This is the back story to blood and ice to better understand the story I do suggest you read it first it this story ends where Blood and Ice starts.
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I walked around father sword drawn. When we clashed, our sword battles were legendary. Though father never won, it didn't stop him from trying. This was how we were after nearly a thousand years. We developed a pattern, I would fly with grandfather in the morning, then sword practice and drinks in grandfather's room. If father was not knocked out he would join us. He lunged at me with a deathly blow, but I easily blocked it, grabbing his sword I wrenched it from his grip and slammed it into the wall just missing my uncle James.
"Sorry James, I didn't see you" I said, cringing
"Not to worry I am immortal after all" he said smiling
We couldn't help but laugh. That night father joined us for drinks. Everything was going fine until grandfather mentioned something that was a very sore subject with my father- his brother Gabriel.
"Father! I don't want to talk about him. He's dead and gone," Father stormed. With a deathly look in his eyes
"I don't see why not, he was your brother" Grandfather said.
I looked at James who just shrugged his shoulders I knew where this was going so I put my drink down and walked out
"Alexandria where are you going?" father asked
"I am not staying to listen to the two of you bickering like a married couple. Honestly you would think after a thousand years you could try and get along" I shouted as I stormed out of the room
I was so angry at the pair of them. Why cant they get along? I barged into the library. It's what I usually did when one of them annoyed me. I looked at the books and was skimming the titles when a flicker of light caught my eye I walked over. There was a crack at the edge of the bookcase I slid my hand in and pulled it open enough to allow me to slip inside. I was met by a narrow stair case lined with candles. I picked up my dress and walked down the stairs. It was obvious someone was here. The stairs opened up to a small room which was lined with rolled up documents. I slid the nearest one out of its shelf as I unrolled it. I felt a twinge in my stomach that I hadn't felt in over a thousand years- a vision
I was flying over fields of the greenest grass I had ever seen. I felt lighter than air. The castle loomed up ahead. It looked different, it didn't look as battered and old. It seemed new, as if it had just been built a small village surrounded the castle. I floated down to one of the houses, I could hear someone being shouted at.
"Alexander get up this instant!" a women yelled. I thought I was going to have to cover my ears out of fear she would burst my eardrums.
"I am up mother no need to yell at me," a young man said from behind me. He passed right through me. Tt was obvious that he didn't know I was there
"Eat up. If you're late again, they will beat you again and I am not looking after you this time!" his mother was yelling at him
"Mother I won't be late" he said in between shovelling food into his mouth. He wiped his hands and sped out of the door. I floated along side him. For what ever the reason I was to follow him. He ran towards the castle and bolted towards the kitchen. He tried to stop himself but the floor was wet and he skidded and ran into a women. He quickly disentangled himself mumbling an apology
"It's ok. Why are you in a hurry?" she asked her green eyes sparkling reminding me of my daughter.
"I'm late for my work" he said, helping the women to her feet.
"You'd best be on your way. I hear the kitchen master has a deadly temper." she said, smiling.
"You could say that." he mumbled.
She giggled at that. Alexander smiled, "I am sorry that I knocked you off your feet."
"It was worth it," she whispered.
Alexander smiled, "I had best go. It was nice to meet you," he said kissing her hand.
"And you too," she said.
Alexander sped into the kitchen.
"You're late!" a male voice bellowed.
"I'm sorry sir. I didn't mean to be," Alexander mumbled. Stumbling over his words
"If it wasn't for the fact I need you, I would have you beaten black and blue!" he screamed into Alexander's face.
I felt sorry for him. He was given a bucket of water and a wash cloth and told to go into the great hall. I watched as he slaved away, washing the floor in the throne room, the sweat was running down his back. He had almost finished, when three people walked in. One was the female from earlier. Out of the two others, one must have been her father the other was a young man about Alexander's age. The girl looked over and smiled as she walked over.
"Hi, did you get into trouble?" she asked.
He stood and smiled, "Nothing I couldn't handle."
"I don't believe we were introduced. I am Aislinn" she said, extending her hand.
Alexander took it and kissed it "I am Alexander," he said.
"That's a nice name," Aislinn said
"Not as nice as-" he didn't get to finish his sentence as the young man who was with her father strode across and punched him in the jaw.
"How dare you touch the princess!" he yelled. His eyes flashing with malice
"Forgive me I didn't know." he said, picking himself off the floor casting his eyes downward.
The young man spat at Alexander "Filth!! You should be out of sight and not near royalty."
Alexander flinched when he was spat at but didn't do or say anything.
"Come your highness. Let's get you away from such filth," he said, pulling Aislinn's arm.
She wrenched her self from his grasp
"I don't think so. I want nothing more to do with you Jacob if that is how you treat people," she said.
"But he is filth," he said frowning puzzled.
"He is one of my subjects and without them we are nothing," she retorted.
"So what of our arrangement?" he asked.
"It's off," she said, plainly.
"Aislinn you cant do that," her father said.
"I just did," she said folding her arms. She said it in a way that reminded me of myself. I had to smile.
"Aislinn reconsider," her father said.
"No I will not if he treats his subjects like that what will he do to me?" she asked.
The young man looked flabbergasted. Alexander had to try and not laugh. When he saw that Alexander was stifling a laugh, he saw red. He walked over and grabbed him by the hair and dragged him outside to a post which had chains on it. Alexander's wrists were put in each shackle and his shirt ripped off his back. Jacob was handed a whip which he swung over his head Alexander looked up. Aislinn was in the crowd that had gathered. She looked like she was going to cry Alexander yelled in pain every time he was lashed with the whip. I counted twelve. On the thirteenth strike, Aislinn ran over to Alexander just as the strike fell. She protected Alexander from the lash and took it herself. Her scream echoed through the village. Jacob stopped and she clung to Alexander.
"I'm sorry this is my fault," she whispered, wincing from the pain.
"You have nothing to be sorry for your highness" Alexander whispered back panting.
Aislinn stood and faced Jacob defiantly. "This is how you treat people?" she said softly.
"He laughed at me," Jacob said.
"So if I laughed at you, would you do the same to me?" she asked.
His face fell the king stepped in "Aislinn are you alright?" he asked.
"Fine father," she said.
"Jacob you have overstayed your welcome I don't want to see you back here again," he said calmly.
"This isn't over," he said through his clenched teeth.
