by Eva Brandt
“You really are an idiot, you know that?” I hissed at him. He opened his mouth to answer, but I stopped him before he could piss me off further. “No. Just, no. Don’t say another word, or you will regret it more than I will.
“You know, Lerna was the one to tell us where to go find you. She also asked me to not be too harsh on you despite your mistakes. Because you’re a good man.
“My dragons tell me that it’s likely she may have sensed your connection. I have to wonder then why she chose to not shift in your presence despite having that knowledge.”
It was a low blow, but I’d never been one to censor my words when I was angered, and he had gone too far.
The comment rendered him mute, and he let out a small noise, as if it hadn’t occurred to him that it was his fault the hydra hadn’t approached him to pursue a potential relationship.
“You don’t know anything about Lerna and me,” he said, but it sounded weak and unconvincing, as if he was forcing himself to go through the motions of protesting.
“I don’t need to. You know enough for us both and you’re well aware that I’m right.”
The defiance in Jack’s stance withered away like one of Eranthe’s favorite blooms when exposed to the cold of my realm. “Sometimes, I really hate you, you know that, Cassia?” he whispered.
“The feeling is mutual,” I replied, and was not surprised when he slumped against me in defeat.
“What am I supposed to do then?” he asked. “Tell me. I know I made a mistake, but how am I supposed to fix something like this?”
Finally, I was getting somewhere. “We’ll figure something out, Jack,” I replied, wrapping my arms around him, “but no longer being an idiot and doing what you’re being told to would be a good start.”
It was already asking for a lot, but I could hardly expect Jack to completely change, and I wouldn’t have wanted that to begin with. It was just as well that the responsibility for his well-being and mischief would soon fall onto different hands.
Epilogue
Cheimon
News of Jack’s involvement in the recent ailment that had struck me reached the ears of most inhabitants of The Frozen Peaks within hours of his return to the palace. It was not even something I orchestrated, as January and December had apparently taken my sickness more personally than expected. I wasn’t sure how they had figured out that the whole thing had been Jack’s fault, but I suspected the nisse might have had some hand in it.
Ded Moroz was not pleased with this, but could not deny the fact that his son’s abandonment of his post looked dreadful, and the history of their family in rash decision-making certainly did not help. Jack’s past behavior and tendency to poke at things best left alone—like, for example, angry yetis—was enough of an example to make his less than stellar judgment clear.
Fortunately, despite my lieutenants’ propensity to gossip, I managed to keep most of the information from leaking. Because of that, it was unclear to the overall population what kind of spell Jack had cast that had led to such damage being done to the realm. They had no idea that it had been related to soulmate summoning magic at all, or that it was why my dragons had ended up here, and I intended to keep it that way.
For his own safety, and to avoid further idiocy-induced episodes, I had Jack moved to a cell block, kept comfortable enough, but still a prisoner. It would take time until I could implement my plan, and for the moment, I had to prioritize rebuilding the area around The Frozen Peaks.
The day after my unfortunate clash with Jack’s even more unfortunate magic, I emerged from the palace with my dragons flanking me and took in the extent of the damage that had been done to the more remote part of the settlement. I pressed my lips together in displeasure. Honestly, how could Jack have been so stupid? Was I doing the right thing by giving him a lighter punishment than he deserved?
More importantly, why had I not managed to keep the whole thing from escalating? The enchantment might have been Jack’s fault, but that didn’t mean I was completely blameless in the issue.
My distress must’ve shown, as my dragons wasted no time in addressing it. They didn’t touch me, mindful of the fact that we were in public, but they did come a little closer. “It’s all right, treasure,” Raijin said, his magic sweeping over my skin in an almost palpable caress. “The people are safe now, and you’ve contained the situation. Beyond that, we can handle everything in time.”
I arched a brow at him and shot him a quick smirk. “Was that supposed to be a pun? This is the land of time, you know.”
My dragons blinked at me, taken aback by my sudden shift in demeanor. They couldn’t have missed the fact that it wasn’t completely genuine, but they let it go. “It wasn’t meant to be one, no,” Raijin said, “but I don’t mind that you take it as such as long as it cheers you up.”
“We can come up with other jokes if that’s what you’re into,” Emmerich added. “How about… A firedrake, a wyvern and a ryū walked into a tavern…”
That well and truly made me smile, no forced cheer necessary. I didn’t even know why I was trying to pretend. My dragons could already see right through me, and they’d only been here a couple of days.
“The Realm of Eternal Ice is not a tavern, Emmerich,” I huffed. “Although I suppose it’s not much different either, since I’m constantly stuck having to fix the messes caused by the reckless actions of its visitors or inhabitants.”
As I spoke, I knelt in the snow and allowed my magic to flow over the land. My realm responded to me as easily as it always did, if not easier, and my smile widened as I felt my dragons join me on the ground.
The mountain would not heal overnight, nor would the snow that had fallen return to the peak where it had been. Some things could not be mended just by willing them away. Even my magic, no matter how powerful it was, had its limits.
But for the sake of the people, and for the future I wanted to share with my dragons, I would always do my best, regardless.
* * *
Cheimon
Ten days after my dragons’ arrival in Chronikos, Jack’s trial was held, in front of my whole court. It was more of a formality than anything else. The outcome had already been established more than a week ago. Jack had agreed to this arrangement, even if it would not be ideal.
I entered my throne room in a flurry of snowflakes, and was instantly greeted by the sight of an uncommonly large assembly. For the purpose of the trial, the governors of some of the most important provinces of the realm had come to The Palace of Serenity. This was a rare occurrence, despite the fact that they were supposed to report regularly to me. The trip between our settlements was tedious and long for most everyone, so I didn’t usually require that kind of approach. Recent developments had changed that, as it had become obvious that I needed to pay a little more attention to the underlings who didn’t actually live here.
January pompously announced my arrival—as if my presence hadn’t already been obvious before. “All kneel in front of Her Royal Majesty, Queen Cheimon, Lady of Winter, ruler of Tou Cheimóna, The Realm of Eternal Ice. May her reign be as everlasting as the snow.”
I felt an impending headache begin to pound at my skull. This was part of the reason why I didn’t host massive gatherings. While I didn’t make it as obvious as my sisters, I didn’t like elaborate formalities any more than they did.
Still, I acknowledged the necessity, and was pleased to note that everyone in the room followed January’s instructions without hesitation. I sat on my throne, and since all the people present were conveniently looking at the floor, took advantage of the moment to wriggle around a bit and find a more comfortable position. With luck, this whole farce wouldn’t last long. My dragons had been… zealous earlier, and despite the fact that my magic always healed my injuries, I still felt a mild ache.
They were, as always, by my side, and had already begun scrutinizing the assembly for any response to my presence they deemed inadequate. They still had some reservations about my cho
sen course of action, as I had known they would, but they had ultimately accepted my decision, once I had agreed to their not so subtle offer to have them as my permanent guards.
I had a distinctive feeling that I’d fallen into a bit of a trap there, but oh well. I didn’t really mind it.
December and Ded Moroz were also present, and the old man looked even more aged than he had the day my father had taken the rest of his family from him. He had not argued against my decision to imprison Jack, but I knew very well that it weighed on him. It was a shame that I didn’t really trust him with the truth. I would’ve liked to give him at least some peace of mind, but unfortunately, it was not possible.
Pushing aside my concern for my advisor, I focused on the matter at hand. “Rise,” I told my subjects. As they complied, I succumbed to the unavoidable and set out to offer the speech everybody was waiting for. “We are here today to render judgment onto a member of our community who has done us great harm. It is a tragic fate, as he has served us and the realm well for many decades. However, we cannot make exceptions, not in such a serious case.” I waved a hand toward December. “Bring Jack Frost in.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” December replied, once again proving to be almost as energetic as January. It looked like the only way to get him to show some degree of enthusiasm for anything was to thrust him into the middle of a crisis.
December and January opened the throne room doors, and furor immediately exploded among the gathered citizenry as Abby stepped inside, escorting Jack in. I got up, unwilling to let the drama and chaos develop more than it already had. “Silence!”
I didn’t shout, but I didn’t have to. My voice echoed through the cavernous halls of my throne room, the walls of ice amplifying it, making the simple word I had uttered heavy with compulsion. Instantly, the crowd obeyed and went still.
Satisfied with their obedience, I ushered Abby and Jack to approach. “Abominable, bring forth the prisoner.”
My yeti grunted and directed Jack forward. Like I had told him before the trial, he was… well, not exactly gentle, but careful at least. He definitely wasn’t as brusque as he would’ve normally been when faced with Jack, or anyone else who had slighted me. I appreciated the unquestionable loyalty, especially considering the episode that had led us to this moment.
That brought me to the matter at hand. My gaze met Jack’s, and for a few seconds, we just stared at one another. His face was a mask, but a glint of gratitude and mischief shone in the deep blue seas of his eyes.
I really hoped the former would be more powerful than the latter, but it was probably a little too much to ask for.
“Jack Frost, former guardian of The Bridge of Frosted Leaves, were you or were you not behind the enchantment that caused the instability of the river Topaz in the last couple of weeks?” I inquired.
“I was, Your Majesty,” Jack admitted without flinching.
“And you admit to having left your post of guardian for your own whims?”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“And you are aware that this enchantment was the cause behind the recent damage to The Frozen Peaks and to me as a person?”
“I am, Your Majesty.”
“Do you acknowledge the gravity of your actions?”
“I do, Your Majesty.”
Satisfied that I’d pretty much gotten the formality of the trial out of the way, I nodded in acknowledgment of his “confession.”
“Very well. I hereby declare you guilty of crimes against The Realm of Eternal Ice. I sentence you to exile until such a time that I have decided that you have fulfilled your penance. You will be denied the magic of the realm that you have spurned for your selfish desires. Your magic will be bound to that of your guardian, and she will make sure that you never attempt such foolishness again.”
I clapped my hands, and just like that, the door opened once more. Like one being, everyone turned to take in the new arrival. I hid a smile at the dumbstruck silence that followed. Good. Let them be surprised. My realm might be one of eternal ice, but a little variety was needed now and then. Otherwise, we would never be prepared should there come a time when an actual threat targeted us.
We’d all gotten a bit too complacent in the past couple of decades. No longer.
The massive hydra who stalked into the room barely fit into the space left between the two groups of people present. Her eight heads swayed as she walked, every set of eyes taking in the situation with a vigilance that nobody would’ve been able to question.
Abby stepped aside, pulling Jack along to give Lerna room. As she reached the steps of my dais, she bowed—or rather, her heads did. “Greetings, Queen Cheimon, Lady of Winter, ruler of Tou Cheimóna, The Realm of Eternal Ice. I am Lerna Thurlacht, of Tou Fthinopórou, The Realm of Eternal Bounties. I bring greetings from your sister, Her Royal Majesty, Queen Phthinoporon, Lady of Autumn, ruler of Tou Fthinopórou, The Realm of Eternal Bounties. With your permission and at your command, I will be grateful to assist you in the matter of the prisoner.”
She spoke through all of her mouths at the same time, and the sound came out as unnerving as expected. Even so, when I replied, my own voice was easily more powerful.
“Welcome, Lerna Thurlacht, faithful subject of my sister, to Tou Cheimóna. You must be tired from your long journey. Please, take a moment to rest. We will then proceed with the reminder of the arrangements.”
“Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty. You need not worry for my comfort. I am prepared to participate in the required ritual whenever you desire.”
She bowed again and moved aside, allowing me to focus on my court once more. They were all taking in the scene in complete silence, staring at the hydra in shock and horror, as if unable to process what was right in front of them.
I could understand where they were coming from. It was not common knowledge that Lerna was the guardian of The Bridge of Frosted Leaves on Pandora’s side, and the sheer girth of the eight-headed serpent was enough to terrify even people who dealt with Abby and his kind on a regular basis. Ded Moroz had gone pale, clearly not thrilled with the concept of his son being handed to a creature that could gobble him up within a bite should it so desire. Worse still, his magic would presumably be bound to the hydra, which, while common in the case of such crimes being committed on Chronikos, still wasn’t a method anyone was too comfortable with.
My lieutenants were shocked as well, although I suspected that their reaction might have been related at least in part to practical matters. Nobody had heard any news of a hydra entering Tou Cheimóna. Even assuming that I had given her permission, which was obviously the case, it was strange in the extreme that she’d be able to make her way from Pandora’s territory here, without having the ability to fly.
The actual explanation was not that complicated or shocking. Kerryn had gone to pick her up the day before at The Bridge of Frosted Leaves. It had been a simple matter of her shifting into her secondary shape and him carrying her, just like Raijin had carried me in the past. She had displayed far more gratitude than Jack, had been more than happy to participate in my little project, and had reveled in the idea of being included in the somewhat stripped down binding ritual I had come up with for Jack.
“As much as I hate to admit it,” she had said, “your males were not completely wrong in their assessment of Jack’s previous behavior. I am pleased that you are willing to give him a second chance in this way. Rest assured that I will not let him waste it.”
I believed her, as both Pandora and Kerryn had vouched for the hydra’s character and integrity. The simple fact that Pandora had trusted her to guard the bridge spoke volumes of her reliability. Of course, this arrangement—and the whole business with my dragons having to retrieve Jack from that stupid brothel—also meant that I’d owe Pandora a favor, but I’d worry about that later.
In the meantime, for Jack’s sake, I’d decided to keep the whole thing as private as possible and had given Lerna specific instructions to look intimidat
ing upon her arrival. She performed admirably. Her tail swayed back and forth like a whip, nearly striking several of the nobles who were standing a little too close to the throne. They shied away from her, stumbling over one another as they tried to avoid being struck by the powerful appendage.
Judging by the looks on all of their faces, a lot of them were debating what would occur to Jack while he was presumably in the hydra’s captivity, cut off from his magic and from everything he’d ever known.
Obviously, Jack’s punishment was very different from what they all believed it to be, but I had no intention of ever revealing the truth. They’d just have to be content that Jack had been punished for his transgression—sort of—and eventually, when enough time had passed, be prepared to welcome him home.
But that wouldn’t be for decades yet, and for now, there was still plenty of unpleasantness to handle. “The punishment for the prisoner has been arranged,” I announced. “The trial is over. Return to your homes and rest assured that the realm is safe.”
The words might have sounded a little brusque, but I allowed my magic to flow over my subjects, and that said more than any spoken command could have. I was Cheimon, Lady of Winter, harsh and cruel, but also peaceful and kind. That was what I had always been to them, and this new incident with Jack would not change anything.
Of course, despite me valuing serenity and peace above all else, the same could not be said about most of my subjects. As such, I was not surprised when three quarters of the people in the throne room exploded into cheers and thunderous applause. In an even more enthusiastic mimicry of their greeting, they started to chant, “All Hail Queen Cheimon!”
Ugh. Maybe I had been wrong when I’d told my dragons that Tou Cheimóna wasn’t a tavern. Some days, it certainly seemed like the people inside it behaved like good-for-nothing drunks.
I didn’t allow any of my less than charitable thoughts to show on my face and instead gave the people a few moments to display their zeal. My father always had said that sometimes, it was best to indulge in the raucous tendencies of the populace, and in that respect, at least, I agreed with him.