Daughter of the Frozen Flame

Taiden knocked, but the door swung open and his eyes immediately fell on Xylia sitting in the open window. She stared out at the velvet black sky encrusted with stars like diamonds. They glittered and twinkled, and the ice cold air swept into the room like a ghostly visitor, sending shivers down Taiden’s spine. As always, it didn’t bother Xylia who sat there without a jacket around her thin shoulders.
“The servants were in and out all evening trying to fuss over me.” She turned her head ever so slightly, just enough so she could see Taiden. “I eventually told them to leave the door open so they’d stop knocking.”
“They’re probably excited to have someone to wait on again.” Taiden said softly, slowly walking over to her. “I assume it’s no different here to back home. Servants are hired to wait on each member of the royal family from the moment their born or married into the name. Those maids have probably kept this room tidy and clean for seventeen years waiting for the day you came back to it.” He looked around, picturing how it might have once been. The king sized canopy bed an ornate crib, and the vanity replaced with a toy box. He wondered if they marked birthdays with decorations, growing out the dolls for jewellery and wondering if sapphires or rubies would be more her style.
“I can’t do this.”
“You’re the strongest person I know.” Taiden told her without hesitation, perching on the ledge opposite her, forcing himself to ignore the night’s chill as it bit at his skin.
“I was trying to give up. Taking on Devanna was with the hope I wouldn’t walk away.” She smiled wistfully. “I’m not like you. I’m not built for ruling a kingdom and having people look up to me.”
“You’re better than me. I went about saving Lyris all wrong. I spent years trying to bring down my step-mother when I should have acted quicker. Too many lives were lost as I tried to piece together a plan all by myself.” Taiden shook his head sadly and looked out towards the frozen mountain tops. His kingdom was on the other side and he had no idea what state it was in. “And I’m sure Empress Loreina and Devanna are not finished yet.” He muttered sombrely.
Xylia looked at him, watching at his features darkened at the thought of the ruin that was befalling Lyris. It turned her stomach, too, and made her feel rotten inside. Zechariahs didn’t die so they could sit around in some grand palace safe from all harm. “We should go back. We have to fight.”
“You have your own kingdom to worry about now."
“I don’t even know this place. Lyris was my home.” She shook her head. “I’m not going to let it fall for a place I don’t even recognise.”
Taiden shook his head and leaned forward, letting his gaze meet Xylia's as a bittersweet smile tugged at the corner of his mouth. "But then people will get hurt here. Fallycia might mean nothing to you, but people mean a great deal. You showed that the day Devanna sent her firestorm to the village of The Draca." He saw her resolve falter. He knew that all of her hasty talk was born of grief and anger right now. It was understandable.
"But people are getting hurt in Lyris." She whispered, gripping her hair in between her fingers and tugging.
Taiden reached out to gently unknot her fingers from her dark roots, capturing them tight inside his own cold hands. "War is always bloody, but it can be won."

"It's a little early to be talking of war, isn't it, Prince? Fallycia hasn't even celebrated the return of its crown heir yet." They both startled at the new voice in the room, jolting apart as though shocked by electricity or burnt by fire.
Allela’s rose gold hair fell across her eyes, masking them, but the smirk on her dusky pink lips was visible. “That would have made the perfect allied photo if Fallycia’s existence, and its alliance with Lyris was commonly known.”
“We didn’t hear you come in.” Xylia’s face was flushed a hot scarlet, and she fidgeted uncomfortably, fingers working to untangle the knots in her long hair.
“It’s part of my job. Also, the door was open.” Allela looked at the still open door and then made a show out of closing it, the click of the lock sounding like an embarrassing scolding more than anything else. “You should remember that servants like to gossip more than anything else.”
The two heirs sat in an awkward silence, something Allela could only chuckle at. “You might have some difficulty convincing King Eirwyn to march into battle, however. His entire reign has been about the preservation of Fallycia.”
“Surely it’s a little late for that now?” Xylia asked, slightly shocked by the thought they might be expected to sit back and watch as her home fell to dust and ruin.
“I fear you’re right. Our guarding wards will have been weakened just by you being present and fighting in Lyris before fleeing here. It’s only a matter of time before stories of ice dragons and the kingdom that burnt asunder return to the bedtime tales.” Allela said with a sadness that confused both of the teenagers.
“Is that so bad?” Taiden dared to ask, after spending so long wondering it. It was a question that had confused him ever since he had discovered Fallycia’s hidden and mystical capabilities.
“It’s the life we are used to. One where no one comes or goes, and where we rely only on ourselves for survival. Our entire world will change soon, and so many don’t know and are possibly not even ready for it. War is something so many still fear after the ruin that was brought to us last time.” Allela explained quietly, softly.
Fallycia was vulnerable, maybe not physically, but its spirit was haunted by so many ghosts and the memories of how it came to fall would never be forgotten. Even if another thousand years went by, the old kingdom would still be smouldering beneath the pathways that had since replaced them, and the snow that had fallen since the last.

Xylia pushed herself to her feet, forcing her spine straight, holding her head high, and met Allela’s amused eyes with her own ice cold gaze. “War cannot be avoided.”
“I agree. And I’ll stand right beside you Phryensh'a when you tell king and kingdom. Before you go holding your pretty little head up like that again though, I believe I owe the prince a history lesson.” Allela glanced at Taiden and then sat down in one of the silvery plush velvet armchairs. Xylia had avoided them since her arrival, finding them too soft for her liking, and the material made her skin itch. Allela seemed to complement them though. She sat upright, her pale skin the perfect partner. She suited all the things Xylia was expected to embrace, and yet she was the one destined to walk the path of a fighter.
“Please, I have so many questions-“
Allela cut him off, raising her gloved hand sharply, “Let me tell the tale first. Many will be answered before you can even ask them.” She sighed, blinked slowly once, and then began to tell the tale of the lost kingdom.

Fallycia had always been the glittering kingdom of ice. Winter never ended, and a thousand years before the Xeo-City palace was built, dragons flew high above the clouds, and nested in the mountains around the great Mount Kallehorne. People were happy; they could mould the ice around them into anything they could dream of. Fallycia was always the realm of mysterious beauty, if nothing more. Lands wondered how the kingdom of eternal snow could make such beautiful art without any tools, and the hottest places in the world were baffled at how anyone could withstand the frozen temperatures. It was a peaceful place where the lost could always find a shelter, and the lonely would always find a family. Not everyone had to be Draakakull to make a home here.

“I’m sorry – Draakakull?” Taiden interrupted Allela’s softly spoken words, earning himself a harsh silver glare.
“Ice dragon.” Xylia’s voice was void of all emotion, her eyes tiredly drifting to Taiden when he turned to look at her in surprise. “I haven’t just sat staring out of the window this whole time. The maids talk, and I have books on a shelf that I guess were supposed to be part of my royal schooling.” She looked to Allela for confirmation, but the Knight Commander simply raised her eyebrows and gestured for the messy haired girl to continue. “Cousins of the Draca, the Draakakull are believed to have descended from the ice dragons in these lands. It’s where they inherit their power to wield ice. It’s sort of like how the Draca believe they can control fire because they come from dragons, too.”
“But those traitors lost their power after they betrayed their own kin.” Allela hissed angrily, spitting her words. “Our faith, our loyalty granted us our gifts and so we held onto them. The Draca began to lose theirs when selfishness and pride took hold.”
“What happened?” Taiden asked, looking between the two women, unsure of who would provide him with an answer.

Fallycia often attended the festivals and the feasts throughout the realms, but it was not vocal in many of the political matters. It had a strong bond with Lyris, its closest neighbour, and the two kingdoms had been friends for many, many years. Generally, whatever Lyris decided, Fallycia followed. If there was a reason to disagree, such things were discussed by the rulers behind closed doors and typically over a fine meal and bottle of wine. The two ruling families had been friends, the relationship strengthening over time, and there was nothing one couldn’t say to the other. When smaller nations began to fight over treaties, and greed crept into the hearts of the Eastern rulers, Fallycia kept quiet and tried to hold Lyris back from interfering. It was none of their concern, nothing to do with their kingdoms. However, the Nephille Empire swept in and began to storm defeated, and weakened territories, claiming land and ruining anyone who wouldn’t surrender to their mighty army. Their ambition was to conquer the world. Kingdoms tried to fight back, but many were too small, or unallied and had too many grievances of their own with neighbours. People wanted to see them crushed, not understanding that they were next. Lyris rose up to defend itself before Nephille could get close to its borders. Fallycia, loyal as always, came to the fight. Dragons still defended the mountains then, and some soldiers had been blessed to turn their own bones into great beasts to aid in defending the northern kingdom. The battle lasted years. Nephille held a mighty army, but Lyris and Fallycia combined had surprising strength. Nephille realised that to gain any advantage in the war they had to break the alliance. They sent their best and most charismatic to The Draca. During the war the fiery descendants had been overshadowed by the capabilities of their icy cousins.

“And curse all who put The Draca to shame.” Xylia mumbled, pulling her knees up to her chest.
Allela met her grim gaze with a dark look. “Exactly. There wasn’t a thing they wouldn’t do to be on top again. They didn’t care about the war so long as they were better than us.”
Taiden looked horrified, his eyes flitting between the two grim faced women. “But The Draca reside on Lyris land! Surely they couldn’t turn on their allies like that? They wouldn’t…” His voice faded, remembering just how harsh The Draca had been to Xylia when he had visited the village despite all that she had done to help when they needed it.
“Why do you think they live so remotely?” Allela asked.
The pieces began to fall into place for Xylia, who straightened her spine as her pale eyes widened. No one came to the village, and they rarely ever left. They were completely alone in a remote, almost cut off part of the kingdom. “It wasn’t by choice. They were banished.”
The Knight Commander nodded her head, and continued.

The Draca were promised power beyond their wildest dreams if they rebelled. Nephille promised them Lyris itself, and guided only by their pride and lust for glory did they agree. When Fallycia was least expecting any kind of attack, when the kings were meeting to broker what they hoped would be a treaty for peace, The Draca attacked. They brought their dragons, their own fire breathers and launched their most powerful attack in recorded history. Fallycia burnt, and no amount of ice could save her. People died, screaming in hideous pain as they tried to save themselves by jumping into the snow, the frozen lakes, the ocean, but none of it helped. By the time news reached the rulers in Lyris Castle, it was too late. The Draca were pulling back and Fallycia was gone. All that was left of the ice kingdom was smouldering remains, and a few survivors who had pulled through only thanks to luck, and by draining all of their magic into defensive spells. Even the great ice dragons had died in battles as they tried to save their children from the flames. Lyris’ King vowed to round up The Draca and execute them for their betrayal, but Fallycia was not a stranger to mercy. They would not seek revenge for this crime. It was Fallycia who called for the banishment to the far north, to a place where the cold could quench the fire in their hearts and prevent it from ever causing such devastation again.

“So The Draca are shadows of their former selves because the village is so close to the mountains?” Xylia asked, her pale eyes wide with curiosity now. This was the most emotion and liveliness Taiden had seen in her since they had escaped the destruction in the castle.
“Partly. We also think that they have been stripped of much of their power because of their betrayal. Dragons are loyal creatures. They do not forgive such crimes easily.” Allela said, her words a stern warning as well as part of the rich, historical tale.
“And the plague?”
“That’s another matter, but not one that’s to do with ice or The Draakakull.” Allela leaned forward, resting her elbows on her knees and clasping her hands together. “I don’t have the answers for that yet. It is, however, something we’ve been investigating. None of The Draakakull have ever been sick like that. It’s limited purely to The Draca.” The explanation was soft, almost confused, but then quickly Allela was back to her confident manner, her eyes alight once more. “Where was I?”
“The Draca were banished.” Taiden informed her, shuffling to get more comfortable on the hard window ledge. He knew he could move to a chair, but that meant moving away from Xylia.
“Ah, yes.”

A trick was devised while smaller battles broke out along the borders of Lyris. Fallycia would surrender the remains of its kingdom, but only as a ruse. Never in a million years would the ice support anyone other than The Draakakull, and this was known between the two allied kingdoms. However, Fallycia needed time to recover from its losses, to rebuild what had been stolen from it. It was a task that would take time – a lot of it – and until it was complete they would be vulnerable. Lyris surrendered its greatest sorcerers, and when paired with Fallycia’s own mages they tapped into ancient magicks as old as the cracked, damaged earth herself. With blood, the tears of the fallen, and dragon bone, they made Fallycia vanish. With blood, the feather of a dying Phoenix, and cursed silver, they put up wards to protect Fallycia from outsiders. Finally, with blood, serpent poison, and a virgin’s heart, they erased Fallycia from the minds of those who did not live in her. It took all their strength and power. Men and women who were only in their twenties, aged fifty years or more casting the spells, and died the moment they were complete. Their sacrifices made Fallycia safe, untraceable, and promised the people as long as they needed to rebuild and regain their strength. In the meantime, Lyris brokered peace with Nephille, and in the confusion that came with the casting of the wards, Nephille assumed they had come to Lyris for a peace treaty and not to force its way north beyond the snowy mountains.

“But how did the tunnel remain?” Taiden asked, still puzzled as to how that one link remained unbroken.
“Fallycia needed an ally, no matter what. There was no telling when something might happen, and centuries of friendship is not something you just toss away.” Allela told him with a smile as she pushed herself to her feet. “Had you remained long enough to become king, you would have been bequeathed a book that led you to the tunnels. There you would have met me. I would have brought you to our kingdom and another treaty of peace, secrecy and alliance would have been signed.”
“So my father knew about Fallycia?”
“And his father, and his father. Yes.” Allela nodded her head in confirmation. “Had you ever needed to escape Lyris, for whatever reason, there would always have been a cart waiting to bring you here. Anyone with the royal crest of Lyris, or the royal blood is unharmed by the wards. You are our ally, and even a secret kingdom would not do well if we went around cursing and maiming our friends.”
“But the wards are weakening.” Xylia looked across Fallycia towards the mountains left to protect them.
“Yes,” Allela began sombrely. “I don’t believe they were ever intended to last as long as they have. However, when you appeared outside of our kingdom, using your abilities, it began to weaken the old power. I suspect it wanted to pull you back or protect you, sensing your blood and what you are, but obviously you were outside of Fallycia – far outside. Stories will come back first, like fairytales and legends, but then the books will remember, and the maps, and then we’ll need to be ready for whatever comes looking for us.”
“People will have to listen.” Xylia turned her head back to the room, seeking out Allela. “They’ll have to understand that they can’t hide behind their fears of the past forever; not if they want to survive.”
“And you’ll have to realise that to make them understand you’ll need to accept your role in all of this, Phryensh'a.”