The procession was long and drawn out.
Each member of the Kingdom seemed to have heard word of the event that was taking place. Their feet carried them to the road, watching the passing of the golden carriage as it went by. Some craned their necks and were rewarded with the beautiful sight of what laid inside. But the movement of the horses and the pull of the vessel carried it away before they could shout or wave in excitement.
Others whispered in unease as they watched the glow of the carriage sink slowly away in the distance. Like a falling sun, that was exactly what they saw the event to represent. The carrying away of their own sun from their lands.
The majority held sad eyes as they took in the fading image.
None dared voice out loud what all were thinking. But they knew.
The Princess had chosen to go.
And now she was leaving.
Inside the carriage, a young girl sat. Her father watched her with wary eyes, taking in the silence that she had held ever since their departure.
The irises of her eyes would flash against the light, causing her light brown to appear almost gold at times. The man looked out the window, taking in the different people who had gathered on the edges of the road to see them. Anyone could recognize the royal guard and carriage they protected.
"It's not too late you know."
At his words, the girl finally turned to face him.
He frowned at the expression of shock she held.
"Too late for what?"
His frown only grew as she asked her question.
"Too late to go back. We don't have to go and you don't have to..." His voice choked at the end. He wasn't able to finish the sentence.
The girl dazzled him with her smile. She had a way of doing that.
"Daddy, how silly."
Without another word to explain she turned back to look at the countryside- taking in the landscape of the Kingdom she was leaving.
The King himself felt 'silly' at her words. He thought it had been a ligitmement question, but then, he should have known his daughter better.
The days of travel consisted of such remarks. The King asking the same string of questions, 'are you sure?' 'really?' 'it's not to late'
Each time he felt even more foolish for voicing out his unease.
The moment the chill of the north started to hit him, was the moment he began to grow even more uneasy.
"Lumi really- this was a foolish idea. I doubt he will respond positively to this."
The girl glanced at her father, "I do not expect a warm welcome."
He did not laugh with her at the bad joke she had made.
"Honestly. We should not even be here." He looked outside, taking in the ground that was beginning to fade of the wheatgrass from the Fall Kingdom they had just passed through.
"Lumi let's be reasonable. A summer soul in the winter Kingdom will not last long."
"Daddy," the girl shook her head, a half-smile curling up her lips, "will you stop worrying?"
The sentence only made him worry more.
"If he rejects you..."
"Then I will go back home."
The King sighed, pulling a frustrated hand through his dark hair. He felt like pulling it out from all the anxiety he was feeling.
There was another moment's pause before he whispered, "I'm sorry."
The girl leaned her head to stare at him.
"I...It's because of me that we are in this situation...and all I can offer is..." he swallowed, the sound thick within his throat as he struggled to say the right words.
"Lumi...I know you did not ask for this but...thank you."
They stared at one another. The girl smiled, catching the King off guard as she reached forward and took his hand.
"Of course Daddy."
Soon the summer carriage entered the winter lands.
The King held his tongue as he watched his daughter shiver against the cold. The light long sleeves that she had worn in preparation were the thickest clothes she owned.
She smiled at him before staring back out the window.
"Look!" He looked to where she was pointing.
"Snow," she awed at the sight, her eyes filling with excitement at seeing it for the first time.
The King raised his nose at it.
"Nothing but wet cold lumps."
"But look at how pretty it is Daddy," she leaned further out the window, "it almost hurts my eyes to look- it's so blindingly white."
The King sighed. If it hurt her, then why did she have to look at it?
"Are you cold?"
Lumi conversed with the guards that were nearby, laughing with them at the temperature change.
"I hope the horses are okay," she stared at the creatures in concern, watching as one shivered after a gust of north wind hit its flesh.
"They will be fine Princess," one guard said, smiling at the care she displayed.
The other guards watched with equal smiles matching their faces.
A mixture of sadness was hidden within their features as well.
They did not want to see their princess leave.
Her excitement was infectious though. Soon they were entering the main royal road that ran through the Glistening City.
Princess Lumi stared at everything with wide eyes, taking in the ice sculptures, bundled children, and various stands that sold hot chocolate or cider.
Each person stopped to stare at the brilliant gold carriage. They matched the Princess in wide eyes of astonishment as their eyes traced the golden vines that laced the wheels, and rays that adorned the side.
None knew why the Summer Kingdom had arrived, but eagerly they followed behind.
They gasped when they caught sight of the foreign princess.
Her dark skin and hair stood out from their pale features. It made her seem all the more exotic to them. All the more beautiful because she was a rarity.
"Lumi, don't stick your head out like that," the King quickly pulled her back in, skittish of the strangers and what they might do to his daughter if they approached to close.
"The palace! The palace!" She leaned forward, taking up room in her father's seat as she watched from the front mirror the growing image.
"How beautiful."
"I should think our palace is more beautiful. There is no color here," he looked out at the white land in disgust.
"Daddy how can you say that," Lumi shook her head, "each thing has its own beauty."
He continued to glare at the land until the carriage came to a halt.
Lumi jerked back from the movement, watching as men from the winter kingdom approached.
Their silver uniforms did not stand out against the snow. If anything, the material made it even harder to distinguish their features.
"Welcome King Lucas and..." the guard paused when he saw Lumi.
"Princess..."
"I'm Princess Lumikki but everyone calls me Lumi," she nodded her head politely to the man. He frowned and turned back to the King.
"King Theros was only expecting you."
"I have brought my daughter."
"I will have to inform the King."
King Lucas waved the man forward, "by all means, please."
The man left, leaving them shivering within the cold.
King Lucas pushed himself further into his chair, "honestly. Leaving members of a royal family out. As if we are all not invited into his ice fortress."
Before more words of complaint could leave him, the guard returned.
"The gates will open," he bowed low to the King, stepping back to let them through.
Lumi quickly stepped out of the carriage before any assistance could be given to her. A high shriek of delight left her when her slipper sunk into the fresh snow.
"Daddy it's cold!"
"Of course it is," King Lucas said. He cautiously exited the carriage, his eyes flickering everywhere. The double door entrance caught his attention as it opened.
"The King is waiting."
King Lucas pressed his lips, the thinness of his patience showing in correlation with the decreasing presence of them.
"Come Lumi," he turned around to find her crouched down within the snow, balling the white stuff within her hands.
"Lumi stop that," he quickly stepped forward, slapping the slush away from her touch.
The girl sighed and rose to look up at the steps that lead to the entrance.
"I know," she whispered.
She followed behind him, her neck turning every way and angle to take in the sight of it all.
The winter guards could not but help hide their smiles from the earlier events of watching her try and fail to make a snowball.
Their smiles only continued, and matched that of the summer guards, as they both watched the girl exhale repeatedly to watch her breath rise as a mist in the air.
"I wonder why it does that," she mused.
"Because it's cold." King Lucas shivered against his words, his discomfort growing the further they walked. A chill increased with each step.
The dark stone passages lead down to another set of doors.
Two men stood on either side. The only illumination that was offered were the twin torches that had been posted beside them.
Without question, they opened the door.
The throne room was dark.
And cold.
Lumi felt her whole body start an uncontrollable shiver the moment she stepped in.
King Lucas was no better. His shivers might have actually been worse.
There at the end of the room sat a figure in shadows. Lumi eyed it curiously when it shifted.
It was then that she was able to adjust her eyes and take in the shape.
The dark silhouette of a crown and the thin lighting that reveled the silver robe at the edge of the throne.
Lumi immediately bowed.
King Lucas stood straight and tall, eyeing the man before him.
"King Theros," he greeted.
A deep voice replied back, "King Lucas of the summer lands. Come to visit the North."
The low pitch of the voice took Lumi's own away. She raised her head, wishing there was enough light in the room for her to see the face and match it to the richness of the vibration.
"You've come to pay your debt."
King Lucas inhaled sharply. The action only caused him to shiver against the cold air he had let bite into his lungs.
"I have."
"What do you bring."
There was no tone in the voice. Not even a monotone sound that could cause displeasure to the ear. Only flat spoken words, as if the speaker was doing nothing more than stringing words together.
There was a pause before King Lucas stepped back and bowed, his frame turning to face Lumi.
"My daughter."