The town was more lively that day. The cobbled roads were lined with anxious citizens, and the buzz of gossip was hard to avoid. Did you hear? The Prince's sister is back! What happened to her? Even the sun was curious; its rays had peaked through the gloom, casting a lustrous glare on the marble surface of the gate Kage Sillich was leaning against. A dark amber hood was pulled over his head, dipping his features into a shade, and a guard was resting discreetly a few feet away from him, staring dully at the rushing townspeople.

Two days until the winter festival's last night. A few hours until the ball. It had been a quick decision that he had not thought through properly. It would still do the trick, however. Few people knew Ela ever existed, already, so the way they portrayed her wouldn't surprise anybody. She was a teenage girl who had been captured. How would any normal person act in that scenario?

But Ela wasn't any ordinary person. Kage strained his neck, glancing at the towering barrier of ice in the distance. Word hadn't reached Seyal yet, but some had already noticed it. The country may have had a considerable amount of Ascended, but smooth icebergs on land weren't all that natural. Stories were spreading fast as a virus, and though many dismissed them, there were those few that were starting to connect the dots.

The Prince himself was having a hard time accepting the events of the previous day. Countless times throughout his way back to Seyal he glazed his palms across his eyes and pinched his skin, but the imposing crystal in the distance refused to vanish and the broad burn on his hand wouldn't cease pulsing. Although the medic had swathed it in jade lopam leaves and many coats of bandages, the sting only kept growing.

The only thought that eased the soaring panic in his gut was the reminder that Ela's actions would have consequences. His sister was capable; the past week had taught him that. But like everything else in that world, magic had a certain capacity. If Ascended squandered their strength with no limitation, that would be quickly dulled. The thought urged a sigh of relief out of Kage's mouth. It was a puff of frozen vapor that faded in the crisp atmosphere along with the man's worry. There are more important things to consider. The war. The ball. The king.

The last thought caused the pounding in his chest to spike once more. He was not afraid of him, no. He was afraid of what he was capable of. The blaring hooves hammering against the stones only intensified the acid taste that had risen to his mouth, and as the lush carriage rolled to a stop before him, he almost caught himself praying to the gods.

The lavishly decorated door flew open, and a balding head peeked from the opening. "Your Highness!" the King of Frya laughed, beckoning Kage inside with a wave of his hand. "Come, we have much to discuss."

Raja Karali, as he insisted on being called, was not intimidating. He was well into his fifties and his brain had started slacking, as his body was doing half a century now. The only real ability he possessed was playing board games and complimenting ladies, but clearly he had not inherited the diplomatic gene that ran in the royal family. He was too flamboyant to be a king, too quick to show off and hire others do his job. It made Kage's teeth grind against each other and his nails to drill into his palms, but he endured it. The king might not have been the sharpest ally, but his advisors were. He needed Frya on his side, especially after the border control measures.

The moment the prince stepped into the coach he was attacked by the stench of strong perfume and alcohol. The king and his council carried the smell of roses drenched in ale everywhere they went, so the bright smile that greeted him inside didn't surprise him. Kage plopped down on a cushioned seat and rubbed his closed eyes with two fingers. When they opened once more, Raja's toothy grin wasn't the only thing he was met with.

There was a woman resting next to him. Black rings occupied her eyes and her dark hair had turned greasy;it was clear that she had been travelling. Her piercing metallic eyes roused something familiar in Kage's memory, something he couldn't identify. When she caught him staring rather intensely, she smiled an almost sour simper. "Your Highness," she acknowledged, inclining her head.

Kage nodded. Why the company? What crazy request does he have this time? As the coach started rolling down the hill, Raja leaned forward and intertwined his fingers into tight knots. "There is something we must discuss."

"If you are referring to the borders--"

"No, no." The king sighed and stole a glance at the woman beside him. "It is about the wanted posters."

Kage blinked. "Which posters?"

"You see, there must have been a mistake with some wanted posters you put up some days ago. Those people are not criminals."

The prince slowly shook his head. "I don't understand why we are discussing the arrest of a few bandits," he said almost reluctantly. Many people had gone against the state over the past few days. Some that were consistently disrupting state affairs were placed in a private watch list, and another few that already had a criminal record were searched for publicly. Seyal's oligarchy couldn't be lenient, not when another kingdom was constantly looming over them, searching for an opening to attack.

"I will try to be a bit more specific," Raja trailed off, as if expecting Kage to pick up on his implication. When the prince kept his puzzled silence, Raja sighed. "Arden Vera."

Alarms went off in Kage's head, loud rings that drilled into his skull. Arden. Arden. The name reminded him of something distant, something he felt like he should have retained. An important detail that simply slipped his attention. Yet whenever he tried to bring forth that memory, it stubbornly stayed rooted in the back of his mind.

Then the King slipped out a piece of paper. After he straightened it out with his fingers he brought it up, presenting in to Kage's vision.

His eyes flared wide open and his pulse picked up, a galloping horse whose rider would not stop lashing it relentlessly. "This man," he muttered, his tone dangerously low. "He went against Seyal's Ascended Council. He defied orders and hindered a national search effort for a royal artifact. He resisted arrest. Need I say more?"

"I insist there has been a misunderstanding," Raja laughed, placing the poster back in his pocket. "Let me introduce you to Bryn Vera, one the most remarkable patrons for country projects."

Kage's disbelieving stare slipped to the woman resting next to the king. Her silver irises were the first thing his eye caught, and the challenge in them was unmistakable. His mother? Is this the woman who spawned that criminal, and if so, why is she standing next to a king?

Bryn Vera must have read his gaze. The corners of her lips stretched, forming an enigmatic smile. "Arden's father is my brother. I raised the boy in Sevin."

Kage knew better than to be relieved by those words. Sevin might have looked all luxurious and safe to the rest of the world, but anyone who had stepped foot closer to its core, closer to the dirty sewers and beyond the shiny facade, had seen the reality of Frya's situation. It almost seemed ridiculous that one of its perpetrators was attempting to throw dust in a prince's eyes.

"So gangs help the kingdom now?"

"Financially reinforced organizations," the king corrected.

"Do not delude yourself, your Majesty."

Bryn cleared her throat and leaned forward. "My group has donated money to the state multiple--"

"In return for what?" Kage retorted drily. "Since when are bribes called donations?"

"My nephew has broken no law." The woman offered a raise of her brows before spitting another remark. "Since when are murderers called princes?"

Kage wanted to hit her. He seriously considered clawing her eyes out with his shadows, or tainting her heart, just like he had done to Ailyn. The thought of the princess only caused his rage to catapult. Perhaps there was some sadness mixed in there, as well. "Your Majesty," he breathed, turning to the king. He inhaled a deep puff of air and regained his posture before talking again. His emotions didn't have to be revealed, and Bryn Vera didn't deserve the satisfaction of knowing she hit a nerve. "This isabsolutely distasteful. I promise you, the boy is just as arrogant on top of all his crimes."

"I am afraid one cannot be jailed because of an unpleasant personality," Raja chuckled, and Kage didn't spare him the sour glare growing on his features. He wasn't taking this seriously. When was he ever serious? "Arden Vera is the heir of Bryn's legacy and fortune, and as far as I have heard, he would be delighted to continue supporting the kingdom when he inherits it."

"I am certain he has ambitions, but that does not reduce any of his offenses. He is a criminal, and so are his relatives."

The king's eyebrows furrowed, and the lighthearted smile that occupied his face finally fell. Perhaps for the wrong reason. "You are mistaken. Bryn is no criminal. She has helped the state multiple times before, and she will continue to do so, correct?"

Bryn's head bobbed in agreement. The sly grin had somehow not fled her lips. "Certainly."

Raja turned back to Kage, puckering his lips. "I am afraid our alliance is being jeopardized by this dispute, my friend."

Kage stared at him in disbelief with a wild frown. "You mean to imply a decade long alliance might crumple, because of a patron?"

"It is not the patron that is at fault here. Rather, your insistence in arguing with me." The carriage rolled to a stop. They were back at the gate. "You might want to reconsider your stance, friend, along with those posters," the king said, and Kage was surprised to notice he could keep so serious while uttering such a ridiculous offer.

The prince wasted no time. He hauled the door open and treaded outside, putting as much distance as he could between himself and the coach. He is a fool. A big-headed, ignorant fool. Somehow, that reminder didn't perplex him. Raja was known for making quick decisions and ignoring common sense in favor of his emotions. Perhaps he though he was being smart, retaining his connections with people who offered their pockets to him. Yet there were no friendly organizations in Sevin. Only gangs and criminal lairs.

What would the rest of the Ascended Council do? he considered, but was met with illogical answers. They would put down the posters. They would dedicate the kingdom's funds in something else. But that would show weakness. It would show everyone else that Seyal would collapse if enough pressure was placed on it, and that was the last thing they needed in the middle of a war.

"Sir!" a panting voice called in the distance. Kage twisted his head to face a sweaty guard awkwardly slouching against the marble side of the gate. The boy brought a sloppy hand to his forehead. "The Petref settlement. It was raided!"

The prince's frown grew, and this time a hint of panic was present too. "Raided?" he quizzed. "By whom?"

The guard gulped down a load of saliva and rubbed his sleeve across his forehead. "It was Flouorn. Their soldiers set fire to the houses."

༺──────────────༻

The ashes tainting the snow and dancing gracefully in the atmosphere looked strangely placid. The flames had been extinguished, yet the fire had left its long lasting scar. The dark snow would melt away; it would flow to the river and blend into the crystal waters. Yet the scorched woods and the blackened glasses, the burns on pale skin and the now worthless flabby limbs would remain. Most of all scars, the memory of houses burning and children screaming would be forever smoldered in the settlement's inhabitants mind, no matter how many wounds vanished as the months ticked by.

Kage stood before the horrid sight. He didn't know what he was fuming about, exactly; the dozen casualties? The attack itself? Perhaps the fact they hadn't been prepared for it? He towered above the thick blankets placed on the snow where injured citizens had been laid on. Some wouldn't make the hospital. Some hadn't even made the outside. The luckiest had only suffered small wounds, but there were those few that had been crushed under pillars or slaughtered by soldiers.

Kasmir stood next to Kage, her spine straight as a rod. Her whole body was tense, and even her voice sounded strained as she talked. "Are those all?" she asked, watching as medics carried screaming men and women away of the debris.

"I don't know," he answered. His words were tiredrasps grating his throat. "I know nothing anymore, Kasmir."

She puckered her lips, but didn't move. Her wide eyes averted on the ground, not baring to see any more corpses. "How do we know the Flouornans did this?"

"This settlement has traded illegal goods with passing Flouornan soldiers in the past." Kage eyed the villagers that were still whole through narrow sockets. "The people here claim so. They also admitted to hiding some refugees."

"Could they have done this?"

Kage shook his head. He had delt with liars a million times before. Desperate wounded villagers weren't exactly the type to lie in a prince's face while knowing the consequences. "They swore on their life that all the refugees left more than a week ago. This was an orchestrated attack, not just a scheme arranged by a few jumpy immigrants."

"And what if the villagers agreed to helping those immigrants do this?" Kasmir hugged her torso as a shiver rippled through her. "There has been word of a riot brewing up north."

"Kas," Kage breathed and turned to the princess, grabbing the clothed skin of her forearms. It had been so long since they talked as people and not as oligarchs, as friends and not as colleagues. The prince didn't particularly like to speak soft words or comfort others. Yet he would have to make an exception for Kasmir. Doubt and suspicion were the last things they needed. "Flouorn did this, and Flouorn alone. Nobody would sacrifice their homes like that for no reason. The soldiers simply wanted to make a statement. To say they could do this again and again without being caught."

Kasmir nodded and Kage let her arms fall limp to her sides, although he was sure she wasn't exactly convinced. The Council had to stay solid. There was no room for misinterpretations.

"We have to go back now," Kage prompted as he pulled out his pocket watch and popped it open. Five hours to the ball. "You do not want to miss the party, do you?"

Kasmir frowned, and any dread left in her seemed to dissolve into pure irritation. "We are not holding the ball," she snapped. "What we should do is bury all these people."

"Trust me, Kas," he assured and turned on his heel, approaching the azure coach with a new air of confidence. "Tonight we are holding a different kind of funeral."

***

Thank you so much for 2k! This story is growing faster than I anticipated, and I'm so happy for it ♥

I'm sorry for the delay, I'm working on another unpublished project along with this one so immersing myself in this world while I've been writing another takes some time. Thank you to everyone who has voted or commented or simply read this, and I applaud you for you patience!

Once again, thank you for reading! Please consider voting and commenting, it helps me a ton ☼