3

(Yuri's POV)

My name is Yuri, and I carry the name of our great ancestor. I am expected to lead our family out of its failing state. The more I understand how daunting this task is, the more resolve fills my heart. I had been lauded as a genius. That was until my brother was born.

I still remember the day as if it was yesterday. He had a tuft of white hair and a stupid expression. I saw that my parents would not look at me, so I became infuriated. I am not proud of it, but I used to bully him when they could not see me.

That was until my brother had squealed at me. The little brat had ratted me out. I had been so infuriated. Worse, he had lied about me teaching him any bad words.

I even grew angrier as he soon started to attend the same lessons as me. They had looked at him as if he was a genius. Soon, I had seen our fief prosper. We were not like those nobles within the Empire. We were simple people, and our duty was to our people. We ate what they ate, and it was not unusual for people to starve when winter came. It was worse when some years of winter grew longer. We all waited for Ursun's roar to herald the beginning of the summer.

But my brother had changed all that. Looking around, I saw that none of our people starved anymore. He introduced glass, something that only the jewel maker within the Empire could make. A luxury product and is used to grow crops even during the winter. He introduced the concept of glass houses.

He had been heralded as the wise son, a fact which had driven me mad.

However, everything would change one day. One day, when my brother had stood by my side. And I realized one thing. It is me and my brother against the world. The rest of the world may betray me, but my brother will always remain by my side.

First, more about the Kingdom of Kislev, our homeland. From ancient times, Kislev has been ruled by the Khan Queens of old and their descendants. And the current Monarch is the young princess Tzarina Katrin. She was only twenty, and her Father had died just recently.

I heard rumors that there was a struggle going on within the court. So, even I was not sure why she was here.

It is a struggle as old as time itself. The struggle of the old vs new. The Queen had been responsible for the creation and popularization of ice magic.

The base of Katarin's power, beyond hereditary right, is her extraordinary magical prowess. She is the greatest Ice Witch for generations, capable of magical feats more deadly and devastating than any other Ice Witch in Kislev.

She embodies this coldness to the extreme. I saw her get off the carriage. Her expression was unflinching, and her eyes shone blue. Each of her movements was rigid. And as my family and I got on our knees to greet her. She just nodded and proceeded on. I preferred her Father. He was a loving and boisterous man.

"Rise up," Katarin said. "Defenders of the north. For generations, you have defended the motherland. I heard about your children, the rising stars of the north. We believe they are called."

"My lady, we do not deserve the honor."

"And yet our people prosper because of your efforts. Your son was the one who led the revolution within these lands. A boy free from the taint of chaos."

I panicked. I was sure that some subtle message was being conveyed. Would my family be assassinated?

That was until I saw my brother step forward and grab her hand.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, my lady." He had kissed her hand while on one knee. "I greet her Majesty, the protector of Kislev, chosen of the bear. A descendant of the Ice Queens of the Old. And the Greatest Ice Queen to ever live. Pioneer in the creation of the Ice Guards, summoner, and the starter of a new domain of Ice magic."

The Queen had looked down at him. Her expression had not changed.

She nodded at my brother.

But my brother did not stop and continued. "I greet the defender of the north. The Queen whose beauty might even rival that of any God. I beseech Your Majesty to break bread with us."

My brother still had his head bowed before her.

"Stand straight, cub. The realm owes you a debt of gratitude. I shall grant you your request."

I sighed in relief. If she decides to break bread with us, then that means that she does not have a hostile design against us.

We had a small feast in celebration of Her Majesty. There were only us and her and a few of her attendants.

My brother had settled by my side, and a few bottles of Vodka were brought out. I have also grown a little fond of them. I sometimes sneak them out while my parents are not looking.

My parents were entertaining the Queen.

I saw the Queen talking with my mother. It seems that she was once the instructor of her Majesty, and I was the one who had taught her how the wield the sword. However, I had a strange feeling that the Queen had kept on taking glances towards me and my brother.

It was after the feast that the Queen had an announcement to make.

"House Barkov has served Kislev well. We are in a stronger position than ever, economically speaking. It is our great pleasure to grant the request of House Barkov. The Patriarch and Matriarch of House Barkov are required to revive the land around where the last King, Boris Ursus, resting place. We would like to designate the resting place of our Father a Holy Land and it to be guarded by House Barkov."

My mind went blank. That was a death sentence. It was in the northern reaches where only the servants of the Chaos Gods survived. And while Mother and Father were gone, who would handle the land. Were what we had been taken from us.

"No, I cannot lose mother and father." I had interjected. I cannot allow such a thing.

My hand had slammed on the table, and cracks had formed around it.

"Such insolence." An arrow of ice was approaching me. I cannot dodge, so this is how I die.

That was until my brother got in the way. The arrow that was about to pierce me was held by him inside his hand. He squeezed his hand, and it shattered.

"Stop this right now, Yuri, and you too, Ifrit." Our Father yelled at us. "Those lands, in ancient times, used to belong to us. It would be our honor to reclaim them."

"But you will die," I yelled back at him.

"We don't want to lose you." My brother backed me up.

"My children, you don't know how proud of you I am." There was a slight pause. "But I was the one who had lodged this request with her Highness and the King before her."

He then turned towards the Queen and bowed before her. "Forgive my children for their insolence. They only wish for this old man to spend their time with them."

The Queen sighed. "We, too, understand them more than anything. No child wants to lose their parent if they can. But we are Kislevites. We do not use flowery words like the Imperial Palace within the Empire. We settle our differences by the strength of our might. We have been insulted, and so a challenge must be faced. The girl must fight."

I readied myself, heart and soul. I will not lose.

"I shall stand with my sister. I was the one to block the blow meant for her. So, I insulted Your Majesty as well." My brother said, who, although smaller than me, was standing before me.

It was after this fight that I realized one thing. The world may turn against me, but my brother will always stand by me.