Queen of Summer's Ice (Book 2)

Chapter 41

     Aki Stayed the rest of the night in a room higher up than Clovis. She didn't ask if Clovis was still being held as my prisoner, I'm sure Spring gave word of it to Autumn and Summer. If she did know, she really must have not cared, or she was waiting for the right time. My guess was though that she generally didn't care about him, because he was a Spring, not an Autumn. 

     Ray and I stayed up a bit to talk about Aki and Autumn. The information we got was something I had never heard of, in a way it was barbaric to have a one on one fight to the death with your own child as a tradition for the throne. But, I guess it was no better than how any other season does it, by backstabbing or causing a civil war. Since royals never die naturally, we keep on ruling, until someone puts an end to us.

     It got me thinking if the time came when my kids would grow tired of being just an heir. Would I give up my thrown and the responsibility of being Queen? If - no - when Ray becomes immortal, we would truly rule until the end of time. But if my kids really wanted the throne, both here and in Summer...then I would let them have it. Maybe then, I'd have Alagan create Ray and I a little island off into the ocean, or maybe Ray and I would go on an adventure to see those three women Alagan spoke so highly of.

     Yeah...I would.

     I would do anything for my children. All three of them.

***

     "Oh there you are," Clovis said once he turned the corner. I was outside of the castle taking a stroll, and not alone. "I was thinking that since we're leaving-" Clovis did a double take once he realized who I was with. The look on his face was a bit hysterical, I mean it looked like he was making sure he wasn't dreaming. "Aki! What in the lands are you doing here?!"

     "You two know each other? Good. At least I don't have to introduce you two," I said.

     "I thought you were dead," Aki said as a way of greeting him. He shoulders slumped as if she was disappointed if he wasn't, and she didn't try to hide it from either of us.

     "You would love that wouldn't you, you selfish piece of mud."

     Aki narrowed her eyes at Clovis, she crossed her arms across her chest that so happened to have puffed out. When it did Clovis broke his eye contact with her for just a fraction of a second to look down at her chest that was covered in layers of clothing. Aki's scuff was loud. "You should have killed this sexist pig. He's no use to you, not when he never has any blood in his head."

     Clovis' cheeks turned reader than his hair, his left eye even began to twitch as he stomped closer to Aki and pointed his pale finger towards her face. "Look here you sorry Heir of Autumn, you're all talk and no action. Your season is a joke to Spring because you're all so timid like a leaf-" Although Aki didn't say anything to interrupt him, her eye roll was loud enough. "You little! Right here, right now, lets settle this, just you and I. I'll do your father a favor and end you myself."

     The winter knights around us didn't even stir to try and break up the possible fight. If anything I was just as intrigued as they were. The Heir's of Spring and Autumn were so secluded in their own world that they forgot that the Queen of winter was standing practically in between them.

     "Your father would most likely give me a medal for getting rid of his biggest head ache, your stepmother too, I hear she's a real... oh what is that word...for a girl that likes money...what. is. that. word?"

     Clovis seemed to have lost a hold of his temper, and didn't care about attacking the Autumn Heir, but seeing as he was in Winter, with no powers, he had to fight the old fashion way. He stepped around me and lunged at Aki. Yet, the Autumn heir was long ready for it. For all her taunting she was prepared.