Kallias and Vivianne’s story, because these two stole my heart and I can’t resist writing them! This is going to be a prequel to the events of ACOWAR so be prepared for the journey of a precious friendship formed and lasting bond that will tie them together for eternity!
The Winter Court was vibrant today. The small city in the open snowy landscape was busy with trade. Residents of the city walked the streets with their pale bodies almost blending into the snow falling from the sky. Voices intermingled with the busy market noises as furs were swapped for precious metals to be forged into weapons or jewelry.
Overlooking the city a boy sat looking outside one of the tall glass windows of the castle. His white hair hung loose around his pointed ears as his blue eyes watched for anything that could seemingly pull him from his boredom.
Today had already been filled with lessons on court etiquette at his father and mother’s request. Of course their requests were considered orders to those that served them. For they were the High Lord and Wife that ruled the Winter Court.
And Kallias was their sole heir.
“Sir Kallias,” a female fae stepped forward and gave a slight bow of respect to the eight year old who didn’t spare her a glance.
“What is it?” Kallias asked still looking outside.
“The High Lord and his wife have dismissed your lessons for the day,” the fae responded. “They have guests today that will require your tutor’s attention.”
Kallias nodded. This wasn’t an uncommon occurrence and Kallias was an apt enough learner that he already memorized the text that would have been discussed today. Perhaps now he could walk outside to his heart’s content after having been cooped up inside this past week.
“You’re free to go,” Kallias dismissed the fae who promptly returned to whatever task she had been doing before she was sent as messenger.
With as much calmness Kallias could muster he walked down the long hall and obtained his dark grey fur cloak with blue stitching. He snuck outside the servant’s tunnel that led to the gardens.
Though these gardens were nothing like the Spring Court’s. Here the snow covered grey stone pathways that wove between evergreen hedges and the occasional burst of red from winterberry trees.
He breathed a sigh of relief. His breath pluming in a little fog from his lips as he walked around one of the large pine trees in the garden.
Suddenly his ears picked up a noise. A tinkling noise similar to bells that were usually placed out for festivals. It was a beautiful sound and Kallias slowly followed it.
His hands went to the small dagger at his hip. He was trained in combat, but he knew from his instructors that it was better to avoid a confrontation with physical blows. Even his magical abilities were a bit rough, but that was better than nothing.
He rounded the corned and froze at what he glimpsed between the brambles of a bush.
A young girl that was not quite his age was spinning in the snow. Her long white hair twirling and catching snowflakes that made her hair glitter in the sunlight.
Kallias stared in awe. Listening with wonder at this magical fae before him. He almost thought her to be a nymph from the stories his nursemaid used to tell him as a toddler.
Deep in his chest something tugged at him. Go to her.
He took one silent step forward. Then another. Hoping not to startle the girl. But for all his training he still stepped on a branch that snapped loudly under his foot.
Immediately the girl stopped. Her dark blue dress swirled around her knees until the folds rested against her brown boots.
The garden was quiet. So silent that Kallias could hear the girl’s breath as she settled from her exuberant spinning.
“You’re…” Kallias sought for something to say. Even his intensive reading offered him no help as he stood blinking at the girl before him. He swallowed down his nerves and realized that this was the first fae child he had ever met around his age.
Children were a rarity. Among the Winter Court that was even truer from the harsh weather that offered no forgiveness to those that succumbed to it. Even Kallias’s older brother had fallen to Winter’s deathly kiss not long after Kallias was born.
Still this girl…she was so… “You’re little,” Kallias whispered without another thought.
The girl blinked in shock and bounded over to him. Her feet giving a slight skip as she stopped in front of him. Her face mere inches from his face that Kallias was too shocked to even back away from her forwardness.
Who was she that she dared to share the same breath as he? The High Lord’s son and heir?
“I’m taller than you!” The little girl said happily with a smile. “See!”
At the Kallias realized what her intentions were for her nearness. And even more disturbing was that she was indeed a few inches taller. Much to Kallias’s sudden disappointment.
He brushed away her hand that hovered above their hands to show evidence of just how much taller she was.
“So?” Kallias said. “I bet I’m older than you.” For some reason Kallias felt the need to prove something to this girl who gave him a full grin.
“I’m six,” the girl responded.
“And I’m eight,” Kallias crossed his arms proudly as if he won the Winter Solstice sled racing tournament.
“Wow you are old!” The girl laughed and for a moment Kallias wondered if she meant it to be and insult, but her smile said otherwise. As if she was teasing him.
But then she grabbed his pale hands with her gloved ones and gave him a pleading look. “Will you play with me? All the others inside say they can’t or are too old, but you’re not right?”
“I – ugh,” Kallias had rarely ever stammered in his life. He couldn’t even remember the last time it happened, but looking at his hands wrapped in her fingers thoughts flew away from him. “You shouldn’t hold my hand.”
“Why?” The girl asked. Then her eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell me you’re like those other boys that are afraid of girls right.”
“Why would I be afraid of girls?” Kallias asked. How could I be afraid of you? As if it was possible to be frightened of the female that stood before him with bright eyes shining in the evening sun.
Instead of voicing his thoughts he added a different reasoning instead. “Besides it’s not proper for us to whole hands.”
“So you won’t play with me?” The girl visibly deflated in her happiness. Her blue eyes dulling with each passing second.
Awkwardly Kallias shuffled his feet. “Well it’s just that…I’ve never played with anyone before.”
“Really?” The girl cocked her head to the side. “Isn’t that lonely?”
Kallias opened his mouth to say that he is always busy with lessons so how could he be lonely, but then it hit him. He was lonely. Walking the halls with no one to play games with or steal cookies from the kitchen after they had been baked.
“I am alone…” Kallias admitted dazedly at his realization and looked down at his feet. Unsure of what to do with the wave of sadness rising in the pit of his stomach. He wasn’t supposed to feel this way. One day he would be High Lord and these emotions would need to be locked away since they showed weakness.
But then the fingers holding his own tightened and he glanced up to see the girl giving him a small smile. He could feel the warmth of it. How it eased his worries in a single second.
“Then I’ll be your first friend,” she said with a tinge of excitement and hope. “I’m Viviane. What’s your name?”
“Kallias,” he answered and squeezed her hand back. It wasn’t like the handshakes he was taught to do by his elders, but this felt special. Far more important than any handshake he would ever have to do in the future.
“Come on then!” She tugged him into the open space. “Let’s play tag!”
She took off running and he readily gave chase after a moment’s pause to consider the options. But he found not better choice than to run among the hedges with this free-spirited girl.
Soon Kallias began to laugh with her. Filling the garden with a wonderful noise as two souls began a journey that would be filled with happiness and loss. As children they were naïve to the world’s horrors. It would be many years before their peace was shattered into broken shards that would rattle their friendship to the core.
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