Silvia and her men walked through the hallway of her father's castle. Their metal boots resounded against the cold marble floor. The servants and knights bowed their heads in a silent greeting, some looked at her cold expressionless face in admiration, some in fear, some in weariness.
" Why do you think we were summoned, your Highness" Gideon, her right hand man questioned. His green eyes glinting curiously
" It probably has something to do with eradicating demons or monster. I just don't understand why my father couldn't wait till tomorrow before summoning me" she responded
Her father had summoned her immediately she returned from the forest. She had came here before she had the time to go to her castle and get some rest.
Silvia clicked her tongue in annoyance. She was supposed to be resting after a long journey, besides it was almost 9pm as they had arrived late from the forest.
"Wait here" she commanded her men when they got to the large doors of the throne room.
They came to a halt and bowed their head.
She pushed the double doors and stepped inside the throne room. Her blue eyes immediately met her father's tired face, he looked exhausted and worn out, his blue eyes looked dull and the fine grey hairs in his brown hair were more prominent than ever. He was having a meeting with a few ministers and it seemed like it was taking a toll on him. Mentally and physically.
His dull blue eyes brightened immediately he saw her entering the throne room. The ministers inside the room greeted her immediately they saw her, the king quickly dismissed the ministers from the throne room, their meeting was becoming pointless anyway.
" Your majesty" Silvia bowed her head deeply in greetings. The king looked at his daughter with and unimpressed look, he came down from the golden throne seat and stalked towards her hurriedly, he stood in front of her staring at her deeply bowed head displeasure clearly written on his face.
" What's the meaning of this Silvia? You haven't seen your father in months, you couldn't write me a letter, you didn't even reply the letters I sent. And whenever I try to visit your castle you're always on a mission or out
of town, and here you are greeting me formally like a stranger" The king complained with a sulking face. Silvia looked at her sulking father in disbelief, her father was a harsh man to the rest of the world. He only showed this side of him to Silvia and her late mother.
King Leonard pulled his daughter in a bear crushing hug, his huge frame made her look smaller than usual.
" You used to call me papa all the time and cling to my leg all the time but now you won't even call me father!" Leonard sulked.
" Your ma- Father I was still a child back then, I am a grown woman now and I have a life too" Silvia complained but didn't try to pull away from his fatherly hug. She missed being in her father's warm and comforting hug but she would never admit it out loud.
After her mother had been killed by demons a few years back, Silvia had shut herself from the world including her father. She had been 14 when she lost her mother. She lost her smile along with her mother, Silvia knew her father was still grieving her mother as he had refused to marry a second wife despite the constant pressure from the ministers and the court.
King Leonard had vowed to sit his only daughter on the throne, he didn't care if the court opposed it.
" The least you could do is send a letter to this poor old father of yours. I was worried sick about my baby girl, I knew I had to summon you when I heard you were passing by otherwise it would have been difficult to see you.
Silvia let out a sigh of defeat, her father was right, she was the only one he had in the world right now. The least she could do was send him a letter once in a while.
"Fine, father I would send you a letter once in a while" she promised. Her father pulled away from the hug and stared at her face in delight.
"Really!! You better not go back on your word" her father smiled fondly at her.
Silvia heart ached for her father, he was carrying so much burden on his shoulders. The least she could do was make his life easier. " I won't go back on my word father. I have to go now" she slowly pulled away from her father.
Leonard frowned in displeasure " can't you at stay the night" his eyes looked hopeful.
" No father, my men are with me and they need rest, we've been hunting demons and monsters for months now. We all need quality rest" she reasoned.
" Fine but remember your promises and send me letters from now on"
The king walked his daughter to the entrance of the castle, fawning over her, telling her to take care of herself and eat well. Silvia's men looked at the king in disbelief, he looked like a mother hen right now.
Silvia let out a sigh of relief when her father finally left her alone. She climbed her white horse and led her men to the castle gates.
The ride to her castle would take at least an hour and it was almost 10pm, they had to ride faster than usual to get to her castle before midnight.
_________
A tall man stood on a balcony at the top of a dark hunted looking castle. His black hair and cloak billowed softly against the night wind. He held a lit cigarette between his index and middle fingers. His golden eyes stared at nothing in particular.
"Your majesty" a woman with dark green hair and grey eyes approached him and bowed slightly.
"The demons we sent to the human kingdom to gather Intel had all been eradicated" the woman shifted nervously when the man glared at her in silent fury.
"And the monsters I asked you to release on them?? He questioned
"Your majesty they were eradicated too" the woman swallowed nervously.
"Eradicated by who?" His deep voice resonated against the cold night.
" The ice queen, your majesty"
"Who the fuck is the ice queen " Vladimir snapped impatiently
"One of the protectors milord, she is also the princess of the human kingdom. Silvia wright "
"I see, find out everything you know about this Silvia girl before sunrise. I would get rid of her myself, I would love to see the expression on king Leonard's face when he finds out I killed his precious daughter " Vladimir chuckled, his eyes blazed with madness and cruelty.
"Ready or not here I come, Silvia " his lips stretched into a sinister grin