We arrived at the capital of Kingfisher, Bournway. The castle was located between two rivers, and it was clear that the castle seemed to match the aesthetics of the rivers here. Our contingent was welcomed by the guards before we were escorted into the castle, where we would be meeting the new king of Kingfisher, King Sigurd.
There was little I knew about King Sigurd other than him being the late King Ulfric's eldest son and the brother of Princess Priscille. Soon, I would be meeting King Sigurd, and we would be able to talk about the alliance between Kingfisher and Everfrost.
Once we arrived at the royal court, I could finally get a good look on the king. He was a man in early twenties, handsome but looking reserved. Dressed in dark green tunic while wearing a silver crown, he was sitting on his throne as he watched me coming into the court. He shared the same auburn hair as his sister, and he was wearing a neutral expression as he studied me.
"I have returned, my king..." Princess Priscille bowed to her brother.
"Sister, there is no need for that from you." King Sigurd rose up from his throne and descended down from the altar. He made his way to his sister and smiled. "I am glad that you are safe. I am sure you have many things to say, but..." His eyes were drawn on me, a visiting foreign ruler. "This is our first time meeting each other, yes? I apologize for not preparing a feast in your honor."
I shook my head. "That should be fine. I am here to learn more about our longtime ally, after all."
King Sigurd nodded. "If you insist. Still, I never thought that the new Frost King is so young." His expression then turned melancholic. "I received the news regarding your father's death, but... before we could send a reply to express our condolences, our father suddenly passed away. Our father was the one responsible in keeping the peace in Kingfisher, and now that he's gone, it is rather hard to pick up what he had left behind."
"It is fine to grieve, King Sigurd." I said. King Sigurd studied my eyes, seemingly fascinated by them.
"So... the rumors are true, after all..." King Sigurd said. "The moment a Frost King ascends to the throne, he will inherit the Will of Everfrost, gaining the wisdom of the previous Frost Kings. I can see it in your eyes, King Karol. You are young, that is true, but your eyes seem to belong to someone who already went through countless lifetimes..."
"Is it that obvious?" I asked.
"How does it feel to wield the wisdom of your forefathers?" The other king responded to my question with a question of his own.
"Heh... it feels I'm always on the brink of falling down. All the wisdom without the experience to temper it, I don't know if I can handle it without succumbing to the sheer powers..." I said. Upon having the first taste of power, I knew that I would never get tired of it, and there might be a point where I might end up abusing such power and wisdom.
"I see..." King Sigurd mused. "Unfortunately, I cannot exactly relate, considering that unlike you, the Monarchs of Rivers are not blessed with such mystical boons. We don't have the souls of our forefathers influencing us and telling us on what to do. Perhaps this is the reason why our position as the rightful rulers of Kingfisher often being challenged by the pretenders who wish to seize the throne for themselves."
King Sigurd seemed wistful as he looked away, as if wondering if he could assert her authority over his subjects in the same way as the Frost Kings. In the continent, the Frost Kings were viewed with awe and fear due to the mystical powers they wielded, and there was a reason why the House of Niflheimr remained the ruling house of Everfrost. The same couldn't be said about the royal family of Kingfisher. They had no backing of supernatural force to maintain their authority and they had to rely on courtly politicking and intrigue.
"Anyway, we will provide lodgings for you and your entourage, King Karol. After you have settled down, then we can discuss further about the fate of our alliance..." King Sigurd said. "My father fought hard to maintain that alliance, and we wish to ensure that the alliance remains strong for the sake of our kingdom."
"I hope we can reach a satisfactory decision from this..." I said. "This alliance was also something that my father worked for, and we cannot exactly abandon a longtime ally to the wolves when they need our support the most. Still, as a foreign ruler, there are limits on what I can do, so please understand if we somehow cannot reach even a compromise..."
King Sigurd nodded. "I understand. I appreciate your willingness to discuss this matter, at the very least. Now, let us enjoy some meals. I doubt we can reach a satisfactory decision with empty stomachs."
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After we were done with the small feast, both King Sigurd and I went straight to the talk. The King of Kingfisher clasped his hands together on the table as he looked at me with a serious expression.
"I believe that my sister already told you about this..." King Sigurd began. "Have you considered taking my sister as your wife, making her your Queen?"
"Well, I have put some thoughts into it, though I do not wish to be hasty." I said. "Also, I have not come to age yet, and the best thing we can do if I agree for such arrangement is a betrothal between Princess Priscille and I." Mirroring King Sigurd's gesture, I clasped my hands together as I continued, "Why can't I do the same thing as my father, declaring my full, unconditional support to you?"
"The events that led to the War of Three Princes weren't the same as now, King Karol. Prior to that, the Frost Kings had never involved themselves in the internal affairs of foreign kingdoms. For many kings, the Monarchs of Winters were untouchable demigods who had no interest in their affairs." King Sigurd explained. "But your father, King Klaus, decided to do the unexpected and threw his full support to my father's claim for the throne, and many were caught off-guard by it. Backed by the might of the Frost King, my father strengthened his position as the one to inherit the throne, but your father's involvement also broke the illusion regarding the Frost Kings. From there, many started to regard the Frost Kings as men with their own interests and agendas."
"So the kings just lost their respect towards the Frost Kings?" I guessed.
"Well, not exactly. The Frost Kings are still feared by fellow Monarchs, but they can now see that despite all their powers, the Frost Kings are still mortals. Their presence does not spell instant victory to those they support, and they do not act as deterrents to prevent wars. The mysticism of the Monarchs of Winters has faded, and the Frost Kings, while still regarded as powerful players in the grand scheme of things, are considered to be nothing more than mortal kings that can be toppled if done properly." King Sigurd said.
"Then, how does the arranged marriage make it any different? An alliance between our kingdoms is ensured in both cases, whether I give you my full support or I take Princess Priscille as my Queen." I said.
"Well, I suppose it's the way our fellow nobles look at things. By agreeing to forge an alliance through marriage, it shows that you are following the unwritten rules of nobility instead of doing something unexpected like your father did." King Sigurd explained. "Even so, I can understand your hesitation, so I will give you some time to think. And if possible, try to get to know my sister better here. We will provide you with Riverman's hospitality, so please make yourself at ease."
"You have my gratitude, King Sigurd. I am still young and still learning on how to rule over my subjects" I sighed. "My father departed too soon and it felt like whatever he had taught me wasn't enough to prepare me for my duty as the king..."
King Sigurd looked me with sympathy in his eyes. I could tell that he could somewhat relate to me regarding the loss of a parent. While he did admit that he couldn't exactly understand having the mystical connection with previous kings, at the very least he was aware of how difficult it was for me, a literal child, to handle such a thing. "I can see that while the Will of Everfrost has granted you wisdom beyond understanding, it still hasn't prepared you to handle the weight of your crown."
He removed his silver crown from his head, holding it with his hand. The images of fish and kingfishers adorned the ornamental headdress.
"I too can understand the weight of a king's duty. Before the crown was placed upon my head, I thought I had understood everything that needed to be done. I repeatedly told myself that I would be able to rule over my subjects, bringing prosperity and peace to the people..." King Sigurd then shook his head. "But once I put on the crown, I realized the crushing weight of everything. I could just ignore it and become a bad king, but the weight of duty kept reminding me of what should be done." He placed the crown back on his head and looked at me.
He smiled wanly. I could see that despite him having no souls of his ancestors empowering him, the wisdom in his eyes were obvious. The man sitting before me was a just and good king. Just like me, he was still young, but he wished nothing but the best for his subjects as their king.
"The weight... will it become lighter as time passes on?" I asked. King Sigurd gave me a small smile as he then responded.
"It depends. Perhaps the weight becomes much lighter as you get older, or it may remain the same. Or it may become much heavier. There's no telling what the future may hold for you and me, King Karol." King Sigurd said. "All we can manage right now is do our upmost best to ensure that we can do what we are expected to do. You are responsible in ruling the Kingdom of Everfrost, while I am responsible in ruling the Kingdom of Kingfisher. As kings, we cannot escape our responsibilities."
I remembered what my father told me about a king's responsibility. I recalled that time when I first watched my father performing an execution. Perhaps one day I could do the same as him.
"Thank you for your words, King Sigurd. I suppose I will take my rest after this." I said as I got up from my seat.
King Sigurd nodded. "Very well. Rest well."
"Also, one more thing..." I said before I left. "Do you personally execute a criminal?"
"Hmm? Why do you ask that?" King Sigurd raised an eyebrow.
"Well... when my father was alive, he personally execute criminals with noble background. Do you also do the same?" I asked.
King Sigurd pondered my question before he shook his head. "Unfortunately, no." He looked somewhat embarrassed as he answered the question. "Unlike our fathers, I am no warrior. I'm afraid that if I have to execute someone, I have to rely on a headsman to carry it out instead."
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I was in my personal lodging after I was done discussing with King Sigurd. I had a lot of things going on in my head, like the current affairs in the Kingdom of Kingfisher as well as my potential marriage with Princess Priscille. The talk regarding the marriage was put on hold for the time being. Like I had stressed before, I couldn't be too hasty to reach a decision because the alliance between Kingfisher and Everfrost depended on it.
[This is a strange place. Too many rivers.] Dawn appeared next to me. While I was busy talking to King Sigurd earlier, he wandered around, inspecting the area.
"Anything else you find strange about this place?" I asked her. Dawn got herself seated on the bed before taking a relaxed position.
[Unlike Everfrost, the nobles here in Kingfisher are somewhat disagreeable. I heard them whispering about wanting to put so-and-so on the throne instead of keeping King Sigurd in power.] Dawn said, plopping herself on the bed. [Perhaps this is the consequence of having a king with no powers.]
I shrugged. "Frost Kings are the exception, not the rule. The reason why the Kingdom of Everfrost is the long-lasting kingdom in the continent of Rignellia is because of the Will of Everfrost." I shrugged. "Also, that didn't stop people rebelling against Frost Kings in the past."
[All of them failed, so what's your point?] Dawn countered.
"Well, having absolute power doesn't mean having the full right to rule over people as you please," I said. "After everything that I have learned, the power of the Frost Kings is meant to be a test for us, to see if we still can rule over our fellow men righteously." I looked on my palm. "With this power, I can easily become a power-hungry tyrant, but if I become that, I will fail the test given to us." I clenched my fist. "I will do my best to not fail."
Dawn smiled. [I suppose as your sword, I shall give you my counsel. Remember that I will always be with you until the end. I will see how you will rule over your people, just like how I always did with your forefathers before you.]
I looked at Dawn. "A question, Dawn. Are you fine doing this? I mean being bound to us Frost Kings forever?"
[I'm a sword, Karol. There is little I can do besides being used by people like you. And whenever a Frost King dies, my personality changes, so it's not like I'm still the same person whenever that happens.] Dawn reasoned. [Sure, I still have my memories from before, but they're more like notes to me rather than recollections. Simply put, if a Frost King dies, I am simply reborn while my old self dies.]
"I see..." I mused. Remaining the same throughout the ages might be too much even for Dawn, so that would make sense for her personality to reset each time she changed her owner. "Well, I guess that's how things go for you. Since you're stuck with me, let's work hard together, Dawn. I promise, I'll become a great king just like my father and my forefathers before me."
Dawn stared at me for a bit before she sighed. [Then I will watch over you, I suppose. It's not like I hate this job. I mean, as long as you use me properly, I have nothing to complain.] She huffed as she crossed her arms while looking away. I just chuckled, seeing that the way she being so dishonest about her own feelings was rather cute.
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The next day, I decided to look for someone to spar with at the training yard. The Kingdom of Kingfisher had no shortage of skilled knights. King Sigurd also came to watch as I sparred with some of his knights, and it soon became a spectacle as I fought four knights at once, wielding a training sword.
Despite the knights being far older than me, I was able to overpower them with my skill and speed, deflecting and parrying their attacks before disarming them, sending their swords flying from their hands. Upon being defeated, the knights yielded to me, and the spectators, including King Sigurd, gave me a round of applause after watching such a breathtaking display of swordsmanship.
"Such amazing swordsmanship, King Karol..." King Sigurd complimented me. I smiled as I set aside the training sword.
"It is thanks to Sir Ayden's guidance that I am capable of fighting like this," I said. My mentor was nowhere to be seen here since he remained at his domain, Riverheart.
"I see..." King Sigurd mused. "Well... I wonder how well you fare against Sir Ayden's niece then, considering that he also trained her."
"Niece?" I raised an eyebrow before someone stepped forward. It is a young woman with black hair tied up into a ponytail. Dressed in a dark gambeson, the woman seemed to have the stature of a warrior.
"Greetings, your highness..." The young woman said, bowing her head. "I am Lilina Nymphborn, and I am Sir Ayden's niece. I have heard a lot about you from him. I always wish to see you in person." She took her time studying me. "Forgive me for saying this, but you look a lot younger than I expected."
"Well, it's because I'm still young..." I shrugged. "Still, pleased to meet you, Lady Lilina."
King Sigurd stepped forth and stood beside Lilina. "Lilina here is recently knighted and is one of my personal guards. She's one of my skilled knights here in Kingfisher."
Lilina then bowed her head again. "If it is alright with you, I wish to spar with you, your highness."
I nodded. "Sure. Let's see what you're made of." I retrieved my training knight while Lilina took hers from the weapon rack. Like most knights, her weapon of choice was a longsword.
Now that both Lilina and I were holding our weapons, the two of us were facing each other in the training yard. I held my training greatsword with both hands while Lilina held her training longsword with her right hand. I kept my eyes on her figure as I tried to ascertain what she was trying to do.
Then, in an instant, both of us closed the distance between us, and our swords clashed with one another. Then we started trading blows and slashes, and despite me holding an obvious advantage, considering that I was wielding a longsword, Lilina was able to withstand the blows as she went on to deliver her own attacks on me.
We continued trading blows with each other, nimbly moving around one another as we tried to score a hit on each other. But whenever I tried to bring my sword on her body, she managed to block or evade the attack, though I also managed to do the same, preventing her attacks from hitting me. The crowd became animated as the fight went on. Unlike Duryath whose strength was her main asset, Lilina was able to match up with me with her skill.
Soon enough, it was clear that both Lilina and I were evenly matched, and despite how hard we tried, we were unable to break the stalemate between the two of us. It was up to the point where our limbs started going sore from the prolonged battle, and after one last collision of our blades, both Lilina and I stepped back, panting in exertion, with beads of sweat rolling down our face.
And considering that Kingfisher was warmer than Everfrost, I became tired much easier than before.
"Would you mind if we decide this match a draw?" Lilina asked.
"I don't mind at all." I lowered my sword. "You are certainly skilled, Lady Lilina. I can see that Sir Ayden had trained you."
"The same goes to you as well, your highness..." Lilina also lowered her sword as she smiled. "Though next time, I will be victorious. Thank you for the match." She bowed her head before she turned around, leaving the yard.
Both King Sigurd and I watched Lilina leave. "Well... it seems that the two of you are evenly matched. It's rare to see someone being able to fight her to a standstill."
"You have such a skilled retainer, King Sigurd. With her by your side, I doubt other nobles will be willing to revolt against you." I said.
King Sigurd shook his head. "Unfortunately, despite how skilled Lady Lilina is, she is still a woman. It's regrettable that many of my peers cannot look past it, but many of them will not be able to take her seriously." He sighed. "As you can see, while there are female knights, they are rare and are looked down upon by their counterparts. For them, women are nothing but political tools useful only for them to expand their influence as well as to produce children."
Well, the same could be said about many places here in this continent. While female knights and warriors were more socially accepted in Everfrost, the Winter Kingdom was still a patriarchal society, where men were given more prominence compared to women. There was a reason why I was chosen as the Frost King rather than my sister, Kassandra. Not that she wanted to become the Frost King, or Queen in her case, in the first place, of course.
"Well, there's still Amazon Queendom at the west." I said. The Amazons lived in the small island of Asteria, located at the westernmost part of the continent of Rignellia. Well-known for their matriarchal society, the Amazons are female warriors who often offer their services as mercenaries, and unlike other kingdoms, the Amazons elect their queens. "They can be the models for female warriors and knights to succeed in life."
King Sigurd shook his head. "I don't think the Amazons can be good examples for our female warriors and knights, because the way they live their lives is way too different than us. Sure, they elect their queens, but they do things that we often find unacceptable, like slavery and bloodsports. They also treat their males no worse than cattle." He crossed his arms as he sighed. "While they are useful as mercenary groups and trading partner, the Amazons have no place in our society."
I gave some thoughts about them. I only learned about the Amazons from books and stories, and many people had less-than-flattering images about these female warriors. Sure, many people would see the appeals in scantily-clad female warriors who could take on armored knights with relative ease, they also weren't keen to having these female warriors around.
"I suppose you do have a point there, King Sigurd. Though don't you feel curious about what their lives are like?" I asked. I could see King Sigurd flushing as he cleared his throat and coughed into his fist.
"Uh... o-of course. It's not something that I think about often, but their peculiarity can be quite a matter of curiosity..." King Sigurd said. "W-well, I suppose I have to return to my study now. I'll see you at dinner, King Karol." And so, King Sigurd hastily made his exit, and I couldn't help but chuckle upon seeing that.
[I have a feeling that he's into muscular ladies. I swear he's been ogling your orcish lady friend whenever she's around.]
That commentary from Dawn almost made me laugh. Some of the knights at the yard gave me a strange look.
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After having quite a work out, I decided to head over to the open bath where I could soak myself in hot spring. It was quite a unique place where I could enjoy the warmth of the hot spring. And while I was bathing, Dawn decided to walk around the castle to snoop around.
"Ah... this feels so good..." I sighed in happiness. King Sigurd told me earlier than the hot springs here in Kingfisher had some kind of healing properties, and when I put myself into the hot spring, I could feel my soreness instantly fading away.
For the time being, I had decided to put aside all my worries, about the matter of being the Frost King as well as the matter regarding the alliance between Everfrost and Kingfisher. I could spend hours submerged in the hot spring that I didn't realize that someone was entering the hot spring.
"Karol?"
A familiar voice jolted me awake. And when I managed to regain my composure, I saw Linde, my childhood friend, coming into the open bath area, wearing only a white towel wrapped around her body. Now that she was wearing nothing but the towel, I could see her exposed skin.
"L-Linde?" I blurted out. Linde's cheeks turned red as she stepped closer to the hot spring I was in before she removed the towel from her body, revealing herself to me. "W-what are you doing?!"
"K-Karol... I..." Linde hesitated a little as she covered her breasts with her arms. "I know this is wrong, b-but..." She then entered the hot spring and brought herself closer to me. "I-I can't hold myself anymore..." She then pressed her naked form against my body, and I had to control myself from freaking out as I felt her soft breasts against my shoulder.
Then, she brought her hands to my cheeks, pulling my face closer to hers before she pressed her lips against mine. I mind went blank as I was unable to react to that.
"Mmmm~"
After that, she broke the kiss before she let out a soft sob. Tears gathered in her eyes as she looked into mine.
"Karol... I know I will never become yours..." Linde said, her lips trembling. She tried to smile, but with her tears rolling down her cheeks, I could feel her sorrow. "Still... I love you... forever and always..."