A thunderous horn pierced through the quiet afternoon. I peered behind me, hoping the Ice Castle's guards were announcing some other royalty. Clear road. Shit! They were declaring my arrival. I should have known they would spot us from a mile away. My two guards stood out among the lush blue and white surroundings. I tried to convince them to shred their vibrant red outfits for the soft blue everyone wore in this Kingdom. Of course, they refused. It was dishonorable and a disgrace to the Fire Kingdom to strip out of their uniform and wear another. As if my brother gave a rat's ass about what they wore.
I figured they were still upset that I made them walk through the city to the Castle. It was not my fault. Okay, it was. But I couldn't help myself. I needed to study the route to the Palace. It helped with my anxiety. I needed to take my mind off why I was here. Exploring helped.
The large, towering Palace gate opened. Like the buildings in the Ice Kingdom, it too was made of ice. The Ice Kingdom's snow symbol gleamed in the middle of it with a large C for Cordal. It broke in half when the gate opened.
My two leading guards ushered me onto the palace grounds. Their gazes searched the path for any suspicious activity. My brother, Baron, sent four of his best warriors as my royal guards. Why? Baron was being Baron. An over-protective big brother. At least, he showed some level of interest. Anubis didn't even see me off. Asshole.
The Palace Gate closed when we ventured onto the Palace land, shutting out the city.
A soft wind tickled my cheek. A smile spread to my lips. Unlike the Fire Kingdom, the Ice Kingdom's climate hogged chilled winds and a calming sun. I loved how the residents didn't have to wear coats to stay warm. The sun maintained the level of heat to balance out the cold. I hadn't broken a sweat since my arrival, but I wasn't cold either. The perfect balance to make anyone lazy enough to lag around all day. I would have loved to visit under better circumstances.
Navy blue trimmed grass waved with the blow of the wind. The soft afternoon sunlight kissed the blue and white leaves of the short trees aligning the route to the Palace. A bit refreshing from the yellow and red leaves back at home.
A short walk and the Ice Palace came into view. The gleaming iced walls twinkled from the distance. Its beauty called to us. I had only visited the palace twice in my life. Once for the late Queen's Ball. An event Father and Mother attended. Back then, I was seven but thought the Castle was the prettiest I had ever seen. My second visit was with Anubis a few years back when he came to resign the peace treaty with the late king. Even at seventeen, the Palace impressed me. A masterpiece. The Fire Castle held its dark beauty, but I had to hand the Ice Kingdom for outdoing us with one thing. No Palace could compare to Ice Kingdom's.
"Prince Arson."
I stiffened at the man who walked over to me. I forgot he lived here. My guards noticed my reaction. They tensed, becoming more alert. Baron trained them to eliminate all threats. Fire warriors killed first and asked questions later.
"Duke Velron," I forced a smile, trying to play off as cool.
He didn't affect me. Not anymore. Still, the memory of my childhood days with this creep lingered in the back of my mind. Though he feared my brothers, he never ceased to torment me. Five years older, he took advantage of our age difference.
He strolled towards us. My blood chilled. The same psychopathic look from when we were kids lingered in his sky-blue eyes. A wicked smile danced on his face. 'Don't trust me' marked all over his expression. I followed the warning to the T.
The fucker was crazy. Even though this was obvious, he often got to bait me in the weirdest shit. Like a fool, I let him. Fire royals never backed down from a fight. We dominated and conquered. Well, my brothers did. I tried. Most times. Failed half the time. And Duke Velron knew this. I was the weakling among my brothers. Fire royal men never cried or gave others power over them. I was an exception. As the cry baby of my entire generation, I was an easy target.
I remembered one summer Duke Velron made me watch as he skinned an animal alive. The happy look on his face and the screams of the animal haunted me for months. I had to sleep in Anubis's room. Of course, the Duke got a beat down from both Baron and Anubis, but the damage was done. Mother ignored me. Father gave me angry glares. Weak. That was what I was.
"You gave us quite the scare when your carriage arrived empty two days ago," he chuckled when two of my guards blocked his path to me.
I managed to maintain my smile. "Yeah, you have a beautiful city. I wanted to enjoy it a little."
A lie. I stopped in town to wait off the time to the debutante ball. My experience there shaved off my nerves and I had a much better time than I thought I would. The citizens were friendly and polite. Too polite. Either way, the experience would linger with me for a long time.
"I am happy you love our city," he nodded. His loose arctic blue hair caressed his cheek. He brushed it behind his ear. "I thought you wouldn't come to the ball. I mean, you never show up at these things. Thought you still held those childish philosophies as love before marriage."
Childish? What was wrong with wanting to fall in love before I got married? Nothing and fuck them for believing otherwise.
I gritted my teeth. "Children grow up, don't they?"
I didn't add that Anubis kept me from attending the debutante balls in the past. Whenever we got an invitation, he would send our Kingdom's eligible bachelors with gifts in my stead. Not this time.
Duke Velron eyed me. "I supposed so. It's just weird. We both know you hated Thaliah when you were kids."
I almost stumbled at the honesty in his voice. Anyone else would have forgotten such a thing. Not Duke Velron.
I squared my shoulders. "I never hated her."
Sure, I cut off her hair, but it was because Velron dared me to. He called me a weak little crybaby. Ten-year-old me wanted to prove to him I could do anything without the help of my older brothers. Thaliah annoyed me then. She followed me around and wouldn't shut up. She ruined the gift I spent months preparing to give Queen Rhia---Princess at the time. I became furious and jumped at the chance to ruin something precious to Thaliah as well. Payback.
That was the first time I had seen her cry. Truth be told, guilt never possessed me until Baron looked at me. I wasn't sad that Thaliah cried. No, it made me feel good. I liked it. A little too much. I was sad because Baron was disappointed, I allowed someone else to use me. Again.
Thaliah left that summer and never returned to the Fire Kingdom. Mother yelled at me. Father never spoke to me for a month. Anubis and Baron were furious with me and Velron. I understood my actions could have started a war between two kingdoms. I was lucky it didn't. When Velron returned the following year, he made it his point of duty to tell me Thaliah lied to her parents that she cut it as a dare. For some reason, what she did annoyed me. I didn't understand why she lied. Then, I didn't care. At least, that was what I thought.
Duke Velron bobbed his head, seeing through my comment. Whatever. It didn't matter if he thought I hated her or not.
"Look, I should get cleaned up for the ball," I changed the subject, hoping he wouldn't try to keep in a weird conversation.
He stepped to the side. "Yes, you should hurry, too. It's about to start. I've never known the fire royals to be tardy."
I flinched at the comment. Another tease to show me I was nothing like my family.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Right."
My guards stepped off and I followed, grateful they were there to protect me not just physically but emotionally. If Duke Velron was going to be around, my time at the Ice Kingdom got a lot harder. Damn Anubis for ruining my life.
An attendant came to greet me at the palace door instead of the Queen. Due to my tardiness, we arrived while she was getting ready for the ball. Relief washed over me. I was not in the mood to deal with her and Velron minutes after each other. I needed time to process before another attack.
The attendant showed us to our rooms. I doubt the guards would be using theirs. They took their duty seriously. It was that reason why Baron sent them with me. Since I realized Velron would be at the Palace, I was grateful he thought a step ahead of me. He always did. As the eldest, he always protected me and Anubis. Despite being the son of a concubine, he treated us like we shared the same mother. I couldn't think of him as a bastard child. He was blood through and through.
My servants swarmed the room.
"Would you like us to help you get ready, sir?"
I nodded and they got to work. At least, I got my people to attend to me. They made my trip bearable.