Cold Fire

 Once upon a time, there was a princess and a prince who fell in love. By that description, you may already assume that you know what happens next. But if you are willing, take a moment with me to listen to this tale of love and loss, of a woman whose pride and a man whose blind passion turned what could have been something beautiful into something tragic.

It began with a smile and a surprise in a garden. Young Princess Mara of the kingdom Ignis sat alone on a swing, wearing a lovely green gown and a frown on her face. With the tip of her foot, she absentmindedly traced patterns in the dirt as she tried to distract herself from the frustration boiling up inside her. The faint sound of someone muttering to himself pulled her out of her thoughts, causing her head to snap up. Her blue eyes searched around for the source of the voice, and they finally settled on an unfamiliar boy about her age wandering around. His skin was as pale as snow and his dark hair fell like soft waves around his ears. He was dressed in relatively simple clothing, and he was tall and strong in stature. She watched him from afar as he hopped up on the thin rim of the fountain and balanced on it as if he didn't have a care in the world. Cautiously, she rose from where she was sitting and approached. Hearing the sound of footsteps, he turned to look at her and a bright smile formed on his face, contrasting the frown still lingering on hers.

"Who are you and what are you doing here?" she demanded.

He cocked his head. "I'm exploring."

"On palace grounds?"

"I'm not from here."

"And where is it that you hail from?"

A glint formed in his eyes. "Not here."

"Watch your mouth. You're speaking to a princess."

He chuckled. "How do you know you're not speaking to a prince, hm?"

She scoffed. "I highly doubt that."

"You would be mistaken."

"Of what kingdom then?"

He didn't answer, stepping off the edge of the fountain and pretending to be distracted by one of the rose bushes. Letting out an exasperated sigh, she roughly turned him around, causing him to scrape his finger against one of the thorns. Her eyes widened at the sight of the blood and she immediately backed off.

"Now look at what you've done," he teased, seemingly unfazed.

"That's what you get for ignoring me," she responded with a raise of her chin.

His lips curved into an amused smirk. "Alright, if you must know, I am Prince Zaire of Glacies. Pleased to make your acquaintance," he finally introduced with an accentuated bow.

"The ice kingdom?"

"That's correct."

Her eyes narrowed, still not believing that this boy dressed like a commoner was royalty. "Prove it."

He clicked his tongue but made his way over to the fountain again. Catching some of the water in his hand, she watched as it turned into black ice crystals in his palm. Flashing her a triumphant smile, he closed his hand, melting the ice back into water again.

"Your turn now," he challenged.

She sputtered, caught off guard. "That won't be necessary."

"Why not? Anyone can wear a crown and claim to be a princess," he reasoned, gesturing to the diadem perched upon her auburn hair.

"This is my home. I don't need to prove anything to you."

He tilted his head, his grey eyes fixed on hers. "Don't tell me you can't wield your family's power?"