This is a tiny bit rushed since I got called into work again. XD But I promised RS (I'm just gonna call you that.) that I'd get a chapter out. But I think it's all good. Exactly what I had planned. XD I just did it really fast this morning.

Beware the Frozen Heart
Chapter 7: A Ride

Owen let out a groan as he got up. He wasn't really that tired. He glanced at his girls. "You guys up for another ride?" He checked them over quickly. None of them looked tired either. He passed out pieces of carrots between them and then suited up. Then he opened the door and led them out. "Your majesty..."

The young man turned towards him and shook his head. "Just... call me Zach. Please."

Owen nodded his head. "Alright. Fine. Whatever you say. You're the King."

Zach rolled his eyes and sighed. "Can we just go? Please? And uh... thank you." He added softly.

Owen smiled and whistled as he strode over to his sleigh. His girls trotted out behind in. Echo tried to dart over to Zach and Owen grabbed a hold of her antlers. He yanked her back and shook his head. "Get to the sleigh." He commanded. "Now." The reindeer hung her head as she followed after the others. Owen shook his head and turned to Zach. "Why don't you just wait here for a minute."

Zach nodded and took a step back. He looked at the sleigh, covered with the ice blocks. "So... what do you... do?" He asked awkwardly.

Owen pointed at the ice on the sleigh. "I sell ice for a living."

Zach smiled. "Oh... that's not good."

Owen glanced back at him and shook his head. "No, it's not." Owen reached the sleigh and hung his lantern up. He kept on talking as he moved. "That's why I was down in the Kingdom yesterday." He bent down and pulled the harnesses out. "We dropped off a load of ice for the Coronation." Charlie and Delta there hooked up first, closest to the sleigh. "But Echo here, slipped out of her harness and decided to follow some kid." Then Blue and a pouting Echo were hooked up in front. Owen pulled out another carrot. He gave a bite to Charlie and Delta first. Then Blue. And after Echo let out a whine, Owen gave Echo the last piece. "Behave." He said to her. "All of you." But he was pointing to Echo. Then he turned and gestured Zach forward.

Zach stepped towards the sleigh, feeling again slightly nervous. "So you didn't really break into the garden." He watched as Owen hopped up in and turned towards him. The ice man held out his hand and for a moment, Zach just stared at it. But then he reached out and Owen pulled him into the sleigh.

Owen smiled at him. "No, not exactly. I really was looking for my reindeer."

Zach shook his head. "While being followed by two."

Owen shrugged. "I left Charlie to watch the sleigh. Blue and Delta helped me tackled Echo to the ground." Owen turned and looked at his reindeer affectionately. "She's the youngest. She just wants to play." Owen's eyes narrowed. "All the time."

Zach smiled as he settled down next to Owen.

"Sit down and hang on." Owen said, looking over with a glint in his eyes. "We like to go fast." He sat down and reached for the reins. Zach nodded as he sat down. And then Owen snapped the reins and the reindeer all jumped forward. Zach was thrown back and Owen reached over and grabbed him before he tumbled out. "I said hold on."

"Sorry." Zach mumbled as he settled back and tried to stay upright. They twisted around a sharp bend and then were racing through a dark forest, the light of the lantern bouncing dimly off the trees. He idly wondered if this mountain man had any idea where they were really going. It was getting so dark out, Zach could barely see anything. Maybe he should have waited until dawn.

"So." Owen said after a few minutes. "Why'd the old Queen go all icy-rampage?"

Zach breathed out. "It was all my fault."

"She not like giving up the power?"

Zach shook his head quickly. "Oh no. Nothing like that." He smiled slightly. "I actually think she'd relieved. Like... she's been waiting for me to turn 18 so I could take over."

"So... what happened then?"

Zach shrugged his shoulders. "I made a joke in poor taste at the Coronation."

"A joke?"

Zach nodded. "About her not being fun... and... she got upset and tried to leave and I just kept going." Zach paused for a moment, looking out of the sleigh. He watched the trees rush by. But they were moving too fast and he felt his head start to spin. He shook it and looked back at Owen. "When I was younger... I remember being so close to her. She was... like my best friend. And then one day, she shut me out." He breathed out and looked at the reindeer. "When our parents died... she took care of us. But it wasn't the same. She was... distant. Detached. And I chose that moment to point it out."

"Didn't work out." Owen said.

"It did not." Zach shook his head. "I accidently pulled one of her gloves off. She panicked and I guess she just lost control. She always worse those gloves and I thought... she's just got a thing for germs or something. I just... I never thought she had a secret like that." He said softly.

Owen nodded slowly. "So... what's your plan?"

Zach shrugged. "Talk to her."

Owen rolled his eyes. "Oh great. My ice business depends on you talking with your aunt."

Zach glared at him sideways. "She's not bad! She's just... scared or something!"

The reindeer had started to slow. Owen turned, looking around. He couldn't see anything, but he knew that didn't mean anything.

"I'll talk to her." Zach continued on talking, oblivious to what was happening. "I'll make her..."

Owen stood up in the sleigh as it stopped completely. "Shhh!" He hissed down to Zach.

Zach frowned and jumped up beside him. "Hey! You can't..."

Owen turned and pushed him back down in the seat. "Shut up!" He quickly turned back to his reindeer. "Blue?" The reindeer glanced back at him and nodded her head. Beside her, Echo let out a whine. "Damnit. This is why I wanted to wait until morning."

"What?" Zach asked, looking at the nervous reindeer. "What's going on?" He glanced behind them and suddenly, several pairs of glowing eyes were staring at them from among the trees. So many, he couldn't count. "What are they?"

"Blue! Go! Now!" Owen yelled as the sleigh lurched forward. "Wolves."

Zach's eyes widened. "Wolves?" He repeated.

Owen nodded as he turned. He bent over the back of his sleigh.

Zach turned slightly, watching him. "What do we do?"

"I got this." Owen said. "You turn around and try not to get eaten." He untied one of his bags and pulled out his knife. "And don't fall off." He pulled himself over and bent over his packed ice.

Zach leaned over, watching him. "I want to help!"

"No!" Owen snapped.

"Why not?"

Owen started cutting the ropes holding the ice blocks in place. "Because you're clumsy!"

Zach's mouth dropped open. "I am not!"

"Just sit down!" The ice man hollered as he cut the last rope. The ice began to slip backwards, and started tumbling off the sleigh. Owen pushed a few blocks harder, sending them flying into the wolves. He picked up a block and hurled it at a wolf that got too close. But there was just so many wolves! It seemed like every wolf on the mountain was suddenly after them. He'd never seen so many! One jumped on the sleigh and he kicked at it.

Zach had lit a torch he found in Owen's bag. He leaned over the back and hit a wolf as it snapped at Owen. But he didn't see the second one that snapped at himself. The wolf's teeth clamped down on the fabric of Zach's cape. And Zach was pulled over the edge.

Owen's eyes widened. "Zach!" He grabbed his knife and the torch and jumped back up to the front of the sleigh. "Blue." He called her name as he scrambled along Charlie's back. He settled down on Blue's back and bent down to slash her harness. Blue bucked free from the sleigh and turned sharply. It happened in mere seconds. But to Owen, it felt like an eternity when Zach tumbled over the edge of the sleigh.

Zach was tangled in the ropes that held the ice. He was covered in snow and there were wolves attempting to bite at his tangled cape. But he was wiggling, trying to free himself.

Blue let out a bellow and kicked at one of the wolves. Owen swung the torch at another. Then glanced behind them. There was still too many of them. They hardly even looked fazed. Owen tossed the torch at one and then bent down. "Zach!" The King had managed to free one of his hands. Owen grabbed his hand and pulled him up. He wrestled Zach into his lap and pulled up as much of the rope as he could. He cut it and finally Zach was free from the sleigh.

But Owen didn't have time to get him untangled. "Go, Blue!" He bent low over Zach as the reindeer leapt over to the side of the sleigh and ran up to the front.

"Owen!"

Zach pointed and Owen turned to look. A gorge loomed in front of them. Owen grabbed Zach and pushed him onto Charlie's back. "Hang on." He told the King. "Blue, the sleigh." Blue slowed a beat and ran parallel to the sleigh. Owen jumped in and pulled out his knife. "Blue, get to the front. Get ready to jump. Girls, follow." Blue nodded her head and darted back to the front. She moved out in front of Echo and lowered her head.

Owen bent forward over the front of the sleigh. He quickly slashed the harnesses and looked up. Blue jumped and sailed through the air. Echo followed, then Charlie and Delta moving together. Owen clenched his teeth as he stood up and jumped from the flying sleigh.

The reindeers land and Zach slipped from Charlie's back with an oof. He quickly scrambled up, finally able to untangle himself. He turned and saw Owen, slowly slipping towards the edge. His eyes widened. "Blue!" The reindeer turned at her name and darted over to Zach. He picked up the end of the rope and quickly tied it off to what was left of her harness. Then he picked up the rest and threw it towards Owen. "Grab on!"

Owen had his hands dug into the snow for purchase. It had slowed his descent. He stared at the rope for a second and then quickly shifted and reached out to grab it. He started to slip more but his hands gripped the rope hard.

"Pull, Blue!" Zach called, stepping back with her as she moved. She easily managed to pulled Owen back up and the man flopped down on the snow, breathing deeply. Zach and Blue both turned and darted back to him. "You okay?" Zach asked, bending down over him.

Owen breathed out and nodded his head. "Yeah." Echo let out a loud whine and Owen rolled over and sat up. The youngest reindeer was pulling at her harness, trying to get closer. But Delta and Charlie were holding fast, not letting her move. Owen rolled his eyes as he waved his arm and sat up. "Fine, Echo. I'm fine." He turned and glanced back at the gorge. He let out a sad sigh and shook his head. "I just paid that sleigh off."

Zach looked away sheepishly. "I'll uh... I'll replace your sled... and everything in it." He stepped away. "I uh... I understand if you don't want to help me anymore."

Owen collapsed back on the ground and slung his arm over his face. He didn't answer.