Reflection of Perfection | NaNoWriMo 2016 ( severe editing)

1 1 : f r o s t · a n d · f i r e

I was standing in a dark, dark forest, in the middle of a clearing. From the gloom and shadows, a blurry figure appeared. 

"Evelyn.... Evelyn?" The figured murmured, drawing closer. 

"Amber?" 

"We don't have much time. Listen, I think I found a-"

"Beautiful. Hey, beautiful. Wake up." An urgent shove against my shoulder jostled me from my beauty sleep. 

"What the hell?" I hissed, rubbing my shoulder groggily. Paris smirked, "Did you know you actually look quite cute when you sleep- if you don't count the obnoxious sound coming from your mouth, that is." 

I growled and sat up, noticing the fact that I had fallen asleep on top of an open book, "I do not snore. Now tell me why you're really here or I'll skin you alive and feed you to the Hydra."

The Prince just snorted, a twinkle of amusement gleaming in his eyes, "As you wish, my lady. Guess who received a wedding invitation to the awfully charming Prince, and that darling stepsister of yours." 

"Wait, what? You? Why would anyone want to invite an -offense very much intended- evil sorcerer into their palace?" I choked out, trying to comprehend the fact that this was real. 

He smiled, not without a hint of bitterness, "Firstly, if they did not invite the Winter Realm, it could be so offensive that it could ignite a war. Secondly, no one really knows that the so called 'evil sorcerer' as you put it, as the High Prince of the Winter Realm." 

I peered up at him, "What does this have to do with me?" 

Paris smiled and got down on one knee. He gently took my hand and pressed a kiss, "Evelyn Tremaine, won't you do me the honor of being my plus one to your stepsister's wedding?" 

~

"Concentrate harder," Paris urged. I could feel his eyes on me as I struggled to conjure up the tiniest bit of frost.

"Will you shut up," I snarled back, "I'm trying."

Fire was easier to conjure, I had so much anger, jealousy and hate in my soul I still wanted to unleash my rage to the world. But ice? I couldn't use red hot anger to get my magic to do that, could I?

"It's interesting, how you have raw magic while your sister clearly welds dark magic," Paris noted as he circled me again. I had no idea what I was doing in the mountains again- we had been here for a week now- a week since I agreed to accompany him to the wedding. 

"W-why are we here? Stars, I think I'm even beginning to miss the colossal place you call your 'home.'" Why would being freezing motivate me to summon frost?

Paris sighed, his eyes leaving me for the first time today, "In order to be my escort, you have to look like you've been shaped by the harsh winters of the mountains." 

Frowning, I adjusted the skirts he had forced me to wear, "I'm starting to regret this wedding already. Can't we do a glamour instead?" 

It was then he shot me a cold look, "When I get back, you better have summoned up frost, or else." Then, he spun on his heels and left me alone in the clearing, freezing my ass off. 

What had triggered that asshole?

~

I was building a snowman. In all honesty, I had given up. So, to pass time, I built a snowman. In fact, I was almost done with a family of three when Paris interrupted me. 

"Have you done what I told you to do, Evelyn?"

I chuckled coldly, "Isn't a good instructor supposed to you know, actually teach me?" 

"As far as I know, a good student isn't supposed to be building snowmen, either." 

Turning to face him, I frowned, "your point being?"

Paris's eyes were cold and unyielding. I could so clearly imagine a crown of ice sitting on his head at the moment. His lips were pulled downward...yet despite that, he still looked unbelievably handsome. 

It was then he attacked. 

Shadows darted from the trees, straight toward me. I struggled to summon the fire in my veins, but nothing happened. I was too cold. Swearing a long string of curse words, I pulled on the other forms of magic. Wind did little to weaken the shadows, but it bought me enough time. Enough time to draw light from the meager strength of the sun and throw a hasty shield over me. 

Paris's shadows found holes in the shield and rushed in. And then, a memory rushed back, sending me tumbling into the past.

~

I watched from the shadows, my duty as servant present. It had to be the worst type of torture, I decided, being forced to watch your loved one flirting with another women. 

Gast shot the girl another knee-wobbling smile as jealousy clouded my vision. His father and that girl's father were chatting, no doubt of an arranged marriage between the two. I didn't bring myself to pity the girl, not when she was flirting with my man. 

When I brought over the tea and the pastries, that was when Gast noticed me. His smile faded a bit and he stopped hearing the girl said. 

"...and then, I said- Gaston? Gast? Baby? Are you listening to me?" The girl squawked, giving him a disapproving face. 

"...yeah."  He lied, his eyes full of shock and sorrow as he looked at me.

"Good, cause then..." I too, stopped listening to her as tears welled up in my eyes and I turned and left. I didn't make it halfway to the kitchen before  I begin to cry silently. Was the feelings I had for Gast really worth the doubled heartbreak that came with it? 

Was it worth knowing that every night I spent with Gast, full of passion and kisses, he'd make another girl feel the same in the morning? Because of what was expected of him from his father? Because he was the heir of a flourishing business, as well as a high class prostitute? 

~

The memory left me so cold and heartbroken I couldn't say I was exactly sane, when I conjured up the unforgiving blocks of ice as a barrier, and the sudden anger and jealousy fueling my hellfire, snaking toward the eager shadows. 

Frozen tears caked my cheeks as I watched my hellfire burn away Paris's shadows. I knew that whatever the hell Paris saw on my face made him yeild, and with a nod of praise, he Jumped us back into the warm mansion I didn't dare call home, and left me on my own for the rest of the day.