Chapter 1

                 Frost Sorrow...

They say the day you come of age would be the best day of your life, the day you experience a great sense of freedom.

It's the day you are considered to be a woman and all the maids fawn all over you, preparing you for all the suitors that would flood your house. 

But for me, it's completely different.

I don't feel freedom. Instead, I feel trapped.

All the years I've spent locked up in our home never made me feel like I was trapped. I never craved to walk out of the front gates and enter the busy streets of Gold land Kingdom.

Which is why I feel like I'm about to live my worst nightmare.

I clenched my book tight to my chest as I watch the helpers load the carriage with all the necessary items needed for the long travel.

I can feel my face morphing into a worried and sad expression all at once. The amount of guilt I feel is indescribable.

"Don't worry about them, Lady Frost." Mirra Commented from beside me and I glanced at her before I returned my eyes back to the carriage.

"How can I not worry?" I asked, feeling the thick cloth covering half of my face muffle my voice. "They're leaving." I whispered.

Mirra sighed but chose not to make a comment.

I'm grateful that she didn't push me to speak to her like she always do. Picking at the spin of the book with my nails, I closed my eyes and tried to stop the tears that were boiling in the back of my eyes.

"What are you doing out here, Front?" I heard my mothers angelic voice coming from behind me and I turned around to look at her with bloodshot eyes.

She gave me a smile sad as she walked closer. She couldn't see it, but I was biting my lower lip as hard as I could to stop them from wobbling.

"Come here, Dear." My mother called out as she reached out for my hand, Forcing my hand away from my book, she gently pulled me into the house and asked Mirra to close the door behind her.

My mother silently led me towards the dinning room. 

My father- Lord King Sorrow- was waiting for us, seated at the head of the table. His face light up as soon as he saw the two of us walk in.

Just thinking about not being able to see him or mom for an undefined period of time really broke my heart.

My mother- the beautiful Lady Winter Sorrow- let go of my hand so she could walk around the large table to seat next to my father.

Instead of taking a seat, I just stared at them and I slowly felt the tears start to make their way to the lid of my eyes.

"Don't go." I said as I looked at my mother and father. "Don't do this. It's not necessary."

"Frost..." My father called out in a gentle voice but I cut him off.

"We can still back out. Tell the king that I can't marry his son. Tell him the rumors are true and that my illness is contagious. Tell them I'll put the castle in danger. Then, you don't have to leave and we can keep on living the way we are right now..."

"Frost." My father called out in a stern voice, forcing me to halt my rant and listen to him. "There is no backing out. Your mother and I will be traveling out and you will be marrying the future King. End of discussion."

I hated that I was the reason everything was changing. I hated the fact that I was the only child my parents were blessed with. And I hated the fact that I was born sick.

They have been the only family I have. Other than Mirra, my parents have been my everything. To be apart from them to this extent truly hurts me.

I slowly stepped closer to my chair and sat down before I sniffled. "Can you at least wait until the wedding? I don't want to go through it with out you two."

Mother and Father shared a look before father shook his head.

"If we want to make it to the border in time, we have to leave today." Father commented, stealing all the fight I had in my body.

"Okay." I whispered as I looked down at the book on my lap.

"Come on, dear. Don't be down." My mother commented. "Take that thing off, you don't need it in here."

I looked up at my mother and them at my father, knowing that I wouldn't be able to stop them from leaving. So, I decided to take a deep breath before I reached for the ribbon at the back of my head and untangled it to let the  thick cloth fall away from my face.

Taking a real deep breath, I smiled through the pain and shared my last meal with my parents.

***

"Everything will be okay." Mirra commented but I wasn't able to give her any response. 

I peeked out of the carriage at all the people walking around the Kingdom. I never wanted to join the outside world since the last time I came out when I was a child.

That feeling hasn't changed. And the distaste in my mouth was growing more and more the closer we got to the main castle. I'd watched my parents leave the home they have known for over two decades, and I thought that would be the hardest thing I'd ever witnessed.

But right now, I was feeling even worse than I did this morning. 

As the carriage got closer to the castle and people stopped to look at our carriage, anxiety started to swallow me whole, making me wish I was home, locked behind a solid door that kept everyone and everything out.

But when I heard a loud honk of a horn and felt the carriage slowing down until it came to a full stop, I went on full panic mode.

It suddenly felt like the air was getting thinner and thinner. I went to reach out for the thick clothe covering half of my face and rip it off. But Mirra caught my hand in time, stopping me from making the same mistake I made all those years ago.

"Never take the cloth off when you're not in a clear area." My mother's warning rang in my ears and I dropped my hand to my lap.

"Take a deep breath, My lady." Mirra whispered. "It will all be alright."

"Okay." I whispered back, not knowing if it was loud enough for her to hear me.

Mirra gave my hand a squeeze and took in a deep breath, willing me to follow after her and calm myself.

"Who will pass?" I heard a strong voice from outside of our carriage, demanding to know who was boarded in the carriage. 

"Lady Frost Sorrow and her handmaid, my lord." Bronze- the guard my father appointed for our safety answered.

The once loud and noise disturbed street suddenly silenced as soon as the guard called out my name and I already knew what was about to happen.

I heard heavy footsteps walking around the carriage before it stopped right next to where I was sited.

I heard a soft tap against the small side window and I turned to look at Mirra. 

My friend nodded her head, letting me know that I should open the window. With shaking hand, I reached up and slid open the side window and I immediately covered my face to shield my eyes from the glare of the sunlight.

"Show your face, Lady." The man demanded and I slowly dropped my hand away from my face.

The man took one look at my frost blue eyes and knew who I was. I expected to see the same judgment and disgust everyone shoots at me when every they speak or hear of me. I'd expected him to demand my mask off to make sure of the tales were in fact true.

But to my surprise, the man's scarred and twisted face softened before he gave me a single nod and tapped the side of the carriage before he yelled out.

"Open the gates!" His voice boomed and I felt the carriage start to move again. 

I trained my eyes on the scarred face of the man until he was no longer in my vision and raised my hand to quickly close the side window but Mirra stopped me.

"Don't close it yet." She said. "Look outside. This is going to be your home from now on."

Following her eyes, I looked out the window as we strolled in through the massive gates.

The noise from the streets slowly faded away as we rode deeper into the main castle. I stared at the impossibly high walls surrounding the castle and a lot of guards stationed on it to man the wall.

The entrance went on and on until we finally reached the main castle and one look at the massive castle was all it took to take my breath away.

I have never seen anything like it before. 

My father had tried to explain the beauty of the main castle where the royalties lived but, he did this place no justice. It looked big enough to house the people of the entire Kingdom.

The carriage made a curve to face the door towards the castle and my eyes immediately saw the royal family.

I have never met them before. But the way they are dressed and how they stand... and the fact that Mirra whispered to me that they are the royals made it clear.

My heart started to beat out of my chest as the carriage came to a stop and Bronze got off his horse before he walked over to the carriage and opened the door for me.

"Go ahead, my Lady." Mirra whispered and I took another deep breath before I slowly stepped out of the carriage.

After Mirra was out as well, Bronze slammed the door shut and gestured for me to walk over to the group of family waiting for me.

The three of us walked closer to the castle until we were only steps away from the group of people who were waiting us.

"Frost." An old man called out as he walked over to me with his arms behind his back. One look at the massive golden crown on his head and I knew he was the king.

"Your grace." I greeted as I bowed my head down to the waist.

"Ah, yes. Just as respectful as your father." King Viper Great commented before he waved his hands and I stood up straight.

"How was the travel, young lady?" he asked.

I believe this was my cue to answer the King. But my tongue was suddenly tied, reminding me that I don't do well with strangers. But this wasn't just a stranger. This was the king. 

If he takes my silence as a disrespect or an insult...

When the king saw that I was having difficulty speaking, he shot me a smile.

"Well, it must have been exhausting." He replied himself. "Why don't you rest a bit before we take to the dining table."

I nodded my head, thankful for how understanding he is and for not asking me to take the tick cloth off my face.

"Prince Barlion will show you to your temporary chambers." The king commented and at the sound of my future husband's name, I looked up only to see a disapproval and disgust from the man I am to marry in two days.

Prince Barlion Great.