"I'm so bored," Lyana sighed while looking out of the window.

"We could take a stroll around the palace, Your Royal Highness. I heard the servants were almost done preparing for your birthday. It should already be full of colorful flowers everywhere", tried her maid Hadia to cheer her up.

This suggestion actually made Lyana a little bit curious. She loved flowers and a little walk would

at least get her out of her room. "All right then. Let's go."

So the two young women set out to explore the palace together. In fact, there were flowers

everywhere they went. Whether already as decoration on the walls and pillars, or still scattered across the floor. However, Lyana liked the flowers on the floor best. It was like a sea of colorful flowers.

"How nice it already looks," she enthused and began to dance through the corridor in the middle of the flowers. But before she knew it she tripped over her own feet and almost fell. Luckily she was caught by two strong, warm arms.

"Slow down, Your Royal Highness", she was warned by an amused voice. "We don't want you to break a leg before your 18th birthday."

"Afram!" Lyana immediately wrapped her arms around her cousins neck.

"Your Royal Highness!", her maid called almost panicked. "You can't just hug the Grand Duke like that! That's inappropriate for a lady!"

Afram laughed and pushed his little cousin away slightly. "Don't worry Hadia, nobody saw it except

us. Besides, we're engaged, so a little hug should still be allowed, shouldn't it?" Laughing mischievously, he winked at the maid and she blushed on the spot. "Well ... I ... I guess that's probably true."

Lyana was always surprised by the effect her cousin's smile had on women. "Afram, would you like

to have tea with us in the garden?" She looked at him expectantly. "We haven't seen each other in such a

long time." Since the day her father announced their engagement, to be precise. Because only since

then was Afram officially her father's heir to the throne and was gradually introduced to the duties

of a king.

"I'm really sorry. You know it's hard for me to turn you down, but your father and I are about to meet with the envoy from another kingdom."

Apologetically, he stroked her hair and said goodbye

to the two women.

"Haaa", Hadia let out an enthusiastic sigh. "You are so lucky to have Grand Duke Afram as your fiancé. He is handsome, dutiful and such a warmhearted man."

Lyana tried to smile. "I guess so." Of course she should consider herself lucky. Afram was really

wonderful and she had been very relieved that she didn't have to marry a prince from another

kingdom. But so far it just wasn't possible for her to see her cousin as a man. They grew up together. Since she could remember, he was always by her side to take care of her. For her he was rather a big brother and although he always treated her lovingly, she also seemed to be nothing more than a little sister to him. Still, they both knew their duties and love could still develop, Hadia once told her. But sometimes she found herself just wanting to get some distance from all these obligations.

"Let's go for a ride," she suddenly suggested to her maid. Not only should you think about it, you

should also act. At the moment she just had to get out of this cage for a little bit.

"Now?" Hadia seemed surprised. "But isn't it a little late for that? It's already afternoon."

"Do not worry. We'll be back in time for dinner, "the princess promised her maid. She still didn't seem convinced, but then nodded. "I'll let the stable boy know. Shall I help you with the riding dress?"

"Not necessary," waved Lyana off. She was used to doing that on her own by now.

A short time later, both women were sitting on their horses and rode out of the castle. After a while,

Lyana accelerated from walk to trot and then from trot to gallop. Her maid had trouble keeping up

with her and asked her to slow down. At first Lyana ignored her, but then she saw something in the

distance that surprised her so much that she suddenly pulled on the reins of her horse and brought it to a stop.

Hadia stopped beside her, exhausted. "Your Royal Highness," she gasped, "we should turn around.

We're way too far out. Your father will not be pleased if you arrive late at the castle again."

"Hadia," said Lyana, ignoring her pleading and pointed to the front. "What is that?" Not too far away was a forest, glittering white. "I've never seen anything so beautiful," she breathed without being able to avert her gaze. Hadia, on the other hand, suddenly seemed very uncomfortable.

"Princess ... this is the ice forest. We should really turn around. This part no longer belongs to our

kingdom."