[M] Cold Dreams (IC)

[Jacogos]

Delta was already back in his room swearing silently to himself when the blizzard hit. Most of the loot he had managed to get was stuff snagged from the free booths during the Festival of Plenty, only a few of the things actually valuable and part of someone's actual possessions.

"Who the HELL makes a festival where EVERYTHING is FREE?!?" The thief shouted to no one. At that moment, his window blew open from the blizzard's fury, covering the thief in snow in seconds. "What the hell, now?!?" Delta struggled over to the window and closed it, using a piece of wood that had came out of the wall when he punched it to board the panes together by the window handles.

Moving back, Delta looked out the window. It didn't help much, as the snow obscured almost everything from view. "... Snow? Now? Isn't it summer?" Delta stared out the window, wondering what was going on. Sighing, he returned to his loot, sorting the good from the bad and the free from the actually stolen.

This had to be the WEIRDEST city in the world.

[kagomri]

Sharon swayed her hips gently from side to side, as if possessed by the spirit of the night. It took her away on a long dreamy journey....she sighed.....
Then suddenly--
"Oh--oh dear--"
Her waist wobbled left as she was bumped into.
Her head snapped to the right, a look of surprise crossed into annoyance when she realized she's been interrupted on the perfect night of all nights. Felicia struggled to regain her balance, her face nervous and ashamed as she stared, frozen back at Sharon.

Son of a bitch!

Exasperated, she looked at her in the eyes and said through gritted teeth, "Do you require my assistance Princess Felicia?"
No smile. No friendliness in her voice. Just a monotone to mask the quiet rage burning inside. She's never spoken to her so formally. The royal family always treated her like she was their own flesh and blood, and the princesses had somewhat become a step sister to her. However, they were not that close, Sharon wouldn't allow it.

Felicia didn't seem to hear her and ran off. Sharon stared after her.
A cold, almost freezing gust of wind struck out the fire, as if someone has found the easy off switch to a light. Snow plumped onto the ground like a rain downpour, changing the whole scenery instantly.
Sharon didn't realize it, but something dark and wonderful stirred inside, something that whispered "Winter".

[AliceMalice15]

Midnight

Lierah giggled at the guard as he ran off. Obviously he had lost track of the princess. Shaking her head she kept walking towards the ampitheater. He seemed like he had things "under control". As she got closer to the ampitheater she felt a cold breeze. Cold? In the middle of summer? Something was wrong. When the city was plunged into total darkness a few seconds later Lierah gasped at the shear coldness of the sudden cold snap. How could the temperature fall so quickly?!

When the huge blast of wind slammed through the streets it was all Lierah could do to keep standing. Making her way slowly back up the street she attempted to make her way home. There was no way she was going to let herself get trapped in the ampitheater and leave her shop untended for who knows how long. When she saw the guard and princess in the street infront of her she made her way to them as quickly as possible trying not to be pelted to death by ice and snow.

"Hey let's get out of this weather," she called over the weather, "we can take shelter in my shop. This way."

Grabbing hold of their arms Lierah pulled them along with her. When they finally reached her shop Lierah quickly unlocked the door and let them in. How did this happen?

[Wattz]

“Woah!” Felicia cried out as she felt herself toppling down to the ground. She was stunned, and quite petrified. It took her a moment to realize Daniel had been the one to crash land into her, pinning her down like some sort of pig. She remained in this daze as he brought her to her feet and ran off some spiel about bandits.

She resisted his grip. “Unhand me! What is wrong with you?”

But the moment had passed. A sudden waft of cold bit her cheeks. The flames were doused immediately with ice as the wind gave a piercing scream. She could hardly hear, let alone see anything. She would have knocked clear off her feet, swept away if a stranger hadn’t grasped her arm and began leading her away.

“Where are you taking me?” Felicia shouted over the wind, but she doubted anyone could hear her. “What’s going on?”

[Kiall]

Daniel struggled to his feet and made his way towards Felicia, all the while wind howled and whistled past stinging his face. Through his blurry vision he saw the girl from the ampitheater she was heading towards them and shouting something but he couldn’t make out the words, “What!?” he shouted back still unable to hear his own voice over the wind. The girl grabbed both their hands and started leading them to what he assumed was her house. As Daniel helped Felicia inside he couldn’t help feel that something, was moving and heading towards the center of the city, towards the castle. With a great heave he managed to close the door, muting the wind outside. Panting he felt himself slide down the door onto the floor in a sitting position. “What the fuck was that? Storms don’t just come out of nowhere like that especially not in the middle of summer! I mean we could’ve died out there!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Well what is this that I can't see
With ice cold hands takin' hold of me
Well I am death, none can excel
I'll open the door to heaven or hell

"O Death" Ralph Stanley

The walls and basic structure of the palace could just be made out under the thick sheets of ice now covering it, Every piece of glass had been broken and snow now covered the throne room, The wind whistled through the quiet halls of the seemingly empty castle and the pale moonlight cast everything in a eerie glow. The only movement came from a tall lanky man in an impeccable suit and top hat, who walked briskly towards the throne, a face partially covered by a silver mask peered at an icy statue which sat on the throne a pair of red eyes slitted like those of a snake regarded the now frozen king, the man then brought up his skull topped walking stick with one gloved hand and tapped the kingsicle making a high pitched ringing noise that caused the man to chuckle and reveal a row of serrated shark- like teeth.

“Pretender” the man said in a voice that was both soft and dulcet and hard and raspy “you were not even my stand in, you were a fat slug feeding off the gifts I gave you!” the man laughed, “Veingaden has never chosen a ruler based on ‘gender’ or ‘age’ not until you came along, you knew didn’t you slug man? Didn’t you!?” he said laughing harder, “and speaking of family, we seem to be missing someone. Oh dear! Well that won’t do at all.” The man laughed and took a few steps back, “well as wonderful as it’s been looking at the hovel you’ve made of my home, I really must be going! Busybusybusy you know?!” With that the man snapped his fingers as he did so a loud rumbling began and a building arose from the icy ground rising with an impossible speed, smashing the castle and all of it’s frozen inhabitants the man laughed wildy as he rode the top of the rising tower, higher and higher it climbed until he could see the very edge of his city. As the man gazed out over the distance he took a deep breath and cried out in a volume that would’ve been impossible for human lungs “VEINGADEN! YOUR TRUE MASTER HAS RETURNED!”

>>>>>>

Daniel was still propping the door, partially out of concern that it would burst open if he didn’t and partially because he was too tired to get up. The girl Lierah had been unable to start a fire and Daniel had fallen into a state of half wakefulness, For what seemed like hours the storm raged on when it all of a sudden stopped, as the wind died down a fire burst into existence in the fireplace causing all three of them to jump. Rubbing his eyes Daniel stood up an opened the door, outside it was covered in snow but despite it being nighttime he could see fine the stars shown far brighter than they had ever had before, and throughout the city strange hooded men in long flowing robes prowled the streets.

“Uhh excuse me” he asked one of the nearby hooded ones, “what’s going on?” the hooded creature turned towards him and all Daniel could see were two bright yellow dots of light within a hood filled with darkness. “Aah you are confused yess? A natural state of affairs considering what has come.” It answered in a high pitched whisper, The tall hunchbacked figure walked towards him “a great change has come delicious friend, but worry not, all will be well. Yesss, all manner of things will be well!” with that the creature of indeterminate gender continued walking heading towards some unknowable goal. Daniel gently closed the door and turned back to face his two female compatriots, “I think I’m going to head outside for a bit, just wanna find out what level of hell I’ve found myself in” was this a dream? It felt like a dream. Just then he heard an echoing voice in the distance cry out “Veingaden your true master has returned!”, “oh that can’t be good,” Daniel muttered before heading out the door.

[kagomri]

She shut her eyes just as a blast of icy wind crashed into her scrunched face. It burned as if she were on fire. Around her the snow fell at an impossible speed, each snowflake big and distinct, hiding everything under a thick white sheet.
Never has it snowed in June, especially in Veingaden. This city were usually hot and humid during the spring and summer, warm in fall, and mildly chilly in winter. Usually though, winter never arrives. Despite the freezing temperature, Sharon felt an immunity to it, and instead saw the wonder of it all.
Stiffened, she rigidly bent down and scooped up snow in the palm of her hand.
It was the soft, non compactable kind. She squeezed it hard, expecting it to melt into water but instead it remained its shape. Her warmth was entirely stolen by the winter night. She wasn't aware of it, but she was slowly dieing of hypothermia. She stuttered to the nearest door but to her great dismay it was locked. Someone was definitely inside but they would never notice through the howling of the wind if she banged.

“VEINGADEN! YOUR TRUE MASTER HAS RETURNED!”
At this point her skin was greatly discolored to a pale blue, bones unyielding. Her breaths become a mare gasp for air, the cold crisp grasp of it piercing her screaming lungs. Body weak, but mind still strong and bright. True...master...?

"Help." She whispered into the darkness just as the door opened.

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah sighed when they reached the saftey of her shop. Watching Daniel anxiously as he spoke to the strange cloaked creature outside Lierah made sure the fire that had Byatt into life a few moments more stayed alive.

"My apologies princess," Lierah said humbly, "I didn't mean to frighten you. I just didn't want to leave you outside in that storm. We'll be safe here....and by the sounds of it....your home won't be safe for anyone....especially you.....I can offer you both rooms if you'd like. It would be much safer for you....an I could loan you my clothing Princess it would make you less conspicuous if we have to go out in public as well........I wonder if we should go after him. I don't think it's safe out there......come on let's get you changed your dress will give you away of they're looking for you, and I have a feeling they are."

Lierah stood up and smiled at the princess extending a hand. She was worried about the guard, but she knew the princess was top priority at the moment. As soon as she was disguised they could go and make sure the guard was ok.

"I hope you don't mind my asking Princess," Lierah said softly, "but I was wondering why you were outside the castle. You don't have to tell me ofcourse. It's just that when I met your guard earlier in the street he seemed really worried.....um what is his name anyway?he never did say."

Lierah giggled softly and led the princess upstairs. She'd need to help the princess learn to be a "normal" girl. She couldn't act like a princess anymore. She had to blend in. This was going to be difficult.

[Wattz]

Everything was happening so fast that Felicia felt as if she were floating in a dream. But it was so easy, letting the stranger grab her arm, coddle her, tell her what to do. A quick rest, a change of clothes… but why?

“Wait, I don’t understand, what’s going on. What’s wrong with my home, who are yo-”

Just then, a strident voice. Authoritative, commanding, urgent. She stopped on the stairs as if searching for the source. Felicia had never heard anything like it, not even by the most powerful of royals. It had to have been far away, yet it was still so clear and pristine.

“What was that?”

The following noise was so loud it seemed like an earthquake. Felicia slowly descended the stairs. Fear rose in her chest, growing stronger and stronger. Daniel rushed out the door. His words were less than reassuring.

Veingaden, your true master has returned.

“Sir Daniel, what’s wrong, what’s happening?!” she yelled as she rushed out the door after him. Standing in the doorframe, she saw a figure in the distance, the girl clad in black, the one she’d bumped into at the festival. Doubled over in pain, it ere as if the whole scene played out in slow motion. The snow, the woman…

…the pile of rubble where a castle should have been.

[AliceMalice15]

Lierah walked back to the princess and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. When she saw the other woman Lierah rushed outside and helped her into the warm shop. When she got back in she sat the woman by the fire and covered her in a thick blanket. Turning back to Felicia she sighed.

"I'm sorry Princess," she said quietly, "I-I'm afraid that your family......that voice came from the castle. Whoever it was....he just took over the city. Technically.....technically you aren't....you aren't a princess any more. Well you are, but unless this...whoever gives up his power or....well....you have no right to the throne anymore....I-I'm so sorry Princess Felicia."

Lierah bit her lip. She knew it was going to be hard for the princess to hear that she wasn't what she had been all her life. Not to mention that her entire family was dead. Lierah sighed and wrung her hands. This was bad. It was really bad.

[kagomri]

Sharon stuttered as Lierah walked her into the warm shop. She was so stiff Lierah had to somewhat force her knees to bend, she plopped solidly onto the ground next to the fire.
Teeth chattering, she managed a weak, "Th-t-thanks" as a warm blue fuzzy blanket was draped over her shoulders. Her unyielding fingers clenched it tighter to her body. She hadn't realized Princess Felicia was in the room until Lierah turned away and talked.

"I'm sorry Princess," she said quietly, "I-I'm afraid that your family......that voice came from the castle. Whoever it was....he just took over the city. Technically.....technically you aren't....you aren't a princess any more. Well you are, but unless this...whoever gives up his power or....well....you have no right to the throne anymore....I-I'm so sorry Princess Felicia."

Someone took over Veingaden? He did say that our master has returned...what in the world? She wanted to say it out loud but her voice felt trapped in her throat, stuck in locked cage, the key thrown away. Slowly, she turned her head towards the two Princesses, the muscles in her neck tensed more than they had to. Her eyes met Felicia's, pleading for answers. Where is father? she thought, foolishly hoping she could hear her inner thoughts.