Auther's note: I'm so tired, I can't think of what to say. This week as been exhausting because of work, so I'll skip any announcements and get straight to the chapter. Let me know what you think of this chapter and thanks for all the great reviews!
17. A Bet Over
"The heart is not so easily changed, but the head can be persuaded."
—Frozen, Grand Pabbie
Jain sipped his yellow mimosas calmly, relaxing on his chilly balcony as the sun rose above the balcony. Long fur robes hung over his shoulders loosely covering his white night shift. Yawns from his latest conquest could be heard through the cracked open balcony door as she hurried dressed, but he ignored all this and simply stared out at the frozen winter land before him. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath, taking in the refreshing air.
A loud bang disrupted his calmness and he heard loud talking in the bedroom. A moment later, the balcony door was thrown open and who should enter but Jain's very own cousin Hadyn.
Fully dressed as if ready to travel, complete with cape, Hadyn looked distraught. His dark hair was messed as if he had just rolled out of bed, and he seemed anxious as he paced back and forth against the balcony.
"What has you so hot and bothered?" Jain queried, a smile twisting his face. "The chilly ice queen, perhaps?"
Hadyn stopped pacing and looked at his cousin, his fists tightening. "Jain, I'm calling off our bet."
Jain's only reaction was to raise his eyebrows slightly. "Indeed?" He asked cynically. "And what bet would that be?"
"You bloody well know what bet I'm talking about. I am not doing it anymore. Whether I defy my father or not, I am going home!" Hadyn seemed serious...and furious.
Jain sighed and carefully placed his drink down on the table beside his chair. "Hadyn, it appears something has riled you up. Did Elsa dump you? Or refuse you? You look like you didn't sleep a wink last night. You should have known this wouldn't be easy."
"Bullshit. We are not arguing about this! We are leaving."
"Indeed? Hadyn, why don't you calm down and we can talk about this. You look like you need a drink."
Hadyn turned and hit the wall behind them. Sparks explored as fire dissipated around his fist.
Jain had never seen Hadyn this angry.
"Jain, we—are—leaving," Hadyn growled slowly.
Jain rose, narrowing his eyes. "I don't think so."
"Well, I do. We're done." Hadyn didn't back down as Jain stood above him, crossing his arms calmly. "I'm sick of these games. Why the hell would my father want me to marry Elsa anyway? He's got enough power."
"Oh, I understand," Jain interrupted, realization dawning on his face. "You've fallen in love with her, haven't you?"
Hadyn snorted. "Jain, that's your problem. You judge every seemingly good thing someone does on the merit of lust and greed. Yes, I admit it. I care about Elsa. Not like you've lusted after your conquests, though. I see her goodness and I see how harmful I am to not only her, but to her sister and her entire country. I'm leaving not because I love her, but because I see a semblance of good in her. A good that I forgot even existed because the only people I am surrounded by are selfish, greedy bastards like you and my father."
Jain's mouth was a thin line, though he didn't interrupt his cousin's rant.
"I am sick of my own smell," Hadyn continued. "I smell of blood. That smell cannot be washed off, no matter how many times I bath in sweet scents. I do not know my father's reasons for sending me here, but I am done. He can punish me. He can exile me for all I damn well care, but I am done."
Hadyn turned and headed out of the balcony, but as he was reaching for the doorknob, Jain grabbed his arm.
"Tarry a moment, cousin." Jain's voice was soft. Dangerously soft. "I have not said my peace yet."
Hadyn froze, his muscles tensing in his arm as he unconsciously pulled away from the touch of his cousin.
"You wish to know why your father sent you here. I shall tell you if you like."
Hadyn glanced back and Jain removed his hand. Lowering his voice, Jain started.
"Your father does not want you to marry Queen Elsa. That was merely a disguise of your mission…or rather, my mission."
Crossing his arms, Hadyn raised an eyebrow. "Your mission? What does that have to do with me?"
Jain let out a soft laugh and turned to pick up his drink. "You were always a bit slow on everything. Too busy scampering across the kingdom to know what was actually happening in politics. You and the ice queen are quite similar, though I know you would never admit it. You both rejected that which you were born into. And who was left to endure the brunt of your father's heavy hand?"
Hadyn remained silent.
"Me, Hadyn, it was me. The bastard son of your father's sister. She was a princess, and my father was a bandit. Did your father ever tell you that? No? I'm not surprised. When you turned out to be so rebellious, he realized I was the only one who could take over your responsibilities. Reluctantly, yes, but he had no one else. While you were prancing around as a bandit-killing vigilante, I was making sure our country didn't crumble."
"What does that have to do with this mission?"
Jain took another sip of his drink. "I don't like hurting people, Hadyn, even if you may think otherwise. However, I will eliminate anything which might hurt our country's power."
Hadyn seemed shocked for a moment as thoughts flew through his mind. Unbelieving as a terrible notion slowly dawned on him, he asked, "What?"
"Queen Elsa is powerful. In fact, she is one power which could even challenge our own country's power. As soon as she appeared, our country became less feared. And as we become less feared, we become less powerful."
"And what do you plan to do about that? Kill the queen?" Hadyn snorted at his absurd joke, but Jain didn't laugh.
Tapping his finger against the glass of his cup, Jain murmured, "The queen is too powerful."
Hadyn blinked, his smile vanishing. "What do you mean? Are you saying this is an assassination mission? Are you using me to get close to the queen? You must be joking, or you are a fool. What makes you think you are any match against Elsa?"
Jain smiled, and looked back at his cousin. "You are so innocent, Hadyn, and naïve. Why do you think I asked your father to send you here? Because I knew you would challenge to queen in both power and heart. You were the perfect choice. My plan was simple." He turned and walked to the edge of the balcony. "You would break down her heart's defenses from one side, and I would distract her on the other side."
"Other side? What other side?" Hadyn's breathing became more and more labored as he tried to gain control of his emotions and not punch his cousin.
"Her sister, of course. I destroy Anna's happiness, and thus Elsa. I sent her on the brink an emotional cliff, where any moment she might topple off. In fact, people might not even be surprised if she ended her own life."
"Why are you telling me this? And what makes you think—" Hadyn kept his voice mostly steady, "—that I will simply stand by and not go immediately to Elsa and tell her everything?"
Jain smirked. "Wait one moment and I will show you."
Moving around his cousin, Jain entered his room and rummaged in one of the drawers beside his bed. Finally, he found what he was looking and pulled a small box out. Hadyn cautiously entered Jain's room, crossing his arms and preparing for any weapon his cousin might throw at him.
What Jain pulled out, however, was not what Hadyn was expecting.
As Jain opened a small box inside the drawer, a wisp of smoke rose up which immediately surrounded Hadyn. A thin, translucent wall surrounded him like a cage.
Immediately, Hadyn struck out with fire, which merely dissipated against the wall.
Jain shook his head slowly. "I did not want to do this, but you cannot leave. Not yet. I have some need of you."
"What the hell is this, Jain?"
His cousin shrugged. "Nothing. Merely something I was planning to use on your ice queen. Oh, and don't try to scream. The noise inside is dulled. In fact, I can barely hear you out here. Anyway—" Jain began to dress as he continued to talk, "—I would love to chat, but I have a date with a lovely ice queen. You stay tight. My plans will be complete tomorrow. You'll survive that long without food and water."
Finishing, Jain turned to wink at his cousin before vanishing outside of his room.
Hadyn's screams were lost inside his cage.