"Your majesty, release Queen Maeve from the cold room!
"Your majesty, reinstate Queen Maeve as Fae Queen!"
A throng of ministers were gathered outside the grand hall, their voices raised in a unified chorus of protest. Banners fluttered in the breeze, emblazoned with slogans urging King Oberon to release and reinstate Maeve as Fae Queen. Their cries echoed through the air, reverberating against the stone walls of the hall.
Inside the hall, King Oberon’s expression darkened as he heard the persistent chants drifting through the walls. For days, the ministers and their followers had maintained their vigil, their determination unwavering. Oberon’s jaw clenched, betraying the tension building within him as he grappled with the mounting pressure from outside. His once peaceful kingdom was now filled with unrest.
Oberon underestimated Maeve’s sway over his kingdom, and now he found himself confronted by the unexpected force of her influence. Nearly all the ministers, except for a few loyal to his other wives, had joined the protest. Even upon learning of her apparent abuse of their beloved crown prince, Valerie, they were quick to forgive, longing to see their once-revered fae queen returned to her rightful place.
Except that was not happening.
His hand clenched around the parchment in his hand, ruining the document and Lennox who was at the corner, watched the scene with furrowed brows. The king was clearly in a sour mood and said nothing, leaving him to vent his anger on the poor documents.
"Your majesty, release our Queen from the icy prison!"
"Your majesty, Astaria needs it’s beloved Queen!"
It seem the more the people chanted, the more Oberon’s face darkened with rage and the temperature in the hall plummeted at an alarming rate. The protests were only making things worse.
"Lennox...." King Oberon suddenly said in a dark, grave tone.
Lennox swallowed nervously, bracing himself for the worst.
"Make the arrangements, have Queen Maeve released from the cold room."
"What?" His jaw nearly dropped to the ground. That was not the response he had expected from him. King Oberon had been so determined to punish Queen Maeve for her action, he didn’t expect him to give in so easily to the people’s demand. To be honest, he was a bit disappointed.
King Oberon’s dark gaze collided with his, "Do I need to repeat myself twice?"
"Of course not, your majesty." Lennox said immediately. Then be bowed his head, ready to go through with his instruction.
But just as he was about, Lennox suddenly halted, turned and asked, "Do I also make plans for her to be reinstated as the...." He trailed off when he saw the glare the king shot at him. He had served King Oberon long enough to know what each of his facial expressions meant.
"I’ll take that as a no then." He said.
King Oberon snarled, "That will never happen." He added, " As soon as the Queen is released to them, arrest and torture anyone that still protest her reinstatement."
Lennox’s brows lifted in surprise, caught off guard by the unexpected assertiveness of the king. It had been some time since he had witnessed this side of the monarch, one that didn’t always yield to the desires of the people. Despite the shock, a proud smile tugged at Lennox’s lips. With renewed vigor, he bowed his head respectfully once more. "As you wish, your majesty."
Lennox’s, the King’s advisor left and summoned two of the strongest Fae who would be able to release Queen Maeve from the icy prison the king had confined her since he wasn’t doing it himself.
As they reached the cold room and laid eyes on Queen Maeve, she appeared frozen like a statue, much like the others. However, there was a subtle distinction—she hadn’t reached the impenetrable hardness of granite like some of the other prisoners. Rumors suggested those who had solidified to that extent were beyond redemption, likely deceased. Yet, no one dared to release them to confirm. King Oberon did not dispose of them either. It was said that he left the frozen figures as a chilling reminder of his authority and power, serving as a deterrent to any who dared challenge him.
The two high Fae Lennox brought with him hailed from both the winter and summer courts, each with their unique abilities. While no winter Fae possessed the strength of King Oberon to release his wife from the icy cocoon, the winter Fae was tasked with eliminating the ice, while the summer Fae assisted in regulating the Queen’s temperature and ensuring she wasn’t harmed by the frost during the process.
As the delicate procedure unfolded, Lennox observed attentively, noting every detail. Finally, after a tense period, Queen Fae emitted a resounding gasp of life as she emerged from her icy prison. Though the ice had been completely melted away, the Fae Queen still shivered uncontrollably, her body struggling to adjust to the sudden change in temperature.
As if he had seen it coming, Lennox stepped forward, offering a blanket which he gently draped around the Queen’s shoulders. "Welcome back, your majesty," he greeted her warmly.
Despite Queen Maeve’s ordeal with the cold, her innate arrogance remained intact. Ignoring Lennox completely, she cast a disdainful glance at the winter Fae who had played a crucial role in her rescue, before turning her attention to the summer Fae. "Take me out of this hell hole," she demanded imperiously.
Lennox said nothing, nor the winter Fae, both already accustomed to the Fae Queen, no, previous Fae Queen’s arrogance. She offered her hand to the summer Fae and he took it gently, admiration in his eyes, privileged to have caught the Queen’s attention. Lennox and his pal both followed at a slower pace as Queen Maeve and her chosen Fae walked ahead.
They all left the cold room.
Unbeknownst to them, water began to drip from one of the statues in the room. As they worked to free Queen Maeve, the heat thawed the closest hardened statue. Almost immediately, spiderweb cracks began to appear on its surface, accompanied by a chilling mist that began to seep from within.