Larene was not fond of their shaggy wagon, which was supposedly a disguise in order to protect themselves from muggers and rapers on the road. It stunk like horse shit, made much worse during rain.

She was excited to go North again because she will meet her Uncle Felkin and Aunt Catherine, she was also excited to meet her cousins Glen, Mayne, Amelie and Pin. She was getting bored of playing with her siblings everyday, and it was also hot in their city of Solsari.

The journey from Solsari to Bredost usually takes about eight days, but because of the detour her father had arranged, it took a fortnight. Fourteen full days in a stinking wagon, having to bathe in springs along with other people, and bumpy roads everywhere to the point that it almost made her nauseous and hurt her rear, it was the worst thing a sixteen year old girl like her can ever think of.

After the fourteenth day of the journey, she felt the wagon stop again and she expected another one of those times where they stop to eat. But then she heard it. Loud blaring of trumpets enough to wake up even someone in a deep slumber.

Larene heard a gate being opened, and the wagon moved again, slower this time then another stop. This time though, the wagon curtain was opened by a soldier and her father got out, then her mother, surely enough, it was her turn next. With a gulp, she took small steps to get out of the wagon and as she left, her feet were greeted by a wet and cold sensation.

"Snow?", she thought to herself.

It didn't take her long to figure out that they had reached their destination, the city of Bredost.

She looked around and familiarized herself with the new landscape she is presented with. This town is nothing compared to her hometown of Solsari, the houses here are made of cobblestone or wood, the folk aren't wearing pretty silks instead wearing furs from dead wolves and bears, some wore boiled leather. As she absorbed her surroundings some more, something had caught her attention. In front of the crowd of people that came to greet and pay respects to the Royal Family, there was someone that didn't even care, or even know who she was. She looked at the young lad, his dark black hair was long like a girl's, but something about it was alluring.

Suddenly, a small sensation wrapped around her waist.

"Cousin Larene!", the small voice greeted. It didn't take long for Larene to realize that it was her cousin Amelie hugging her. With a soft sigh, she hugged back and pat her head.

"Good day to you, cousin.", she said with a warm smile.

Larene suddenly saw the same young lad with black hair run towards Amelie and gently tugged her away.

"Amelie! You shouldn't hug strangers!", the young lad said in a scolding voice.

Larene was caught off-guard. Stranger? Surely he must jest, she's the eldest daughter of King Illain and Queen Clira! How does this...boy not know her?!

The young lad continued to scold Amelie as if he was her father, but Larene knew he was too young to be one. As she watched the scolding go on, she caught a glimpse of the young lad's eyes. It was a deep sapphire-blue, just like the depths of the ocean, seductive yet mysterious. In contrast to Amelie, the young lad only wore simple fur clothes and yet he's talking to Amelie as if they were on equal footing.

She just had to interfere, and interfere she did, tugging the young lad's right arm.

"Govern your tongue, peasant", she said coldly.

And the young lad glared at the princess, his deep blue eyes contrasted with her bright amber yellow eyes.

"And who could you be, brat?", the young lad asked.

Larene gasped. This peasant just called her a brat!

But before she can say another word, an arm held the young lad's shoulder.

"I see you met my daughter, Orewell", the voice said. It was deep and stern. And she knew who the voice is. It's her dear father, the King.

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She saw the young lad look up at her father.

"Uncle", the young lad greeted and shook her father's hand, and her father shook his hand as well.

The young lad called her father...uncle? Now that she thought of it, she also heard him call the young lad nephew. She was sure that her cousins are only Glen, Mayne, Amelie and Pin, she did not know him at all.

"Who is he, father?", she asked her father, wanting to get a clarification of what's happening. Instead of immediately responding, her father chuckled.

"Your uncle Felkin's son, Orewell", her father answered.

She nodded and looked at the young lad. He does look like her uncle Felkin, but there were no traces from her aunt Catherine either. He doesn't have the dark brown hair or jade green eyes that her aunt Catherine has. His clothes are not befitting of a royal or a noble, it was shaggy and tattered like a peasant's...or a slave's, even.

But one other detail caught her attention. The sword on his waist. The pummel has a small blue gem on it that reflected even the dim sun of the North. Her curiosity is piqued, she always read about how House Ays found a way to refine and purify ice to the point that they integrated with their tools. The refined ice was called "Frostbite" in commoner tongue, but called "Punisher's Steel" by the church due to the ore being used by the church to punish those accused and proved of heresy. The ice is refined and melted so it can still retain it's temperature despite being liquid, then, blades are then dipped in Frostbite and it freezes and hardens when it came into contact with steel, thus creating a weapon that burns when it makes contact with flesh. Her eyes were wide and she looked all giddy as she stared at the sword with amazement.

She saw the young lad give her weird glances, after all, it was not everyday that someone was curious about a sword.

He raised his eyebrow.

"Do you...", his question was cut off when she nodded wildly, her amber eyes gleaming with delight. She heard him mutter, "Such a child", but he still unsheathed his sword nonetheless. It was a longsword, the sharp blade is three feet and the handle is a foot long so it can be gripped by both hands. The blade gleamed because of the Frostbite that coated the steel, resulting with a sword that has a silver-blue color hue.

Larene's eyes widened in amazement at the sight. It was her first time to ever see a weapon coated with Frostbite, and it was as amazing as described in the books that she read. Her curiosity got the better of her and she slowly stuck the index finger of her right hand and it slowly approached the edge of the sword when the young lad flicked her hand away.

"You'll burn your hand, idiot", he told her with a stern and annoyed tone.

Her face blushed and bowed her head. "Sorry", is the only word she managed to mutter out.

As they stood there, King Illain approached them once more.

"Larene, come. We're meeting your uncle", Illain told her in a stern tone.

Her father's stern tone didn't give her much time to respond and she only managed to nod. She stood away from the young lad and followed behind her parents and siblings that had already got down from the wagon.

King Illain, Queen Clira, Princess Larene, and her younger brother and sister, Prince Tomm and Princess Vina followed as they all made their way to the castle of further in the town of Bredost.

The royal family went to the castle while being escorted by a small company of soldiers, all serving as guards to the king. They were affectionately referred to by the folk as the Kingshield for they were never named as such by the king, they simply were just his personal guards in the castle, and his best troops during campaigns.

Larene decided to break the silent walk. She coughed softly to get her father's attention.

"Father", she called out.

Illaine stopped to turn around to his daughter. He didn't say anything, but his gaze was enough to communicate that she got his attention.

Larene cleared her throat and took a deep breath before speaking.

"The young boy with the sword, who was he, father? He certainly looks like uncle Felkin but I have never seen him once before", she asked with curiosity.

Illain sighed softly.

"Your cousin. Didn't I tell you before?" His tone sounded angry. For some reason, he's keeping her cousin's identity from her.

"I know, father. But who is he?", she pressed on.

Illain is the only outsider that knows of Orewell being Felkin's bastard. It was one night during the waning years of Illain's rebellion, Illain saw Felkin making love with a girl, he was surprisingly intimate and affectionate towards her. It was something he hasn't shown, not even towards Catherine, his own wife. Illain thought it's just him falling out of love with his wife because she has certainly been a bitch to him. But as he looked at the woman's features, the amethyst purple eyes, the shiny gold hair. There's no doubt about it, Felkin is sleeping with the King, Klustr Angr's daughter, Lilac. From her physique, Illain had surmised that she's sixteen or so. The day after Illain saw Felkin sleeping with their enemy's daughter, Felkin had pleaded for him to be silent about this. They both knew that Catherine will not take this lightly, not because her husband is an infidel, but because she'll be insulted that a sixteen-year old girl had managed to seduce her dear husband, Illain already feels sick just imagining how Felkin deals with Catherine and it'll just make him more so if he ever has to deal with that kind of jealousy.

He sighed deeply and pat his daughter on the head.

"Once everyone's full and drunk in the drinking halls, come to me and we'll talk about it later", He said with a soft smile on his face.

Larene has something else to look forward here in Bredost.