The news quickly spread around the castle of the bet that the Winter King had made with the Galexious Queen.

The guests and court members whispered among themselves, curiosity and confusion swirling together at the interaction. Hunters who had been a part of the trip - who had been witness to the events that had taken place - slipped in details and painted the image for others to see.

Different versions of what had taken place emerged. Some confused the instigator and claimed it had been the Galexious Queen who had started such a thing. She was jealous, they whispered, she used to be his but is not anymore.

Others, who were not as close to the Winter Kingdom, said differently as they conversed quietly together, I heard he only looked at her. A hunter told me he placed his best man against a female with a broken shoulder...he would get one thing he desired from her should he win.

And then the startled winner emerged from the bet.

Some saw it.

The image of the Galexious Queen astride her steed, the body of the snowcat draped in front of her. The hunters who had stayed behind refusing to answer any questions from curious onlookers. The look of blank terror that came over then when asked what had happened.

I saw the cuts on her skin, one worker of the palace whispered, I saw the cuts on her skin of the animal - claw marks there on her arms.

They watched the procession. The guests of the winter wedding tried to be discreet in their observation. The panic had already spread late in the night when the noise of horses rushing out desperately with the physician and new Winter Queen was heard. They knew something had gone wrong.

Who is she? They whispered now.

She was a payment. Given by her father, accepted by the Winter King to repay the debt of her Kingdom. She was the property of him. Title stripped. Identity taken. She was exchanged again, this time for peace instead of money, to the Galexious King. She became their Queen.

The workers of the palace, those who had taken her in, and seen her work and laugh while she played in the snow. Who had flashes of memory come back to them now of a woman who had stood up to their King. A woman who had saved a boy from drowning. Someone who had come to the Winter Court in the traditional dress of the Summer Lands.

The workers frowned at the whispered gossip of the guests who tried to piece together the image of the bloody girl and fit it to the title of Queen.

None of the royals or distinguished members of the court bothered to ask simple palace workers what they thought. What their opinion was. But they had an answer every time they saw the women lean in together, or the males nodding their heads- saying that question, "who is she?"

The workers would remain quiet, silently shaking their heads at the description that was given.

They knew the real one that should have been said.

She is a girl who rose above her situation. She is a woman who took a darkness and tried to see light. She is someone who makes others laugh before herself. She is a hard worker. She is bound internally by the traditions of her homeland. She tries to carry herself with dignity, holding her head high when she knows those around her wish to see it fall.

That's who she is, they wanted to say.

* * *

Josiah felt exhaustion fill him.

He watched Lumi sleep. The day was just starting, the long night of endurance done. He looked at the fresh bandages that had been applied to her arms and shoulder. He winced as he saw the light graze of claw marks along her neck.

What had she done?

She had been too tired to answer him, and Josiah saw that something was gone from her. He didn't know what had happened in the hours she spent in the woods hunting, but she had returned to him as a different person.

She just needs rest, he thought.

He shook his head, trying to cast off the image that had permanently been fixed there. Her brother standing before her. The tears that had come down her face. The whispered words they had both spoken in their native tongue.

Josiah felt his heart breaking for her, but he did not know how he could help. It had never occurred to him until then, that she had been alone.

Really and truly alone.

He tried to think of it now. To put himself in her place. He knew the full of it was impossible, but that interaction had shown Josiah what he had been missing. What her brother had meant when he looked at him in disappointment.

God...she had a language...a whole language trapped in her head, unable to be used, unable to be expressed or told. She had a culture that she had been forced to abandon.

Josiah had no idea what the concept could even feel like. He had forgotten that she was from something else. He had just naturally thought she could pick herself up and accept his Kingdom. Accept his culture and his life.

Can't she?

He continued to stare at her, conflict confusing his thoughts. He had even said it to her that first day of meeting. Your past doesn't concern me. It's your future I'm concerned about. That's the part that has me, so that's the part I'm interested in.

She had laughed at him. But he saw the image now. The image of the broken acceptance that had come to her eyes and how quickly she had changed the topic of discussion.

I'm just like him, Josiah realized, I'm just like Theros. Different. But still the same.

A soft knock on the door startled Josiah out of his thoughts as he turned to see Ramus.

"My King..."

Josiah straightened himself. He had been with Ramus long enough to know that tone in his voice.

"What has happened?"

Ramus looked past Josiah to take in Lumi. Josiah could read the relief in the male's eyes as he turned back to look at him.

"An attack on the border. Our men fighting the Winter guard. The Winter King has sent a request for an audience with you immediately."

"Damn." Josiah ran a hand through his hair, frustration rising in him, "Damn the fools who thought they could do this while I'm gone..."

He looked back at Lumi. Still asleep. He sighed and turned away. He didn't want to bring her into this meeting.

Josiah already knew it would be an unpleasant one.

* * *

Only a select few from the Winter council had been chosen to participate in the meeting. The thought would never be spoken out loud, but there was an unease at leaving the King alone to make his own decisions.

They watched the King of Galexious come in. There was only him and a single guard.

Wilmot gestured for the seats they should take.

The Galexious King nodded gratefully speaking while he made his way, "I'm sure you can understand, but my Queen will be unable to participate. She has had a long night and needs to rest."

"Of course," Wilmot said. Already the tension in the room was present at the mention of the Galexious Queen.

Eyes of the Winter Council rested on their King, watching to take in his reaction.

His hands were folded in front of him, glare cast for all to see as he watched the King that sat across from him.

There was a moment of silence until their King set his hands down and finally spoke.

"We had a peace treaty."

The Winter Council felt as if they were participating in a game. Their gaze bounced back and forth from each King watching and waiting for what words would be said.

The Galexious King seemed to match in his own glare, "We do. I can only control so much of my country, but rebel factions-,"

"The treaty clearly states assaults on the border are to be stopped by members of the Galexious Kingdom. No sooner have you left, and your country is breaking our promise. I received the report today- I'm sure you already know that even with my fastest rider it still takes three days ride for this news to reach me."

A low growl could be heard from the Galexous King, "The treaty is new. My men are untrained. We are a new country and as I said before I cannot control all the rebel factions-,"

"You cannot even control your own country?" There was a clear mocking tone in the Winter King's voice that caused the Galexious King to grit his teeth together.

A sudden clearing of the throat from Wilmot caused both men to snap out of their anger and look away.

"How many men."

The Winter King gave a humorless laugh, "two."

"And how many Galexious men?"

There was a short silence before, "seven."

The Galexious King's eyes flashed in warning, "the treaty is new. Not even a year old. It also states that groups of the Galexious Kingdom who attack are to be dealt with by the border guard or me. Not your men."

"It's life or death out there," King Theros stated.

"It's my citizens!" King Josiah suddenly stood, his fist colliding against the table. The Council started at the action, their eyes widening at the fact that this male had been the one to tip over to violence first.

A slow grin spread across King Theros' face at the collision.

"Ah...I see now...We should discuss first the real reason for your anger before we try to resolve this."

King Josiah's head was down. A whisper from his guard made him slowly lower himself back into his chair. The council shivered at the deadly tone that seemed laced into his words, "You made her go out there."

The Winter King moved forward, leaning closer across the table as something dangerous flashed in his eyes.

"Perhaps we should-,"

A sudden hand from his King made Wilmot close his mouth regretfully. The Council winced, somehow knowing the conversation would have reached this point.

"Do not be mistaken, King Josiah. I gave her to you. But she does not belong to you."

"She is my wife."

A barked laughter left King Theros. He looked around at his council members.

"We can discuss the treaty again. The conditions that were made. We would only accept your peace treaty on the condition you took Lumi. That's what the fools came up with," the Winter King pointed to his own council as he continued, "and I added my own. I'm sure you remember. You did not seem as eager to possess her as you do now."

King Josiah did not want to remember that meeting. He had wanted to forget it. The anger he had felt at having a foreign, unknown woman suddenly tossed at him. The hate he felt towards the Winter lands in the way they had disposed of her so easily, as if dumping their problem onto him had been nothing but brushing dust off their shoulders.

He had not known her then.

He wanted to forget. But he could never forget the image of that night, and the look of death that had been promised to him by King Theros as he whispered down saying, you will make her your Queen. Not your mistress. Not your slave. Queen. And if you make her anything less, then I will personally take my men and conquer that pathetic land that you call a Kingdom.

King Josiah looked up and knew from the wicked grin that was on King Theros' face, that he could read the memory from his eyes.

The council could remember it. They saw the same flash in their own minds as the image of their King falling in his chair, head in hands breaking as soon as the Galexious King had left, came back to them.

There was a silence. Each male evaluated the other. Finally, King Josiah spoke, "you care for her. Why would you then place such a bet?"

There was a slight tilt of King Theros' head that made everyone in the room look at him closer. He seemed angry. More so than he usually was.

The council was used to his behavior now when it concerned the summer girl. Many of them wondered if their King had even thought of his actions and planned it, or if he had created it on the spot, as so many of his choices when it concerned her, were.

King Theros ignored the question. He pushed it aside, going back to the original topic of discussion.

"I do not see a reason for why I should maintain this supposed peace treaty with you. I see no benefits towards my Kingdom. Taxes that are collected could stop due to this. You have no trade system established. What would I gain?"

King Josiah narrowed his eyes, "She is Queen of that country now."

"Do not try to use her against me," King Theros hissed, "I have already made my choices just as you have, and my actions show clearly that my Kingdom will always come first. You should consider yourself lucky I am such a man because were I not, then she would have been someone else's wife."

A panicked look was coming over the council men's eyes as they quickly spoke, realizing their King had crossed a line he should not have in the subtle meaning underlying his tone.

The Galexous King appeared visibly shocked, but his attention was refocused as the Winter Council took over, pointing out flaws in the original peace treaty they had drafted and making suggestions for different wording and clauses that could be added.

Even with the sudden change in conversation, they still could see the shaken expression hidden deep in the male's eyes.

During the discussion, Wilmot silently made his way over to his King.

King Theros flashed his eyes up at him, his emotions collected and sealed back in.

"I know," the male whispered.

Wilmot watched silently as King Theros watched the Galexoius King.

"I know I went too far again."

Wilmot did not have the heart to say anything to his King. He only stood silently by his side.

I must have really tramatized you people, because everyone last chapter was going "omg the baby, she miscarried!!!" and that thought/idea literally never even crossed my mind. I read the first comment and just went "duh fu?" I LAUGHED SO HARD HAHAHAHA WAS THE WAIT FOR THE NEXT UPDATE TORTURE??? I have NO idea why your minds went that way (Wattpad has ruined us).

Thank you for reading ♥ It meas a lot to me that you all stick with the story and comment/vote/read