An audience was expected with the King.

King Theros convinced himself that he was not anticipating this meeting.

But he still felt himself straighten as the announcer called out, "Dakarai Aumatage Oxalis, fourth prince of the Summer Kingdom."

He resembled her.

Theros could not explain how he made this connection, but he could see the outline of her face in his.

His hair was down now, the thick stands lose and hanging around his face as the two men examined each other.

The Prince bowed deeply, "Thank you for your invitation King Theros."

There was nothing else that needed to be said.

The fact that not the second, or the third, but the fourth prince of the summer lands had come, showed already a disrespect to the King.

The Prince turned away, his audience over.

Theros spoke before he could stop himself.

"Do you want to see her?"

The prince's back was to him. There was no answer as the man bowed his head and continued forward to the door.

King Theros' eyes flashed to the door.

The guards knew that signal.

Swords were drawn, extending before the Prince to stop him from leaving.

He turned slowly around, his face twisted in rage as he looked up at the King.

"I will ask again," Theros said softly, "do you want to see her?"

Elowen gently took his hand, an alarmed look filling her as her eyes darted between the King and Prince.

"Theros," she hissed in warning.

His eyes snapped down to her, and she quickly let go of his hand without thinking.

They both looked back at the Prince.

The Prince spat towards the King, his face filled with nothing but disgust.

At his actions, Theros rose, sending a wave of shock through the room.

The guards exchanged alarmed looks to each other, their shoulders tensing in anticipation.

The Summer Prince eyed them warily, his stance still relaxed.

Theros walked down each step, a roar of thunder seeming to come from the collision as his boots hit the stones in the echoing silence.

"No," the summer prince said, looking at the approaching King, "I don't want to see her. And she does not want to see me."

Theros was breathing heavy, his eyes dangerous in the light. Without meaning to, the prince took a step back, his face betraying the fury he felt at being intimidated so easily.

The two men stood face to face now.

"She gave herself away for you."

"I know that," the prince growled.

"And you treat her like-,"

The prince took a step closer, his eyebrow raised in a mocking show, "Do you care for her King?"

There was a long pause. The Prince found his smile faltering as he realized what the silence of the King meant.

The Prince's eyes flashed up to the stoney face of the Lady the King had abandoned.

"Mmmhh...," the prince felt his own face turn into confusion as he watched the battle of emotions the King wrestled with. Each one displayed openly on his face.

The summer prince shook his head, "She volunteered. She knew what would happen if she left. My sister was the one who raised her hand and said yes. But that girl you have now? The one who runs around in the snow, the one who you stare at so openly and who attends your pretty little balls? That girl is not my sister."

The prince took a step back, his face finally ripping away the facade he had been hiding under. The King saw now, true raw pain coming into the male's eyes as he took in a ragged breath.

"You took a warrior and stripped her of everything that she is. You took her and shoved her in a cage and she helped you close the door."

Theros could say nothing as he blankly watched the tears fall unashamedly, from the prince's face.

"That girl is not my sister. My sister is something that is free and alive. But what I saw last night-," his voice choked on his sorrow as he shook his head, "was a creature you had tamed and made yours."

* * *

"I was going to give you until the month of our marriage."

King Theros looked up at her.

Elowen felt the Prince's pain gathering inside of her, festering there to increase her own.

"I was going to give you until that month but..." she trailed off, wincing when she remembered the conversation between the Winter King and Summer Prince.

"I can see now that if I do that it will be too late."

He glowered at the floor, his hands folded together to hold his head as he looked down.

"I'm going to the council."

At her words, he looked up.

She tried to fight back against his stare, but there was something wild and broken hidden in them. There was a promise for pain towards her, towards anyone, who dared get in his way.

But Elowen couldn't sit on the side.

She hadn't seen it for what it really was.

Maybe not even he saw it for what it was.

The Princess's sad smile came to Elowen's mind. She had probably known. She had probably known that the time line Elowen had given her would never have been completed.

It would never have worked.

"I will cut off our engagement if you do," he threatened.

"But why?" she whispered, "why would you go so far for her? You can't marry her. You can't take in a summer Queen. Winter doesn't need that. Winter Kingdom can't have that. She doesn't belong here. You know it. You've always known-,"

His fist came slamming down on the arm rest, the crack of noise causing Elowen to jump in fear.

"Be quiet," his murderous glare came down upon her.

She had to catch her breath, and inhale several times before she found the courage to stand.

"I'm sorry," she whispered.

He caught her hand.

She turned to look at him in surprise.

He took her hand, bringing it closer as if he were in prayer. She heard the strain in his voice- the whisper of desperation- as he looked up to stare at her.

"I'll do anything. Tell me what to do to stop this. To stop you. Don't. Don't do this. What do you want? Do you want money? More land? Your family moved here? You can be seated at the council." He seemed to almost be on the verge of falling to his knees.

Elowen had to fight the urge to look away at what the man she loved had been reduced to.

Gently she lowered herself to be eye level, and gently she pulled her hand free from his grip.

With both hands, she placed them to encircle his face, staring into his eyes as she shook her head and said, "All I want is you."

They both stared at the other.

"I can't," he whispered.

She stood and took a step back, feeling tears starting to collect in her eyes.

"For now," she said.

* * *

He had gone mad.

Several of the council members whispered venomously behind his back before the meeting, wondering at the speed it had been called, and the reason for it.

It was inevitable.

He should never have accepted such a claim to the summer Kingdom's debt. He should never have allowed such a lapse in judgment.

They should have been advised. Wilmot should have been questioned.

But he had acted on his own.

He had taken her before anyone had time to say no.

He was mad.

And their suspicions only seemed to be confirmed as they stared at him now. His dark glare passed from each man. They could feel the threat in those eyes. The promise for pain if they should do this.

But in these men. This council.

They worked not only for the King but the country.

They wanted to see both be safe, and both be secure.

And he was jeopardizing that safety. He was putting a burden on them because of his actions.

His selfishness.

A King could not afford to be selfish.

And especially not a King of the North.

It had taken three days for the meeting to gather, and in those three days, the men had worked tirelessly to create results.

It was lucky on their part that the meeting overlapped with the summit. Many members of foreign houses were in attendance, and able to be consulted and questioned.

The King could do nothing on his own end.

He could not pull aside his council men one by one to convince them the merits of keeping her. Not when Lady Elowen was also so alive and present in their mind's eye now. Not when they were able to see her family connections and land, money, and title.

The King could do nothing.

Wilmot started the meeting. His voice and presence did nothing to soothe the King. If anything, its participation was being seen as an act of betrayal.

Which only gave the men even more motivation.

Their King had not acted like himself ever since she had arrived. He no longer made cool, and calculated decisions.

He did not follow what was right, or normal.

He had strayed from the path- and it was their job to help him come back.

"My King, you are already aware of why this meeting has been called," Wilmot turned to the men who were present. Some nodded towards him, giving him silent encouragement to continue, "the time has come- we must decide how to let go of the summer princess."

Another male spoke, "we have thought of a list of possible solutions, but it seems the best one that will benefit the Winter Kingdom the most is a suitor that has expressed an interest in the Princess."

The Winter King seemed jolted out of whatever stupor he had been in.

"Suitor?"

It took all the willpower the man possessed, to continue.

"One of the guests who was present at the summit."

"Who?"

The man seemed reluctant to say. He knew what the King's reaction would be. He had to say it though.

"The...the leader of...Galexious..."

The King's hand came down, slamming against the table.

"No."

"Out of all the-,"

"No."

The male stared at the King. They all stared at him.

"This was our first time inviting him to our summit," Wilson stated, "our peace negotiations with the Galexioius country is still unstable at the moment, and new. But if we could-,"

"You want to send her there?"

No one answered.

"She is staying here."

That made them become alert.

Their eyes widened in disbelief. Without thinking about the consequences, several men all began to shout at once, "she can't!" "It would be suicide to the country!" "As what? What will she stay as?"

"I am King!"

His roar suffocated their outrage.

And in a shaky whisper, an older male, one who had been on the seat of the council for over thirty years, raised his ancient eyes and said, "A man who needs to say he is King, is no King."

Shock. Hurt. Anger. Fear. Despair.

They watched as each emotion went, one by one, on their King's face.

There was a silence that followed.

"She can't go there." It almost came out as a moan. A plea.

"But she can't stay here."

It was just now hitting them the depth of their King's feelings. He had hidden it well. He had not even acknowledged or said it himself. But they could all see the truth.

She was not his mistress.

She had never been his mistress.

And he had not thought of her that way.

"She can't be Queen here," a man said gently. Almost soothingly. He had never seen a look of such complete hopelessness on a man's face before as he looked at his King now. "She won't be accepted by the people. And we need Lady Elowen. We need her family and what it can bring to our country. And we need something to give to the Galexious country."

The King's eyes were almost frantic. They were searching each man's face, looking deeply at each one, moving back and forth.

Some had to look away. Some could not take it in.

"No."

He no longer was the King in their eyes. He was just a man. He had been pulled down to be something mortal like them. Something touchable, and able to be broken like them.

"I'm sorry," they whispered, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

One by one, they raised their hands. One by one they watched as the emotion he had so openly showed, slowly slipped away.

One by one, they saw the transformation- the regression- of their former King come back to them.

They wanted to say welcome.

They wanted to say that it was nice to see him again.

That they had missed the coldness of his gaze and brutality of his decisions and leadership that in the end meant safety and protection.

They wanted to say it.

But none of them found themselves able to.