is incredible – that's where you'll find the magnificence."

Walking beside him, Eliza breathed in the fresh air, feeling it fill her lungs and spread through her body before releasing it. "It really is beautiful here."

"But you haven't even seen the centre yet..."

"Yes," she let it go, flowing gently from her lungs. Closing her eyes, she relaxed her arms, basking in the air. "But down here, the air feels so crisp, so clean. I can feel the cool, I can taste the freshness... In Fire, it's nothing like this. The air is wrought with worry, always the same warm temperature, you barely even feel it when the wind blows. Everyone wears the same colours, no-one speaks what they truly feel, everyone's out to get everyone else... it's nothing like here. Here, the air feels clean and crisp all the time, I wear warm clothes because I feel the cold, I wear whatever clothes I wish to wear, I can talk to people about my emotions and not be immediately labelled as weak and killed, and... well... everyone's still out to get everyone else – but you can't have everything, am I right?"

Bob frowned, opening his mouth in protest.

Cutting his off, she continued. "And I know you don't see it because you've lived here your whole life, but this is just how it is for me."

He smiled softly. "No, I understand." He paused. "I don't know if I should be telling you this, but Jared and I didn't grow up in the nicest of areas. We actually grew up in the Criminal Corps."

She gave a sidewards glance, suspicion evident.

Sighing, he looked down. "Yeah, I know... Not exactly something we'd like the public to know, especially because he's the ruler and all, but it's true. It was a tough life and all, but we managed to escape and move into the Ice Kingdom... we won trust and I helped him into power. Of course, everyone loves him – he just has that sort of vibe, that reliable, dependable, caring vibe." He chuckled. "Why else do you think I've been friends with him all this time... Well, that and because he found and helped me... Dubious meetings, unsteady relationships, rocky curves... But I saw his potential, I got one of those feelings and they're always right, so... I made him king. He's hated me ever since." He paused, zipping up his jacket and burrowing his hands into his pockets. "You know Jared admires the Fire Lord, right?"

"Isn't it obvious?"

"Every week he asks me how to become more like the Fire Lord in the control of his people, and I joke, saying that he needs to form a schedule, become more organised – which he does – but I've never figured it out. I know I'm supposed to know all the answers, but getting control of the people? Uniting them? The only conclusions I've come to are major catastrophes or war, and neither are desirable. Even then, with the attitudes between the Ice Kingdom and the Criminal Corps, there's no way it would be that simple. There would be all sorts of things to consider, and I'm not necessarily the best on emotions – that's what Jared's for."