Sheer Cold

Prologue

She resembled her mother greatly. Although she was only six or seven, the similarities had never been so obvious to Uncle. Dahra had the tidy, dark red hair and the luminescent golden eyes that reminded him of her. She also had her father's way of dealing with emotions. Dahra seemed to be in a world of her own as she gazed at the newly turned earth.

She was too young to deal with such loss.

Her father had been very successful, and familiar with the Royal Family due to his relationship with Uncle. Not Uncle - Prince Ayden. Since his nephews and nieces had been born, he had rechristened himself inadvertently. Dahra would've got along swimmingly with them. It was a shame that the child of the Ice Domain's best innovator and friend was going to grow up in a common orphanage. But Uncle was her God father. He may not have known her well, but he was not going to let that happen.

He walked over quietly.

"Hello, Dahra."

"Uncle!" she seemed to return to the real world with a jolt.

"Are you okay?" Uncle asked gently.

She nodded.

"It is difficult for me too, Dahra."

"I'm fine," the girl specified.

The words fell from his mouth before he gave them proper thought, but he still didn't want to retrieve them.

"Would you like to live in the Ice Palace, Dahra?"

"I want to go home."

Uncle sighed.

"You know that you cannot return home, little one. But you'll like it at the palace. I promise."

"Okay, Uncle. I trust you."

* * *

No expense had been spared in the making of that particular meal. Uncle was known for being particularly frivolous when it came to money and food, but he couldn't remember spending such an amount on a single meal before. Queen Yana was clearly impressed though.

"If you have enough wealth stashed for meals like these, Father must have left you a lot."

Uncle had been hoping for that response. "When it comes to my family, my pockets are limitless, dear sister."

"That's nice to hear." Yana beamed.

Uncle gestured for her to tuck in, and she complied. He had been waiting for his chance to play this card.

Yana dabbed her lips elegantly. "How have you been? I know that you were particularly close to Crystopher."

Uncle concealed his delight expertly. He couldn't have hoped for a better choice of topic.

"Crystopher was a good person, and widely appreciated despite the scandal. The only person who could be feeling the loss as heavily as I, is their daughter."

"Oh yes," Yana remembered. "They had a daughter of Kiaran's age, didn't they?"

"She's the sweetest child," Uncle informed her. "Very polite and intelligent. It's a shame that she'll be sent to an orphanage."

The Queen sat back. "Why do I get the feeling that you're selling me this child?"

"Not quite." Uncle winced. "I would like to give her a home here."

"In the palace? That's unorthodox, Ayden."

"She's my God daughter."

Yana pursed her lips. "She won't replace anybody. She won't replace Dad. She won't replace-"

"I know, I know. Dahra would just be living somewhere here, and financially supported by myself."

Yana shook her head with a smile.

"And possibly sharing lessons with your daughters."

"Fine. Fine." Yana relented. "Who am I to refuse my older brother when he wants to do something so righteous?"

Uncle grinned at her. "Thank you, Yana."