So apparently, having a pet tiger means that I need everyone in the castle to get my scent some how in order to be safe around Nuri, until he becomes familiar being around people. And that means every. Single. Person. Mostly the guards who were outside most of the time, but still, if I plan to bring him inside one day, this is the precaution.
As quickly as Elis could he turned this situation into some sad little welcoming party for me hosted in the throne room. Simple pastries and wine were laid out on the long dark wooden tables and musicians were playing just on the outer edge in the center of the room so people had enough space to dance. But no one really did. As much as I wanted to hide under the table and secretly keep eating all the pastries myself, there was no escaping.
"Enjoying the dessert?" A light voice behind me asked.
When I turned I saw a girl that looked no more than sixteen, her body still youthful and growing. She had light brown skin and chocolate eyes with some flecks of green to them. But the cleanliness ended there, her kitchens outfit was absolutely dirty with food stains on them, even a few smudges of coal from the fires decorated her apron.
"I made the myself," she added quickly.
From behind her I saw an older women who looked like her, her mother perhaps, cautiously walk our way.
I finished swallowing the chocolate I had been eating and wiped my hands clean, "I don't believe we've met yet, I'm Princess Evie." And before she could give me her name I gave her a hug. She was tiny in my embrace but the years of picking heavy dough has made her body lean.
"We all know who you are," she whispered in my ear, when she pulled back a little she had a gentle smile, "I'm Lave, one of the bakers here in the castle."
"Well Lave, why aren't you scared of me?" I asked bluntly, "Everyone else here is. Even your mother who's rushing here to come save you from me." I lifted my chin to her direction and sure enough she was trying to hard to make it seem casual.
She simply shrugged her delicate shoulders, "I like to see the good in people."
"Well aren't you just a ray of summer sunshine," I smiled at her too, the innocence she has reminded me of someone I knew back in winter, a long long time ago. I cleared my throat as her mother finally came to her side, gripping her arm.
"My apologies winter Princess-" she started.
"Apologies for what? I'm here to meet everyone in the castle, and I am doing just that." She opened her mouth but I continued, "And I am happy one of the best bakers I've ever met has introduced herself to me, I'll be giving her quite the buisness."
I smiled as I plopped another one of the chocolate cakes into my mouth and winked at Lave.
Her mother simply nodded and gave a tight smile as she started to turn away, but I called her back, "Wait," I said, and without her getting a chance to refuse I wrapped my arms around her.
She was stiff and just as quickly I let go, she rushed out of the throne room muttering how she had to get back to work. But Lave smiled and waved her goodbye to me. After that I pretty much made it through everyone as the sun started to set. It was slightly awkward being in contact with strangers, but I took advantage of this moment to meet everyone and to know their roles.
I tried not to care about what other thought about me, but deep down I did hope this little party, and the people, helped with the rumors about me. Maybe they met me and saw that I wasn't what they thought, or maybe I scared them off with my cold exterior. Either way they couldn't deny I wasn't a summer.
Palma later filled me in on how it is to care for a tiger when we got a moment alone. Her pointers were to not forget that they are wild animals, especially a tiger. Slator, my father, got his when he was just a cub and even then, she was handful till the day of her passing. And to also take care of them as if they are another person in your family - There that word goes again, family.
Then she went on telling me her memories of the good times my father and his tiger, Fia, had. Fia was a strong and stubborn, she was almost the complete opposite of Slator's mischief attitude that half of the time Fia was the one protecting Slator from getting hurt.
We were laughing at the stories most of the time, and it felt good getting more information as to how my father was as a person. He wasn't just some stranger I was going to save, he was someone to me, but more importantly, he was someone to the summer court. And I saw it in her eyes, she missed her brother. When the part died down for the night and everyone pretty much had some what of my scent on them Elis came down to talk to me.
"Todays training day was wasted, you will train tonight with Nazim and I expect you to stay put and wait for me patiently tomorrow morning if I am not there right on time. I am a busy king who does not work to fit your schedule."
And with that he turned his heel and left.
"Then why even agree to train me," I mumble.
"Because he's the only other person who can," a mans familiar voice said behind me, "Well the other person that controls fire is a weak sixteen years old who enjoys everything but politics."
I turned to see Nazim dressed in our fighting clothes. "Ready to begin ours?" He asks.
"I think I rather have him train me than a grumpy old man."
Nazim smiled a little, "I highly doubt that cousin, he can barely light a candle without sweating. Plus he's vacationing in the spring court this year. Now, are we going to practice today or would you rather stay and chat?"
"Practice. I need to get out of this castle, all these faces have seemed to blur together."
"Well I'm sure you can still remember my face," Ray smirked as he stepped in front of me. Before I could muster up a reply he held me in a tight hug. His arms holding me strong as if I was going to pull away any second, but I wasn't. I should have but there was this comfort I hadn't felt in quiet some time that I wanted to enjoy it for just a few more selfish moments. My body naturally relaxed in his arms and without meaning to I let a sigh of comfort slip through my lips.
"Stop hogging her up Ray, I need her scent strong on me if we're going to see the tiger," she said practically ripping her brother off from me before she wrapped me in her arms.
"Woah, who said your going out to see Nuri?" I said peeling myself off.
"Nazim and Kaden are going to start training us for a little each night," Ray said casually.
"Why?" I asked.
"You're the one that came here to declare war with winter, so why else are we going to train. We're going to war for you Princess," he said with yet another smirk.
But I wasn't smiling, a part of me sunk at them being in the middle of a war - my war. It was one thing to be attacked in the mountains and fight a few people, but going to war is like crawling into your own death bed. All these thoughts got pushed to the side as we neared the door to the training center and a herd a loud growl.
"I think I should go out first," I announced, everyone nodded.
I slowly opened the door and saw Nuri pacing back and forth, as if he was anxious to see me. As soon as we made eye contact though he came trotting towards me and licked my hands for me to pet him. I knelt to the ground and held his face in my palms, his ribs started to rumble again in a purr as I touched him. I looked back at my friends when Nuri looked over my shoulder, he started to do that thing I noticed him do when he felt danger approaching. His stance goes tense and he stills himself to be silent, invisible, a weapon to be feared.
But I just continued to run my fingers through his soft orange fur, "Nuri, these are my friends. You do not eat them," I whispered to him.
Nazim, Ray, and Kaden all positioned themselves in front of Zinnia, but it didn't stay that way for long. She had to push her way past them, even slapping Rays hand away when he tried to hold her back. I had to give it to Zinnia, she was head strong and brave.
I went to her in less than four steps and held her close to my side. Her grip was tight but the excitement in her eyes were bright. When we approached Nuri he tilted his head to our outstretched hands and sniffed, looked up at Zinnia, and then tilted his head down for approval. I placed her hand onto the top of his head and she smiled as her skin touched his fur, happiness bouncing off her.
One by one I did the same with the rest of the group and then we began our training. Nazim, Ray and I were practicing with spears again, I didn't hate them much this time around. While Kaden and Zinnia were working on their aim after I told the guys about our attack in the mountains. And Nuri would just sit or pace around us, but most of the night he slept.
Zinnia was hitting it off with Kaden, most of the time we herd them talking or laughing. Nazim became more distracted as the two started talking more, but it got worse when all we could here was Zinnia laughing at everything that came out of Kaden's mouth. She was flirting - hard. I couldn't blame her though, Kaden was a mortal warrior who wasn't hard to look at, and with her life mostly in hiding I'm sure she felt relaxed enough to do something as simple as flirting. But I saw from Nazim's face that it frustrated him more than it should.
"That doesn't sound like training," he said after some time," I'll be right back, you two keep sparring."
And then he left, whispering something to Kaden, leaving Zinnia and him alone.
"You're not really going to fight in battle are you?" I ask Ray once we were alone, the question has been gnawing on my thoughts.
He stopped pacing to catch his breath, "Yeah Evie I am."
"It's going to be dangerous Ray, you and Zinnia could get really hurt. Or worse. You and your sister are now free to live your lives without always looking over your shoulder. I think you two should go and grasp that chance."
My stomach knotted, knowing they were going into this because of me, because of who I am and what I want. They, and hundreds even millions more, can and will die all because I want the winter throne. And that's the question thats been nudging my thoughts, is it worth innocent lives?
"Evie, my future ice Queen," He wiggled his brows and I rolled my eyes, "did you already forget the conversation we had when we first met? It was literally about joining to war, I'm not being forced to do anything. Zinnia and I have talked about this and we both agreed that you are worth fighting for."
He smiled at me and took a step closer, I just stood there, heart beating faster than usual, and it wasn't because of training. What snapped me out of this moment was Nuri. He was coming back from his hunt with wet blood still on his face.
"Well thats a pleasant picture," I tilted my head behind Ray so he can see.
"Guess he had a good meal," Nuri then laid down, let out a long tiger yawn that exposed his sharp and deadly teeth and started to fall asleep - again.
"It's actually getting pretty late for you two," I said fidgeting with the spear in my hand.
Ray ran his fingers through his curls and down his jaw line, "Yeah, we'll call it a night here."
And then I was being wrapped by his arms again, and I'm not going to lie to myself, I liked it. A lot. His arms were strong and my head fit perfectly near his shoulders that when I rested my head to his chest I could still hear his heart beat. And his was going the same pace as mine. I took deep breath, and then I pulled away. I couldn't be selfish anymore, I couldn't have these moments - these feelings - anymore.
"Goodnight Evie," He said in my ear just before leaving.
My wall was up, tall and made of the hardest ice, but he's some how making the climb over it because feeling his breath so close to my skin made me hold in my breath in anticipation, just slightly.
----
Nazim and I trained the rest of the night, I was getting better with the spears and he was learning how to dodge my moves quicker when it came to hand to hand combat. We didn't really speak much during practice, he had a rule that if we still had energy to talk, then we weren't paying attention to our opponents movements. So we spoke after.
Nuri was currently laying closer to Nazim purring with comfort, they were getting a long pretty well. I was a little worried that with Nuri's protectiveness over me he wouldn't let Nazim and I train, but I was wrong. He couldn't care less, or he knew the fighting wasn't life threatening.
"You know he's still a baby," Nazim said as he ran his fingers threw the orange and black stripes.
"A baby? This huge beast is a baby?"
"Yeah, I wanna say about a year old."
"Wow, impressive," I look up at Nazim to ask him a question when the door opens and Elis comes walking down the stairs dressed in all black fighting gear with a leather breastplate in his left hand.
Nuri instantly stood up and went in front of me, his body low and eyes locked. Elis stopped at the bottom of the stairs and raised his eyebrow at me. I sighed, it's not my fault Elis made a bad first impression. But nevertheless I still do the same routine, I get up and hug Elis longer than usual and hold our hands out for Nuri to smell.
He only sniffs Elis and then walks back to his spot on the grass, his honey bright eyes watching his every movements.
"Our training will start now, Nazim get inside and rest."
"Yes sir," he bowed slightly and then went inside.
Elis and I were alone at last to train, this was either going to go really well, or one of us is going to get really hurt. Probably why he brought the breast plate for me. He tossed it and I caught it mid air. Luckily this was easier to put on then the top Palma had given me.
"When you use fire, what do you feel?" He asked me.
His tone was less comforting than it usually is - like it was ever comforting towards me really. He's gone into his commander teaching stance and I could tell it's going to be worse than his actual personality.
"Uhm, I feel warmth in my chest and comfort every time I use it. Like a fire warming a cold home. But if I don't release it, it gets irritating and it feels like my blood is boiling."
He nods, "And with ice? How's that."
"Ice is different, for obvious reasons. But the main difference is that fire come in quickly, like a spark while ice needs time to build itself up," I sighed," Well thats how it was in the beginning. I've mastered ice by now."
"Lift up your palms," I did, "And now bring the fire to just your finger tips," I did that as well.
"No, again. You took to long to concentrate where the fire should go. It needs to come naturally."
"It is coming out naturally. And that wasn't slow, that was normal time," I argued.
"No, you were a few seconds to late, again."
I did it again, and again he said it was too slow.
"Fine, you do it. Let me see how fast you go."
He lifted his palm to my face, "Count."
"One-" I barely got the word out when his fingertips high and bright, "Okay that was fast," I tried to say casually.
"My face is relaxed and I don't force it," he grabbed my hand and traced the veins, his fingers warm from where the fire was moments before, "You picture the flames coming from your core down into you don't you?" I nodded, "Don't do that. Fire is not ice, it does not need time to build up it's energy nor does it need to be welcomed in, it already has a place in you. Fire is instant, when you think about it, imagine it already at its location. Understood?"
I nodded again, getting what he was saying. But when I tried again, it was still slower than he wanted it to be.
"If you were a weaker royal I would commend you on your speed. But you're not. Show me how high and mighty you think of yourself."
"Well maybe if we weren't doing stupid fire fingertips then I would be showing you how strong I am."
"You can't control it yet. You're proving me right about how ignorant you are if you think for one second fire is easy. It's not. Fire comes from the sun itself and it will destroy you if it's given the chance. So I suggest you keep practicing the stupid fire fingertips so we can move on."
I wanted to throw something at him. Preferably send Nuri on him, just so he can stop talking down on me. The frustration he naturally brings out of me burned in my chest, and then it flowed down into my palms.
"Control your temper Evie, or I will," he said.
My temper lashed out faster than I could control it. Instantly my own blood started to irritate my skin, my heart beat faster as if I just ran with all my strength up a steep mountain. All the anger built from the past couple of days came back to me, feelings and emotions that messed with my mind all needed a way to be released, so why not aim it towards the man who's caused most of it.
"Really? You will? And what's that suppose to mean hu? All you are is a substitute king. You say how powerful fire is, and how you have hundreds more people than winter; more royals, more warriors, more food, but who is everyone afraid of? Who is the most powerful person in all four seasons? Who controls the most land? Who has stroke fear in the young and old for hundreds of years? Who destroyed two seasons at once, winning the war? One single women in winter," I yelled frustration, "And what do you have under your name? The accident king, the one that doesn't matter, the one that's just a substitute for my father!"
I didn't see the his hand move fast enough, he directed a blast of fire that sent me far off from the training area. I landed on my back hard, knocking the wind out of me. When the smoke cleared from my view and my senses came tingling back I feel the skin on my neck to my stomach throb with each beat of my heart.
I try to breath in but it was like my air is stuck, still I manage to lift my head enough to see the burn marks across my brown skin that have blistered and reddened. It was disgusting to look at, and they felt even worse.
When I forced my body to sit up, Elis' left hand was there on my throat bringing me back down. His grip stung on my fresh burns but his eyes went dark with rage and I knew I pushed one too many buttons. Was it when I was taunting him and the other seasons for being weaker, or when I called him an accident? Maybe the last one, but I didn't regret it, nor was I going to let him do this to me without any retaliation.
I dug my long nails into his forearm and burned him, just like my lungs were burning with no air right now. The fire hot on my face and it's brightness binding me to the point where I need to shut my eyes, but still I give it my all. He doesn't loosen his grip, instead it gets tighter and I've used up to much energy in to short of a time that I loosen mine. When I do I see that I didn't even burn him, not even a mark was on his skin.
My eyes close even though I'm willing them no to, I'm showing signs of weakness, only proving Elis right. But I couldn't help it, I've used up most of my energy and it didn't even cause any harm. I should have kept my mouth shut.
And then I didn't feel him over me anymore, smoky air filled my burning lungs as I turned my head and opened my eyes to find Nuri standing over Elis growling with one paw on his chest keeping him down. Nuri was going in for the kill, his jaw is open and aiming towards his exposed throat, the same time Elis holds his hands up, ready to burn him.
Elis will be faster though, I know it, I've seen him. Substitute king or not, he's still stronger than I imagined.
I muster up the strength from the land and yell with whatever air I have left in my lungs, "STOP!"