Winter's Tale

15

As they walk in the ballroom all speaking stops then waves of sound swell up over and crash down on the couple.

Gasps follow them as they walk to the center of the ballroom floor. The music starts and Winter swings her into a waltz as they look into each others eyes. All else fades, all they see is each other. All they hear is the beating of their hearts in time to the music. Winter swings her around the cleared space, no one dares to intrude on the dance, they are too in awe of their king and his chosen.

Rose smiles lovingly at Winter. "That was lovely, my Lord. Can we do that again?"

"At your command my lady," Winter gives her a smile in return.

At his words there are gasps heard throughout the room. It's enough to bring the two back to reality. Rose blushes, knowing that they must have made fools of themselves in front of the vampire elite.

Winter pulls her possessively to his side and looks coldly at the assemblage daring them to say anything. 

Once his gaze has left them, they do.

As Rose had feared the very words she had warned Winter would be said were. Them and others not as nice. The stars are covered by black clouds as Winter's anger grows. Rose places her hand on his face and there is even more gasps as they see the engagement ring that she sports.

It was one thing for him to choose a human to share his bed, another to marry her and make her the queen.

Perhaps the most outraged of them all is his mother.

She pushes her way to them and in a voice that isn't moderated in any way demands to know just what the hell he thinks he's doing with that bitch of a human.

With that Rose steps back with wide eyes and covers her mouth. Immediately a storm of epic proportions starts lashing the castle. It's a good thing his glass is enspelled so that it won't break under the harsh weather now beating at it.

Winter gives his mother the coldest and cruelest smile he has ever worn. "I've asked the woman that I love to marry me and she, after much persuasion, has agreed. Your attempts at killing her have failed and I won't tolerate your insubordination any longer. As a matter of fact I won't tolerate anyone's insubordination any longer."

Winter had fed well on servants before leaving the room. Rose made sure that he didn't kill them, but that just meant that he used more.

He sends out the same spell he used to kill those that betrayed him less than a week ago.

Vampires start dropping and dying. Screams, confusion and chaos reigns supreme and still Winter stands there smiling at his mother. Neither looking away from the other until finally the horror of what is happening to her hits.

As the last of the traitorous vampires fall, Winter gives a confused look to his mother.

"I cannot let you take her life, my son," The goddess stands before him. All the surviving vampires, including Winter go to one knee and bow to her.

"Arise, Winter, my faithful servant and child. She is mine to punish," The goddess smiles at her favored child.

"Goddess, she has repeatedly gone against my edicts, has tried multiple times to kill my chosen and managed to kill the last of her family as he died protecting her. She has been warned many times and has ignored the warnings one too many times."

The goddess looks over at Rose and smiles warmly at her. "Come here child. I would see the one to win my Winter's heart."

Rose looks to Winter unsure what to do and he tells her silently to come forward. So she does but stops next to Winter, not willing to go any closer to the deity the vampires worship.

With a gesture everyone around them disappears and it's just the goddess and Rose. Rose can't even feel Winter in her mind anymore. She looks at the goddess with panic.

"Don't worry, Rose. You and I need to talk without interruption." The goddess smiles warmly at the human girl. "I have to admit, when I set the curse on my son, I had no idea his mate would end up being one of the very people he detested.

"Has he told you about that?"

"Yes, he said that he hated humans and barely even tolerated us. That it was because of that you set the curse on him and he was exiled to live here. That this used to be the most lovely and fertile land in his kingdom."

The goddess smiles sadly, "He's told you true. He is a stubborn one. He wasn't meant to stay here this long. I thought he'd have learned to control himself long, long ago.

"You my dear, are the key to his freedom. You must do your best to love him, no matter how scared he makes you.

"You are not just his Chosen, Rose, you are his mate. Have you told him yet?"

"Told him what?" Rose asks scared at the answer. She has suspected, but it's too early for her to know for sure.

"Why that you are with his child, of course. I thought that was why he asked you to marry him." The goddess is more than a little shocked that Rose didn't know.

"I wasn't sure myself." Rose says faintly. "When it comes to all things of a sexual nature, Winter wouldn't let anyone talk to me. I only had the feelings of change in my body to go by and the only thing that has changed was my relationship to Winter." By now Rose is feeling more than a little faint.

"You are his one true mate. He is old, Rose. Far older than even he knows. I have given and ended his lives and hidden his memories many times over. That woman is no more his mother than you are." 

Rose stares at the deity in shock, "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that Winter is honestly the only possible king. He is the one this land was created to rule. He is my son, my firstborn. He is immortal, Rose. He has long looked for and awaited his mate. I find it rather ironic that he finds her among those he tormented and despised. Thank you for changing his mind."

"I haven't done anything but love him. He saved my life before I ever even spoke to him."

"He felt the pull of the mate bond even then, although he didn't know what it was he felt. And you changed him far more than you will ever know. He is far less vengeful and vindictive than he was before because he knows it will distress you. 

"He feels warmth because of your love for him. You willingly and freely run to him and hold him. No one has ever done that. You and only you have given him unconditional love and so, he has changed. His land is once more free of snow and ice. Soon he will be able to rule again. 

"Unfortunately, it seems it will be sooner rather than later, seeing as how I'll be forced to deal with his so called mother.

"When we get back to the ballroom, I'll be announcing your secret. I bless your union with my son and hope you will be willing to turn. My son needs you and should he lose you now that he's found you, it will destroy this world. Please, consider it?" The goddess pleads after giving her blessing.

Then before Rose can say anything, they are back in the ballroom.

The goddess snaps her fingers and the woman that called herself the queen screams out in pain. Before their eyes she changes from a young looking woman to a withered old crone before finally collapsing and turning to dust.

The goddess smiles, pleased. 

Rose looks to Winter and finds him smirking at what was once the woman he called mother.