The Hilden

The throne room of Calmari the Hilden, bustled with people. The Daiyans, trusted advisors of her stood close beside her as she oversaw the strategies and ideas brought forth by the Gedans.

Gedans, a group of six high-ranking Naiadans who were considered the Hildens consultants. They sat, three on each side of the large table which held a map of Naltaniera.

The Hilden sat on her pedestal above the rest, her pale skin adorned with crusts of ice. Her gaze was cold as the air and atop her blue and white hair sat an icily beautiful crown.

The sun shone in its full glory, through a circular window above her throne, casting a natural glow to the map table before her.

Light footsteps echoed beyond the doors to the throne room shortly before they slowly opened to reveal Tedran, leading Ria and the two strangers.

"Tedran of Eryndor, had you not already left for the Kana?" The Daiyan beside the Hilden spoke, his voice booming like salt to an open wound.

"Lord Gilmore, I was on my way when I ran into these…visitors." Tedran stepped aside, leaving the Nawi and her brother bare to the scrutiny of the room.

"Mother, they are friends." Ria's timid voice barely reached the crusty ears of the Hilden.

"This is Mara-" Before the Druid could finish, the Hilden raised a hand, silencing him.

"The…visitors can speak, can they not?" As the ruler spoke, whispers and echoes followed her words a cold mist slipping from every movement of her lips.

Tedran nodded in agreement. "Yes they can, Hilden."

"Then let them." The icicles of her gaze returned to the strangers, the whole room waiting in utter silence for them to speak.

"I am Maraja…Emberglow of Eryndor." Maraja's voice was low, unsure of her words.

The room remained silent. Perhaps they did not hear her?

"I am Maraja-"

"You were heard." Calmari slowly stood, her blue dress forming around her with a flourish. "So you are she." Her hands came together, fingers intertwined at her stomach. "The one whom the prophecy called for." Calmari took a step forward, her unseen shoes clinking against the icy floors. "How generous of you to…finally grace us with your presence." She took another step, a thin layer of ice spreading around the spot her feet stood on. "Now get out of my land."

Gasps erupted throughout the throne room, accompanied by snickers and giggles which eventually died down as the princess spoke. "Mother…Hilden. Please, you must reconsider. Maraja-"

"You have no right to talk, Wisteria. You flee your land in the middle of the night and come back with this disgrace of an Elaran." The Hilden's eyes shifted to Mason for the first time. "You even dragged in the trash in the process. Who let that…thing into my land?" She raised a frosty accusatory finger at the human in the room. "Get it out of my sight."

Armed men stomped across the room toward Mason.

"You will not lay a hand on him." The chosen one stepped in front of her brother protectively, a primal glow seeping into her blue eyes.

"The audacity. Along with all of your shortcomings, you add protecting a human…a powerless toy to your myriad?" The crusts on the Hilden's face cracked as her face twisted in disgust. "You are truly worthless."

A look of anger flashed through Maraja's eyes. "You do not know me and you do not know my brother. Ice queen or not, you will not disrespect him."

The Gedans snickered among themselves as Gilmore stepped forward. "You dare speak to the Hilden with that tone? Have you no respect?"

"Respect? I believe respect is to be earned, and your so-called Hilden has just insulted my brother and I without blinking." Her hands rolled into fists as she continued to speak. "Do you honestly think I wish to be in this place?"

"It concerns me not where you wish to be. Our lands have suffered tremendously since the day your mother disappeared and even more so when the prophecy was given and you never came." Her words seemed to carry the sounds of grinding ice with them.

"I knew nothing of this world all my life, and honestly, I wish it remained that way." Maraja hissed out in anger.

"You wish to continue hiding, yes? Cowering under the shadow of your mother on that despicable realm."

"I have lost so much to be here, the moment I heard of it, so you will not lecture me about cowering! If you are so powerful, why not take care of your fucking land, because I sure as hell will not help someone as conceded as you!" The Nawi whirled around, grabbed her brother by the arm, and headed for the doors of the throne room.

Before she could reach the doors, her body froze, ice creeping up from her legs, keeping her in place. "You will not walk out on the Hilden!" Gilmore stepped down from the pedestal, ice creeping into his brown hair as his eyes shimmered frostily at the chosen one.

"Let her go, Gilmore." Tedran stepped in front of the Daiyan, a glimmer of irritation painting his eyes.

"Step away from me, Druid."

Suddenly, there was an angry cry as Maraja broke free of Gilmore's hold, ice shattering to the floors as she turned back to the wide-eyed Daiyan. She stretched her hand forward and he began to choke. He raised both hands to his straining throat as he scratched desperately at Maraja's invisible grip.

The Gedans began to rise in alarm, casting worried glances at their Hilden and the second Daiyan who stood, unmoving by her.

Maraja flung the man across the room with a flick of her wrist, her golden eyes meeting the cold stare of the Hilden.

"Shove your godforsaken land up your ass!" She burst through the doors, Mason following close behind her.

"Maraja wait!" The princess raced after her. "Where will you go? Nowhere is safe, Nawi. My mother's reaction was very civilized compared to what you will meet out there."

"Then I will leave this realm as a whole. I will go back home." She stated.

"You cannot do that." The princess disagreed.

"I will not stay where my brother and I will be disrespected!"

"But you will be hunted out there! It is not safe!" Ria reasoned.

"Goodbye, Wisteria."

"No, Maraja!" The princess grabbed her arm, halting her movements.

"What would you have me do?!" She raised her voice in frustration.

The princess flinched briefly before pressing on. "I... I have a friend in the clan. I'm sure I can convince his family to take you in for the rest of the day. Then you may leave tomorrow."

"I will take her home then." Tedran walked up, towering over Wisteria's frame. "I will take her to Eryndor."