"Princess-," Elowen cut herself off and shook her head, "Queen Lumikki and King Josiah arrived safely."

Theros did not raise his head. But she heard his question loud and clear, "how do you know?"

Elowen held up a letter for him to see, "She wrote to me to say so."

At those words, he looked up.

"She...wrote to you?"

Elowen ignored the different emotions that held in his voice. She pushed those aside and briskly nodded, "Yes. She is the Queen of Galexious now- a country we are trying to have peaceful relations with. I told her to write to me when they arrived and she did."

There was a moment of silence.

Elowen bent back down, continuing in her work before she heard the dreaded question she had been hoping he would not ask.

"And you are...writing back?"

"Of course I am."

She did not look up. In a way, she was becoming more and more like him. She had decided it was time to put aside her feelings about the Winter Palace. The cold and uninviting place and how far away it was from her family.

She lived here now and was a permanent resident. Their wedding was underway- finally.

Elowen had been blaming herself these past few weeks. She had come to the conclusion that if she had not pushed off the engagement for so long, then he would not have gone elsewhere to seek company. If she had said yes immediately to the engagement and not waited these two years- then they would have already been married and he would have never had his head turned by a summer princess.

Elowen closed her eyes and gave a deep sigh.

He sighed with her.

She had to smile at that.

What a miserable pair they were.

* * *

Macy stared at the white fabric. It flowed gracefully to the floor, a full length gown that would no doubt raise her status once it was complete.

She set it down and sighed, looking around at the different drawings and designs that were around her room.

She had been commissioned to create Lady Elowen's wedding gown. The ceremony was coming in the next six months and already Macy felt pressed for time at how much she had to do in that little amount given.

It was detailed work.

Why would anyone want such details sewn into their wedding dress? Macy couldn't understand the different Northen clan symbols that were being put into the veil or the intricate crests of the Kings of past that were being placed along the edges.

No one would notice anyway!

No one would even know what these ancient symbols that she had gone and looked up in the royal library even meant.

But Lady Elowen had insisted.

And white.

Pure white.

Macy was worried she would look like a ghost on her wedding day at this rate. There had to be some color? Shouldn't there be?

With another long sigh, Macy pulled the fabric closer to her and started back to her work.

* * *

"Obviously they will have to be invited."

The council members stared at one another in horror.

"Won't that be...awkward?" One male asked.

Another male waved away the thought, "it's months away. Everything will be gone by then. And we have to invite the King of Galexious if we want to remain in our new state of peace."

"But she...she used to be the Winter King's..."

"We could say not to bring her!"

"As I said before, we are trying to maintain peaceful relations."

There was silence around the table.

"Maybe we can say the invitation got lost."

"Don't be petty."

Other council members though were looking thoughtfully at the male who had voiced his idea.

At that moment, the doors to the council chamber opened. All the men stood at once to greet their King.

He sat down before them. A long silence stretched afterward. They were still unsure in his presence. Many wondered if he still felt the sting of betrayal towards them. He had shown no signs of hatred or anger these past few weeks however.

"What is being discussed."

They each looked at the other, pleading for anyone to speak the truth.

In the end, Wilmot gave a sigh and said, "we were discussing the guest list, my King."

"Guest list?"

"For...your wedding..."

The men looked at the King in surprise. He himself reflected their own faces as he looked around the room.

"And when is this wedding taking place?"

"Six months from now."

He laughed.

He laughed?

They suddenly felt uneasy. With the noise of his dark humor, many felt their minds grow blank and a horrible thought soon entered. They had woken a sleeping wolf. He would not go back to sleep so easily.

"With Lady Elowen, My King."

Wilmot seemed to be the only one who was maintaining his composure. He seemed determined to ignore the growing tension. Instead, Wilmot only pushed the documents towards the King.

"It is being debated now if an invitation should be extended to the King and Queen of Galexious."

The council members' eyes moved back and forth between Wilmot and the King.

Finally, the King took the documents and read them over.

"Invite them."

He continued to look down at the documents.

Many of the council members suddenly felt uneasy at the dark gleam that was entering their King's eyes.

They looked at Wilmot, a silent plea on their faces to suggest the opposite.

But the man only looked in defeat at his King.

Anyone listen to the 'When the Sun Fell' Playlist that is on spotify? Thoughts?

Thank you for reading ♥