Queen of Summer's Ice (Book 2)

Chapter 2

     "If the kids ask, tell them I'm in a meeting," was all I said to Ruby as I hurried behind Hudson. I heard her mutter a "Yes my Queen."

     "Is there anything you want to tell me now before this meeting starts?" I asked once we were a few doors down the small council room. I still wore my morning dress but that didn't matter, I wasn't going back into my room to change into something more 'Queen appropriate' not when the news seemed important.

     "I was on patrol this morning, when a rider came to me giving me this letter," he pulled it out from an inner pocket from his coat and handed it to me, "Telling me it was from your father."

     I took the letter from him, it was slightly wrinkled and smudges of wet spots were on the edges but other then that it was untouched. "The seal is unbroken. How do you know this is important."

     "Because Prince Elis and Princess Palma also sent their own letters," he pulled two more letters, both un read, and handed them to me.

     Well, if all three of them were sending letters, then something was definitely suspicious. I debated if I should read the letters here, outside, before I entered the meeting. But then I thought against it. This is my council and what I know, they know. With that being said Hudson opened the doors for me, the sound of the heavy wood groaning against the floor as he did so. And instantly the morning sun was glittering the ice room like diamonds. Small rainbows spread themselves through out the space, adding color into the otherwise pale blue room.

     Everyone got  up from their chairs and greeted me with a bow. Except for Ray, he was the only one to walk up to me. He gently placed his hand on my cheek and and kissed my lips. "Good morning my Queen," he muttered quietly.

     "Good morning my King," I said softly. Everyones heads were still low, waiting for me to bring them back up. And if I wanted to keep them in that position until they fainted from sleep, they would have. But I certainly never did. "Let's begin this meeting shall we?"

     Everyone nodded in agreement and we all took our seats. The table was made out of crystalize ice that never melted in its long rectangle formation. At the ends of the table sat a women in her mid twenties named Yana, I had met her in one of the winter villages during my first year ruling and her tactics had caught my eye. She was hustling two men our of their money, and their food. And when the men lost their prizes - and their calm - she took care of them no problem. Even then when she was almost just skin and bones from starvation, she held her ground. And now almost five years later she's grown more meat and muscle on her bones. Her pale skin has gotten a slight glow to it from her travels into summer. But her strong face still remains serious, always watching with her misty gray eyes. I call her my master of lies, and spies.

     Across from her sat Hudson who has grown to be the successor to Liam, as I predicted he'd do. He's also shown promise with coin management for the winter's bank, so thats a bonus for him. At the age of twenty five now he's still has that swaggering confidence, but he's learned to keep his mouth shut when serious matter was in progress. Like the one we were in now. 

     Then there was Liam, who sat to my right. Age had snuck up behind him ever since I took my crown, he was weaker now, as if his body was now finally relaxing after being on survival mode for his whole life. He carried a metal cane with him everywhere once the pain in his knee and hip were to painful to bare alone; but the cane also doubled as a hidden dagger, with the knob being a secret compartment for a rare undetectable poison he was able to sneak in from the Spring - with the help of Yana. Only the people in this room new about the poison, and we all agreed it would be used as a last resort during an emergency. 

     To my left was my husband, and equal half, Ray. And although we married and he was now King, he still took the seat to my side so that I alone would be at the head of the table. When I told him that it wasn't necessary for him to do that, that we were equal in every way, he simply looked me in the eyes and told me that this was my season, no matter what. That I was the one who wielded the winters power, not him.