Josiah would never tell it to anyone out loud, but a thrill always seemed to run through him at the sight of his Queen wearing her war paint.

He knew the pattern she drew upon her face, the way the dots went above her eyes, and the lines bleed down from long to short on her cheeks. The intricate swirls that decorated her arms- the way she removed her golden bracelets.

The meaning of the paint though was a clear sign of what she had intended for the activity of the day.

Which is why Josiah found himself sitting on a horse in the cold. For two hours now.

"I hate hunting..."

"What did you say?" she turned to him, her gaze unfocused as she tried to see what the group ahead of them was doing.

He scowled at her. She stared at him before a grin came across her face. "I didn't force you to come."

His scowl only deepened and he could practically feel the angry radiation coming off of Ramus who was behind them.

"No...you didn't...but I don't think I would be able to wait in the castle this time for you."

Lumi only shrugged. A one shoulder shrug, seeing as how the other was still heavily bandaged.

"You're pregnant for God's sake!'

"That does not make me any less capable of hunting. Even the mother of lions must hunt for their young."

A noise of disbelief left Josiah. His voice might have been an octave higher because of it as he said, "you...you are not a lion!"

She turned to him and the feral grin she wore seemed to prove otherwise.

Her attention was recaptured by the men who were a distance away. A sound of annoyance left her as she watched them.

"The clumsy oafs. They were always horrible at this. It's no wonder they never are able to catch what they want."

"You've been hunting here before." Josiah did not voice it as a question, but an accusation. It made sense to him now the grim satisfaction he could read in the Winter King's damn eyes.

But she had agreed to not participate. Only watch. Observe. To stay back and let others take control of the events.

In the distance, Josiah could see her brother with the group of men. There were others like him and Lumi who had hung back only to watch, but he was not one of them.

Her eyes seemed to focus on him more than any other of the hunting party.

She had ignored his words and chosen to focus on what was around them.

A cry of excitement left the group of males. Josiah sighed, knowing what would happen next as their horses raced forward.

Lumi was no exception, even if she had agreed to only be an observer.

"Look at that!" She pointed with her only arm, making Josiah's heart leap out of his chest as her horse still raced forward without any guidance.

A wild laughter escaped her as they avoided the thin trees that surrounded them.

I should have just kept her inside, he thought regretfully. But the sight of her joy made his eyes incapable of looking at anything else.

He finally was able to see what she had been pointing to. A deer? Josiah had no knowledge of the Winter animals and their names. Something that looked close to the Elk that roamed their land- had darted in front. The men had naturally taken on the chase.

He could hear the hounds braying after it. The cries of the males before them full of excitement.

Lumi, thankfully, had stopped.

She laughed and shook her head, "they will catch nothing today."

He tilted his head, looking behind to see that Ramus was still with them.

"Isn't this how you hunt?"

A thin laughter could be heard from Ramus at his question as Lumi turned to look at Josiah.

"You think I hunt like this? Running and screaming?"

Josiah wanted to point out that this was the first time he had actually participated in a hunt. But something flashed across her eyes that made him regret even asking her as she looked at the group that was a distance away, and turned her horse around.

"Ramus."

Her single word held a command Josiah did not know as the guard before him nodded and set off in the opposite direction.

"What are we doing?" Josiah wildly looked back at the group. The stragglers that surrounded them eyed their departure curiously.

She only grinned, "we are going hunting."

The circle had switched so that now, it was Ramus who was beside her and Josiah in the back. He knew his other men had spanned out and were watching closely, but he felt exposed on this field of white.

And even more so when he heard the shouts behind them. The hunting party was watching them leave.

Josiah knew in this situation, that as a male, he had something he should uphold. He reasoned with himself now, that he was only here because she was here. True, she was the only female, but he would have been the only royal male to stay behind if he had. Now, he watched as the hunting party came closer to them.

Not all the guests had chosen to participate in the hunt. The Winter Queen was putting on another event (one Josiah would have rather watched), but he could tell that seasoned hunters and avid males who prized the catch had come to participate. Others in the group were those who wished to impress the Winter King.

Josiah watched as that very same man came closer to them.

He could see Lumi's back straightening as they approached.

Just as she had said, they had failed in catching the animal.

"Leaving so soon?" Josiah recognized the male as a member of the Winter Council. The Winter King held up a single hand, his eyes flashing down at the fact that a member of his court dared to speak before he had the chance to.

With some amusement, Josiah watched as the male ducked his head in apology.

The eyes that matched the ice that surrounded them turned to look directly at their small party.

"The hunt is not over."

Josiah felt his teeth gritting at the fact that they had chosen to stop the hunt, just to address their departure. Bastard.

But his wife only laughed, "we were going to make our own hunting party."

"I see..." Theros' gaze never strayed from her and Josiah wanted to maneuver his horse so that he stood in between them.

He saw from the corner of his eyes, her brother watching.

"Let's make this more interesting..."

Josiah could see her tense. He probably was the only one who was able to notice it, but the smile never faltered on her face.

No one said a word as he turned to the hunting party of his own group.

"Who is the best hunter from the Winter lands?"

No male dared speak out and claim such a title. But the King seemed to already know the answer as he gestured for one male in particular to come forward.

"Monsen..."

The male bowed his head towards his King. Josiah felt a small panic rising in him at where this event could lead to and what the Winter King's definition of 'interesting' entailed.

"Queen Lumi..." Theros was back to addressing her. There was a sharp tension in the air that made it hard to breathe as he continued speaking, "let's place a bet. Another wedding gift to me."

"What is your bet?"

Josiah felt pride swell in him at the unaffected tone she addressed him in.

But the Winter King seemed less than bothered as he narrowed his eyes and smiled, "a hunt. You go off. Monsen goes off. And whoever catches the best prey...wins."

"What do I win?"

Josiah felt his grip on the reigns tighten.

"If Monsen wins, then I will favor him a gift from me. And you...will give me one thing that I desire. And if you win, then I shall give you one thing that you desire."

Refuse.

Josiah looked at Lumi, his eyes pleading what he knew he could not voice out loud.

Refuse him.

But a voice broke through the silence.

"What are the conditions, Winter King? It seems one person of your bet is already at an unfair advantage."

A sharp look of startled disbelief seemed to fall on everyone present. But the most shock could be seen on Lumi as she watched her brother speak to the Winter King. Josiah felt his chest clench tightly at the look that was on her face now.

Theros seemed to be angry just looking at the male.

"She is a warrior. Years of training and conditioning. She should be able to withstand such a minor thing as this...but...if you think her incapable-,"

"I do not."

Josiah wished he knew the brother's name now as he watched him battle it out with the Winter King. Lumi had said it once, but the thing had been so long and strange, he had been unable to remember.

Theros seemed even angrier at the interruption.

"Fine."

Josiah wondered if he had a plan set- but the actions of the brother were offsetting it.

As husband, I should say something. But he felt nothing useful come to his mind. His country came first and the relations between Galexious and Winter were shaky. Any wrong move could result in war being declared.

Josiah suddenly realized, that his wife had no choice.

And hearing the sudden laugher from her, he knew she would never have refused the offer anyway.

"I do not need any advantage or additional conditions."

All the men who were present seemed to become lost in the image she was creating now. Josiah knew they saw it. The war paint. The way she rode upon her blue roan. The majesty that was there just in how the light reflected her eyes to make it appear golden and how her braids had been pushed back.

Maybe it was only him who saw it.

But he was sure the Winter King had caught a flash of the image also.

Monsen seemed uncomfortable with the whole thing, but Josiah could read the easy victory he held in his eyes.

"Then go off hunters," the Winter King pointed into the distance. Josiah had never been a male prone to violence, but he wanted to punch the King at that moment as the male looked back at him and met his gaze in a show of challenge, "find your prey."

* * *

Four hours.

Josiah had been out in the snow for four hours now.

He was off his horse, pacing. The other males had set up in the area, their easy talk and laughter ringing in the air as they sat around their makeshift fires.

Josiah wanted to roll his eyes at the sight.

Some hunting party.

"She will be okay."

Josiah turned at the sound of the voice.

It was him. Her brother.

Damn. If only Josiah could remember his name.

As if thinking this thought, the male walked closer and bowed slightly, "fourth prince of summer, Dakarai Aumatage Oxalis."

"Josiah."

The summer prince smiled at his lack of formal greeting.

There was an uneasy silence between them. Josiah did not know what to think of this member of her family. How they had treated her. How she had suffered from it.

But he was not looking at him anymore. He was staring at the expanse of snow, where the hunters had departed from two hours ago.

"She is a strong warrior. Pain is only a motivation for her."

"...I see...." Josiah wished he could say more, but the summer prince suddenly turned to him, his eyes flickering to look past. Josiah turned his head slightly to take in a glaring Winter King as he sat in front of the fire. The image of those burning eyes and the flames matching the face the man wore, had Josiah shivering and looking away.

The summer prince seemed to think the same thing, "how my sister was able to survive with such a monster...I will never know."

Josiah laughed, "as you said already- she is a strong warrior. Pain is only a motivation for her."

The summer prince looked sharply at him, a curious stare in the male's eyes.

"None of you seem to understand her."

Josiah felt his eyes narrowing at such an accusation. But the prince only laughed.

"You are all the same. I had hoped for you to be different."

"Why do you care. She is forgotten to you."

Dakarai tilted his head, "I love my sister. But it does not change the fact that she is gone from me. There is nothing I can do to have her back."

Josiah blinked twice at the blunt words. He exhaled a deep breath. These siblings were so similar.

He could even see her in his face. The color of his eyes. The shape of his nose. The angle of his jaw. She had those same features.

"She's happy with me."

The male said nothing in response to Josiah's words. A frustration was rising in him. He wondered why the summer prince had even come to him in the first place. But then the male spoke again saying, "I hear she is with child."

Josiah nodded tightly, but his angry expression froze as he saw the unfiltered joy and pain in the brother's eyes.

"Congratulations," he whispered, before walking away.

* * *

Ramus knew something was wrong when the first hunter returned with a wild hog.

He knew something was wrong when night settled in.

And he knew something was wrong, when Queen Lumi, never came back.

"I shouldn't have let her go, I shouldn't have let her go." Ramus watched his King, the worry sucking away into the male as he continued pacing the worn down path he had now created.

Only a small portion of the original hunting party had stayed. The first hunter- Monsen- refused to leave until she came.

"We split ways after an hour..." he looked into the distance... "she only had a few knives...I'm not sure what she can kill with that..."

Ramus was now glaring at the Winter King whenever the male was not looking.

"I want to look for her."

Ramus glanced sideways at the sound of Marcos' voice. The guard had occasionally slipped to stand by him and converse for a handful of minutes before going back to stand by his King. Now he looked into the distance, worry clear in his eyes.

"You'll get lost. And there is no telling where she went," Ramus said.

Marcos gave a frustrated sigh, "why would you let a Queen go on her own..." both males discreetly turned to look at the Winter King.

His pleasure at the bet was slowly slipping away as each hour passed.

Soon, the approach of riders could be heard. The party turned to find multiple horses coming towards them.

Ramus recognized more guards- especially Galexious men. They immediately looked to him but he was just as lost as they were. None of his males were equipped to handle the terrain and the weather for this period of time. None knew the layout of the Winter land, and at this point, Ramus doubted the King would allow guards from an unknown country to wander across his territory.

Among the males, was Queen Elowen.

"I heard she's not been back for a while."

Ramus felt surprised as the female leaped down from the horse while it was still moving, her body almost frantic. He and Marcos exchanged astonished looks at the reaction to the Queen. Ramus was not good at putting together court gossip, but even he had figured the Winter Queen and his own would not be on the best of terms.

Instead, she surprised him by approaching not her new husband, but Ramus' King.

His King looked equally as surprised as Queen Elowen stopped to stand next to him.

"The idiot," he heard her hiss, "what a fool. What a hopeful naive fool. To send an injured...a pregnant, injured woman on a suicide mission!"

Ramus took a step forward as Queen Elowen then whirled around to face his King, her accusing tone now being directed to him as she exclaimed, "I thought you were supposed to protect her!"

His King seemed to be unable to say anything as his jaw hung loosely in astonishment.

"Queen Elowen I..."

"Elowen."

Ramus watched as both his King and Queen Elowen turned to face the glaring Winter King.

"Enough."

She did not speak after that, but even Ramus could feel the livid anger that was being directed to all the males who were present.

Ramus and Marcos both shivered at the violence that seemed to come barreling in, in the form of the Winter Queen.

Well, they are a perfect match, he thought as he stared at the woman who seemed to be made from ice and the male beside her who was as still as the fallen snow.

Another hour passed. Before finally a cry could be heard in the distance. The two words made Ramus' knees tremble in pure relief as he heard, "She's coming!"

Everyone in the hunting party seemed to gather and as a collective group, make their way closer to the approaching figure.

Ramus felt his chest freeze when he took in the limping shadow.

No. Dear God. What had she done?

There were definitely startled gazes and widened eyes as his Queen came out of the shadows.

She led her horse to them. Upon the steeds back, Ramus saw the dead carcass of a snowcat.

How?

Ramus couldn't take his eyes away from the creature that was draped across the back of the horse. It looked as if it was weighing down the animal.

His focus had been so fixated on the beast, that he had failed to see the red drops that were falling in the snow.

Luckily, Queen Elowen had brought the royal physician with her. He raced towards his Queen now, but a sudden barked, "no!" brought everyone's attention to the summer prince.

Ramus felt his anger flash. He began to move forward. This male was a threat to his Queen. He could read it clearly in not only his King's eyes but also the Winter King's as well.

"Do not touch her!" the summer prince shouted again, "she is still in the hunt! She is still in the hunt!"

His shouting did nothing to stop the physician's approach. But his Queen turned and growled at him. She growled. Her eyes flashed up and the male seemed to fold in on himself as she continued moving forward.

Ramus watched in horror as the red drops continued to fall.

"Lumi!" His King was shouting now but his cries did not seem to come through. Ramus had no idea what was happening.

He knew it was not in his place to talk so openly to a member of a royal family, but the red drops- they were falling.

He turned to the summer prince, "how do we make it stop?"

The summer prince's eyes flashed up at him. Ramus saw the internal struggle going on in the male before he looked away and went forward.

"Lumi."

It was his voice.

Ramus felt a crushing sense of disappointment and sorrow for his King as he stood and watched. It had not been his King's voice. Not the Winter King's voice. None of those males seemed to have reached her.

The summer prince stood in front of the girl he had claimed to have forgotten and Ramus watched as he took a knife from his belt, cutting his palm openly and looking directly into his sister's eyes.

He said words in a foreign language that Ramus did not know. The statement at the end though slipped back into words they understood as he said,"blood has been spilled. The life has been welcomed. Your energy has been passed. Your efforts were not in vain. Welcome home, my warrior."

He watched as his Queen looked up into his eyes. Ramus thought he saw a flash of falling tears. But he had never seen his Queen cry before.

And in a voice Ramus did not recognize, she said, "I am home."