It was different today.

Lumi sat quietly in the library, her whole body slumped into the seat that had been provided to her.

The guards had to fight from smiling at the sight of her.

The King sat at a desk in the library, focused on his work. The princess, however, stared longingly out the window, looking at the snow, before looking to the King, and then back to the snow. She had done this several times until she had been reduced to the state she was now in.

She slumped in her chair, slipping lower and lower before rising back up and repeating the process.

If they had not been watching her for the past weeks, they would have been shocked at how openly she sulked. Now they were used to her open display of emotion.

Lumi sighed.

The King seemed to stiffen but continued in his work.

Marcos was already smiling. He and Felix had a running bet on how long this would last. With that first sigh from the Princess, he should have changed the variable from passing time, into the number of exhales she let out.

Another sigh left the princess.

The guards watched as the King's grip upon his pen tightened.

Marcos still wasn't sure if she was doing this intentionally or not.

With that thought, another, deeper sigh left Lumi.

The King snapped.

"I need to go outside."

Lumi sat straight up in her chair. She didn't say a word, but all guards in the room had to look away to hide their expressions.

King Theros seemed to have an internal debate in his head before he turned to the princess and said, "Get up."

It was spoken very harshly, but Lumi didn't seem to notice at all as she stood and wrapped her red cloak securely around her.

The King walked to the door, allowing the guards to open it and proceed ahead of him.

The King's shadow stayed behind his lips in a tight frown.

Lumi watched him curiously before quickly following the King.

This was a new part of the palace, a place she had never seen or been to.

The guards ahead led the way into an open-spaced garden. It was wide and vast, stretching on beyond them. Lumi heard herself gasp as she took in the winter garden display.

The King did not turn around. He only continued walking, his breath visible in the cold air.

Lumi gathered up her courage, before speaking to him, "I didn't know flowers could grow here."

He stopped and turned to her.

The guards had spread out a respectful distance, but at the start of her conversation, it seemed they distanced themselves out even more for the sake of privacy.

Lumi walked hesitantly up to the King, never breaking her eye contact with him as she approached.

"They can." His eyes traveled to the display of winter flowers before them. Lumi didn't know their names, but the crystal of ice surrounding some brought even more beauty.

She looked up to observe him. He had also put on a thick cloak like hers. His was black, with trimming of dark fur around the edges.

She felt herself wrap the cloak more securely around her.

He looked down to stare at her.

"Did you think the winter lands were incapable of beauty?" His voice came out harsh.

Lumi blinked in surprise at his tone.

"No....There's a lot of beautiful things here."

She stared at him, smiling suddenly as she realized the double meaning in her words that he would never understand.

He turned back to the path. She felt confident enough to walk closer to him. Not beside, but still close enough to carry on their conversation.

"What do you like best about your lands?"

He stared down at her, his face impassive. He looked forward, his silence a clear answer that he didn't want to talk or let her know his thoughts.

"I love the snow."

He seemed to roll his eyes. She couldn't be sure. He was a lot taller than her. And that sudden thought made her question, "How tall are you?"

He seemed a little surprised at the turn in the conversation.

"Why would you want to know?" his question seemed almost suspicious as he eyed her.

Lumi laughed, causing his eyes to narrow even more.

"You're a lot taller than me."

He shook his head. "It's not my height, so much as your shortness." He stopped abruptly. Lumi had a feeling he had not meant to say that. But he continued walking, ignoring his slip of the tongue.

"I am short," she nodded. "I think I'm around 160 centimeters."

He looked at her, no doubt comparing her words to what he saw, before nodding.

"My hair isn't added in that though."

Her hair, when not styled or pulled back, often could give her several inches at least.

She waited for him to add anything to the conversation, but he didn't.

Lumi sighed and began to inspect everything that was around her.

"Someone told me it doesn't snow every day? But it's snowed every day since I've been here."

The King sighed. Lumi had to smile at the sound of defeat that seemed to ring in it.

"We have the warmer months."

"Mmmhhh... a season in a season..."

The King shook his head and continued ahead of her.

Lumi stopped often, bending to stare at a flower, losing thought while bending to touch the snow- even becoming distracted with the way her cloak looked as the red flashed against white.

It took her a while to notice that the King would stop and wait for her every time.

She almost felt like she had become his eager puppy that he was taking on a walk.

Finally, they made a complete lap around the garden, and to Lumi's disappointment, went back inside.

"I could stay outside for hours," she whispered.

"Doesn't the cold bother you?" The King's question came out flatly. It sounded as if he could care less about her response, but Lumi realized it was probably the first time he had initiated a conversation with her.

"It does. But I like to be outside. Even if it's cold."

Lumi smiled up at him. He only stared before turning and walking back to the library.

* * *

The guard edged inside the throne room, an uneasiness spreading around him.

The King seemed to sense this.

He looked up, eyes narrowing as he took note of the absence of the girl.

"Where is she."

The guard had to fight against the tightness that threatened to constrict his throat. He cleared it, trying to get his voice out.

"She's...unwell..."

The King only nodded and went back to his work.

The guard opened his mouth. He was about to voice out loud the suggestion of maybe having a doctor look at her. She had been playing in the snow these past few days in....light clothing...and had been allowed to venture in the courtyard now. She stayed out there for hours.

The guard wanted to say how she looked awful when he went to get her this morning, but he found his mouth closing as he stared at the king.

He had not even blinked at the mention that she was not feeling well...would he really do anything to help her?

The girl had been sold to pay a debt for her kingdom. She had been stripped of her title and family. She was nothing now, and the King made that very obvious.

The guard uneasily went to his post.

Marcos took note of the look on the guard's face. He had worried that this might happen. Actually, he was surprised. More than three weeks in and the girl had done nothing but play in the snow and stayed outside.

Anyone who had lived in the summer lands their whole life would experience a shock at going from sunny beaches to freezing snow. But the princess seemed to take it all in naturally and adapt quickly.

Marcos' frown deepened. The King had ordered that no one enter her room. But then....if no one could go in...who could help her?

* * *

Lumi felt a deep haze around her head.

The world seemed fuzzy and warm. To warm.

She wondered vaguely if it had been a dream- daddy and her going to the winter lands, and her being given to the king. She still couldn't get over the fact that he had actually hit her.

The warmth enveloped her.

It was actually...to warm.

An uncomfortable warm.

Lumi restlessly tossed on her bed. She was at her grandfather's house. The deep south where his tribe resided always was an uncomfortable heat. She couldn't understand how the people who lived there could survive nestled in a place that seemed to have no wind or rain.

Lumi looked up.

There was rain.

She saw blue.

Two raindrops.

Her vision began to focus and she realized the King had come into the summer lands.

What was King Theros doing in the summer lands?

"You get to feel it now," she laughed.

He frowned down at her.

Without warning she reached out, touching his face. He visibly flinched away from her.

She shook her head, rising to keep their contact.

"Stop it. You've already hit me. What's the worst that can happen."

She smiled up at him.

Was this really a dream? Lumi found herself laughing. And then the sound of her laughter was so funny, it made her laugh even more.

Definitely a dream, she concluded.

"Therrrossss," she pulled out his name, not bothering to put his title in front.

"You need to go back to sleep," he said.

She tossed off the covers that he had put over her.

"It's too hot for that! Grandfather never has sheets this heavy! Why would he give us something like this?"

Theros seemed visibly stunned.

Lumi looked down. She was wearing a dress that was common in the summer lands. A white, thin shoulder strap gown that barely reached her mid-thigh.

"Don't look so scandalized," she scoffed, "I wore this to breakfast!"

Theros' glacier eyes slid down her legs. Lumi felt the heat in her rise from it, sweat coming over her. It was all so uncomfortable.

"I can't stand how hot it is!" She made a motion as if she were going to take off the dress, pulling down one strap.

"Stop!" Theros quickly grabbed her hand, pushing it aside and pulling the strap back up. "Do you think this is how you are going to snare me?" he growled.

Lumi only laughed.

"Snare you?"

She poked his shoulder. In his lunge to stop her, he had landed on her bed. He was sitting on the side of it now, one of his hands still grabbing hers in restraint.

"You already have me, King. Didn't I say I'm already yours? You own me so it doesn't matter what happens."

Lumi fell back on the bed, all the energy suddenly leaving her.

"I want to go home," she whispered.

The King froze, staring down at her.

"Theros."

He continued to stare at her as she whispered his name.

"It's nice that you came to see me in my dream," Lumi raised her hand, going back to softly touching his cheek with the tips of her fingers.

He leaned closer. She felt herself smile as she continued to stare up at him.

"You're honestly the most handsome man I've ever seen."

No emotion passed over his face. She only took her arms and wrapped them around his head, bringing him closer to her. Letting his body come down so that she could whisper in his ear, her lips tracing the side, "And I've seen a loooott of men. And you even hit me. Which you haven't apologized for. But..." at that she pushed him away, her eyes growing heavy.

She took his hand, folding their fingers together.

"I guess I'll forgive you. After all...you have a really nice face."

Hope you are staying safe and well ♥