The Icy Plain

Devrim's smile faltered. "What do you mean? This is your royal carriage!"

He gave the wooden vehicle a firm tap. It was not the grand thing she was used to traveling in, but it was very sturdy.

"It's a…sled?" Aurora lifted her brow incredulously.

"Yes." Devrim took a deep breath, his eyes begging for the woman's understanding. "You are not able to walk very far, and we can line this box with blankets and other soft things. I promise you will be quite comfortable."

"Who will pull it? We have no horses." Aurora searched the ground. Had one come without her knowledge?

"The soldiers and I will. We will take turns. We can also store some of our supplies on the sled as well. You can make sure that nothing gets damaged during transport." The Emperor finished his speech lamely. Even he knew that he was doing a little too much convincing.

"Trying to make me feel like I'm doing some good while being dragged across the landscape, are you?" Aurora tilted her chin.

Next to her, Brinn's face was in her hand.

The Emperor cleared his throat. "No…maybe? I…"

"I love it," the Empress cut him off. "I really do have the most thoughtful husband in the world."

Rubbing the back of his neck, Devrim twisted his toe in the ice. "I'm glad you think that because I have an easy way to get you on it."

The tone of his voice made Aurora wary. She quickly discovered why he was hesitant.

Brinn brought a rope and tied it around the Empress's waist, securing it tightly.

"What are you…oh!" Aurora gasped as the winch tightened and lifted her into the air. "No!"

"You cannot climb down the ladder with that brace. This will only take a moment." The elf motioned for the process to continue.

Dropping her crutch, Aurora held tight to the rope with her eyes closed. Visions of falling and being lifted out of the chasm flashed through her memory, taunting and haunting her.

'It will be over soon.'

The Empress repeated these words over and over in her mind. The winch shifted over the side of the ship and began to lower. Each turn of the wheel felt like it took an eternity.

About the moment Aurora was going to scream for them to stop and take her back to her hammock, her braced foot bumped up against wood.

"Halt!" Devrim called.

The winch paused, and the wooden sled shifted as the Emperor climbed on. He gathered Aurora up into his arms before untying her harness. She clung to him and buried her head in his shoulder.

"Was that so bad?" He asked, kissing the top of her forehead.

"Yes," Aurora answered, "but not as bad as it could have been."

Satisfied, the Emperor lowered his precious bride into her carriage. Soon, blankets and the rest of the supplies were arranged around her both to make her comfortable and block the wind from chilling her as she rode.

When the preparations were complete, a redhead peeked into the sled.

"You look even more spoiled than usual, Rory." Brinn grinned. "Ready to leave, Your Majesty?"

Aurora clicked her tongue and put on her most regal air. "Yes, my loyal subject. Lead on."

The elf smiled, winked, and leapt off of the sled.

"She is ready."

Nodding, Devrim motioned to the rest of the company. "We move out!"

Two soldiers grabbed the handles protruding from the front of the sled while a second set pushed at the back of the carriage.

Slowly but surely, the rudders began to slide along the ice. The group was finally on their way.

Aurora wished she could be among those walking. It felt lazy to let others drag her along the ice. They would be able to move much faster without her slowing them down.

But there was no way the Empress would have stayed behind on the ship. So she would just have to suffer her guilt and try to rest as they traveled.

An hour passed uneventfully.

The ride was smooth and there was no view to speak of. Only the sky overhead could be fully seen, and so she watched the sun pass.

Monotony ensued.

When Aurora had entertained every thought under the sun, the Empress began to doze. The soft shushing of the sled lulled her into dreams of snowball fights with her loved ones when they were younger.

A ball of ice hit her in the face from a well-aimed throw by little Alaron. His mischievous grin brought out a giggle from the young Empress.

Alaron always did have good aim when it came to projectiles. He picked up another ball and packed it tightly in his hands.

"Look!" Mairwen cried in a voice much deeper than a child.

"I see it," Aurora clicked her tongue. A similar answer echoed her own from guards on the wall.

"Is that Reyan?!" Alaron looked up, dropping the ball. His voice sounded just like Devrim's.

'Wait, did he say Reyan? We haven't even met Reyan yet…'

Aurora gasped like she was coming out of water. The dream had been pleasant, but the waking was not. It took a moment for the Empress to get her bearings and remember she was in the South and in search of the Seed.

Had they found it already?

No, they must have found Reyan. Aurora was most grateful for that. But then why didn't the soldiers sound happier?

"What's that on the ground?"

"Pull your swords!"

"Circle around the Empress!"

The cries overlapped one another. Aurora sat up in the sled and shifted to peer out the front. It was the only spot where a small window had been formed.

Struggling to look between the soldiers, Aurora could see Reyan flying towards them at top speed, his scarf trailing behind him like the tail of a kite.

Panting heavily, he landed on the top of the supplies above Aurora's left leg.

"I thought I was helping," he breathed. "I was scouting and thought I could get ahead of the problem. I didn't mean to cause a new one. I knew they would be mad, just not how mad. I didn't know you were out here already. Maybe I can lead them elsewhere. I doubt it though. Once they see something they can follow it forever. I just wanted to warn you first not to…"

The fairy finally ran out of breath and paused to take a huge gulp of air.

"Slow down," Aurora could hear Devrim trying to calm Reyan. "Can you back up and tell us where you have been?"

"I went to let the inhabitants of the South know we were coming so they would not interfere. Some of them are just dumb beasts, some mildly intelligent and others can understand the Anicient tongue." Reyan squinted at the horizon. "The problem is that I was not sure which was which…"

"They are getting closer!" Zan warned. His eyesight was sharper than most humans.

"Can you talk a little faster?" Devrim asked the fairy. "We need to know what we are up against."

"Snowbears. So many snowbears. I tried talking to their leader and mentioned humans were with me. The lead she-bear snarled and accused us of killing and taking her cub. There was nothing I could do to convince them we had nothing to do with that.

They have been chasing me ever since. I'm a fast flier, but this cold air is too much for my old bones. They are coming. And they have seen you. I am sorry."

"As much as I have wanted you to say those words since we first met," Devrim sighed. "This was not the time." He looked to his soldiers and nodded at Nurlan. "Prepare for battle."