It had been several years since Crystal had last seen Prince Cold. She had pretty much forgotten all about him until one day her mother pulled her aside. "Crystal, you are now old enough to be married off." Her mother explained to her.
"But mother, I don't want to marry anyone." Crystal said with a frown. "Why can't this wait a few more years?"
"Prince Cold's father died in battle, he is now King Cold." Crystal's mother explained. "He has requested that you wed him. It was his father's last wish before he died, for his son to marry and carry the name of Cold on. When you were a little girl it had already been decided that you were to marry Cold."
"It's no fair mother, I want to marry who I want!" Crystal shouted. She stood up and stalked away. She slammed the door to her room shut and collapsed on the bed. There was no way she was going to marry that rude, disrespectful, self-centered brat! At the moment, it didn't even occur to her that he had changed. Crystal didn't like to be told what to do, and she sure the heck wasn't going to let someone tell her whom to marry. It was her life, not theirs!
She buried her face in her pillow, and screamed into the pillow. The pillow blocked the scream from ever exiting the bedroom. After a few minutes of just laying there she sat back up on the bed. She sighed and looked up at her dresser. On her dresser there was a mirror in which she stared into. Lavender eyes flashed back at her, and her long aqua blue hair was a jumbled mess. With a frown she stood up and tried to fix her hair. He mother was always asking her why she didn't just transform so she didn't have hair, but Crystal liked her hair. She combed it back away from her pure white face and put it in a braid.
There was a knock on the door. "Crystal, please don't be upset, it's for the best you know." Her mother's voice said through the door.
Crystal now realized that she had little choice in the matter. She was after all royalty, and she had to marry a King. She sighed again. "I know, I know." Crystal told her mother. "I just wish that it could be someone else."
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King Cold watched the monitor as his ship flew toward the planet below. It was his home world, a place that he had been born but had never really stayed. Most of his life had been spent in the very ship he was now in command of. Conquering planets and selling them was what his family did. Now he had taken over the family business. His father's death had been a surprise, but then again King Cold believed his father had deserved it. Chill Cold had always been too cocky; no doubt he had gone into the fight not really prepared. The aliens probably hadn't given him time to transform.
He didn't know what to expect when he got to the Palace. The girl he had asked to marry, the same girl his father had wanted him to wed, was a snotty brat. Cold wasn't sure if she had changed at all during the past ten years, but he knew he would soon find out. The ship landed on the landing pad near the palace and King Cold emerged, closely followed by some of his loyal henchmen. He knocked on the front door and a tall, gruff looking alien with jet-black hair and blue skin immediately answered it. He bowed and began told King Cold to follow him. Cold followed the man to the same place where he had met Crystal a decade before. A white skinned changeling with a blue patch on her forehead and torso sat there. King Cold had to catch his breath, for the Changeling sitting across from her was breathtaking. She had long blue hair, and a white, long, lean body. He could see the curve of her hips from the blue pants she was wearing. She looked like no other Changeling King Cold had seen before. She stood up and approached him. King Cold immediately got his breath back and smiled at her. He noticed with a shock that she was blushing. She held out her hand, and King Cold quickly grabbed it and planted a kiss on it. What he really wanted to do was kiss her delicious red lips, but had to stop himself. It wouldn't be appropriate, not yet.
"How do you do Crystal?" King Cold asked. "It's been along time."
"Yes it has." Crystal said. King Cold noticed she was eyeing him just like he had been eyeing her. King Cold knew he was big, even for a Changeling. She was obviously impressed with the size of his muscles. "I've been doing well Cold." Crystal continued. "I am sorry to hear about your father."
"It is alright, the man was too cocky for his own good." King Cold found himself grumbling. Crystal seemed to be confused by that comment and bit her lip. Cold cursed himself. He didn't need to go around telling everyone how he hated his father. He quickly changed the subject. "Would you mind joining me for dinner?" King Cold asked.
Crystal nodded. "Yes, I would be glad to join you." She said. "I think you can let go of my hand now though." King Cold released her hand and gave an embarrassed smile. He quickly caught his composure and offered her his arm. Crystal took it and the two walked down the hallway together.
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The dinner was delicious. The servants brought in heaping piles of all sorts of foods. Crystal was used to such a display of delicacies, but never had she shared such a feast with someone like King Cold. He was polite, respectful and never broke his kind tone toward her. Crystal began to feel less nervous about the marriage; her future husband seemed like a well-mannered gentleman. King Cold began telling her stories of his many battles. This would have usually turned off Crystal, but he didn't seem to be bragging. While he talked with her she soon became distracted by the way he swirled his wine glass and drank from it ever few sentences. Crystal's mind often wondered, and she found herself worrying about the future wit the man sitting in front of her. What was he really like? Was he just trying to impress her at the moment? Would he be totally different once they were husband and wife?
"Are you alright my dear?" His voice broke through her thoughts, and Crystal's cheeks turned red. She had been paying more attention to her worries then to what he was saying. "I'm fine." Crystal said in a soft voice. "I'm just thinking about the marriage thing."
King Cold gave a half smile. "There's nothing to worry about my dear, I will treat you well." He said. Crystal hoped this was true, and he wasn't just saying that. Crystal sat her fork and knife across the plate to signal she was done. The servant quickly gathered up her dirty plate. King Cold got up from his chair and offered her his arm again. "Shall we take a walk in the gardens?" King Cold asked. Crystal nodded and accepted his arm.
A soft, gentle wind was blowing as the two Changelings walked through the gardens. The sun was just setting, and the last rays of light were spreading across the ground. Crystal was silent as she walked alongside King Cold. Despite his kind words and attitude she couldn't help but feel he was hiding something. A part of her wanted to run as far as she could, while the other part of her wanted to stay. If she were to run, then she would shame her family. King Cold guided Crystal over to a gazebo in the middle of the garden. Crystal sat next to the King and found herself looking over the gardens. Everything seemed so peaceful. Crystal knew that he might want to kiss her; they were in a secluded enough spot. She had never kissed a man before; in fact she had never been around a Changeling male. Her mother had preferred to keep her in the palace away from the outside world. In the palace she merely focused on her fighting skills. Crystal knew how to fight, but the females of her race were not warlike like the males. Most women did know how to fight, but they mostly kept to doing their duties as mother's and wives.
King Cold reached over with his large hand and plucked a white rose. He offered it to Crystal with a silent smile. Crystal took the rose, and her white cheeks were soon bathed in red from blushing. The blush soon vanished when King Cold suddenly leaned over. Crystal's heart wanted to leap out of her chest at that very moment. Purple lips pressed themselves against her own lips and Crystal about jumped out of her skin. She didn't dare pull away; she didn't want to make him angry. Confused, and bewildered, Crystal didn't kiss him back. Her eyes were as big as Saucers and as King Cold pulled away from her he noticed how frightened she looked. He frowned, obviously disappointed in her lack of response. "What's wrong?" He asked.
"I've never kissed anyone before." Crystal said.
"I didn't mean to frighten you." King Cold apologized. "I won't kiss you again till the wedding." Crystal wasn't reassured by this comment. The word wedding kept running through her head. Was she really prepared for such a commitment?
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please read and review, thanks! I am not sure when I'll have chapter 3 up, it might be a while.