Chess Piece

Dreams too Dangerous to Bear

She was so cold to the touch.

Their skins have brushed against each other throughout the night, and every time he was rudely jolted awake by it, for the cold bit against his, so much that his dream had consist of an actual block of ice every now and then. It was truly odd, for there was no chance that she was shivering, the windows were tightly closed and the blanket was so thick it would block the wind anyway should there be any. She was just truly cold from the inside.

He was already quite awake to watch the first glimpse of sun rising from the horizon, to see the light came filtering through the large windows and made her skin glowed under it, basking the morning warmth. Though he did shut his eyes when the figure beside him started to move, depending on his other senses to acknowledge his surrounding, feeling the mattress shifted as she rose up just as the knock on the door came.

It was her ladies-in-waiting; he would guess, ready to bath and prepare her for the day to come. The door creaked opened and hushed whispers came from several of women, proving his guess to be right, and soon enough he heard the muffled sound of water being prepared from the bathing chamber.

"He is still asleep." Elsa had answered in an equal whisper, and he dared himself to take the tiniest of peek, finding her standing by the standing mirror, two pair of hands just starting to peel her nightgown off her body, and he shut his eyes as fast as he could before he could catch a glimpse of the skin she had not yet let him to see.

Keeping himself as still as he possibly could, he waited until the sound of the door leading to the bathing chamber to click shut before he let his eyes to see the morning light again, turning his head toward the window, seeing how beautiful the fjord really was in the morning with it's blue waters without having himself distracted by the sleeping figure that was now only a door away from him.

Now none of the thirteen sons of his father was unwed, though he was sure he was the only one who would wake up in the morning and has not yet seen his wife's body, even refusing to take a peek; the thought of how his brothers must have mocked him for being the gentleman that he wanted to be did bring out a low scoff from him. They would have make their way with her, whether she would feel comfortable of doing so or not, for their own pleasure or to avoid whispers that would surely come if they do not consummate their marriage.

Yet he would rather face whispers than to fall in the footsteps of his brothers. He was better than them.

--

Every single decision, every single action, she had made or chose would have consequences.

Her ladies-in-waiting, though cautious and was only prompted by their curiosity that able to beat their fear of disrespect, had questioned on why she had not yet consummate her marriage with the Prince, who was still sound asleep when she had awoken. It was no secret that they would have to listen in; some even peeked through the small openings, during the Queen's wedding night before they would report it to her council.

It was why she dreaded the morning meeting, for she knew what should have been a private matter for normal people and yet not so much for royalties, would surely be the one topic the men would try to pry from her.

Hans had offered his company for her, yet she had declined, as it was awkward enough to discuss it with her council, the addition of him would only made her unable to think clearly, not to mention she would not able to control what he would say, and God knows what would come from his mouth.

The Council Men were bolder in term of asking, they did not held back nor give her the room of comfort, they demand answers whether she would want to give it or not, and they had bombarded her the moment she had sat at the head of the table.

"We were both exhausted and wish for nothing but to rest." The party had lasted up until midnight, or at least for them anyway as the guests had continued on even after the bride and groom had left the ballroom, and she could only imagine how most of them were still in bed while she was already up and about. "Besides, we were to secure our alliance with the Southern Isles through marriage, and I have done exactly that."

"Yet you have refused to acknowledge the scandal that now would grow should people find out that the Queen had refused to bed her own husband."

"Then do not let them find out." Of course she acknowledged the possibility of scandals; they thirsted to hear of the latest royalties' scandals, treated it as a form of amusement for them. "It may be a matter of the kingdom's politic, yet it is not for public consumption, so I expect you gentlemen to keep it that way."

"And should they start to question about heirs?" Lord Melbourne's eyebrow rose at her direction as his dark eyes watched her. "Surely they would expect you to be heavy with child soon, or else they would think you're barren."

Heirs. It was a topic she did not wish to discuss, avoided it at all costs should she was able to, for she was not ready for it. The thought of bearing a child when she had to bear the curse she had born with, the fear of bringing another life into a risk should she truly lost control, to lose her own flesh and blood at her own hands; all were too great for her to even consider. "One thing at a time, please."

"Your Majesty, there might not be time-"

"I am young, am I not? I have only reigned for a mere week; married just yesterday, surely the thought of heirs have not yet reached anyone's mind but yours." And should anything were to happen to her, Anna is her heir, she would always be, as long as there were no children coming from the Queen's womb yet.

Yet against her own words, it was not that she did not wish to be a mother, she wanted to experience it too like any other woman do, to be happy as she held her own child in her arms. She dreamt about it, the small chubby face staring back at her, the one person she would love so much even more than her own life. But the risks were too great, and no matter how unholy it was for her to think in such a way, she would rather be barren than to bring harm to her own child, or worse passing down her curse and have her child suffered the same fate as she.

It was far too dangerous for her to dream.