pink_lollie24

Once upon a time, the Land of Promise thrived under the cycle of the four seasons change. Until a vengeful enchantress cursed the land, and divided it into four realms each with a ruler to bear its burden.

The people suffered for years under the endless heat in the Summerlands, the bitter cold in the Winterlands, the never changing bloom in the Springlands and the constant fall in the Autumlands.

A prophecy whispers of a marriage between a king and queen that will release the land from its curse and unite it under a single kingdom.

Princess Caroline is forced to marry the Summer King, will she be able to fight for a peace amidst a court full of power hungry nobles and will she succumb to a burning love in the arms of a fiery warlord?

The Summer King and His Winter Bride

Princess Caroline left her chambers to explore the castle grounds. She turned into a dark corridor, when a hand clamped over her mouth.

She slammed her elbow into the attacker's ribs and froze his feet where he stood.

When she spun around she was met with green eyes and blonde hair of a gentleman old enough to be her father.

"Forgive me princess, I had to speak to you in private."

"By attacking me from behind?" she asked incredulously.

"My name is Felix Gray, I used to be the general to the Summer King."

"What do you want with me?" Princess Caroline asked, growing impatient.

"The rebellion moves faster than you know and you are at the center of it. They want you dead before this marriage can take place."

"It is not a single person, Your Majesty, I am afraid you have already made many enemies for various reasons but you are threat to them all because of the power you will wield and the prophecy that may come to pass, should you marry the king."

"Your father did not speak of it to you, strange..." Felix muttered something that sounded like a curse word before he said.

"The prophecy by an old seer, the one who existed around the same time as the evil enchantress. Long story short. A king and queen will marry and they will break the curse, uniting all four realms and restoring it to the once forgotten Land of Promise."

"Why would that be my marriage? It can be any King or Queen."

"Because for the first time in many decades, A King And A Queen are coming together from realms of opposite natures. Frost and Fire."

"Why should I believe any of this?" She asked hesitantly even though part of her knew there must be some truth to his words.

"I knew your mother. We were once lovers. But we could never be together. I love her still."

"She loved you back," she whispered.

"Then why did she marry my father?"

Felix exhaled. "She had no choice."

His voice turned rough as he spoke of duty, politics, and a marriage that had bound Queen Evelyne to the Winter Court.

"Why are you telling me this now?" She asked him suspiciously.

Felix's voice softened. "Because you deserve to know who she really was. And because I failed her once. I will not fail you."

Felix reached into his tunic, pulling out a silver crescent pendant—one her mother had worn until her death.

Princess Caroline inhaled sharply.

"This belonged to her," Felix murmured. "And this" he unfastened a worn leather band from his wrist, "was a gift she gave me the night she swore she would fight for peace."

"I was not always a general of the Summerlands," Felix admitted.

"I served under Queen Evelyne as her personal guard." His voice thickened with emotion. "But when the war began, she knew the Winter Court would never accept me. So she sent me away before your father discovered what we were."

Princess Caroline swallowed hard. "And you… joined King Casimir?"

Felix let out a bitter laugh. "I had nowhere else to go. The Summer King made me one of his own."

"Yet, you serve him." Princess Caroline remarked.

Felix's eyes darkened. "I serve the kingdom because I must. But I serve you because I choose to."

"Your loyalty to me will be put to the test General, only then will I learn to trust you."

Felix nodded. Then, he dropped to one knee.

"I swear to you, Princess Caroline of the Winter Court, that I will guard you with my life. Not as a soldier. Not as a traitor. But as the man who loved your mother and now swears his loyalty to you."

Princess Caroline nodded her head, saying, "I accept your pledge and vow."

A slow smile spread over her face, she had just made an ally in a deadly game of politics.

A Hidden Ally