Sheer Cold

Chapter 2

The windows of that part of the palace were being pelted with snow; the glassy sheet was actually ice itself. Dahra watched as she waited, hearing snatches of the conversation.

"The port of Llaneth in the Air Provinces is no longer in our control..."

That was Queen Yana's voice. Kiaran had told Dahra that the rebellions across the four domains had made them almost uninhabitable for citizens of the Ice Domain. It was slightly irritating, that when the people of foreign lands had so much, they refused to share with those who were less fortunate. Most of the Ice Domain was a barren, hostile tundra that only the bravest faced. From the waiting room, Dahra could see the blue mountains in the distance, topped with a soft white powder. They were only beautiful from afar.

"And that is why we have a new... goal." Dahra started listening again. A reminder that it was a terrible idea to eavesdrop on the Ice Queen flitted through her mind, but she paid it no heed. She wanted to hear about this 'goal', and to do so, she crept closer to the door.

"People of the Ice Domain cannot live comfortably amongst those of other nations, with the constant rebellions and disagreements. To relieve this city of the overwhelming amount of people, we will have to take drastic action."

A frown creased Dahra's pale forehead at these words. She crouched, and looked through the keyhole as well as she could. She cursed inwardly, trying to see past the man stationed directly before the door.

"Our army of Wielders is more powerful than any other. We will take advantage of the coming Winter, and clear the land of the enemy - thoroughly. We will take the land for ourselves by removing the owners."

Dahra stepped back, staring in horror at the door. A strangled noise emerged from the back of her throat, as she tumbled back onto the seat. She noticed the wave of muttering and surprise, but no open disagreement. Dahra stood, and started to move away. She yelped in pain as she hit her knees on the low, sharp table. Instantly, the sounds from within the meeting room faded as the screech of the metal table on the floor reverberated in her ears. Maybe it wasn't as loud behind the doors... but she didn't wait around long enough to find out.

She sprinted down the hall, and slipped a little as the tiled floor made the transition into ice. She skidded around the corner and stilled in time to hear the doors open. She was glad to be out of sight.

Queen Yana's voice: "Someone was listening in. Guards, see to that."

Idiot! Dahra chided herself mentally, before gently opening a camouflaged door and easing inside. Very few people knew the palace as well as she did, and the only other people would still be listening to their evil mother.

Why did she do that? It was obvious that it had been her, waiting outside the door. Who else could be permitted in the Royal Household, but not included in important meetings? Now people would assume that she had been eavesdropping... which she had been. She could have just sat down, and given the Queen an innocent smile when she peeped around the door. That always worked! Dahra blamed her mistake on the shock of her majesty's revelation.

The red-haired girl followed the passage knowingly, and listened before peering outside. The path was ideal; it led to a corridor near her quarters. All clear. She darted back to her toom and shut the door quietly. Dahra slumped onto the floor, and took her head in her hands. What Queen Yana wanted to do was wrong. Brutal, and inhumane. To wipe out races... perhaps it was the only way to better their own, but the idea sent nausea creeping through her system.

She almost expected to be wrenched from her contemplation with a knock on the door, but it didn't come. If she had ten minutes before somebody came to question her, she wanted to do something. Dahra looked around desperately for anything that could... stop a genocide? Stop a Queen? She had no idea what she was looking for. She had no idea what to do. Maybe Kiaran would've, or even one of the princesses, but they were probably discussing ways to complete the massacre more efficiently.