War of Winter (Iron Fey Fanfiction)

Chapter 12 - From My Heart

The attempt on Crystal's life brought a new demeanor of foreboding and tension about the court. Her mother had gone simply livid, demanding a raid on all the Summer camps around the Wyldwood border. That idea had been quickly tamed by Mab, who assured the Duchess her fair share of Summer bloodshed during the war - which was now looking to be inevitable.

   Unfortunately, there was one little problem. Elysium was in a week. Perhaps, the situation of Summer spies sneaking into Winter territory could be solved without violence. Of course, none of the winter sidhe liked this idea; they all wanted bloodshed. Not on Crystal's behalf but simply because it was in their nature.

   After the night of the Winter Formal, Crystal's mother became the irritating over protective parent, setting guards to accompany Crystal everywhere. Crystal had snapped at them more than a dozen times that they did not need to accompany her to the bathroom or bed. She'd even ordered them to piss off, but unfortunately they pulled the 'we were ordered by the Duchess' card.

   Crystal tried several times to escape them, but Thistle, who was on babysitting duty - that's basically what it was - always found her. He tried to be friendly but after a few days, Crystal began to see what Thistle's true motives were. After he brought her a piece of lemon cake with eyes like a puppy dog, she simply ignored him.

   This only resulted in him drinking even more heavily than he had after his brother's death. She didn't care. She would not have some love-struck guard following her around and giving her gifts. She had to admit, the lemon cake was quite tasty though.

   Crystal now sucked in a breath as she took aim for the squirrel up in the tree. She thought earlier maybe a bit of hunting would clear her mind. Thankfully, she's snuck out without being trailed by guards - after slipping a bit of napping weed into their breakfasts.

   She had the vague feeling that someone had indeed followed her - probably Thistle, who hadn't come out of his room since she'd practically screamed at him to stop being so smitten with her in front of several members of the court, including Prince Sage. She hadn't seen the guard since then.

   She took a slow breath and corrected her aim to hit the squirrel in the neck. But before she could loose the arrow, a transparent one made its home in her prey's hide. She whirled, preparing to shoot whoever had done that with her own arrow.

   "Hey, I saw it first," Rowan said, smirking. Did he ever stop smirking? He strode over and picked up the animal from where it'd fallen, yanking the arrow out and placing it back in its quiver.

   "If you weren't royalty, you'd be dead right now," Crystal said, glaring. Any fey with their right mind would never have shot one of Crystal's prey. But, Rowan wasn't any fey, and he also really wasn't in his right mind either so...

   "Yes, you're so frightening, Crys," he snorted, using that stupid nickname again. Crystal blushed, much to her horror, and took a calming breath. In doing so, a wonderful scent entered her nostrils; a scent of pine, frost, and slightly mint. It took her a moment to realize it was coming from the prince and she blushed even harder.

   "Please stop calling me that," she said through clenched teeth, thinking maybe she should start calling Rowan Ro or Rowie. Then, through further assessment, drew the conclusion that name calling would probably get her killed.

   "Why? It's cute?" he said, packing up the squirrel in his saddle bag. He smiled full on at her and she knew, right then and there, that she was doomed.

*****

   A blizzard hit right as they were about three miles out from the palace. Rowan suggested smartly that they take shelter in a nearby cave, both to rest themselves and the horses. They couldn't see anything through the storm, anyway.