As soon as Prince Valerie’s spectacular entrance ca to a fiery end, all eyes turned toward the entrance, knowing that the next prince to make his appearance was none other than Aldric, the dreaded dark Fae prince.
The energy in the arena shifted instantly, and a heavy silence fell over the once-boisterous gathering. It was a suffocating silence, so thick and tense that not even the wind dared to whisper. Everyone was holding their breath.
For over a minute, nothing happened. The anticipation beca unbearable, and the unease in the crowd grew like an approaching storm. Hearts beat louder than words as people exchanged nervous glances.
Islinda could feel it too—a kind of dread mixed with an inexplicable pull towards whatever was about to co. Then, without warning, the impossible happened.
Snow.
It began as a single, delicate flake floated down into the center of the arena, as if to signal sothing far greater was on its way.
The murmurs were imdiate. Confusion spread like wildfire. This wasn’t the season for winter, and Aldric had relinquished his right to Aimsir.
Yet, here it was.
A slow cascade of frosty flakes began falling more steadily, blanketing the air and ground in a silent cold.
Islinda held out her hand instinctively, a snowflake landing on her palm. She smiled as the fragile crystal lted against her skin, a mont of innocence amidst the growing tension.
Just as she was srized by the snow, the crowd collectively gasped, pulling her attention back toward the grand entrance. Then she saw it.
Aldric had arrived.
If Andre had called Valerie’s entrance "dramatic," then there was no word for Aldric’s.
The massive entrance doors groaned under the strain as they were nearly ripped from their hinges, a gust of cold air swirling through the arena the mont Aldric stepped forth, mounted on his powerful black steed, Maximus. The entire arena seed to hold its breath.
"What the...?" Islinda’s jaw nearly dropped as she turned, her eyes scanning around for Maxi. It was confird, Maxi was the black steed.
Islinda had been so absorbed by the day’s events that it hadn’t crossed her mind she’d lost track of Maxi hours ago. Andre had escorted her to the arena and she assud she followed along at a distance. But she had been mistaken.
She should have known that Maxi would never leave Aldric to arrive alone. Their bond was far too deep. The dark Fae horse shifter would follow Aldric to the ends of the realm, even to death if necessary. Islinda couldn’t help but feel a surge of pride for her loyalty.
As Maximus and Aldric strode further into the arena, the crowd’s collective gasp drew her attention back to them. Aldric, ever the troublemaker, raised his hand, his fingers curling as the ground beneath him began to change.
Frost spread across the expanse of the arena, creeping forward like an unstoppable wave. The fight had not even begun, but Aldric was already taking control of the battlefield. The ground shimred with a fresh sheet of ice, its glossy surface reflecting the awestruck expressions of the audience.
The frost crept toward the place where Valerie stood beside his beast. However, Valerie, not one to be caught off guard, slamd his spear into the ground, sending a wave of fire that crackled and hissed as it devoured the frost in its path. Flas licked at the ice surrounding him, shielding his spot from Aldric’s encroaching magic. The two powers clashed—fire and ice, sumr and winter, heat and cold.
With the ground frozen, Maximus could no longer gallop freely. Instead, he adapted, sliding gracefully along the ice, his hooves gliding with precision. The crowd was stunned into silence as they watched the beast’s flawless control, defying the slippery surface. Then, in a sudden and daring move, Maximus skidded to a halt, using the montum to fling Aldric off his back.
To the untrained eye, it might have seed as though Aldric would land unceremoniously, but instead, he used the force to launch himself even higher into the air.
As he ascended, he unleashed a powerful burst of snow, summoning massive glaciers that hurtled toward Valerie. Valerie responded with fiery fury, his spear cutting through the icy structures, shattering them into a flurry of shards.
Aldric landed smoothly, his feet touching the frozen ground as though he had rehearsed the entire maneuver. The Winter Court erupted in cheers, their pride for their prince overflowing. This was their ruler—the perfect embodint of winter’s strength.
But Valerie was far from pleased.
His frustration was palpable. Unfortunately, sumr Faeries were known for their hot tempers, and Valerie was no exception. Fending off Aldric’s attack even before the fight officially began, left him flustered and he wanted the fact he looked shaken, especially in front of his own people.
His face twisted with anger as he took a step forward, spear clenched in his hand, clearly intent on starting the duel prematurely. Before he could make a move, the arena guards rushed in, stepping between the two princes.
Tension crackled in the air as they separated Aldric and Valerie. The crowd, already drunk on the excitent, scread in anticipation. Faeries naturally lived for the violence. The Sumr Faeries, however, seethed with fury at the affront. How dare that dark Fae scum try to undermine their prince?
King Oberon, watching from his royal box, chuckled, a smirk pulling at his lips. "Troublemaker," he muttered under his breath, amused by Aldric’s antics.
Queen Maeve, seated beside him, was less entertained. Her fiery gaze shot daggers at her husband, who seed oblivious to the glare. It was just fortunate that her eyes couldn’t shoot actual flas, for if they could, Oberon might have been reduced to ash then and there.
Islinda’s heart pounded in her chest as she watched Aldric. Even before she had fallen for him, there was sothing captivating about Aldric’s presence, sothing that drew her in and held her spellbound. Although he had been forbidden from using his dark powers in this match, his aura was still cold, unyielding and the very air seed to respond to him.
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