A new Plan

As the last of the enemies vanished into the mist and disappeared from sight completely, Arthur slowly let out a sigh. Blood still dripped from his dagger, staining the frost-covered ground. Adora stretched her arms, rolling her shoulders as if she had just finished a light workout rather than a life-or-death battle. 

As it seems she got a fair bit stronger too while Arthur's strength slowly grew. 

From behind them, a slow clap echoed through the frozen iceland. 

"Well, well, well," Hela's voice echoed over the battlefield, her arms crossed as she approached, stepping over bodies with casual ease as if she didn't even notice them. "You two just wiped out an entire attack force of monsters, scared the hell out of an entire town full of people and battle hardened warriors, and made the phrase 'overkill' sound like an understatement. Care to explain a bit?" 

Arthur sighed, wiping his blade on a fallen elf's cloak. "Explain what?" 

Hela gestured at the carnage. "Oh, I don't know—maybe the part where you fought like two battle-crazed demons on a blood rush 

Adora smirked. "It's called skill." 

Hela squinted at her. "It's called bullshit." She then turned to Arthur. "And you—how the hell did you not just die when that spear ran through you?" 

Arthur flexed his left arm, the wound already closing. "It's just a small scratch." 

Hela pinched the bridge of her nose. "You are bleeding through your armor, you absolute lunatic." 

Arthur looked down. "Oh. Guess it does sting a little." 

Hela let out a dramatic sigh. "So, let me guess—you two just happened to stroll into town, saved our asses from an army, and now you're going to disappear into the tundra like some mysterious heroes?" 

Arthur exchanged a glance with Adora. "Actually, we're heading to the castle." 

Hela blinked. "You what?" 

Adora nodded. "Time to meet Lynx." 

Hela burst out laughing. "Oh, this I gotta see. The guards won't let you in without paying the toll, and trust me—it's not cheap." 

Arthur tilted his head. "What's the price?" 

Hela smirked. "Depends on what you bring. Resources from the tundra—pelts, meat, rare materials. The more valuable, the longer you get to stay." 

Arthur shrugged. "Sounds simple enough." 

Adora cracked her knuckles. "Let's go hunting." 

The castle loomed ahead, its frozen towers piercing the gray sky. The entrance was guarded by a burly man wrapped in thick furs, his beard lined with frost. He held up a hand as Arthur and Adora approached. 

"Hold on. If you wish to enter, you must pay the tribute." 

Arthur raised an eyebrow. "And that is…?" 

The guard grunted. "Depends on what you offer. The tundra provides many things. Weapons, food, rare beast parts—all have value." 

Arthur reached into his bag and tossed something at the guard's feet. It landed with a soft thud. 

The guard looked down. A pile of ice wolf horns gleamed in the dim light. 

The guard frowned, crouching to inspect them. "Where did you—" 

Adora cut him off. "We killed a pack. Big ones." 

The guard scratched his chin. "Huh. Not bad. This'll get you… five days inside." 

Arthur nodded. "That's enough." 

The guard stepped aside, pushing open the large iron doors. A cold draft of air whooshed past them. 

Arthur and Adora stepped forward. 

The heavy doors groaned as they shut behind them, sealing them inside the heart of the frozen kingdom. 

As soon as they entered they saw a rather big hall carved out of ice, it was lit by a few fires that were lit on torches in the corners of the room. Adora swayed lightly as she looked in the direction where a clipboard was hanging at the wall, and a man in thick furs was sitting. He scratched his head, then he noticed Arthur and Adora... 

"Oh what are you two doing here? Probably here for your stay in the castle right?" He said with a slight smile. 

"Correct, and you are?" Arthur asked. 

"Oh, how bold of me to not introduce myself first, I am Marlen, and a normal worker in the castle. I am supposed to mark everyone in the Castle and how long they are allowed to stay." 

The Guard opened the doors, slowly walked towards Marlen and told him a few things, probably that they were allowed for 5 days in the castle. 

Marlen turned to them marked a few things on his clipboard, and then told them a few things. "So, I will lead you to your rooms and explain everything on the way... 

Uhh, do you guys need 1 or 2 rooms?" 

Arthur and Adora looked at each other, Adora blushed a little and than said: "Two, two rooms please..." 

Arthur never had any of those situations, he never had a girlfriend and didn't actually want one either. If he would be attached to somebody it made him vulnerable which he couldn't allow himself to be. 

Marlen gestured for them to follow. 

As they walked through the castle's halls, Arthur took in the surroundings. The corridors were grand, yet eerie. The walls shimmered faintly, their surfaces embedded with strange, swirling patterns of frost. Despite the torches lighting the pathways, the air was cold—unnaturally so. Their footsteps echoed against the ice floors, the sound oddly hollow, as if the castle itself was listening. 

Occasionally, they passed by guards standing like frozen statues, their expressions unreadable beneath thick fur hoods. Servants moved through the halls silently, heads down, their breath visible in the frigid air. A few side doors led to rooms hidden in shadows, their contents unknown. 

After what felt like a long walk, they reached a more private hallway. Unlike the rest of the castle, this area was slightly warmer, the ice walls more polished and free of frost. 

Marlen stopped in front of two identical doors. "Here we are." 

He handed them two small ice rings. "These are for getting back into the castle if you leave. Don't lose them." 

Arthur and Adora took the rings, nodding. 

"Breakfast runs all morning in the main hall—just follow the noise, you'll find it. Same goes for dinner. If you need anything important, you know where to find me." 

Arthur nodded. "Understood." 

Marlen gave a small nod before turning away. "Sleep well." 

Arthur pushed open the door to his room. 

It was small compared to noble standards, but to him, it was luxurious. The bed was thick with fur blankets, positioned beside a large, arched window overlooking the endless tundra. The icy glass was slightly frosted, giving the view a hazy, dreamlike quality. A wooden desk sat against the far wall, a single book resting atop it, its leather cover cracked with age. A wardrobe stood in the corner, its surface slightly frosted over. The walls, though made of ice, had been carefully crafted, intricate carvings of beasts and warriors frozen within their depths. 

Arthur stepped toward the bed and pressed a hand against it. It was soft. Far softer than anything he had ever slept on before. 

The exhaustion of days spent in the tundra weighed on him, and before he knew it, he had collapsed onto the bed. Within minutes, he was asleep. 

*** 

When he woke up in the morning, a knock echoed against his door. 

He groggily sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Adora?" 

But when he opened the door, it wasn't Adora standing before him. 

It was Marlen. 

Arthur frowned. "Marlen? What are you doing here at this time?" 

Marlen's expression was serious. "Arthur, we need Adora too." 

Moments later, both Arthur and Adora stood in front of him. 

Marlen took a deep breath, then spoke with quiet gravity. 

"Prepare yourselves. King Lynx wants to see both of you in his throne hall. You have fifteen minutes."