3 A New Morning/Meeting the Queen

Ben was woken up to a startle as Taredd was shaking him. "Hey okay I'm awake stop"

"Alright, so today we're reporting to the Queen of Ice due to my scouting yesterday to view the advance of the Fire, you must come due to the strange circumstances of my finding of you."

"Oh..."

It made sense in Ben's head of course, he was a random foreigner found in the middle of nowhere, but he didn't want to seem suspicious at all, he was frightened of being killed within his first day of living in this new world.

"I'll get up as quick as I can so we can take off."

"Thanks Ben, there's some bread to eat in the kitchen"

After about 10 minutes Ben had finished preparing and eating his bread and they set off on the sledge towards the Castle which was in the heart of the city.

The appearance of the city by day was a huge transformation from what it was last night, the streets were packed with elves heading around doing daily business and gave Ben a different more civilised image to elves from what he had read in fantasy books.

The sculptures of ice also gave a different view as they shone refracting the light of the sun painting the ground with a nice light blue texture rather than the paleness of the snow.

Eventually they arrived at the gates to the castle and the guards confirmed that Taredd was indeed the scout they sent out the day before.

"Alright Ben be prepared for any questions."

As they walked in Ben was greeted by a huge icey throne room the likes of which he had never seen before, and directly in front of him sat a woman up a small flight of stairs.

"So Taredd, you have returned, what news have you?"

"My lady, the armies of Fire approach our lands, toward the south the effects are already being scene with the snow no longer falling and the ice melting, they seem to be going for a full frontal assault."

"I see, so who is this young human beside you?"

"Alright Ben introduce yourself" Taredd whispered to Ben

"I-I'm Benjamin Harsec, miss."

"What affairs do you approach us, should you not be in the water land of Erador rather than here in Frozania?"

"I'm afraid I don't quite know what you mean miss, I am in quite a strange situation if you wouldn't mind listening?"

"AND WOULD THAT SITUATION HAPPEN TO BE THE RECENT CONQUER OF ERADOR BY THE FIRE?"

"N-n-no not that I-i-i originate from another world where I died and was reincarnated here."

"What evidence do you have to support your claims, as far as I know the Fire sent you here to assassinate me to leave the people in despair and leave for an easy conquering."

Taredd butts in, "I for one believe him, my lady, he was out in the cold in a strange fashion of clothing not suiting any elemental tribe of this realm, I have just housed him for the night and he made no attempt to attack me and I was ready just in case he did."

At this the Queen stepped down from her throne to closer inspect Ben, to Ben she looked no older than 20 and her appearance startled him, her cheeks looked so soft and her hair was blonde and silky. Ben could never have apprehended this beauty back before he was reincarnated. The Queen then turned to Taredd.

"I see, you do seem correct regarding his clothing, it is...unlike I have ever seen before."

The Queen was gripping Ben by his school tie during this time and he was beginning to struggle to breathe.

"C-could you p-please let g-go"

With that she released her grip on his tie and he fell to the ground spluttering for air.

"I Queen Selas order you Taredd Osclisit to train this boy in the ways of ice magic, the manifestation of it will kill him if he does not support the ice tribe, and if he doesn't die then I suspect he may go on to become an important asset in the upcoming battle."

"Yes my lady, I will do as you say" Taredd turns to Ben (still on the floor) "Your training will begin this afternoon."

With that Taredd got Ben up and they bowed then left the throne room.