Chapter 1, Morning

I woke up within my chambers facing a portrait of my stepfather St. Nick where he is standing on the top of the stone floor tower outside of the cold and snow. He is staring at the aura borealis that illuminates a beautiful glow above a Mountain known as the Crown of the World, named by the first arch-mage Lyra who rumored to have created a lab within her impenetrable fortress called the Labyrinth upon the name that states the obvious. Other than the mountain, my father's broad gilded cutlass on his left is unsheathe facing the stone floor of the tower while the other is sheath on his right. I tend to wake up two hours earlier than the servant girls do so I would be able to get some time for myself before I am busy with my daily chores. Wrapping myself in a fur gray wolf like coat, I walk towards my bathroom and turn the valve on my sink until cool water filled the ceramic bowl. I pulled out a silver box from my cabinet that is line with a deep blue cloth that is patted in the inside. Within there is a variety of diamond shape crystals that are differentiated by colors of light blue, deep blue, orange and red, each color represent the heat and cold that is used to change the temperature of the water. I pull out an orange diamond shape crystal and unscrew the small diamond shape metal canister that connects between the counter and a small metal pipe that connects under the counter that leads to the bottom of the sink that connects next to the drainpipe. After I emptied out the ashes of the last crystal that was use last night, I gently blew on the new one to where the crystal starts to glow a dim orange. Once I screwed the lid to the canister, I walked out to my balcony to where the snow and mountains greeted me by blowing its cool wind on my bare-naked skin, taking a deep breath of the cold mountain air I turn my head to the artic sea and watch the glaciers slowly move. The sun is not yet rising but it was still bright enough to illuminate the environment around me. I wiped off the bits of snow and frost from the balcony stone chair and sat down enjoying the sound of bliss and tranquility of the mysterious siren of the frozen side of nature. Soon the cold started to get to me and I start my way back in my chambers closing the glass double door and headed to my sink. The orange crystal has made the cool water warm where I then started washing my face with a velvet washcloth that I soaked in the bowl. I placed the warm soaked cloth on my right arm and slowly moved it to my right side of my butt, thigh, and pelvis. I repeated the process on the left, re-soaked the cloth and started the process on my chest slowly moving down the groin.

"Prince Frost is you awake?" I look up after splashing my face and recognizing Belladonna's voice and the way she knocks on my chamber doors. "I know you like to wake up early so I went ahead and gotten your clothes for today and you're training apparel for your mid-evening training in the court," said Belladonna walking in carrying the clothes and placing them on my bed. She is one of the servant girls but unlike the others, she is very timid and quiet, she has jet-black long hair, green eyes, and freckles on her cheeks, she tends to stay away from the gossip that runs through the court like dopamine in the mind of man or a horrid cancer through the marrows of the human body. The time she finish her work I tend to see her every once in a while walking in the court with a piece of paper or two and recite a poem that she receives from her brother who is a professor in literature at one of Val De Lion's collage or that's what she tells me. "Sorry to disturb you my lord but I just assumed that you woul-."

"You are fine Belladonna, why don't you go back to your room and get some rest, o, and thank you for my clothes." I said wrapping myself with the grey wolf coat hoping that she would leave so I can have some time for myself before the day starts.

"Is there anything I can assist prince?" said Belladonna bowing her head.

"No thank you and please stop calling me prince and stop with the bow."

"But you are of royal blood sir, it's improper for a servant of the royal court to not address you in the most respect."

"Well with my grace please stop and just relax for a while alright? Read one of your brother's poems."

"Yes sir, I mean Jack," said Belladonna exiting the room and closing the door behind her. About two hours have passed and the castle is bustling, the smell of bread, wine, and meat swirled through the air with the occasional aroma of coffee and tea. The smell motivated the morning-scheduled guards to awaken from their blissful slumber. Soon clattering sounds of guards walking in the hallway aided the awakening of the castle's maidens and servants rushing to get an early start of their daily work. Down in the courtyard where the dim light shines against the training courts walls and banners that hung from the walls, watches the knights follow their routine training with their squires and acolytes in hoping to become a royal knight or knight enchanter. I look out of my window to see the city alit with candles and magic lanterns hanging on the side of snow top homes and taverns. I see students within the city walking or taking carriages to school while the young novices of magic head out to Celestial square, home of magic shops, enchanted staffs and wands and housed teachers and professors of Lyra academy to continue their studies of being a battle field mage, healer, or some land of field mage. I walked out of my room dressed and heading down the dining area, passing paintings of knights and mages, lands and castles with forgotten forts that have fought battles against the planes of oblivion. Passing the corridor that beds royal guests, ambassadors and representatives from the capital Island of Berk to the regal Val De Lion to the far west of the land of the horse lords of Thanes to the green and flowered kingdom of Lupain ng Kagandahan. When I entered the dining room, the tables are section off to royal court members. The generals and knight captains of both royal and knight enchanters sits at one table while North or St. Nick by birth name, the king of the Northern Kingdom sitting at the head of the table that is decorated by white and purple sheet that is topped with silver and jeweled candle sticks. The light inside dining hall shines breakfast ham, light red wine, snow buns, eggs, and a variety of tea and hot honeyed milk. I see a grey hair man, Aster, a Knight Commander of the private royal knight and knight enchanters. Aster is the highest-ranking member of the knights' order, he is so respected that even the generals bow to him when he walks by, when he attends with the generals and their meeting in the war room none sits until Aster enters and sits no mater weather he is late or early. Aster is siting right next to my dad with his sleeveless armor exposing his black tattoos on both of his arms, left side of his arm has one of a full moon, snowflakes and a crown on his shoulder, under the crown is written "The Land of Frost, Snow, And Moon." While the right has, the eye of the magi on his shoulder under the eye has two-crossed rapier and a spear in the middle that has a rose thorn vine wrapping around the spear and engulfing the rapier with rose flower. Then there is Pitch my queer uncle sitting right next to my dad. Pitch is the right hand of the kingdom, he is tall lanky man dressed in black robes that is out lined purple and dark blue, and his sleek jet-black hair combed back. My uncle tends to argue with my dad on some of the decisions he makes because it is not going to aid the kingdom. In truth it was Pitch who was supposed to rule after the death of their father King Rayne who died of old age but instead of choosing Pitch he decided to choose St. Nick after demonstrating his talents, heroism and true leadership on the battle of Celestial square. A battle where an army of a cult of blood mages invaded the university and he was able to kill the cult leader after the cult sacrificed arch mage Fey, but because of Pitch's skills in politics and study of other kingdoms lands, culture, laws and tie with power North wanted him as the kingdoms right hand. Then there is Tooth, the royal court wizard, and teacher of the royal family's, dukes, duchess, and generals children and the royal apothecary. Unlike other wizards, she likes to dress in a multi-colored clothing and bearing a dagger by her side that has a resemblance of a rose vine wrapped at the handle, edged in green vine at the blade with a pink rose like pommel at the hilt. Her position that was given by my father was through her born gifted talent that she inherited by her ancient grandmother arch mage Lyra, the first, and possibly the most powerful-recorded arch mage in history. Many believes that she gained her position cause of her being friends with my father and uncle when they were kids but yet no one dares to challenge the theory after aiding St. Nick with the blood cultist when they failed to take over the castle. It was said that she fought off over two hundred of blood mages by herself, rumored has it that she engulfed half of them in a veil of fire and finished off the rest by engulfing her dagger in ice stabbing the frost covered ground where sharp thick ice impaled the cult from the ground up. She never told the truth but what is true is the blizzard barriers that she created that surrounded the castle and within the barrier are impaled and burnt bodies and Tooth, passed out on the steps of the entrance of the castle. Then there is Sandy whose past is a mystery as well as getting the job as an ambassador. Not even the thieves' guild or the Outsiders, a guild of void magic wilding assassins knows of his truth. In fact the only people that knows the truth is my dad and Aster, other than them we are left there speculating and weaving tales that he was born from an abomination of magic or made by the sands of time do to his name I believe. Either way the tales were subtle enough to believe that progressed to that of it being far fetch and just something to be told for fun, Sandy's job is to act on as a representative in Val De Lion and the kingdom of Berk, a land ruled by Stoick the Vass and a close friend to both North and Stoick. Sandy is a mute but other than his sign language and his translator both of them can work out some of the most peaceful form of negotiation between two kingdoms. My father started to drink the honeyed milk and saw me in the corner of his eye.

"Jack come, come we have some work to do." Said St. Nick motioning me to come forward as he took what appears to be his last gulp and stroking his white beard. I walked pass the servants holding small foods and drinks and court guards and squires standing by the side of a banner of a crescent moon that his above a snowflake.

"You probably want to go and continue with your training in combat with Aster," He said scratching his snow-white beard.

"O yea, I really enjoy training out in the cold with my make shift staff," Trying to sound a little less sarcastic.

"Well change of plans you, Sandy and a few royal knights and knight enchanters will travel to the kingdom of Berk," He said with no hesitation and bearing a humble smile on his face.

"Wait I'm going, why?"

"Well prince Frost," said Pitch

"The Berserker tribes are closing in our boundaries and I told North that you should go with Sandy to understand how politics work within the most delicate manner since we have to work a form of negotiation on handling the barbarians,"

"Pitch is right Jack," said North cutting in preventing me to state my opinion.

"Well can we not close the borders and up the patrols?"

"O My dear nephew, if only the world can be that simple. Because of the Berserker tribes," Said Pitch as he walks around me. "Refugees are entering our borders and at the same time spies are being uncovered every second,"

"And we can't kick those that are in need of protection" said North. "The Berserker tribes have taken over fortresses that cut both our warriors and refugees from entering the safe haven of Berk and its cities," He said drinking his honeyed milk. "When my reign is over you will be the new king of the Northern Kingdom and you need to know being a king is not all fighting and living in luxury and slowly becoming fat and pompous like the empress in Val De Lion. Besides you need to go out more and see the world, I mean life is not all snow and frost and well snow," Said North pointing out the window towards a pile of snow.

"So what's Berk like?"

"That's for you to find out Jack," Said North patting my back

"Fine, so when am I leaving?"

"Tonight, there will be a royal escort that will lead you, Sandy and Sandy's translator Marcus to the borders of Berk and from there a royal galleon will be waiting down at the docks for you to go to the island, the capital, and don't worry, Stoick knows of your coming." Before I could say, anything Pitch brought up reports of the caravan attacks and possible areas of rogue bandits conspiring with berserker agents, when the two left the room Tooth came to me bringing her optimistic attitude.

"Heeyyyy Jack, I have a little present for you come with me." Before I could let out a word from my mouth Tooth grabs me by the hand and ran towered her office. Up the spiraling staircase, left and right through the hallway and right into her office chambers, she let go of me and ran to her cluttered desk that is stacked with scrolls, books and notes, on the side of the desk is a bright multi colored bird that was imported from Val De Lion. Looking around I see book shelves and tables that are full of beakers, motor and pestle, more shelves filled with odd oddities, fire flies lighting her room with the enchanted wall lamps.

"Alright Tooth what's this all about?" I said

"Well when I heard that you are leaving I took the liberty to upgrade your staff that you love so much," she said smiling and biting her bottom lip. She pulled out my staff out of the trunk and handed it to me.

"It looks the same Tooth," I said inspecting the staff.

"Well yea I'm a mage not a blacksmith, if you take the time to notice the runes engraved in the staff you see that I gave it a bit of my magic touch," she said giving me a wink. "Now that it's enchanted with ice runes, every time you hit your enemy it give them a surge of frost on the area you hit them at, but the more you practice that staff the stronger the magic and more effective the magic will become."

"How powerful?" I said touching the markings.

"Well so far all you can do is just a bit of novice magic, like shooting frost at your enemy and-,"

"Frost? How will that protect me?"

"If you let me finish I'll tell you," said Tooth with a bit of a stern gaze. "Now the frost can kill but the main purpose is to slow down your enemies, and nocking your enemies out with the staff, like I said, will send a surge of frost on their body and possibly cause frost bite," she said.

"Wow thank you Tooth I don-."

"One more thing take this," said Tooth giving me a satchel with a snowflake on the front. I put the satchel on me; the strap lays on my right side of the neck letting the bag hang around the left side of my hips.

"Thank you tooth, I'm going to miss you," I said giving Tooth a hug

"Just be safe out there Jack, well I have to go and teach the young wizards in class before I'm late, they tend to start dueling each other causing damage to my classroom," said Tooth exiting her office. I walk back to my room and pick out my traveling cloak; it has a hood, outlined white that matches the dark blue as its main color and a white snowflake that is in front of a full moon. On the left side on of the cloak, it bears the marking of the Northern Kingdom, after a few hours, the sun has set, and the moon is at its peak I put the satchel on me and went out to the main hall where Sandy and Aster are waiting for me.

"Sandy's translator Marcus is already in the carriage. I was able to spare five royal guards and two knight enchanters to escort you to the capital of Berk," said Aster ruffing up my hair.

"Prince Frost I mean Jack you have forgotten your luggage in your room!" yelled Belladonna running towards me while struggling to carry my bags.

"Thank you Belladonna and sorry for having you to carry my things, I thought I already packed in the carriage."

"Its fine sir it's my job, well I must go, I wish you the luck of the moon umm Jack," said Belladonna quickly shuffling her way to the other rooms.

"Alright ankle biter you and Sandy better get going." He said pushing us inside the carriage. Once inside Sandy and I gotten are selves comfortable on the padded seats, Sandy sat at the backside of the carriage right next to Marcus. He pulls out a crystalline wine glass from the side pocket of the cart and a bottle of top of the line wine from Val De Lion. Marcus opens a compartment on the roof of the carriage and pulls out a blanket, wrapping himself around it.

"Hey Aster how long does this royal meeting…um… things usually take?"

"Well usually it takes about a month or two but the way things are going perhaps a year or year in half," he said with a smug smile on his face.

"Wait a year?"

"That's right ankle bita have a nice trip," Then Aster slams the carriage door right in my face.

"Oi get going," He yelled waving towards the carriage driver, and without hesitation, the carriage moved in a safe but quick trot. I open the window and stick my head out to see the sights of the city. Taking a long, last look at the vast castle that was soon engulfed by the five surrounding horse mounted royal knights, behind me I hear the unfamiliar sound of the iron-oaken gates open, I turn my head to see the city and its lights out, teens out in the street playing games. Passing a street that lead to Celestial Square I see students practicing magic and telling jokes. I close the window carriage and sat back down; passing the market district, I see adults, young lovers, and elders doing late window-shopping. As they, turnaround and see the seal on the carriage people bow their heads and smile. Once at the front steel gates the carriage made a complete stop, I look through the carriage window and see the 35 foot tall wall that protect the city, the wall has enchanted lamp lights aluminates a blue glow. The city guard walks to the carriage driver and reads a document that the driver hands her. The guard walks over to the window, looks through, she smiles, and bows her head, "My lord," she said. She walks back to the front gate and waves her hand up to a balcony mid-way on the wall that was full of guards. "It's clear! Let them through!" she yells. Two of the guards pulls down a lever, the third pulls down a chain that is hanging on the ceiling while the forth guard in robes hovers his hands on an orb. The enchanted lamps that are hanging on the side of the wall starts to glow brighter and dimmer, brighter and dimmer. There was a loud clicking sound and the thick steel gates slowly open. The guard hands back the document to the carriage driver. Once out-side one of the mounted knight enchanters rushed to lead while the others stay behind watching the rear, now we are off heading to Berk, wonder what it's like.