《The Queen》 Part 1 The princess saw the food table and was instantly fed up. The combination of the music she didn¡¯t like, the poorly thought out theme, and now seafood of all things made the now 16-year-old wonder if her birthday ball was truly about her at all. She stormed her way through the mingling people dressed in gaudy outfits and too much perfume. She knew the queen was socializing with some ¡®important people¡¯, but the princess had some equally important matters to discuss. When she quickly approached the group, she was dismayed to see that none of them even noticed her presence. What were they all there for if not to celebrate her? ¡°Mother,¡± she ground out quietly, watching with fury as the queen gracefully turned on her toes to greet her daughter. ¡°Aurora, darling,¡± she looked like she was about to say one of the 3 recycled statements she frequently used at parties of ¡®You look lovely¡¯, ¡®These are my dear friends¡­¡¯, or her personal favorite added just for today: ¡®The young woman of the hour¡¯, but she noticed the princess¡¯s face and paused. Aurora was glad to see that she could at least tell when her daughter was upset. The queen gracefully turned back to the older men that she was entertaining and said in a smooth voice, ¡°Pardon me, gentlemen. I believe my daughter would like a word.¡± They all pretended to smile knowingly and Aurora fought an eye roll when her mother turned back to her, a sharp look in the queen¡¯s eyes that the princess knew only she could see. Her tone was slightly clipped, ¡°Follow me, dear.¡± And so Aurora followed the queen through a nearby door, relieved that they wouldn¡¯t have to fight through the crowd of people just to speak privately. Only when the door was safely closed behind them did the queen speak, looking down at the princess expectantly, ¡°Darling, you seem upset?¡± Hearing the calming voice of her mother nearly made the princess shed tears of distress, but Aurora steeled her nerves, reminding herself who she was mad at, ¡°Mother, this party is the worst one I¡¯ve been to in months. How could you plan something like this for me?¡± The queen paused, looking down into her daughter¡¯s eyes, ¡°Darling,¡± she paused, searching for the right words, ¡°I planned a party appropriate for this season. I cannot arrange one as you had in mind during the summer." Aurora glared, ¡°Well you should¡¯ve,¡± her voice cracked with frustration and humiliation, ¡°I¡¯m not showing my face again for the rest of the night.¡± Her mother¡¯s face blanked for a moment before she reached out, gripping the princess¡¯s arm, ¡°This is an important party for us both. You need to show your face until it is time for you to retire.¡± If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just retire early,¡± Aurora spoke defiantly, daring to look directly into her mother¡¯s eyes. ¡°Absolutely not,¡± the queen¡¯s eyes sharpened noticeably, but the princess was too deep in her own indignation to care. "Mother-" The queen took a harsh step forwards, showing a rare side that truly frightened the princess, ¡°Aurora, that is out of the question, you will go out there and be merry while I form new bonds or I will lock you in your room for a month,¡± the air had gotten colder and the princess fought a shiver as she looked away from her mother¡¯s chilly gaze. Aurora knew that the punishment would be much worse if she had to repeat herself, so the princess shut her mouth, fighting frustrated tears. She took one last blurred look into her mother¡¯s eyes and stormed away, missing the way the queen¡¯s glare softened into slight guilt. Aurora bottled up her anger as she walked through the crowd, knowing that she¡¯d be in heaps more trouble if she acted on her feelings in front of the esteemed guests. A few people here and there wished the princess ¡®Happy Birthday¡¯ and she tossed out many watery ¡¯thank you¡¯s before she finally reached the door that led to the gardens. The princess wanted to cry in relief at the thought of getting away from the madness for a moment, but as she hastily gripped the handle, it opened outward. Aurora stumbled forward clumsily, cursing her heeled shoes. Her hand tightened on the door handle as she tried to right herself, but she was caught instead. The boy¡¯s hands wrapped firmly around her waist as he took a step back to steady them both. Aurora swallowed back her emotions, wondering when her suffering would end. The princess attempted to gracefully apologize as her mother would, but her voice was caught in her stinging throat. Her eyes remained focused on the boy¡¯s shiny shoes as she tried to banish more tears of frustration. Before she could rally herself, though, the boy offered a gracious, ¡°Princess, I apologize. I didn¡¯t check before opening the door.¡± The princess wanted badly to correct him: it was she who was a clumsy fool. But she knew that if she spoke, her aching throat would cause her voice to crack, or worse, she¡¯d just start crying. Instead, she offered a small nod, eyes still focused on the ground. She pulled away from him, curtsied, then exited the building promptly. As she rushed away, she felt a green-eyed stare follow her. The princess had avoided his gaze, so how did she know his eyes were green? She brushed the thought aside, certain that her gift wouldn¡¯t have activated in that short moment when he touched her. Even if it did, though, she couldn¡¯t bring herself to care. She sat down on an isolated bench enclosed by the long branches of her favorite tree. All she wanted was to leave this place and escape for a bit. Sure enough, as soon as she allowed it, tears began streaming down the princess¡¯s face as she quietly sobbed under the speckles of moonlight. Normally, a bad party wouldn¡¯t bother her to this extent. But this was supposed to be her night. This was supposed to be filled with laughter, favorable food, and exceptional music. But even those small wishes seemed too much for her mother to honor. It never mattered what she wanted. It was all about the kingdom. The woman didn¡¯t care about Aurora at all. Aurora folded her body in half, releasing a scream into her puffed-out skirts, hoping nobody was near enough to hear. She just couldn¡¯t fight off the frustration. She wasn¡¯t even sure if she wanted to. Her grievances cultivated contempt and anguish until she was pressing her eyes closed tightly and wishing for this night to end with all her might. Then she felt nothing. Part 2 Aurora woke in a soft bed, feeling rested and safe. She shifted to the side, vaguely wondering if it was time for her tutoring yet. Then she shivered, why was it so cold? She opened her bleary eyes and immediately let out a piercing scream. The princess scrambled back, wide-eyed, looking at the man in her bed. The man''s eyes sprung open and he sat up, looking around, "What?!" his eyes fixed on Aurora after seeing no sign of a threat, and he held out a hand to her, "Are you okay?" Aurora screamed again, falling backward off the side of the bed, and landing in a heap on the floor. "Ror!" the man called, jumping up to look over the side of the bed at the frightened princess, "Are you alright? What''s wrong?" he hurriedly asked, looking around again. Her brown eyes met his green and she fought deja vu as she cried out, "Who are you?!" The man paused, looking down at her before slowly sliding off the bed to join her on the floor. Aurora fought the urge to scramble back when she saw the worry in his eyes. He cautiously reached out, and her stomach tensed as he gently touched her forehead with the back of his hand. "Well, you don''t have a fever¡­" he mumbled to himself before leaning back slightly. Aurora released the breath she was holding as her eyes looked into his. She quietly repeated, "Who are you?" The man paused again, studying her, "Normally, I might think you''re joking, but you were never one for jokes¡­" The princess scooted back again, distrusting this stranger. She swallowed, getting ready to run. Aurora attempted a more threatening tone this time, "I''ll ask one more time: who are you?" The man looked a bit bewildered as he sat back, "I''m¡­ Orion," he paused, searching her expression for recognition, "I''m your husband." And finally, Aurora did what she should''ve done from the beginning, "GUARDS!" After she let out her cry for help, men rushed in, looking for danger. Upon seeing none, one asked hesitantly, "Your Highness, what''s wrong?" Aurora gaped at them, gesturing silently at the man on the floor with her. The guard looked to Orion, "Is something wrong, Your Highness?" Aurora stared perplexed, stunned at the title that the guard used for the man. Orion glanced at the princess before turning back to the guard, offering an apologetic smile, "I apologize, it seems she had a nightmare. Please return to your posts." The guard nodded silently and the group followed him out of the room. Aurora felt curious eyes on her before the door shut and she was alone with the man again. The room was tensely quiet for a moment before Orion broke it hesitantly, "Ror¡­" he spoke hesitantly, "Are you okay now? Should I call a doctor?" He moved forward again, but the princess held up a panicked hand, "Don''t move¡­" she paused, "Please, stay right there. I need a moment to think." Aurora stared at the ground while Orion silently obeyed, sitting back cautiously. The princess tried pinching herself, cursed at the sting, then tried again. This certainly didn¡¯t feel like any dream she¡¯d had before. She was usually very good at waking up when she wanted to. The only other conclusion she could come to was that she had been kidnapped. Maybe he was the king of a neighboring country and wanted her hand the only way he could get it. Or, more likely, he was a man posing as royalty to trick her into believing something that wasn¡¯t true¡­ That must be it. She fixed an accusatory gaze on the man, "Why am I here?" The man remained silently staring at her in disbelief. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. "Did you capture me to get the throne?" her tone was biting and she watched with satisfaction as the man flinched. The man opened his mouth, slowly reaching out to Aurora before she cried out, "NO," she shakily gestured, "Stay- stay right there," when he silently obeyed again, she continued, "Now, tell me why I am here- why you are here¡­¡± she paused again, ¡°Who are you?" Orion sighed, running his fingers through his hair, "Aurora, I don''t know what this is about, but I didn''t lie when I said I am your husband¡­ we''ve been married for 7 years,¡± the princess stared blankly, ¡°Darling, we have a 5-year-old son," he looked into her unfocused eyes, "his name is Killian." For the first time, the princess''s mind sparked with familiarity. She knew Killian but¡­ she didn''t know how. The name triggered warmth, yet she had no idea who it was. She shook her head, "You''re lying," her thoughts raced as she tried to process what he said, "My mother would never let me marry someone so much older than me. She''s not that old-fashioned. Even if we somehow married while I was asleep, there''s no way I could have a 5-year-old child. That''s¡­ impossible." Orion looked at her, aghast. He opened his mouth hesitantly, "Asleep?" then he leaned forward suddenly, an alarmed look appearing in his eyes as he gripped her shoulders urgently, "What is the last thing you remember before waking up?" Aurora leaned back again, apprehensive from the look in his eyes, "I don''t know¡­ it was my birthday party. I was outside then I must''ve fallen asleep." Orion looked horrified, releasing her shoulders as he slumped back, "Oh no¡­" he paused for a moment before he softly asked another question, "Which birthday?" ¡°What do you mean?¡± Aurora was still unsure of what the hell was happening, much less able to process what he was asking. He spoke slowly, desperation clouding his tone, ¡°Aurora, on which birthday did you fall asleep at your party?¡± Aurora was confused by the question. The answer was obvious, "My 16th¡­ of course." Then it was her turn to be horrified because Orion was bursting into tears. The princess watched the man with curiosity and trepidation. She felt the odd need to comfort him. Ignoring the small voice that screamed to run, she unconsciously scooted forward, daring to ask, "Hey¡­ what''s- what''s wrong?" Orion shook his head as he struggled to get his breathing under control. He mumbled nonsensical apologies under his breath. Aurora was genuinely starting to worry about him. Her hand hesitantly reached out, fingers hovering for a moment before resting on his arm comfortingly She let out a squeak when he immediately gripped her hand in his, squeezing it while he continued to sob in a ball on the floor. He cried for another few minutes, just clinging to her hand before Aurora felt he could answer when she repeated, "What''s wrong?" The man looked at her and she felt a strange sadness at the sight of how swollen his beautiful eyes were, "Darling¡­ you have the gift to borrow other''s powers. All you need is physical touch and eye contact." The princess nodded. She was, in fact, aware of her own gift. She had always thought it was a little lackluster and uninspiring. Copying someone else¡¯s power wasn¡¯t useful very often- they could just use it themselves to complete the task. Aurora remembered being jealous of her mother''s gift to create ice, but the queen had regularly assured her that Aurora was her only perfect creation. Orion squeezed his eyes shut, "The night of your 16th birthday¡­" He took a shaky breath, "Do you remember¡­ the boy you bumped on your way out to the garden?" Aurora hesitantly nodded, that must''ve been just a few hours earlier. How did he know about it? Did he see it happen? Orion continued unsteadily, "That boy¡­ was me," the princess pulled her hand away and she watched the man''s expression fall in anguish, "Darling¡­ that was 10 years ago." Aurora let out a scoffing laugh. Then she saw that he was still looking at her with despair. "Y-You''re serious?" he must be crazy. Orion didn''t need to speak for the princess to know he wasn''t joking. Aurora fought an eye roll as she stated the obvious, "That''s ridiculous," she scoffed again, "What, are you implying that I was in a coma for 10 years?" Orion shook his head, eyes trained on the floor, "Not exactly," he ran a hand through his hair, "Let''s start with my gift," the princess silently listened, "I can skip as much as a day in time," he stood suddenly, startling Aurora as he rushed to a desk and grabbed a paper and pencil, "It''s just¡­ it¡¯s easier if I draw it," he hurriedly explained, placing the paper in front of the princess, "When I jump a day in time, time continues to flow normally, and so my body remains," he drew a line on the paper, "But my consciousness¡­ or as some call it: my soul, skips to the desired time," he drew 2 dots a few inches apart and labeled the line ''one day'', "Again, though, I can only travel about a day." Aurora remained silent, unsure of what he was implying. "You have royal blood, though. You naturally are more powerful," he stopped, looking expectantly at the bewildered princess. "Okay¡­?" Aurora was a bit lost. She fought a headache as she tried to process what he was implying. "Ror¡­" Orion cleared his throat when his voice cracked, "You borrowed my power and somehow traveled 10 years into the future." Aurora recoiled, "What?" Part 3 Aurora stood shakily, waiting to be greeted by her mother. The queen looked down at her from atop an icy throne, gaze cold and calculated. The princess shivered, remembering what Orion had told her in an attempt to explain what occurred during her mental absence: ¡°People saw that you weren¡¯t yourself. Everyone close knew that something had happened, but now I see that it was your subconscious taking over your body,¡± he shook his head guiltily and Aurora fought the urge to console him. ¡°Didn¡¯t you say my subconscious skipped to 10 years later?¡± all this talk of souls and time skips had her confused. This wasn¡¯t a part of any lessons she took- or at least none that she remembered taking. Orion tilted his head, nodding, ¡°The consciousness and subconscious are opposites of sorts. The consciousness is your personality or your active mind. Your subconscious is a part of your brain that takes over when you don¡¯t need or don¡¯t want to be present,¡± when he saw the muddled look on the princess¡¯ face, he added, ¡°Have you heard of dissociation?¡± This time, Aurora nodded. She had read a few psychology books and learned some official terms like that. Orion nodded, smiling encouragingly, ¡°Disassociation is when your conscious mind goes to dream world and your subconscious takes over. Your subconscious can be very capable all on its own. You can answer questions and have trivial conversations, yet there is no deeper part of your mind that truly thinks,¡± he paused, making sure Aurora was still on board, ¡°This¡­¡± he paused, ¡°This is sort of what you were like¡­ The only difference is that you weren¡¯t in dreamland, your mind skipped directly to this morning. That¡¯s why you have no memories from the past 10 years.¡± Aurora tried not to think about it as she almost pleaded, ¡°Got it. Continue.¡± ¡°When everyone saw how you were, I thought it might¡¯ve been my fault since I bumped into you, so I stuck by your side, hoping to explain everything when you came back. But after weeks passed, I figured that you might¡¯ve been affected by something else,¡± he stopped for a moment, ¡°Actually, the reason I was in the gardens that day was because my father had just told me that the two of us were arranged to be married and I was trying to process it all. Your mother told you a month or so later. I think she hoped that the sudden news would break you out of the trance, but, well¡­ you didn¡¯t object,¡± his cheeks were red with shame and this time the princess rested a hand on his shoulder. Orion cleared his throat, glancing at Aurora before continuing, ¡°We announced the official engagement on your 18th birthday and were married a few months later. When our son was born, a bit of light returned to your eyes. Everyone could tell you loved the boy dearly,¡± Orion sadly shook his head, ¡°Then we found out that Killian¡¯s body could not handle the heat of our environment. He has your mother¡¯s blood, but instead of being blessed to create the cold he needs, he¡¯s cursed with no apparent gift except the need for a hyperborean climate.¡± His voice broke at the end and Aurora marveled for a moment at how she had gotten so lucky while she was away. He seemed to truly care for their son. But she quickly shook the thought away. When he looked to her for instruction, Aurora nodded for him- for her¡­ husband to continue. ¡°Well,¡± he studied his hands which rested in his lap, ¡°Your mother did not take this curse very well. People wondered why she suddenly broke, but I watched the way she always looked at you, searching for any remaining light. I knew she had struggled for years over the loss of her only child,¡± His green eyes swirled with sorrow, ¡°I think she couldn¡¯t bare the thought of losing another.¡± This time, Aurora was the one fighting back tears. She had only known this place for an hour or so, but the thought of her mother living alone for so long¡­ the princess could hardly bear the thought. It had always just been her and her mother. Even though the queen and princess had regular disputes, they still loved each other. Aurora couldn¡¯t imagine pushing on without her wise guidance or soft comments. Their lives were so intertwined, they clung to each other like vines. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure if my gut feeling was right, though,¡± he paused guiltily, ¡°I never told her that you may have borrowed my gift.¡± Aurora blanched, ¡°So she thinks¡­¡± Orion nodded, ¡°She thinks you somehow had a psychotic break from all the pressure. She believes that she¡¯s the reason you disappeared from your own mind. So, when she saw that your son might not survive¡­ she¡­¡± Orion paused again, glancing at Aurora, ¡°She lost it,¡± Aurora¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and she was startled when he grabbed her hand in his, speaking slowly but resolutely, ¡°Ror, the queen- Your mother¡­ froze the entire kingdom.¡± Aurora¡¯s mind went blank again, ¡°... what?¡± Now, as she stood in front of her own mother, Aurora barely recognized the woman. Her mother had aged well, white hair swept to one side, smooth skin barely cracked with age. Even her dress must be the envy of many wives. She was beautiful. And yet¡­ those eyes. As the queen looked down at her daughter, Aurora could barely see the woman who had raised her. Her expression had no hint of that familiar warmth that she could always see even when the queen was furious. There was no peaceful air like a cool breeze. It was just¡­ ice- freezing and hardened like stone. It almost seemed she had wrapped it around her heart in an attempt to conserve it. Orion was right, the queen really had¡­ changed. Aurora fought off the word ¡®broken¡¯ as it bounced around in her mind. The queen stood so suddenly, that Aurora unconsciously took a startled step back. Her mother¡¯s eyes then moved to Orion and the guards behind her. Not a single sound had been made since they entered the throne room together, but her mother easily sliced through the tense air with two words, ¡°Leave us.¡± Even her tone was unrecognizable to Aurora. It dripped with authority and intimidation. It was unloving and¡­ cold. Footsteps were heard, and Orion hesitated only a moment to squeeze Aurora¡¯s hand before he, too exited the throne room. Aurora gnawed on her lip and brought her hands in front of her to wring her fingers, trying to find an ounce of the warmth Orion had graciously given her. Her fingers then slid over the cold ring on her left hand, distracting her. The princess looked down at the ring, successfully forgetting her situation for an instant as she studied the beautiful gem set in gold. She straightened again when she heard a gasp from her mother. Aurora snapped her attention back to the queen who stood silently with her hand over her mouth. The princess finally dared to speak, ¡°Mother¡­?¡± The question echoed off the walls of the throne room before the queen seemed to break out of her trance and was running toward Aurora in an almost¡­ unladylike way- the likes of which Aurora thought she¡¯d never have the pleasure of seeing. She watched, frozen with wide eyes as her mother¡¯s face contorted into an expression of disbelief, confusion, and¡­ joy? ¡°Darling-¡± the queen cried out. And then Aurora was being tackled with the most indecorous hug she had ever received. ¡°Mother, wha-¡± she cried out in muffled surprise. ¡°You¡¯ve returned¡­¡± the queen gasped out a sob, ¡°As soon as you came in I saw¡­ oh, mercy.¡± Aurora hesitantly returned her mother¡¯s hug, internally panicking. She hadn¡¯t received physical affection like this since her father died. Her mother was a rather apathetic woman who offered the occasional comment of endearment or care. She never displayed this kind of behavior- even when the two were alone. The queen¡¯s grip tightened and Aurora was unconsciously pulling away slightly, overwhelmed by her mother''s sudden mawkishness. What was going on? ¡°Mother-¡± she tried again. Her mother just shushed her though. And they stood in silence for a few more minutes until the queen finally pulled away slightly, looking at her daughter within arms reach. ¡°Darling, you¡¯re back,¡± she said with a watery smile. Aurora returned a shaky nod with a half-hearted smile, ¡°Yes, Mother. I¡¯m back.¡± The queen¡¯s eyebrows suddenly furrowed, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry Aurora. I should have thought of your feelings more. The day the light in your eyes vanished¡­ I never thought-¡± This time, Aurora was the one shushing, ¡°It¡¯s ok, Mother. I never meant to leave,¡± she looked away, wondering if she could explain. If she should explain. But she shook the thought away, ¡°What matters is that I¡¯m back now,¡± she decided. Her mother looked into Aurora¡¯s eyes, ¡°And I promise I¡¯ll never let it happen again,¡± the queen¡¯s hands tightened almost painfully on Aurora¡¯s shoulders, ¡°Now, family comes first.¡± Those words were all that her young self ever wanted to hear. The princess should¡¯ve been comforted by them¡­ but something about the look in her mother¡¯s eyes gave her an unconscious shiver. She wasn¡¯t sure why everything felt so amiss. Aurora replied with a nod, unsure of what else she could say. Then the queen was swiftly leading her outside of the throne room, ¡°Come, I¡¯d like to show you what the kingdom has become. I feel now you¡¯ll be able to appreciate it as much as I do.¡± Aurora nodded nervously, unsure of why her mother assumed she had no cognizance from the past 10 years. Should she explain? Would it ease or worsen her mother¡¯s guilt? When she made eye contact with Orion, though, she was almost immediately comforted. Strange. Must be her subconscious telling her that he was safe. Curious how her subconscious did not feel the same way about her mother now. The 3 of them strolled around the castle trailed by a few guards. Aurora noted how they had new gear to keep them warm under their armor. She also noted that her mother now walked around with armed protection in the safety of her own castle. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. The princess¡¯s own clothing had been modified with wool and thermo-regulating cloth and Aurora marveled at how well everyone in the castle had adapted to the new climate. Aurora avoided asking about the cold climate, though. She had no desire to consider the repercussions or discuss politics just yet. The castle was frigid throughout the entire structure. Aurora recognized most areas, but nearly everything had been transformed into a place that was uninviting and restless. By the time they reached the library, however, she finally mustered enough grit to shakily ask, ¡°Can I see my son?¡± The queen paused mid-step before she replied, ¡°Of course. I¡¯m sure Killian is awake by now¡­ He¡¯ll want to see his mother,¡± she continued down a side hallway, ¡°Try to act¡­ normal. I don¡¯t want him getting overwhelmed when he sees that his mother has a soul again.¡± Aurora flinched back at the wording her mother used. Surely she didn¡¯t mean it to sound so cruel. But she nodded in understanding, eyes downcast as she fought off feelings of shame and remorse. What had Orion said? Her son was now 5. Aurora couldn¡¯t believe that she had no recollection of his birth. Not to mention, Killian had probably grown up knowing little to no motherly affection. She did not have to question others to know that she had been¡­ absent in ways of affection for the past 10 years. 10 years. It all still felt like a dream- like she was watching the life of another. Aurora wasn¡¯t sure when the crushing weight of reality would finally kick in, but she was certainly dreading it. Would she be able to handle it? ¡°Here we are,¡± her mother¡¯s emotionless voice broke the princess out of her trance. They were in front of a hefty metal door. Aurora swore she could feel the air snaking out from inside the room, somehow even colder than the already freezing hallway. She was terrified to meet her child. So, for now, she would pretend she really was dreaming. The door opened inward and the princess was hit with a wave of frigid air. She hardly noticed, though, when her eyes landed on the little lump squirming under the sheets of the bed. She was drawn forward as if by a magnetic force, slowly moving toward what she knew was her son. She could feel that it was her child. ¡°K-¡± her nerves caused her voice to catch, ¡°Killian?¡± A little ball of dark curly hair poked from out of the blankets, and Aurora¡¯s breath hitched as the head turned and big, green eyes focused right on her. Then her heart clenched further when a wide smile broke out on the little boy¡¯s face as he cried out, ¡°Momma!¡± before shuffling around in the blankets until he was untangled and could leap off of the bed. Aurora stood, frozen, as the boy ran up to her, wrapping his arms around a clump of her skirts. The princess was in a trance, unsure of what to do. Her hands hovered over the little boy¡¯s head, feeling both terrified and captivated. He was so small. Her eyes began to water at the thought of this little boy treasuring an emotionless mother his entire life. She knew better than most what having a detached parent could do and Aurora had sworn as a younger girl that she¡¯d never be like her mother. Yet¡­ here she was, filled with remorse and sorrow. He must¡¯ve faced so many disappointments because of her. The fault lay solely on her shoulders. She could not push the blame onto another like she often tried to do in her youth. The princess wasn¡¯t sure why, but she suddenly understood lessons she¡¯d never learned. Her heartache intensified as her mind grasped the significance of her mistakes. Maybe her brain matured normally with her body. Or maybe she was just dreaming of a difficult world and fearing adulthood and the morals she¡¯d be forced to learn. The little boy pulled away after only a few seconds, noticing that there were others in the room. ¡°Papa!¡± Killian ran to Orion and giggled uncontrollably as his father scooped him up into the air and showered his face with kisses. Aurora found herself smiling tearily at the sight. Her heart clenched again. At least he had a wonderful father. The little boy then noticed his grandmother and Aurora was mystified at the sight of warmth that spread across her mother¡¯s face as the queen reached down to tame some of his unruly curls. Since when was the queen fond of children? The friends Aurora had as a child were always regularly scorned and openly abhorred by the queen. She supposed family was an exception, but it was almost erratic how only two extreme sides of her mother showed. It made Aurora uneasy. ¡°Grammie¡­¡± the boy pouted for a moment, ¡°What took you so long?¡± the queen¡¯s eyes shifted to Aurora, causing Killian¡¯s gaze to follow. Then he paused, big eyes growing wider as he looked at his mother. The princess then realized that there were tears streaming down her face. So much for not overwhelming him¡­ The boy stared, his face showing both wonder and concern, ¡°Momma¡­?¡± Aurora pushed down a sob at the worry etched onto his face. She fought the instinct to run and hide, instead deciding to crouch down slowly. She extended both arms in a welcoming gesture and her heart broke more at the puzzled look on his face. Had she really never even hugged him? She sniffled, swallowing, ¡°It''s ok¡­ I¡¯m ok¡­¡± Orion gently urged Killian forward and the little boy stumbled, eyes still locked on his mother. Aurora finally worked up the courage to plead, ¡°Can you- come here¡­?¡± Killian took a few more steps and practically fell into his mother¡¯s arms, still seeming disoriented and concerned. Aurora wrapped her arms around her son tightly, burying her face into his hair. She felt his tiny hands slowly reach up and grip the front of her dress, and she fought another sob at how unsure he was about her affection. The princess found herself whispering out apologies into Killian¡¯s hair for the years she¡¯d missed. Her grip was firm but not strong enough to hurt him as she cradled the small boy, still kneeling and rather undignified. She never wanted to let the little boy go- as if a hug could make up for years without a loving mother. She tried to keep her cries quiet, the boy was probably terrified enough as it was, but they bubbled up in her chest as her emotions overflowed into more tears. He remained completely still and silent during the embrace, so Aurora was a bit startled when she heard a muffled, ¡°Momma¡­¡± The princess pulled away slightly and looked down at her son. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were unfocused as he muttered out a weak, ¡°...hot¡­¡± Before Aurora could ask him to repeat himself, the queen was shoving her away from Killian. The older woman looked distressed as she pulled the boy to herself, ¡°Killian,¡± she said in a desperate tone, voice cracking slightly. Then her powers were flooding the room. Aurora felt her eyelashes freeze and she had to squint against the sudden cold as she watched her mother cradle Killian as if he was her own, washing his body in ice until his cheeks returned to a normal color. There was silence for a moment while the queen slowly carried the boy back to his bed and gently placed him down, once again smoothing his hair back, tenderness displayed in her movements. After a few moments, the queen¡¯s icy gaze turned and she snapped, ¡°Out. Now.¡± Aurora, who still sat stunned on the floor, knew that her mother was talking to the whole room, but the queen''s eyes never left hers. Her tone was biting enough that the princess scrambled out of the room immediately, along with everyone else. Although, she couldn¡¯t help but cast one last longing glance at her son. Her husband followed, hand resting reassuringly on her back, as Aurora tried to process what had just happened. The question finally escaped her throat in a weak, ¡°What¡­?¡± but Orion seemed to understand as he stepped away, leaning against a wall with a sigh. ¡°Killian¡­ cannot handle heat at all. Even the body heat of his own mother,¡± he looked at the ground sadly, ¡°As soon as you gave birth and the chord was cut, his gift showed itself. We¡¯re lucky your mother was nearby. Otherwise¡­¡± he took a deep breath, trying a different approach, ¡°Ror, our son is¡­ sick. And cannot live without your mother''s powers. I think it¡¯s one reason she¡¯s so protective of him,¡± he sighed, ¡°I understand that you don¡¯t have any memories from the last 10 years and I know it was an accident, but your mother¡­ she might not accept excuses. You have to tell her exactly what happened.¡± Aurora shook her head slowly, trying to fight out of her stupor, ¡°If I tell my mother that I borrowed your gift¡­¡± she paused, thinking of the terrifying look in the queen¡¯s eyes, ¡°I think she might blame you,¡± her eyes fixed on her husband sadly, terrified of the reaction the queen might have. Orion ran a hand through his dark hair, ¡°What will you tell her then?¡± The princess gnawed on her lip, ¡°I¡¯ll tell her¡­¡± she found her eyes wandering as if the walls could provide an answer, ¡°I¡¯ll tell her¡­¡± The only solution she could think of- the only thing her mother might actually believe¡­ Aurora¡¯s heart sank as she finally verbalized the thought that she knew had plagued her mother for a decade, ¡°That it was her fault.¡± Orion stood still, strangely silent. She felt sick to her stomach, ¡°I¡¯ll tell her that I couldn¡¯t take all the pressure she put on me. I¡¯ll say that I needed to retreat so far within myself that I wouldn¡¯t feel any of the things she said or recognize the ways she hurt me,¡± Aurora shuttered, already hating herself for the idea, ¡°I¡¯ll make her think that I was mentally absent for 10 years because of the strain she put on me,¡± the princess was shocked by how natural the words felt and she realized, ¡°It¡¯s almost true.¡± Orion looked at her with a mournful expression, watching her face as she verbalized something she¡¯d never been able to say out loud before. ¡°If-¡± he hesitated, ¡°If you think it¡¯s the only thing that will work¡­¡± but he looked regretful even as the words came out of his mouth. Aurora nodded, trying to find some of that familiar anger she always felt whenever her mother belittled her or tossed her feelings aside. She knew those emotions were real. This was the only way to protect both herself and Orion from reprehension. She didn¡¯t dare to think what the wrath of her mother would entail. But should the blame be put on anyone? Her thoughts were interrupted by the sound of her son¡¯s door opening. The queen stepped out, avoiding her gaze as she quietly closed the door. Aurora opened her mouth to apologize, but her voice caught in her throat as the queen grabbed her arm in a grip that made the princess wince. Then she was almost literally dragging her daughter away from the door. Aurora stifled a gasp of pain, knowing she partially deserved the harsh treatment. She was sure she wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive herself if something had happened to her son. Her mother dragged them far away from the room where Killian was resting, but Aurora barely noticed her surroundings as she focused on matching the queen¡¯s pace. They walked for a minute or two before the queen pulled her into a dark room and slammed the door behind them. The princess was disheartened when she saw that Orion didn''t follow them inside. She knew that the queen wanted him out of this conversation. Aurora could barely see her mother''s face with the sliver of light that peaked through the curtains. She wished she could read her expression better. The room smelled like dust The silence dragged on for a few moments before the princess felt the need to break it, "Mother, I-" "What were you thinking?" the queen snapped. Aurora could feel her harsh glare. "It was an accident-" she tried weakly. "Did I not tell you to be careful? What made you think that spontaneously smothering your son was a good idea?" Aurora hated that the queen was keeping her volume down. Part of her wished that she would just yell and get it over with, "I allowed it for much longer than I should''ve,¡± the princess heard the guilt in her voice but felt no pity when her mother continued, ¡°but I figured that you might have some maternal instincts left in that hollow shell of yours. Apparently, I was wrong." Aurora was stunned, unsure of how to respond. The air was colder than it had been and she wondered if her mother unconsciously turned her gift on. The queen broke the silence, sounding disdainful, "You''re lucky that you are my daughter. I''d kill a servant for less," Aurora stood in silent shock, suddenly glad she couldn''t fully see her mother''s face as the queen asked, "Give me one reason I should allow you to see Killian again after that feat." The princess found her eyes instinctively training on the ground in shame. She bit her lip and gripped the side of her dress in a white-knuckled hold, trying desperately to keep herself from crying. And she felt like a kid again- scolded by her uncaring mother and feeling like she¡¯d do anything to escape. Aurora reminded herself what she needed to tell the queen. She steeled her nerves and halted any remaining guilt with the bubbling anger in her chest. But then there was a cold hand gently stroking her face, "My daughter¡­" the queen spoke, as if in a trance, like she had forgotten Aurora was there, "Don''t worry, Killian will be fine," her tone was suddenly so gentle that the princess stood frozen in confusion, "Just make sure I am always near and try not to forget yourself again." Then the queen was opening the door and walking away, leaving her stunned daughter to bask in the abrupt light streaming through the doorway. ... Part 4 Aurora allowed Orion to comfort her for a bit and when she¡¯d finally calmed down and they¡¯d made it to the empty dining room, the princess found herself asking, ¡°My mother¡­ what happened to her?¡± Orion put his fork down and sighed, visibly considering the question, ¡°Like I said, she¡­ just kind of lost it. The¡­ pressure and loss was too much for her,¡± Aurora studied her plate, ¡°She¡¯s rarely seen smiling, and sometimes her¡­ cold personality changes into sadistic or-¡± the princess tried to be patient as he paused again to think of the right word, ¡°heartless. Like she¡¯s lost her soul. I¡¯d like to say those occurrences are rare, but they¡¯ve become disconcertingly common,¡± he brushed his fingers lightly over Aurora¡¯s arm, ¡°I caution you now that you may see a side of her that you¡¯d never want to see.¡± I already have¡­ Aurora nodded silently, trying her best to finish as much food as she could. Her stomach was in knots, though, and she gave up with plenty of food still left on her plate. Orion broke the silence again, ¡°I¡­¡± he fiddled with his fork, ¡°I thought about speaking up against her many times, but I didn¡¯t know how to do it,¡± Aurora listened silently, ¡°She is just so¡­ unpredictable. She might kill me and- I couldn¡¯t bear to leave our son,¡± he glanced at the princess and she saw a guilty look in his eyes, ¡°I knew he needed a conscious parent and I-¡± his voice broke and Aurora found herself wanting to comfort him again. ¡°I understand. You did what you could, Orion,¡± she reassured as if she did understand, but Aurora puzzled over why he felt such guilt. There was no way he could do anything to oppose such a powerful queen, ¡°I don¡¯t think any could¡¯ve done it better than you have.¡± ¡°I should¡¯ve been better¡­¡± he took in a shuddering breath, shaking his head ¡°Ror, the things your mother has done to this country¡­ I don¡¯t think you fully-¡± but he shut his mouth as a servant came into the room and asked them if they were done with their plates. The princess smiled at the girl and nodded, but her smile faded slightly when Orion stood, signaling the end of their meal. ¡°Are you sure you ate enough?¡± Aurora asked as she followed him out of the room. Her husband looked down at her for a moment, as if in a daze, before he shook his head and smiled, looking away, ¡°Yes, Ror. Thank you for thinking of me.¡± Aurora wondered why his ears were slightly pink, but shook the observation away as she thought about asking him what he¡¯d been suggesting in the dining hall. Why did he feel so guilty about her mother¡¯s actions? What had her mother done? It seemed like she didn¡¯t know the whole story. Everyone in the castle seemed to have adapted to the cold environment, but she wondered how far the cold had spread. Was everything as fine as her mother made it seem? Was it as atrocious as Orion hinted to her? Aurora wasn¡¯t sure if she even wanted to know. She puzzled over if it had truly been only a day since she¡¯d woken up next to a man she didn¡¯t know. Now, he seemed like the only one she could trust. She tried to remind herself that this was all a dream, but it wasn¡¯t as easy to fool her mind as it had been earlier in the day. Reality wasn¡¯t so benevolent. Orion led the princess back to their room and left her to take care of some ¡®business¡¯. Aurora stood in the doorway, thinking about everything and nothing all at once. Her mind drifted and she found her feet leading her to a floor-length mirror on the wall. Had it really been 10 years? As she studied her face in the mirror, she realized she didn¡¯t even know the person looking back at her. The girl- no, the woman who she saw reflected had less innocence. It wasn¡¯t anything in her slim face or curvy body. It was her eyes. She wondered how different they had been when she wasn¡¯t herself. Was she herself now? How could she even tell? The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. The long, wool dress she wore looked much more flattering on her than any other dress she remembered. Her younger self would¡¯ve been thrilled. She didn¡¯t feel blessed, though. Despite seeming like it¡¯d only been a day since she was 16, such trivial things no longer mattered. Was her mind somehow more mature? Did she learn things she hadn¡¯t known before? It certainly felt like it. The princess tore her gaze from her reflection and slowly moved to sit in a big, puffy seat by the window. Aurora watched the snow drift to the ground. She briefly wondered what season it was. She wondered if it still mattered. She knew her son had grown up without the affection of his mother, and yet, Aurora still felt like she loved him. The princess finally had a moment to reflect on what she¡¯d lost, but now that she was alone, the princess couldn¡¯t bring herself to cry. She wished she would cry. Instead, she felt numb. Who knew that some teenage angst could cause her to lose so much? Aurora knew in her mind that she should regret her actions, but she was so overwhelmed that nothing actually seemed to matter at the moment. So she just sat in the comfortable chair and watched the snowfall. ¡­ Orion knocked on the door before entering, and Aurora wondered if he always did that. She continued to watch the snowfall as he slowly walked up beside her. He stood for a moment silently. Aurora felt his eyes on her. He softly cleared his throat in an attempt to break the tension, ¡°How are you feeling?¡± Aurora didn¡¯t know how to answer. She had no idea how she was feeling, ¡°I-I don¡¯t know,¡± she needed an ally and Orion had given her no reason to distrust him yet. Her husband hesitated before his hand rested on her shoulder gently, ¡°Do you¡­ want to talk about it?¡± The princess just shook her head, not even knowing where to begin. Orion removed his hand slowly and was silent for a moment before he dared, ¡°Do you¡­ want a hug?¡± Aurora finally turned to look at him. Something about the expression of care in his eyes and the nervousness in the way he fiddled with his shirt made her nod her head. The princess shifted to the edge of the seat and allowed Orion to wrap his arms around her for the first time in her memory. Then her vision began to blur and the princess finally let out the frustration, confusion, and sense of loss she¡¯d been overwhelmed with the whole day. She didn¡¯t even really care that a man she didn¡¯t know was holding her because, for some reason, she trusted him to at least care. Aurora clung to her husband¡¯s shirt and sobbed as he tightened his grip around her slightly, remaining silent. She thought about her son growing up without a mother. She thought about her mother¡¯s soul being broken by an unresponsive daughter. She thought about Orion bearing guilt for caring about his son. She mourned the loss that everyone had experienced because of her. Then she let it out. After a while of being held, Aurora¡¯s hiccups began to subside and she leaned further against Orion, exhausted. He didn¡¯t let go. When her mind and body had finally calmed down enough, the princess asked, ¡°What was my subconscious like?¡± Orion stayed silent for a moment, but Aurora noticed the way his breathing stalled, ¡°You were very¡­ distant. You rarely spoke first and only smiled when you needed to be polite. And even then, it never reached your eyes. You did what you were told and had the same answers to the same questions as if they were rehearsed,¡± he paused, his tone turning harsher, ¡°I should¡¯ve known that you were gone, but I told myself that there was no way you could travel so far,¡± he shook his head, tightening his grip again, ¡°I didn¡¯t want to feel the guilt, but I was selfish and stayed by your side and¡­¡± his voice broke, ¡°Ror, I¡¯m so sorry¡­¡± The princess heard the guilt in his voice and she pulled away to look into Orion¡¯s shame-filled eyes. Anger suddenly rose in her chest, ¡°Don¡¯t be stupid,¡± she watched surprise flicker across his face, ¡°How could you have possibly known all this would happen? I ran into you. Did you purposefully give me your gift?¡± she watched as he shook his head in horror, ¡°Did you hide some secret cure to your gift from me or anyone else?¡± again, he shook his head, ¡°Then none of this could possibly be your fault. Only an idiot would take the blame for all this,¡± she glared at her hands, ¡°And I trust that even my subconscious wouldn¡¯t marry an idiot.¡± Was she being childish? She didn¡¯t really care, ¡°What matters,¡± her tone softened as she turned her eyes back to her husband, ¡°is that you stuck by my side for so many years. You stayed close even when I was unbearable and loved our son the way I couldn¡¯t,¡± she blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision, ¡°Even if you only wanted the throne, I wouldn¡¯t care. You did more for me than I¡¯ll be able to repay,¡± her gaze fixed on the ground, trying to ignore the heat in her cheeks, ¡°What I mean to say is¡­ thank you.¡± ... Part 5 When Aurora heard that she had been summoned for an evening soiree, she was a bit confused. She didn¡¯t think there was a reason to hold a party, but when she asked Orion, he reminded her that it was her birthday. Right. She was turning¡­ 26? Aurora shook the thought away as she exited her room, properly dressed for a small yet elegant gathering and ready to ignore her problems for a few hours. She walked alongside Orion and asked, ¡°Will Killian be there?¡± Orion paused, ¡°... Perhaps.¡± he seemed hesitant, ¡°The queen has done many¡­ questionable things for the sake of our son. She doesn¡¯t trust anyone but herself around him. Now that you¡¯re yourself again, though, maybe she¡¯ll start to loosen her hold on everything.¡± Aurora hummed, eager to see her child again but not wanting to anger her mother like before. She spoke softly, suddenly vulnerable, ¡°Do you think everything will be alright?¡± Something told the princess that there was still more she was missing, but she supposed it was due to losing 10 years¡¯ worth of memories. Orion squeezed her hand gently and Aurora was startled that she hadn¡¯t even noticed he was holding it, ¡°We¡¯ll make sure everything is made right,¡± he paused, ¡°Remember that I¡¯m by your side if you need me.¡± Aurora felt a small smile creep onto her face and she reveled in the feeling of being cared for, ¡°And if I can help with anything, let me know.¡± He smiled back and cleared his throat, looking away, ¡°It might take a while for me to get used to that¡­¡± Aurora tilted her head in confusion but just smiled as they made their way to the gathering. Maybe everything really would be okay. She tried to ignore the pit in her stomach. When the two entered the big ballroom, the princess instinctively began to make her way to the smaller chair beside her mother¡¯s throne. Orion went to follow her, but Aurora spoke, ¡°If you¡¯d rather be mingling, you can. I need to speak to my mother anyway. I don¡¯t think she feels like I¡¯m back yet considering we have hardly spoken.¡± Orion paused, looking like he wanted to object. When he looked into the princess¡¯ eyes, however, he sighed, looking away, ¡°There are a few people I¡¯ve been meaning to speak to¡­¡± He looked back at Aurora, ¡°Are you sure that you¡¯ll be alright alone?¡± Aurora nodded, ¡°It¡¯s only my mother,¡± but even as she said this aloud, the words were less than comforting and Orion¡¯s gaze lingered on her as she made her way to where her mother sat. She bowed to the queen and took her seat, ¡°Mother,¡± she said in greeting. ¡°Hello darling,¡± her mother responded, voice sounding void again, ¡°I hope you¡¯ve sorted yourself by now?¡± Aurora nodded. ¡°Good, we can carry on our normal weekly proceedings then,¡± her cold gaze locked on Aurora, ¡°I trust that you¡¯ll keep yourself in order?¡± The princess nodded again and was relieved when the queen looked away. They sat in silence for a moment before Aurora dared to break it, ¡°Mother,¡± she began, ¡°The kingdom is¡­ cold now,¡± she swallowed, ¡°Why?¡± The queen looked at her daughter, eyebrows raised, ¡°Darling, you know why.¡± ¡°Well, yes¡­¡± the princess spoke, unsure, ¡°but are there not other ways to protect my son?¡± The queen was silent and when Aurora finally looked at her, she found herself stuttering out, ¡°I apologize, Mother, I did not mean to question your decisions,¡± She wondered if she should say more, but knew it was wise to not fumble through a half-baked apology. Instead, she ventured, ¡°How do the people fare?¡± The queen finally looked away and Aurora released a breath. Her mother¡¯s tone was emotionless as she replied, ¡°They are ungrateful and restless as always,¡± she looked at her daughter again, ¡°Though I do wonder why you are suddenly so interested,¡± Aurora tried not to sink back, ¡°Do you not know what has been happening in your own kingdom? I did not think to ask before since I was glad at your return to yourself, but¡­¡± Aurora broke eye contact first, looking out into the small crowd gathered, ¡°I did not have the energy to notice my surroundings for years, Mother. I am finally able to be myself again because of Orion and my son. Now I am interested in the state of our kingdom because you raised me to care about the people,¡± she tried not to think about all the times her mother had placed the people¡¯s needs before her own. She¡¯d felt bitter for so many years but now realized that her mother was right. Had she truly grown out of her teenage selfishness overnight? The queen hummed looking ahead, still oddly emotionless, ¡°I did teach you that, didn¡¯t I?¡± she scoffed, ¡°What a foolish way of thinking I had.¡± Aurora snapped her head up to look at her mother, ¡°What do you mean?¡± she tried not to notice the way her mother¡¯s eyes changed again. ¡°Darling,¡± the queen began, ¡°I thought of the people far too much. I thought that it was my duty to protect them over my own and my family¡¯s well-being.¡± Aurora hesitated to speak, not wanting to set her mother off. But she needed to ask, ¡°Is it not?¡± The queen threw her head back and laughed, causing the princess to jump slightly and several heads to turn and look at the queen, before quickly looking away. Aurora did not notice their fearful expressions. ¡°My dear,¡± her mother began with a smile that didn¡¯t reach her eyes, ¡°I am queen. The people live to serve me.¡± Aurora¡¯s mouth went dry. ¡°I wasted many years following the views of my father: that the people mattered more than anything,¡± she scoffed, ¡°He was so wrong.¡± Aurora shrunk a bit as her mother turned to her, a suddenly gentle expression on her face. ¡°Dear, I realized that family matters most over everything,¡± the princess looked into her mother¡¯s eyes when the queen reached out to gently stroke her cheek, ¡°I let you fade away once and I will not make the same mistake again. We will live happily together,¡± she looked out over the crowd, ¡°Nobody can destroy that.¡± Aurora was frozen, unsure what to say as she looked into her mother¡¯s eyes and saw¡­ nothing. The queen spoke words that would¡¯ve made her teenage self cry with happiness, but something about her mother just didn¡¯t feel right. She seemed¡­ unstable. They sat in silence for a moment before the queen spoke again, ¡°You asked why I froze the kingdom?¡± The queen looked lovingly at her daughter, a serene smile on her lips as if she wasn¡¯t talking about ruining the lives of thousands of her citizens, ¡°I did it for you.¡± Aurora tried not to show the horror on her face. ¡°The day you gave birth to Killian, I saw you look at that beautiful baby boy and,¡± she paused, hand resting on Aurora¡¯s leg, ¡°I saw the light return to your eyes for just a moment. I cried with happiness and realized that your essence and joy traveled to that baby boy and you would return to yourself if I just kept him safe,¡± She looked serene but Aurora felt anything but safe, ¡°I knew then that I¡¯d do anything to protect my family.¡± Aurora remained silent, trying not to be overwhelmed by her mother¡¯s deranged ideas. Maybe her consciousness had recognized her child. She had felt a bond with her son before she¡¯d even met him, but the princess knew that everything else her mother had said was just a shallow defense for the reason she¡¯d been acting so impulsively. Had she been convincing herself that she was doing virtuous things? For how long had she told herself this was all for Aurora¡¯s sake? The princess watched the crowd of people mingle, this time noticing the many fearful and bitter glances at her mother. Did the people hate their queen now? Did her mother know? Aurora felt like she had sunken into sand. Her mother had always been loved by her people. She had always put their needs first and had been a gracious queen. Had all that truly changed? To her, it felt so sudden, but she wondered how long the process had actually taken. The princess stood, smiling at her mother, excusing herself to go find Orion. She felt her mother¡¯s eyes watching her as she moved away. Aurora found her husband easily. She figured he must¡¯ve been keeping an eye on her and the queen because he met her not too far from the stage, taking her arm in his hand, ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked gently. Aurora wasn¡¯t sure, so she just nodded. Orion didn¡¯t quite look convinced as he said, ¡°Well this party seems to be going smoothly. I was a bit worried since sometimes your mother has¡­¡± he paused, searching Aurora¡¯s face, ¡°distasteful entertainment at these gatherings. It seems she is in good spirits tonight.¡± Aurora wondered what he meant by that, but before she could ask, the lights were dimming and a spotlight shone on the queen as she stood. The princess felt sudden tension in the air as her mother¡¯s voice projected over the small crowd, ¡°Thank you all for joining us tonight to celebrate my wonderful daughter. She is the light of my world and has done nothing but bring me joy. You all know I¡¯d do anything to protect her,¡± she looked into the darkness, no doubt searching for a glimpse of the princess, ¡°As such, before we begin with the true festivities, we all have some business to attend to,¡± Aurora glanced at Orion who cursed under his breath, ¡°You all are very important people that help make running this kingdom possible,¡± she smiled coldly, ¡°Now, as many of you know, there has been unrest throughout my kingdom and you are aware of how we deal with it,¡± her eyes searched the crowd before her gaze landed on Aurora who briefly wondered how her mother could see through the darkness, ¡°I trust that you all will join me in this moment, celebrating another victory, knowing we must protect the kingdom from these rebels.¡± Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. The wide double doors opened and Aurora¡¯s gasp caught in her throat as she watched three men and two women being dragged into the room. Two of the ragged men were into adulthood with steely eyes and muscular build, but the third was a sandy-haired scrawny boy who looked like he couldn¡¯t be older than 17. A girl clung to his side as an older woman walked next to her with a solemn look on her face. They had shackles on their wrists and bruises on their faces. Aurora wondered what they¡¯d done. She looked back at her mother as Orion gripped her arm tightly. What was happening? Her attention turned to her husband as he pulled at her arm, murmuring, ¡°We need to leave.¡± Aurora let herself be pulled for a few steps before she remembered to react, ¡°Why?¡± but Orion stayed silent, pushing through people toward the nearest door. She tried again, ¡°Orion-¡± Then a guard was stepping in front of them, blocking a doorway, explaining, ¡°The queen wants everyone present.¡± Orion just looked around, searching for another exit. When she saw the desperation and fear on his face, Aurora gently brought her hand to his arm. Orion turned his eyes to her, still slightly panicked. ¡°Orion,¡± she said his name with a firm tone, ¡°It¡¯s alright¡­ I need to stay,¡± she looked to the throne where her mother watched from, somehow still seeing them in the dark, ¡°I need to see what she has become.¡± Orion paused, looking uncertain. Aurora met his gaze again and nodded once, firmly. He saw the resignation in her gaze and squeezed his eyes closed for a moment before he gripped her hand in his, stooping down slightly to look directly into her eyes, ¡°Are you certain?¡± he seemed to be in pain, ¡°Ror, it- it won¡¯t be pretty.¡± Aurora steeled her nerves and nodded, knowing that hiding would ultimately only make things worse. Orion sighed, squeezing her hand and looking away, ¡°Alright.¡± Aurora nodded in thanks but made sure to squeeze his hand back. She was sure this was a necessary evil she needed to face. Her eyes turned back to her mother who watched them in the crowd with an emotionless look resting on her face. Aurora just straightened her shoulders and stared back, making sure to keep her own expression neutral. She would not show her mother the fear and uncertainty that she felt. The princess then turned her gaze to the prisoners. Her eyes lingered a bit longer on the younger boy trying to look brave next to a girl who shook visibly, gripping his shirt with her bound hands. She heard her mother¡¯s voice continue, ¡°These traitors tried to sneak into the castle and kill me last night,¡± Aurora¡¯s spine stiffened and she looked at their fearful faces, ¡°The women posed as maids and allowed the others into the castle. Guards caught them in the night sneaking through the halls with weapons on hand. After only a few minutes of interrogation, the girl admitted their plans,¡± the queen looked distastefully at the girl who couldn¡¯t be older than 16. Aurora watched the way she gripped the boy¡¯s shirt, wondering why she felt fear for them even after knowing they tried to kill her mother. ¡°Now,¡± her mother¡¯s voice boomed, ¡°They will face the penalty of treason,¡± her eyes met Aurora¡¯s again, ¡°Death.¡± ¡°No,¡± Aurora whispered under her breath. The crowd shifted uncomfortably, but nobody spoke. Was this an ordinary punishment? She didn¡¯t remember her mother killing people in the past, but maybe she had just hidden those things from her daughter. No. Even if this was normal and had always been normal, it was not right. She unconsciously took a step forward. The girl began to sob openly as a guard ripped her away from the sandy-haired boy and threw him to the ground. The boy was followed by the others who were also forced down one by one. What was her mother doing? The girl tried begging, ¡°Please¡­¡± her voice broke, ¡°We only want to help. The people-¡± her voice broke off as her throat closed in terror and misery. The boy, head bowed to almost touch the ground, continued for her in a raspy voice that held fury, ¡°The people are starving and freezing to death,¡± he spat out, ¡°and nothing- nothing is done about it,¡± his head slowly rose and Aurora could see his eyes were red with tears as he looked around the crowd, ¡°all of you cowards just stands by and let everyone suffer just because the queen-¡± his furious gaze turned to Aurora¡¯s mother, ¡°Is a selfish hag who only cares about her own. She¡¯s left us all to rot. Treating us like-¡± he was cut off by a blow to his head from a guard. Aurora wondered why the guards had let him talk for so long. How many of his words were true? Aurora began to panic as she looked around the crowd, watching their dismal expressions, seeing that some even turned away from the sight. Was this really what the kingdom had become? Aurora took another step forward as she watched the girl try to scoot toward the boy who had slumped to the ground from the blow. This time, she felt a hand on her arm. Orion. The princess turned to her husband to see his eyes pleading with her to stop. But how could she stop when she knew she had done nothing for years? She was essentially a puppet being strung along by her own mother to rule a kingdom straight into ruin. The guard kicked the boy again and this time the boy stopped moving. The princess found herself hoping he had passed out. She didn¡¯t think anyone deserved to be awake to see this. The girl finally reached the boy and wept over him, trying to shield his body with hers. Aurora yanked her arm away from Orion, ¡°I need to do something.¡± His eyes widened at the fire in her eyes and he let go of Aurora when she yanked again. Then the princess was moving toward the stage quickly, gaze set on the prisoners. The crowd parted hurriedly, surprised to see the princess with such an expression. Aurora thought of nothing except deterring whatever the guards were about to do. She watched as one unsheathed his long, shining sword. Her pace quickened. The queen¡¯s eyes were locked on Aurora but she could hardly bring herself to care as she brushed her fingertips on an old representative she¡¯d known as a child, making sure to lock eyes. There were murmurs beginning to rise around her as the guard lifted his sword high over one of the older man¡¯s head. Aurora reached the bottom of the platform, only a few meters away from the prisoners. ¡°Stop,¡± she commanded. Her voice rang loudly in the suddenly quiet room. The guard paused, unsure. All eyes were on the princess. The queen stared at her daughter in utter disbelief, ¡±What?¡± Aurora steeled herself and met her mother¡¯s furious gaze with a glare of her own, ¡°I said stop." The room held its breath as all eyes flicked between the princess and her mother. The queen¡¯s gaze was filled with so much fury, that it sent a shiver down Aurora¡¯s spine. She straightened as she held her mother¡¯s gaze, using her rebellious teenage years to fuel the strength behind her eyes as her hands shook with fear. She watched her mother¡¯s thoughts flicker behind her eyes and waited for something, anything, to break the tension in the air. But she only felt despair when her mother spoke in a fridged tone, ¡°Guard,¡± She kept her gaze on her daughter, ¡°Continue.¡± Aurora broke eye contact with the queen as she watched in horror as the guard lifted his sword again, this time with a slight tremor in his hands, and swung down. ¡°NO!¡± Aurora screamed as she began to move forward again. But before she could even react, a wall of ice was separating her from the prisoners. She heard a thud as something hit the ground and rolled followed by a scream from the young girl. The princess cried out again, pounding against the thick ice as she watched the blurred form of the guard move to the next man. She could not allow them to die. How many had lost their lives while she was trapped? Horror soaked through the princess¡¯ veins as she looked up to the woman her mother had become. The queen watched her with an intense gaze, daring her to try something again. Aurora knew that that look meant she would be punished greatly, but she didn¡¯t care. Any punishment was better than the guilt she would feel if she stood by and did nothing while people died trying to protect their children¡¯s futures. How could it have come to this? Why did her mother give up on being a righteous queen? She used to look up to her mother and see a powerful yet honorable woman whom she could only dream of becoming. Now she looked up at her mother and saw a heartless woman who had let fear and loss tear her apart. A woman she never wanted to become. It was then that Aurora realized her mother was truly gone, replaced with a powerful witch who needed to be locked away before she could continue to torture and slowly kill her kingdom. Aurora knew she was the only one with the power to stop her. She stared the queen in the face and watched her eyes widen at the fire in Aurora¡¯s eyes. Then the princess reached forward, placing a hand on the ice wall and using her freshly borrowed gift to melt it to mere steam in the air. The princess let the rage from guilt and loss fuel her steps as she moved up the stairs one at a time. She didn¡¯t bother glancing at the ice that hurtled her way as she turned it easily to water that began to splash down the grand, ornate steps. People had started to scream and scramble back, worried that they¡¯d get caught in the crossfire. It didn¡¯t surprise Aurora that the people who stood by and watched the collapse of the kingdom only cared about their own well-being. Her eyes were locked on the guard who had now killed the other man and was standing over the woman, his back to the princess. Aurora tried to quicken her pace when his arm swung back again, but her mother was flinging ice and snow along her path. She had no choice but to divide her attention, lest she be frozen in place before she could actually do anything, ¡°Stop,¡± She spoke with authority as her hand shoved a long ice spear away, fighting to keep her feet from sliding as she worked to melt everything in her path. But she was helpless as the guard ignored her command and swung his sword down. The princess¡¯ voice cracked as she stumbled on a slippery chunk, ¡±Stop.¡± By the time she finally reached the executioner, she was melting a blizzard around her, heart breaking as the girl tried to protect the boy from the guard and the ice with her weeping form. The guard raised his sword again, and she tried one last command of ¡±STOP." Then her hand came down on the back of the guard¡¯s unprotected neck and he was screaming in pain, recoiling as welts immediately formed on the skin she had touched. He stumbled forward, away from the princess, as she stood in front of the unconscious boy and the girl whose eyes showed nothing but pure terror. She reached her hand down to the girl, attempting to reassure her, when she felt a gust of air fly by, missing her outstretched hand by an inch. The princess didn¡¯t even have time to gasp. Her body was frozen still in shock as she watched the girl scream in horror. There was a large piece of ice impaling straight through the young boy, a crimson pool of blood already mixing with the melted ice coating the ground. The girl¡¯s screams were muted in the princess¡¯ ears as she slowly turned, not willing to believe¡­ but- Her mother stood still, arm raised. The queen¡¯s eyes were wide and deranged and her perfect hair was slightly dishevelled. Aurora stood still as her mother¡¯s eyes met hers and softened slightly. The queen lowered her arm and started making slow steps to the princess, speaking softly like Aurora would somehow be able to hear her over the screams of the girl. Aurora wished she couldn¡¯t. ¡°My love, cease this absurd behavior,¡± she pushed a piece of her wild hair back as she slowly walked down the steps, somehow managing to not slip on any puddles of water, ¡°You forced me to do something I didn¡¯t want to.¡± Aurora remained frozen, still attempting to process what her mother had just done. When the queen reached the landing that her daughter stood on, Aurora felt a cold hand caress her cheek tenderly, ¡°Darling, this is the way it has to be. To keep you safe,¡± tension swam through the air but the queen acted as if she couldn¡¯t feel it, ¡°to keep Killian safe,¡± she glanced at the tragic scene with disdain, ¡°They deserve death.¡± They¡­ what? Aurora looked into her mother¡¯s eyes- truly looked. And she saw nothing. A void of pain. A longing. She saw someone who was willing to do anything to keep her best interest ahead; someone eager to step on the heads of families- children to reach her goals; someone unlike the mother she once knew. This was not her mother. This was a monster. The queen took her daughter¡¯s lack of response as submission and gave her cheek one more pat, smiling softly, before turning to the girl who had crumbled into sobs on the ground, clutching at the lifeless body of the boy, overcome by grief. The queen spared a glance at Aurora before adding, ¡°One day you¡¯ll understand,¡± as she raised her hand to finish off the girl with no sign of empathy or hesitation. Aurora was so overcome with loss, confusion, and disgust that all she could manage was a weak, ¡°... no.¡± The woman paused again, seemingly bewildered that her heir had the gall to oppose her again, ¡°What is it now?¡± Aurora balled her hands into fists and looked right into the monster¡¯s eyes as she uttered with loathing, ¡°I will never understand.¡± And then she was reaching out, knowing she had only one choice. Her vision blurred and she vaguely recognized that she was crying as she watched shock and then betrayal flash in the monster¡¯s eyes. Then the queen¡¯s blood was boiling inside of her veins. Part 6 ¡­ Aurora sat in front of the window in her room again, looking out at the now sunny world. Her mind raged like a blizzard, yet she still felt emptiness gape inside her chest. Snow still coated every surface, but the ice was now slowly melting as the climate went back to its original state. A soft knock sounded in the room, but she couldn¡¯t bring herself to break the silence further. The door opened after a few moments with no reply and Orion entered the room, his feet softly padding along the wood and carpet until he reached Aurora. He spoke softly like he was scared to startle her, ¡°They said-¡± his voice cracked and he cleared his throat, ¡°They said today is the day. Around midday.¡± Aurora nodded silently, eyes not leaving the snow. She wished- No, she didn¡¯t. She did what needed to be done. Even if she could go back¡­ She hummed in response, remembering that this all affected Orion as much as her. She could not take any of her pain out on him. He let silence drip between them before he offered a squeeze to Aurora¡¯s shoulder, ¡°I¡¯m going to spend some time with him this morning.¡± He paused like he wanted to say more, but backed away before Aurora could be bothered to ask. The queen looked out onto her land with deep sorrow, her heart feeling like it had been ripped out of her chest once again. ¡­ Aurora made her way outside, hand holding Killian¡¯s in a tight grip. Orion was on their son¡¯s other side and he talked animatedly with the boy. The queen marveled at how bright his smile was, knowing that every night for the past week he¡¯d cried himself to sleep. He was much stronger than her. She just felt nothing. Killian laughed when Orion did a silly walk and Aurora closed her eyes, reveling in the sound. Guards opened the door to the courtyard and Aurora squinted at the sunlight that was peaking over the mountains, just barely low enough to illuminate her eyes. She shivered at the warmth it brought. The queen looked down at her son and watched his eyes get big. Her heart broke when his brown eyes looked up at her for permission and she fought a sob in her chest as a toothy smile broke across his face when she granted it. Killian let go of his parents¡¯ hands and stumbled into the thick snow with no jacket or hat, giggling elatedly at the feel and sight of the world around him. Aurora had made it a point to go outside every day since she had freed the kingdom. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. She was brokenhearted to find out that the previous queen had never allowed the small boy to go outside for fear of safety. Aurora wasn¡¯t surprised by any means, but she took in every sight of the boy like a sponge, tucking away memories into the safe spots of her mind. They made sure to always be cautious of the sun. She kept Killian in the shade at all times, making sure he understood not to step into the light. Killian was still frolicking around when a doctor approached the queen cautiously and whispered some words to her. Aurora¡¯s eyes remained glued to her son as she nodded slightly and the man moved away, going back inside. The queen requested that all, including guards, remain inside today. Orion moved past her, approaching his son with a wide grin, beginning to play around a bit in the shade of a sweeping oak tree. When the boy started to tire himself out, Aurora approached. The queen knelt in the snow next to her son and looked at Orion for permission before she spoke, ¡°Killian, dear. Would you like to feel the sun?¡± The boy sat up in the snow, messy black curls coated in snow as he looked at his mother in confusion, ¡°But you said never to go into the sun.¡± Aurora could not speak. Orion stepped in smoothly, offering a mischievous grin, ¡°You¡¯ve been so good that we thought we¡¯d allow it just this once,¡± he winked at Killian and Aurora turned away before she could see the elation in her son¡¯s eyes. There was a beat of silence, and the queen turned back to see Killian looking at her, ¡°Mama?¡± he paused, nervous, ¡°Can I?¡± Aurora offered her best smile, her gut wrenching as she replied, ¡°Yes, love. Let¡¯s feel it together.¡± She took her son¡¯s hand in hers again and Orion did the same on his other side as they easily lifted a squealing Killian out of the snow and into the air before letting him cautiously approach the light that was beginning to make the snow dance like billions of overwhelmingly bright stars. They let Killian set the pace as he cautiously approached the line where the sun started. He looked one last time at his parents and then slowly waded into the light. ¡°Woah,¡± he spoke breathily, watching the light dance across his ungloved fingers, ¡°it feels tingly, and¡­ warm.¡± Neither parent could muster a reply, but Aurora knelt so she could watch closer as her son inspected the glowing snow in front of him, exploring what he could do with his shadow. They watched for a few minutes until Killian¡¯s movements began to slow a bit, the heat from the warming earth already diminishing his strength. Aurora cleared her throat before speaking, ¡°Killian, darling, let¡¯s move back to the shade so you can rest.¡± Her son obeyed, but he needed help wading through the snow in his overheated state. Aurora picked him up, careful to not let him close to her warm body. She sat him down against the tree and watched as his breaths started getting labored, ¡°Mama, it¡¯s getting hot.¡± The queen crouched in front of him while Orion moved behind, ¡°I know, darling. Don¡¯t worry though, everything will be alright.¡± Her reassuring smile did not reach her eyes. Aurora¡¯s heart clenched in her chest at the sight of his little hands spreading the snow around him, unconsciously seeking the cold. She didn¡¯t need to see Orion to know he was starting to silently cry. Her own throat ached with the need to break down, ¡°Darling,¡± her voice cracked slightly and Killian looked at her with big, green, unfocused eyes, immediately sensing that something was wrong, ¡°Can I hug you?¡± Killian looked at her with a similar expression to the first day she¡¯d lucidly met him. She¡¯d made sure to shower him with a lot of affection in the past week, but he still wasn¡¯t quite used to it. But he silently nodded and moved in for a half-hearted hug, no doubt eager to continue playing. Aurora heard Orion fall to his knees behind Killian in the snow as he continued to cry, desperately trying to keep his sobs silent. Killian shifted in his mother¡¯s tight grip, weakly trying to wiggle away to see what was happening, but Aurora just held tighter as he asked, ¡°Mama, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Aurora swallowed thickly, fighting the sickness she felt in her gut, ¡°Killian, my love,¡± she took a shaky breath, ¡°Your father and I are just so lucky to have a son like you. You are the most beautiful child a parent could ask for¡­ We- we love you so so much,¡± she had so many words to say, but they all seemed to catch in her throat as Killian¡¯s wiggling slowed even more. An audible sob left Orion as he wrapped his arms around them both. Aurora kissed the top of her son¡¯s head as tears leaked down her cheeks. ¡°Mama¡­ hot¡­¡± Killian¡¯s voice sounded so small. Aurora¡¯s chin shook as she buried her head into his messy curls, ¡°I know baby, I¡¯m sorry,¡± but that was her breaking point. Uncontrollable sobs seized her chest, ¡°I¡¯m so sorry-¡± Then her voice was gone into the cold air and her lungs were fighting for breath, but she couldn¡¯t focus on breathing as she rocked her son back and forth in her arms, gripping him like a lifeline. She was somehow able to whisper out, ¡°I love you,¡± and she willed Killian to understand how much she meant those words. Then her son began to grow warm.