Secret of the Snow Queen (Fire and Ice Book #1) *GOING THROUGH EDITS*

CH. 4 Hostages 🔪❗

                                                                          Aurora

I blinked my eyes open to find myself in a dark cell. I sat up and groaned as my back ached from the whipping I'd received.

How long have I been out? There were separate cuffs on my hands, and I saw they were connected to chains leading to the middle of the cell. A metal door was at the end; they must have put me in the castle prison. I looked up and saw a small window letting in some light. It was then that I remembered it all.

I wandered through the city until Morgana found me and brought me to the castle. I must have passed out somewhere along the line. I put my hand to my stomach and realized I hadn't felt the baby move in a while. I laid back down, keeping my hand on my stomach as if that would make him move. I didn't know how long I lay there waiting for a sign that the baby was okay; my anxiety continued to grow as the seconds went by without any movement.

Are you okay in there? Tears began to fall on my cheeks, and I stifled a sob. Had the whipping killed the baby? I felt myself tremble as more sobs escaped my throat. The squeak of metal sliding made me sit up, and I quickly wiped away my tears.

An old, burly man walked in. He was wearing some fancy attire and a crown.

Ignatius.

"Hello Aurora..." I stood up, holding my chin up while looking him in the eyes. This man who claimed to be king had killed my family, my entire clan. The only person he hadn't killed was my mother; my father made sure of that... "You've been asleep for a while; I was beginning to think you'd never wake up."

"Why have I been arrested? What is my crime?" he chuckled.

"You're a threat to my empire. Naturally, I'd have to keep you under some control. You don't think I'd let my prized pig roam outside her pen, right?" I sniffed and took a step back. I felt very uncomfortable; he was looking at me in a very creepy way, and I couldn't help it anymore; I broke eye contact. "It's too bad; I was supposed to have you killed. But now that Morgana has gotten herself into a bind... It's a pity; I would have loved to see your head roll." He smiled at my horrified expression. "It doesn't matter now; you will come with me." A guard walked inside then and unlocked the cuffs on my hands, and I followed Ignatius out of the prison cell.

What does he want with me?

"Aurora, do you know what it takes to run an empire? The sacrifices you have to make?" I frowned; where was he going with this?

"I'm pretty dense about politics, my king." We walked up a flight of stairs, and he led me into the throne room. Two huge bowls of fire dimly lighted the room. Blurry memories flashed in my mind; I knew we were in my father's castle. Emperor Nicolas, they called him, the man who had brought the twelve clans together in peace and harmony. Something that hadn't been done in a thousand years. It was short-lived. However, he divorced his first wife for my mother and then ended up killing her. I was only three when she was beheaded right in front of me. His built empire crumbled soon afterward when Ignatius and Morgana took over the palace and most of the kingdom. Some clans had tried breaking away, but Ignatius threatened to burn their land, so they submitted to his rule.

There's nothing like unity. Ignatius sat on the throne and stroked his beard for a moment. The guard that had un-chained me before was standing right next to me as if I was going to make a run for it.

"Aurora, how would you like to put an end to all this misery? This petty war the rebels have started..."

"Your majesty, I want nothing more than peace for our people. All the poor and needy to be clothed, the sick to get well, and separated families to be reunited again."