~~~~Mira~~~~
The royal carrauge dropped us off at the doorstep of a large blue ice castle. It was so amazing seeing this beautiful castle sparkle with the moons' glow. While I was admiring the view of the Kingdom of Snows, I could hear Adora arguing about her sword.
"You gotta be careful with it. Don't just lean it somewhere and don't keep it with the other swords, or it might get confused.!" She shouted as Glimmer tried to pull her away from the man who took the weapons
"Adora, come on! Mira! Let's go!" Glimmer called out to me. I ran to catch up, taking Adora and Glimmer's hands and walking dowm the entrance hall.
The hall was beautifully decorated with icicles, purple drapes and gorgeous carvings along the walls. It was as if walking into another world.
When we got to the door, I could already hear the music blaring from inside, and when the door was opened, we definitely saw another world.
"Whoa, heh. It's big." Adora gasped. There were sparkles everywhere floating all around us as we walked into the Ball. Royals from all over Etheria were there having so much fun, and frkm the cormer of my eye I could see Princess Spinnerella and Princess Netossa, holding each other tightly as they walked around the Ball.
There was music playing and people laughing and cheering. It was amazing! But then something in the very front of the room, straight in front of us, was someone sitting on an icy throne. From where I stood, it was a young girl in a blue and white ballgown.
"The Ball is one of our most ancient traditions." Glimmer explaimed as we walked up to the throne and through the crowd, "A princess's first Ball is a huge right of passage. Plus, the Kingdom of Snows is really big."
The three of us approached the stairs leading up to the throne, where the princess resided.
"That's why we need Frosta." Adora said as we climbed the stairs, "If she joins us, all the other princesses are sure to follow."
Adora took a deep breath and prepared herself mentally for making a good impression on the princess.
"Here we go." We got up to the level area of the stairs and immediately Adora bowed, just not a proper curtsy.
Adora bowed like a Horde soldier, a direct ninty-degree bow forward, while Glimmer and I curtsied gracefully.
I could hear Adora counting down how long she had to be in a bowing position. But when she looked back up to meet the princess, she was a bit surprised to see a girl no older than I was sitting on the throne.
I wasn't surprised, nor was Glimmer upon seeing a young princess om the throne. While Adora was researching, I stumbled upon some information about Princess Frosta. Turns out she took the throne at age eight and was now eleven years old. So much for someone so young.
"That's Frosta? But she's, like, ten." Adora said to Glimmer, and everything went still. The crowd gasped. The princess however, was still calm and collected.
"I'm 11 and three quarters." She answered calmly, but I could tell that her temper was controlled.
Glimmer smiled nervously as she gave the princess another curtsy.
"Revered hostess. We come into your hall under the ancient rules of hospitality, bringing greetings from Bright Moon. And She-Ra, the legendary warrior." She introduced us.
The crowd whispered softly at the sudden introduction of the legendary warrior. Princess Frosta's eyes widened, but then she retained her calm demeanor.
"You are welcome in the Kingdom of Snows under the ancient rules of hospitality." She said, "Leave conflict at the door. And please enjoy the Ball."
"Thank you, you--" before Adora could finish, we were pushed away and led down the stairs. Although, I noticed that her eyes lingered on me for a brief moment.
"Couldn't have mentioned she was a kid?" Adora asked Glimmer.
"You did all that research, I assumed you knew!" Glimmer argued back, "You know what? It's fine. There's plenty of time still to win her over. Now, come on, let's rock this Ball!"
We stood in place for a minute, Glimmer looking around as if she was confused on what to do. Suddenly, Adora took her by the shoulders.
"Oh! There's Entrapta! Heh." She said and then led us over to where the tech princess was. We walked over to one of the buffet tables and saw Entrapta hiding on the op of the nearby pillars.
"Adora! Glimmer! Mira!" Entrapta said happily, sliding down the pillar with her goggles on, "Are you here to watch the social experiment, too?"
"Social experiment?" Adora asked. Entraota turned back to her 'experiment'.
"Diffetent groups are thrown together and forced to mingle. Hierarchies form and break. It's the perfect place to observe behavior. And they have tiny food." She gestured to her pocket stuffed with tiny food.
"Where's Bow? I wanna show him my new recorder."
"He's coming later." Glimmer answered.
"Why didn't he come with you? Aren't you two friends?" Entrapta asked.
"Why would you think we're not?"
"There he is! Bow!"
The four of us looked up to the stairs and saw Bow and Princess Perfuma walking down into the party together. They were smiling and laughing as they walked down, but I felt something run off of Glimmer.
I looked up at her and saw her face twisted with sadness as she stared at Bow and Perfuma.
"They're matching." She said, "That's our best friend thing!"
"Feelings seem to be getting hurt." Entrapta whispered from behind us.
"Hey, I'm here too. Don't make a big thing out of it." A familiar voice said behind us in an uninterested tone of voice.
I turned to my left and saw Mermista in a beautiful blue-green dress.
"They're making up their own inside jokes? What? Is Perfuma his new best friend now?" Glimmer grumbled under her breath.
"Not gonna get into whatever's happening there." Mermista said.
"People just walking around in circles." Entrapta whispered again.
"Or that. Look, have you seen--?" Mermista was suddenly cut off by the familiar shanty singing voice of captain Sea Hawk. He sang about how he was attending this Ball with Mermista and walked around until he came closer to us, swinging his arm around the water princess.
"Oh, hey, it's my crew." He said seeing us. I got a bit curious and so did Adora. Especially since Mermieta blushed when he swung his arm around her.
"So, Sea Hawk's your plus one?" Adora asked in a teasing tone.
Mermista quickly pushed the clingy sea captain away.
"No. He is just my ride, okay? Just my ride." She repeated it for further clarification.
Sea Hawk bounced right back up again.
"Of course." He said laughing before he whispered, "I am her plus one."
All of a sudden, Entrapta appeared underneath Sea Hawk.
"This is the best social experiment I've ever been to!" She exclaimed.
Mermista scoffed, "Whatever. Do they have a kelp bar here?"
"To the buffet!" Sea Hawk shouted and the two walked away to the buffet table. I looked around and saw Spinnerella and Netossa talking to a few other people.
I tugged on Adora's hand and pointed to the two princesses. She looked over at the princesses and then back down at me.
"Do you want to go meet them, Mira?" She asked. I nodded and smiled. I had only interacted with them a couple of times durijg the past few weeks, and those times were only during the weekly meetings.
"Okay then, let's go over and say hi." Adora said, but just as she was about to go with me to meet them, I stopped her.
She looked down at me confused, but I made smiled and pointed to myself, then back at the two princesses.
It took a second, but Adora knew exactly what I wanted to do. I wanted to go by myself, a way to help me go alone without Adora. It was an exercise to help me not feel so alone with Adora by my side.
"Okay, I understand. Go on, they're not too far, but still stay in my line of sight." Adora said. I smiled and nodded, then walked over to Netossa and Spinnerella.
~~~~Netossa~~~~
I was talking to a few of the other royals, laughing with my wife and having fun at the Ball, when Spinnerella tugged my hand.
"Beloved, look over there." She said pointing to something in the distancd.
I looked towards where she was pointing and sas a familiar little girl with sunset hair and wearing a white dress.
I gasped when I recognized the little girl as Mira.
"Mira!? Is that you?" I asked, surprised to see the little girl smiling and dressed in a beautiful white gown. Her hair was tied into a bun and secured with her white bow. She curtsied and smiled at us.
Spinnerella quickly picked Mira and hugged her, spinning her around and laughing.
"What are you doing here?" She asked the child.
Mira turned and pointed towards Glimmer and Adora talking to princess Perfuma and Bow near one of the buffet tables.
"Oh, I see, Adora made her your plus one." Spinnerella said. Mira nodded and hugged Spinnerella. Then she reached over to me and I took over taking her in my arms.
As soon as she hugged me, I suddenly felt something strange run through me. A kind of warmth that I couldn't explain. It was just as if I was bathing in the warm sunlight, and yet, I was full of peace and light.
"Mira!" We heard Adora call for her. We turned and saw Adora running towards us.
"Come on, we should go see Princess Frosta." She said. Mira nodded and reached over to Adora. Adora reached out for Mira and I let her take Mira from my arms as they walked over to find Princess Frosta.
But as soon as I let go of Mira, that strange warmth disappeared, and I was left empty.
"Spinny, did you happen to feel something when you held Mira?" I asked my wife.
Spinnerella looked at me with wide eyes, "Did you feel that too?" She asked. I was surprised by what she asked.
"Yeah." I answered dumbly, "I felt something warm rise inside me and I just felt.... peaceful."
Spinny nodded too, "I felt the same thing. I just wonder who that little girl really is."
We watched Mira smile as Adora gently set her down on her feet before taking her hand. Just who was Miracle?
~~~~Adora~~~~
I set Mira on her feet and then walked over to Frosta.
"Revered hostess." I said politely, bowing best I could while Mira curtsied, "I've come to apologize for earlier. I was so rude."
"Yes, you were." Frosta replied, "But as you're only an honorary princess, you can't be expected to know better."
Her response was cold, but I'd expect that from someone I accidently insulted.
"Your kingdom is truly beautiful, Princess Frosta." I complimented, "I'm honored to be here. And Mira really likes the ice crystals around the palace. I constantly see her admiring them." As like right now, she was staring at a few of the floating ice crystals in the air.
"Thank you." Frosta said then turned towards me, "And now I'd direct you're going to ask me to join your Rebellion?"
My eyes widened, "You know about that?" I asked.
"Of course I do. Princesses talk, you know?"
One of the servents came up to the princess and held out a platter of sweets.
"The snow peas and the cookies are touching. Do it right." Frosta said a little irritated before the servant left again.
I walked closer to the princsss and knelt down to her height.
"Princess Frosta, the Rebellion needs you." I said, "Your Kingdom is the largest and most powerful. Your alliance could be the key to defeating the Horde."
"The Horde hasn't threatened us here." Frosta answered.
"Only because the Kingdom of Snows is so out of the way it doesn't matter to Hordak right now. Joining the Rebellion is obviously your best bet." I said, but Frosta grew irritated again.
She turned around to face me and got right up in my face.
"The Kingdom of Snows has defended itself perfectly well for thousands of years. We do not need your help or your Rebellion." She said before she stood back with two of her servents on either side of her.
"Now, please continue to enjoy the Ball." She said, but Mira walked in front of me as Frosta turned around to walk away. She took Frosta by the shoulder and spun her back around.
~~~~Frosta~~~~
I felt a hand tug on my shoulder and spin me around. When I saw who turned me around, I saw that little girl in white that hung around this honorary princess.
She stared at eith the most pure purple colored eyes. I had never seen such bright purple eyes before, and for some reason when she touched me, I felt warm, when usually due to my powers I feel completely cold. This was a whole new feeling to me.
She took her hand off my shoulder and curtsied. I just stood there in shock as the girl behind her pulled her back.
"I'm so sorry for Mira, Princess Frosta." She apologized.
"No!" I shouted almost immediately following her words, but I reeled myself back and cleared my throat to calm myself again.
"It's fine. Actually, if you wouldn't mind, I would like the have your child accompany me for the rest of the evening." I said.
The little girl looked up at the blonde girl and begged her with her eyes.
The blonde sighed and looked around for something, when her eyes widened she turned back down to the little girl.
"Okay, I'll be with Glimmer right up there. Will you be all right on your own?" She asked the little girl.
The little girl nodded and her friend gave her a hug before leaving us alone. I also dismissed the servents by my sides, but they stayed close by.
We stood there in awkward silence, not sure what I would say to her.
"So... what's your name?" I asked her. She visibly jumped at the sound of my voice and smiled at me, but she didn't say a thing.
"Do you have a name?" I asked again, but she didn't say anything.
I got confused. Why wasn't she answering me?
"Can you even talk?" I asked, sounding harsher than I wanted. She shook her head, jut she kept that same smile on her face. I was surprised and full of guilt. It I had known she couldn't speak I wouldn't have sounded so harsh.
I looked over at one of my servants and asked him to get a pencil and a paper pad for her. Within minutes, he came back with what I asked for. I took it from him and then gave it to the girl.
"So you can talk to me. Just write what you want to say." I said. The girl nodded and began scribbling away on the paper.
A minute later she finished writing and turned the paper towards me.
'Thank you for your kindness. My name is Miracle, but everyone calls me Mira." She wrote.
"Miracle, huh? What an interesting name? Who named you? Your mom or your dad?" I asked, but my question made her frown as she wrote again.
"I don't know. I've been an orphan since I was a baby." It said.
I frowned at the mention of parents. My father and mother, King Freeze and Queen Iceis, died three years ago. That's when I took the throne and became the strong leader my father taught me to be. So to meet another orphan made me feel less alone. But unlike me, she was orphaned as a baby, while I had memories of my once happy family.
"I see. I'm sorry to bring up such a depressing topic." I said sadly.
Mira shook her head and showed me what she wrote again.
"Don't be. Because I was an orphan, I got to meet Adora and gained a new mother in her. And I got to come here and experience so many amazing things."
As I read what she wrote, I was amazed by how she saw her orphaning as something happy. I mourned for my parents every night for a long time since their passing, ans yet Mira kept smiling at me, not a sense of sadness or worry in her eyes or smile.
"Princess, you are needed back on the throne, your friend may come along as well if you wish." One of my servants said.
I sighed and was ready to go back when I quickly took Mira's hand.
"Won't you join me? I would like to talk to you more. I don't get to talk to many people my own age. Wait, how old are enough again?" I asked.
"I'm six and a half. I'll be seven in the next few months."
Once again I was surprised, she was so much younger than I was and yet she acted like she was much older than me.
I had to admit, I like this girl.
~~~~Mira~~~~
Frosta led me back to her throne where she sat down. With her icy powers, she created a seat next to her out of ice for me to sit in. I nodded in thakks for her gesture and sat down. She talked to me for a few more minutes until someone else came up the ice stairs to greet her.
Frosta put on a serious expression and the two of us looked forward. My eyes widened.
At first I thought I was dreaming, but I knew this was all too real. I saw Catra and a woman I barely recognized as Force Captain Scorpia dressed in formal clothing and bowing to the princess.
Just then, Adora and Glimmed ran up to the throne.
"Revered hostess, you can't let them in. They're from the Horde." Adora said.
Catra looked taken aback by this sudden accusation and chuckled.
"Revered Hostess, Princess Scorpia was invited as per rules of this Ball." Catra said, "Rules which I personally have the utmost respect for."
"You do not!" Adora shouted at Catra.
"Princess Adora." Frosta said firmly, "The rules state clearly that all princesses and their chosen guests are welcome."
"But they're up to something, I can feel it. You have to--"
"That's enough!" Frosta shouted, "You look at me ans see a child, but I have worked too hard to gain respect, only to throw it away because you feel they're up to something."
I shook in my seat. The fact that the Horde were using these neutral rules to infiltrate a Ball filled with Princesses scared me. I had hoped that we would be able to have fun and just enjoy ourselves, but I guess that will have to wait.
"For centuries, the All-Princess Ball has been neutral ground. I will not dishonor that legacy. Scorpia is a princess. Princesses get plus ones. They stay."
One of the servents took Adora and Glimmed by the shoulders and shoved them down the stairs.
"Teenagers." Frosta sighed, "I'm so sorry you have to watch this, Miracle. I have to maintain order and all. You understand, right?"
I nodded sadly, but kept an eye on Catra as I sat there next to the princess.
~~~~Adora~~~~
I knew they were up to something and I was going to find out. Glimmer and I split up to follow Catra and Scorpia. Glimmer too Scorpia and I took Catra. I didn't trust Catra to not make any kind of mischief. I even noticed Mira keeping an eye on her as she waltzed around the room.
I had to keep this kingdom and Mira safe. I could tell she was scared, hed shaking hands giving her fear away to me instantly.
I followed Catra up the stairs and saw Entrapta still watching the Ball go on as she sat om the railing.
"Princess Prom. Hour two...." Entrapta muttered into her recorder. But Catra walked up behind her with that strange smile on her face.
"Don't touch her!" I shouted and ran to Entrapta. But just as Entrapta was about to fall, Catra caught her to my surprise.
"You're right. This is a much better vantage point for my observations." Entrapta said to Catra. The tech princess jumped off the railijg and landed om the balcony.
"Hi, Adora." She said happily, "Have you met my new assistant? She brought snacks."
I glanced from Catra back to Entrapta.
"She stole my food, and then asked me to spy on people with her." Catra answered bringing Entrapta closer to her, "Is this what love feels like?"
I glared at Catra and pulled Entrapta away from her.
"Entrapta, she's from the Horde." I told her, but Entrapta looked at me with a blank stare. "The people the Rebellion are fighting? The Rebellion you're a part of." I reminded.
"Oh." She replied, "Well, in that case, we should keep a better eye on her. She just walked away."
I turned around and groaned, seeing that Catra had vanished. I quickly scanned the room below and saw her walking down the stairs and trying to blend into the crowd.
As I walked down the stairs, the lights went dim, a single spotlight shining down on Princess Frosta. I sighed in relief when I saw Mira still next to her.
"It is my solemn duty as hostess to now announce, it is time for the first dance of the ball." Frosta announced.
The rush of the crowd flying down the stairs made me follow to the dance floor. People got into pair and prepared for the dance as music played in the background.
I looked around and saw everyone team up when a lighr shone on me. I turned back and saw Catra smiling at me with her hand up, ready to dance.
I groaned and reluctantly placed my hand against Catra's, beginning to dance.
"I don't know about you, but I am having a blast." Catra said, "And it seems that Mira is having fun too. I never imagined she could look so beautiful."
"Whatever it is you're planning, it won't work." I said as we spun around and got closer to each other as the dance called for.
"You sure?" She asked. The two of us spun around and separated, my partner changing into a sobbing Glimmer.
"I got into a fight with Bow, and he won't wanna be friends with me anymore and I don't know where Scorpia is!" She told me, my eyes widening.
"What? Glimmer, don't--" I couldn't talk to her anymore since our partners changed and now I was dancing with Perfuma.
"Have you seen Bow?" She asked as I lifted her into the air, "He went to get his cummerbund, but that was a whole ago. Right about the same time that Horde Princess left."
I set Perfuma down gently, but got worried as we spun around.
"Wait, do you mean Scorpia?" I asked as we changed back to our previous partners.
"Glimmer, when did you last see Bow?" I asked.
"A while ago. Isn't he eith Perfuma?" She asked still sobbing.
"No. Perfuma says he's been gone this entire time." I said. The two of us separated and Catra came back to me, falling into my arms and glancing at me from the side of her eye.
"Maybe my plan won't work. But then again..." she said, taking me by the waist snd dipping me down.
"Maybe it already has."
I got angrier as she pulled me back up and held my arm.
"Say, where's your friend Bow?" She asked.
I growled in my anger and shouted, tackling Catra to the ground and forgetting that we were in ultralight territory. I smashed her into an ice crystal and the music stopped. Everyone turned to look at us, but I didn't care.
"What did you do to him?" I asked demanding an answer.
"Nothing permanent." She said smirking. I grabbed her by the scuff of the shirt, the people around me gaspijg ans whispering.
"Tell me whay you did with him, right--" before I could finish my thought, a shard of ice seoarated the two of us and I saw Mira running to my side as more ice shards surrounded me.
I looked up and saw Frosta staring at me with an angry look in her eyes.
"Revered hostess, she's got--" I tried to explain.
"The Princess Ball is a ceremony of unity. Violence is strictly forbidden." She said.
"You don't understand." I said.
"I understand perfectly." Frosta walked closer to me, then looked back at the guests, "As hostess, in accordance with the rules set down over the centuries, I hereby revoke your invitation. You are to leave my kingdom and never, ever--"
All of a sudden, the whole castel began to shake. People gasping and shouting from the sudden tremors. Just then. Several explosions erupted, making the people panic even more.
~~~~Mira~~~~
I stayed close to Adora as the people panicked. Adora and I spotted Glimmer in the crowd.
"Glimmer!" Adora shouted, "Catra has Bkw. You have to find him now!"
Glimmer nodded and disappeared. I suddenly felt a pair of arms wrap around me. Scared from the sudden contact, I jumped away and turned around to see that it was Catra trying to hold me.
She leaned against the ice shards holding Adora prisoner and smiled at her.
"Catra. What did you do?" Adora asked.
"I did nothing." Catra answered, "Scorpia, Lonnie, and Kyle, on the other hand, were very busy. It was fun distracting you, though."
"This isn't a game. People are gonna get hurt." Adora said as Catra began to walk away.
Catra frowned and turned back towards me and Adora.
"It's never been a game to me." She walked closer again, "I'm after something bigger, and no one is going to stop me."
Suddenly, one of the pillars began to fall and crashed into the shards holding Adora down. I decided to run away as well, but there was no time to tell Adora where I was going.
I had a bad feeling about Princess Frosta. I ran down the icy corridors of the castle, being careful not to get crushed by the falling ice pieces.
I soon found myself in a darker hall of the castle and hearing Frosta's grunts of struggle. I almost stopped when I felt extremely cold, but that didn't matter at the moment. What mattered was Frosta and if she was all right.
I followed the dark tunnel until I saw a light at the end of it. When I got to the light, I saw Frosta holding her hands up to a large glowing ice crystal.
"Come on. Come on." She shouted in her struggle. I didn't even think and ran up to her, placing my hand on her shaking shoulders. Frosta's eyes shot open and then looked over at me.
"Mira? What are you doing here? It's dangerous." She told me, but I shook my head and refused to leave.
I reached out my hands towards the glowing crystal and closed my eyes, feeling a rush of cold fill me.
~~~~Frosta~~~~
Mira was covered in a soft light that grew brighter and brighter with every passing second. But then, I saw her change completely.
Slowly I saw her appearance change. Her once sunset colored hair tumbled out of its bun style and changed to several shades of blue and white. The bow in her hair repositioned itself to her chest and changed to an icy blue with a deep blue stone in the center. The bow sat comfortably on a thick fluffy winter coat with a large white hood hanging behind her. In her blue hair was a mint green hair ornament and she had two sets of blue diamond shaped earrings in each ear. Her feet were covered with dark blue boots and her pants were a lighr cream color, all of which thick and fluffy to keep out the cold. When she opened her eyes and looked at me, they were no longer the same purple color as before, but a mesmerizing shade of blue.
I was amazed by her sudden change of appearance, but I had other things to worry about at the moment.
I looked back at my runestone and concentrated even harder. But this time, I didn't feel so weak or struggled as much as before.
I looked back over at Mira and saw her entire body glowing the same color glow as my runestone. She seemed to be calm and I felt power rise in the runestone.
I felt all the ice in the kingdom move back into place and even became stronger than before.
Pretty soon, I was able to handle it on my own from now on.
I turned to face Mira one last time, but all I saw were a cloud of sparkles left where she was once standing.
~~~~Mira~~~~
I had to hurry, so I teleported everywhere until I found a Horde ship about to take off. I saw Kyle and Lonnie tying Bow and Glimmer up, both unconscious at the moment.
I ran as fast as I could to the ship, when I felt something prick my back and a pair of arms wrapping around me.
Last thing I saw was Scorpia holding me.
~~~~Catra~~~~
I fell. Adora caught me but I didn't want to be saved by her, so I let go.
I fell onto the ship deck and saw the princess and her little friend unconscious in the front seat with Lonnie, Kyle and Scorpia. I pulled the princess and her friend closer to me and waved goodbye the princess I once called friend.
As we flew away, I noticed that Scorpia was laughing and smiling even more than normal.
"What's up with you?" I asked.
She took my hand and led me to the inner room of the ship ans showed me something wrapped in a blanket.
"I found a little something special while we were loading that princess and her friend into the ship." Scorpia said.
I got curious and walked over to the blanket and pulled it off of whatever was underneath it. When I pulled off the blanket, I was shocked to see Mira sleeping peacefully.
I quickly picked her up in my arms and cradled her. I smiled a real smile for the first time in weeks. I was so happy that I barely heard Scorpia leave the room.
"My little kitten." I whispered to her, rocking her in my arms as she continued to sleep.
"I am never letting you go again. Once this war is over, we'll be happy again. I promise, I won't let anything bad happen to you again."
I spent the entire journey holding Mira, and not once did I not feel uncomfortable and I felt so warm holding her. I had my kitten back. And I would never let my daughter be taken away from me again.