by K T Munson
Dorsh was coming. He had to come. He believed there was a specific spot inside the volcano where the Frost Knight could place the iceberg that would cool it more efficiently. He’d said something that Thea didn’t understand about where the mantle and the crust met, or something to that effect—basically the hottest, most active spot in the volcano. Dorsh wasn’t a magic user, so he would need to be protected and kept warm on the ocean.
A handful of about two hundred and fifty soldiers were spared for this trip, handpicked by Coor since they were his men. All of them were magic wielders, and accustomed to weaponry and battle situations. That would put about twenty men in each of the boats that the Frost Nation was building to push the iceberg. Thea only hoped that would be enough, but not many more soldiers could be spared because they were needed in the capital for disaster response.
Thea sighed at her reflection, trying to brace herself for this quest. Just then the chamber door opened and Coor came in. Thea turned toward her husband as he closed the door. His hazel eyes were incredibly sad. Emotion welled up in them both, and Thea stood from her chair and went to him, while he came quickly toward her. Throwing their arms around each other, they held on tightly as Thea began to cry into Coor’s neck, and he buried his face in hers.
“It’s okay,” Coor whispered. “It’s going to be okay.”
No words were said for a few minutes as Thea sobbed, and Coor petted her long hair. They knew they couldn’t avoid this trip, or this separation, because more was at stake than anything had ever been before—the life of their planet. It didn’t make the separation easier—in fact it might have even made it harder—but there was no choice.
After a few minutes, Thea managed to quiet down, but they still held onto each other for dear life, not daring to put any space between them. “Are you ready?” Coor finally said softly in her ear.
Thea shook her head. “No.”
“Everything is going to be fine. You’ll see.”
Thea nodded. She just wanted to be held by her husband. She savored every second she had with him. She paid close attention to his thick arms wrapped tightly around her back. She relished in his chest rising and falling against her as he breathed, delighting in his warm breath against her ear. She was acutely conscious of his hand gently running down the length of her hair, and the short bristles of his beard on her neck and jaw. She enjoyed her husband right now as completely as she could, feeling every inch of his body touching hers.
They spent hours together embracing each other has husband and wife, neither one seeming to want to stop. In one night, they made up the month of lost time together in advance.
The morning came too quickly for Thea. She’d gotten a grand total of an hour and a half of sleep. She wasn’t complaining, though. In fact, she felt much more ready for this trip then she had been before her and Coor’s long, passionate night. They were in the royal carriage now, heading west to the mouth of the River Gora. No crowds were around, so Thea allowed herself to curl up beside Coor with her head resting on his chest. He rested his cheek on the top of her head, fully relaxed, with her in his arms.
Darha sat on the other side across from them, biting her fingernails and staring out the window at the passing landscape. Thea smiled at her then drew her leg back and kicked her hard in the shin.
Darha cried out in pain, reaching down to clutch the injury and glared at Thea with incredible rage. “What do you…” she started to yell.
Thea kept smiling at her. She knew Coor was smiling broadly as well. Seeing their smiles, one slowly crept over Darha’s lips until finally soft genuine laughter came forth. Thea heard the gentle rumble of Coor’s chuckle in turn, and that made Thea start to chuckle. Soon all three of them were roaring with laughter.
It was an old joke between Thea and Darha. When Thea had been first adopted by the King and Queen, and they had taken their first ride as a family in the royal carriage, Thea was incredibly uncomfortable. She was ten years old at the time and started to act up by taking Darha’s doll away. Thea thought it was hysterical that six-year-old Darha couldn’t get it back from her. She just cried and cried, which Thea thought would be the whole of it. She’d been with the family long enough at that point to know Darha never got angry.
It wasn’t until Thea held the doll out the window and threatened to drop it that this changed. Darha’s little hands balled up into fists, her brows drew together, and she kicked Thea as hard as she could in the shin. Thea gasped in pain and then, out of pure respect for the little warrior that had suddenly emerged, she gave Darha her doll back. After that, Darha had kissed Thea’s shin and petted her cheek saying she was so sorry and that she hadn’t meant to hurt her. She was just worried for Mrs. Fancy Fire. Thea and Darha had been inseparable ever since.
The carriage finally came to a slow stop at the edge of the river’s mouth, where the Frost Nation was already waiting. They were to take Thea and her host south to the Frost Nation’s shores, where they would meet the Knight who was taking the iceberg up the coast. Thea, Darha, and Coor got out of the carriage and headed down to the shore to the Frost Nation boats. Fitzu, Kimbro, Dorsh, and the soldiers all disembarked their transports and joined them. A few of the Frost Nation boatmen greeted them with nods, while most just looked on suspiciously. None of them smiled. Thea felt her guard immediately go up, and the dread for this venture sunk in again.
One admittedly handsome soldier stepped forward. His hair was such a light, silvery blonde that it nearly looked white. He wasn’t dressed in more than a sleeveless light blue top and thin light blue pants. His feet were bare. Thea thought she saw a glimmer of blue all over his skin as he stepped forward, but it was so faint she couldn’t be sure.
“My name is Idok,” the soldier said. “I will be the lead escort in getting you to the Frost Nation shores. I do hope you’ve packed warm clothes because the wind over the ocean waters will be frigid for you, especially in close proximity to the large iceberg Sir Kirill is sailing up the coast.”
Thea narrowed her eyes. “I think we know how to keep ourselves warm.”
Idok paused, looking like he wanted to say something else, but instead sighed gently through his nose. “We will await your departure in the boats.”
Thea turned toward her men, taking a few steps back to address them all. “As we discussed, Ko, Julor, Beret, Thanhill, and Firns, you are my captains for the next month on this venture. Your groups of fifty will represent units one through five. Units, you report to your captains, captains you report to Fitzu or me. Questions?”
“No Commander,” they said in unison.
Thea shot her thumbs over her shoulders toward the boats behind her. “Let’s go.”
Her men made for the boats. Right behind them were the supply runners, who began to pack them with food, warm clothes, leather tents, tarps, and armor, along with other essentials for a long journey. The Frost Nation brought tons of water for the Fire Nation, and the Frost Knight to consume.
Thea watched the bustling activity with crossed arms and a grim face, dreading the venture more and more with every passing moment. She didn’t want to go. But the reminder of the devastation Rask could cause hardened her resolve that this was about to happen, and that it had to happen.
When the boats were packed, and the Fire Nation was all on board, Thea sighed and glanced at Fitzu, who just gently touched her shoulder and gave her a sympathetic smile before heading down. Dorsh and Kimbro followed him, and Thea turned to face her husband and sister. Both of them were trying to smile with encouragement, but it was obviously forced on both their parts. Thea sighed softly as she stepped up to Darha, and the two of them embraced tightly.
“I love you, little sister.”
“I love you too,” Darha said. She slightly pulled away and stared into Thea’s eyes. “It’s going to be okay, Thea.” She forced a smile even as tears filled her eyes. “You weren’t meant for anything less than saving our planet.” Thea threw her head back and laughed along with Darha.
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br /> Thea took her little sister’s face in both hands, and firmly kissed her forehead. “I’ll see you soon.”
Darha nodded and took in a trembling breath. “Consider it a command from your Queen that you return safely.”
Thea smiled and bowed at the waist, keeping her eyes locked on Darha’s. “Yes, your majesty.”
Darha gave a brief smile and then quickly turned to go back to the carriage before Thea could see her tears fall.
Thea gazed at her husband, and the difficult emotions kicked in. He met her eyes, and they threw their arms around each other. Thea was in no hurry to get to the boats, and no one dared rush her. She and Coor held on to each other for a good long while.
“Darha’s right, you know,” Coor whispered softly. “You weren’t meant for anything less than this.”
Thea couldn’t speak and just nodded, still holding on to him tightly. Coor kissed her neck quickly a few times, her cheek, and then her lips. It was a long kiss, and still no one rushed her.
Coor eventually pulled away and cupped her face in his hands. “I love you.”
A single tear that she couldn’t hold back fell down her cheek, and Coor gently wiped it away with his thumb. “I love you, too,” she replied in a shaky voice.
He kissed her quickly one last time and, as if bracing himself for a hard hit, he took in a deep breath before he finally took his hands off his wife’s cheeks. Thea took in a deep breath as well, keeping her eyes locked with her husband’s, as she tried to gather her will to walk away from him. Only after a heavy swallow, and some fierce resolve, was she able to turn and head to the boats.
She climbed onto the one with Fitzu, Kimbro, and Dorsh, and the Frost Nation sailors shoved off. Thea remained standing as they started over the water. She wasn’t sure if she was going to be able to turn around. Bracing herself again, knowing she was going to regret it if she didn’t, she peered over her shoulder at her husband and sister. Coor was standing next to Darha with his arm around her shoulders, and both of Darha’s arms encircled his torso.
Thea watched them for a long time until the shore was swallowed by mist. She permitted the pain to sink in for only fifteen seconds, and then hardened herself as she turned to look out over the river. She shifted her focus to her mission and what needed to be done to save her people. With her jaw set, and brows drawn together, she sat down in the boat and allowed the journey to begin.
Frost: Chapter Fifteen
Kirill was a grown man, and grown men didn’t pout or sulk. They brooded.
Aradel had been there earlier, upset with him for taking on this quest. Annoyed, he’d pushed her out the door and closed it behind her, as if they were still children, unable to settle things with words.
He shoved things into his travel bag now with more force than was necessary. He understood her fears, and shared some of them, but her worry wouldn’t change his mind. He was a soldier, and one of the most powerful men in the Frost Nation. This mission was perfect for him and his skills. She was needed here, with their elderly Queen and broken wall.
He tossed the bag roughly to the ground, put his hands on his hips, and stared at the floor. Aradel was right to be worried; this was a dangerous mission. He had been too hard on her, and she hadn’t deserved to be treated that way. There was only one place she could be now, and he needed to see her, and his mother, before he left.
With a heavy sigh, he stepped over his bag and left his room. He weaved through their winter palace with purpose. When he reached the owl’s tower, he paused at the bottom. Taking the steps two at a time, he paused when he heard her voice. She was singing the only song he had ever heard her sing; something her sister had taught her.
“Are we going to the sea?
They say that the moon
is big and bright and free.
Magic can happen here
magic stronger still,
if we meet at midnight
at the Ashtra Sea.”
Her voice resonated around the stone walls as he began a slower, more careful ascent. She had told him little of her life before they had found her. The Queen had found her performing tricks for money in Secille. She had spoken of her older sister a few times over the years, but what she hadn’t said spoke volumes. Her sister had been sold, and had died soon after. That was when Aradel had come to Axion and, as far as he knew, had never gone back.
“Are you coming to the sea?
They say that the moon
is full and fancy free.
Home is behind us
the sea ahead…”
Her voice trailed off. Aradel was resting her head on her hands and leaning on the window sill that overlooked Axion. The cold winter breeze made the few loose strands of her hair swirl and dance. When he stepped into the tower, his boot made a noise, and she glanced toward him.
“Thinking about your sister?” Kirill asked as he stepped up beside her, and surveyed Axion.
“Your leaving reminds me of when she left,” Aradel said, but her voice seemed far away, as though she were lost in her memories. “When she left, she never came back.”
“I’m coming back,” he told her, though he couldn’t actually be sure.
“How can you possibly know that?” she asked, looking up at him with her face full of sorrow.
“Because I am too stubborn to die,” Kirill pointed out, crossing his arms.
Aradel appeared surprised. She blinked up at him. Some of the owls shifted on their perches, and some opened an eye or two. Finally, Aradel straightened and crossed her arms as well. “Well, at least we both agree you’re stubborn.”
“I know you’re worried,” Kirill said, letting his arms fall to his sides. “You have every right to be, but I won’t die so easily.”
“There are so many things that can go wrong,” Aradel told him as she reached up and smoothed some of her hair back, something she had done since she was young.
“And everything could go right,” he reminded her.
“It’s my fault you’re going,” Aradel whispered, meeting his gaze straight on. “I insisted we should try.”
“And we should,” Kirill told her, taking her shoulders in his hands. “It is worth the risk.”
Aradel looked at him with a heavy expression on her face. The owls slept behind them, the cold wafting in to keep them cool. A few cooed and some chattered, but most remained asleep. He studied the lines of her face and realized she was losing some of the roundness to it. Kirill didn’t remember her face being so severe.
“When I was the one taking the risk, it was worth it,” Aradel said. “You are the closest thing I have to family.”
“We are family,” Kirill told her, showing a softer side that only she and his mother saw.
Aradel swallowed heavily and nodded. “I’ll take care of your mother,” she told him. She threw her arms around his waist and put her head against his chest.
Kirill blinked in surprise. Aradel was not one for displays of affection. The older she had gotten, the further she had pulled away from everyone and everything. He felt that most of the time he was only scratching the surface of who she was. He put his arms around her slowly, and she held on tight, as though he might disappear if she didn’t hang on to him. For once he felt as though he was seeing all of Aradel.
“I know you will,” he replied, patting her back and feeling almost uncomfortable.
Aradel sniffled, but there weren’t any tears rolling down her cheeks. Kirill had not seen her cry since she was a child, one of the traits that made her such a powerful candidate to become Queen. Should the moon pearls decide Queen Vesna was no longer fit, he knew Aradel would be a sure pick.
“Let us go and see your mother,” Aradel said, putting on a brave smile.
They were silent as they came down from the messenger’s tower. Kirill thought to say something to break the silence, but felt he had said everything already. There wasn’t anything else he could do to lessen the blow. He was leaving on a mission that might be a one-way
trip. The thought did not warm him, but he felt a duty to his country to go in Aradel’s stead.
By the time they reached the Temple of the Moon, he had resolved himself. He glanced at Aradel as she moved forward to greet the temple leader with a smile. She was using her polite smile, the one she used when she was upset, but unwilling to let anyone see it. He used to call it her “princess face,” but she had reminded him she wasn’t a princess.
“High Priestess Kerin,” Aradel said, putting her hands in the priestess’s open hands.
“Lady Aradel,” High Priestess Kerin replied, exchanging kisses on their cheeks.
It was customary for women of rank to display a presumed intimacy in public. The old woman’s hair was as white as the snow around them. She had a small mole above her lip on the left side. It made her look more distinguished. Kirill wasn’t all that fond of her. Though he admired many of the projects she had kept alive after her predecessor had passed away, he disliked her for her stance on the mentally impaired. He thought they should be cared for by the temple, but High Priestess Kerin believed they should be the responsibility of their families.
“Sir Kirill,” High Priestess Kerin said with a slight bow of her head. “The Queen has told me of your undertaking. You do the Moon Goddess proud, and I bless you on your duty.”
The old woman lifted her hands out of the long sleeves she wore. She held her hands up and muttered to herself. Kirill felt his face twitch, but kept all his normal retorts to himself. He didn’t feel like fighting with the crotchety old woman on his last day in Axion.
“It is my duty,” Kirill replied stiffly.
“We are here to see Tristra,” Aradel interrupted, knowing full well how Kirill felt about the woman. “How is she today?”
“I do not know,” High Priestess Kerin replied with a wave. “You may see her, of course.”