Back in the Ice Kingdom Daniel spent his time busy with work.
Occasionally he thought of Aileen and what she may be doing. But so many things were running on his mind that he didn't have much time to think about her.
Daniel had been taking on extra work, and by that, it was meant that he had been diligently searching for the man who had attacked Aileen, for two reasons.
The first being that he deserved punishment for what he had done, but also that Daniel wanted answers, Aileen had told him the man mentioned something about the Fire Nation's soldiers being corrupt.
He was more confused as to how this tied into the royal family. He used to be angry, but the more he got to know Aileen, the less it seemed that she had any idea this was going on. And he was beginning to become skeptical after meeting her parents. They seemed like genuinely kind people.
Aileen had been gone for a few days now, Daniel got word that a count would be coming to visit, however he wished he would have asked for the name, because as he left with his advisor, he didn't expect to see Diane standing in the middle of the palace hallways.
She seemed smug, as if she had done this on purpose.
Daniel sighed, waving his hand to dismiss who he had with him.
Once it seemed that they were alone, Daniel grabbed her pulling her into a parlor room.
"Diane... Why are you here?"
She was trying not to look to happy, he could tell.
"Well, my father is the count that came, usually my mother comes along for trips like this because the palace is so far from the city... But mother is sick this time so I accompanied my father."
"Besides." She said stepping closer to him and placing a hand on his chest.
"There are still things I wanted to say to you."
Daniel sighed and grabbed her hand.
"Listen Diane I don't have the time for this, you may as well go find where your room will be, I'm busy."
And he strode away down the hall.
Meanwhile...
It was already hot here in the Fire Kingdom. The sun shone brightly, and there weren't many clouds.
Aileen had learned from a brief mention of Sebastian that he had gone on vacation with his fiance and his family. Aileen was secretly relieved... She didn't want to run into him, especially not after their last conversation.
Aileen wondered what Daniel was doing. She imagined him sitting at his desk with papers all around him, tie loosened, and hair falling out of place.
She smiled in spite of herself, and then shook her head trying to to snap out of it.
She knew things had shifted between them, and Daniel was no longer so cold.
Aileen was walking down a long hallway in her home, she passed by an advisors room, but stopped when she heard the voice of her father.
The door hadn't been closed all the way, Aileen knew they hadnt noticed.
Her father spoke in a hushed tone.
"I told them they needed to infiltrate the city."
The advisor, Miguel spoke back.
"I understand sire, but are you sure that's the right thing to do now, Aileen still has to go back, and if war breaks out, it won't be safe for her."
Her father protested. " No, the fact that Aileen is there is perfect, my men won't hurt her, but they will take down that Ice bastard. I'll have his head on a pike, and our kingdom will eradicate those silver eyed bastards and take over."
Aileen had put her hand to her mouth in shock, and continued listening.
"But your majesty, from those we've placed in the palace, they say the prince is already aware of a band of soldiers doing corruption, and he suspects the royal family is behind it."
The king chuckled.
"Well, he'll soon be sorry he didn't act on it... In a few weeks we will burn their city to the ground."
Miguel spoke again. "Your majesty, are you sure, there have been so many years of peace... Isn't that why you married Aileen to him."
The king laughed once again. "Indeed there has been, I have only kept the peace in order to get so far with my plan, Aileen was part of it, but don't think for a second that I wanted any kind of peace with those Ice bastards."
Aileen's eyes welled with tears and she backed away before taking off down the hallway.
Her father was planning to take over the Ice Kingdom. This was waging war and so many innocent people were about to die.
Aileen felt sick, she felt the sudden need to get back to the Ice Kingdom and tell Daniel. She felt it fast. But the journey was so long.
Aileen bursted into her room and began packing up her things. In the midst of her frenzy, she heard the voice of her brother.
"What are you doing?" Ezra asked.
Aileen turned towards him, her tear streaked face gave her away.
Ezra immediately rushed in. "Aileen what's wrong?!"
Aileen gripped his suit jacket. "Did you know?!?"
Ezra shook his head, confusing mounting onto his face. "Know about what?"
"Father.... He plans to wage war with the Ice Kingdom."
Ezra's eyes widened and a grim line set across his face. Aileen knew he had no idea.
Ezra spoke in hushed tones. "Aileen you need to return to Daniel and warn him, as for us, neither of us will speak of this. I will try to contact other nations for help if it comes down to it. But I need you to swear you won't speak another word of this until you step foot into that palace."
Aileen nodded, Ezra wiped her face with his thumbs. "Clean up and come down for dinner, don't let father know anything is wrong. Because if you break he'll never let you go back, and he will wage war immediately."
With that Ezra patted the top of her head and strode out of her room.
Aileen cleaned her face and reapplied some makeup. She changed her dress and took a seat across from her father at dinner.
As she smiled and tried to act as if everything were normal, her hands still shook under the table.
She glanced at Ezra. He too looked at her, giving the smallest shake of his head, as if to tell her to keep it together.
Ezra planned to send Aileen off tomorrow while his father traveled into the city for a delegation meeting at the city hall.
When morning arose, Aileen felt uneasy, for she knew this was the calm before the storm...