Part 20
Thomas watched as the young woman was led in. She kept her head down but he recognized her from his last trip to Winter Haven more than a year ago. While he did not know her name he knew her father had been the preacher and head of the town. When she came to a stop in front of him she dropped to her knees never looking up at him. He looked at the soldier that brought her to him. The young man dropped to one knee and bowed his head. He looked at his wife who sat next to him looking unimpressed.
"Young lady I have been told that you have learned the identity of Zoom." said Thomas
"Yes my King. After Zoom killed my father in front of me and many other men. He and his men took a number of women to use for their pleasure. While my father let a tavern be opened in our town he did not approve of having women for pleasure there. I am not saying there still weren't some. But the number in Zoom's army outnumbered any that may have been there. Not that it would have mattered to that monster. He seemed to take pleasure in taking a woman's maidenhood from her. I learned this when he chose me for his needs. But that is how I learned who was under the mask that he wears."
"Who is the man under the mask?" asked Charlie gently
"The man that is calling himself Zoom is Lord Hunter Zolomon. The way he treated me is only half as bad as he is planning to treat Princess Caitlin. He plans to kill all of you. He will force the Princess to marry him and rule himself. He will only keep her alive until she gives him a son that he will raise to be just like him. But he does not plan to stop with only ruling the Snow Kingdom. He wants to control the whole world."
"Why should we believe that Lord Zolomon is Zoom? How do we know that you just don't have a grudge against him? It is well known that he doesn't have any use for any form of religion." said Carla coldly
"Because I can prove it."
Thomas watched as the young woman pulled a ring out of the pocket of her dress. Charlie stepped down to her and took the ring from her. He looked at it and took it to his parents. Thomas looked at it and his eyes turned dark. The ring was actually a singlet with the family crest of the Zolomon family.
"Have the young lady taken to a guest room and see that she is cared for." said Thomas to a page. He then turned to the young sergeant from the Central Kingdom.
"What is your name Sergeant?" asked Thomas
"Wallace West, your majesty."
"Are you related to Iris West?" asked Charlie
"Yes, your highness. She is my sister. If she has done something to harm Princess Caitlin, please do not take it out on me. My sister and I do not share the same opinion of the Princess." said Wally
"Your sister tried to kill my daughter." said Thomas
"I am sorry to hear that. Is the Princess ok?"
"She is fine. Thanks to one of her guards who nearly died to protect her." said Thomas
"Your, majesty. It is good to hear that the Princess is ok. My father and I warned my sister to stay away from the Princess. I guess she did not listen. She has signed her own death warrant. Any family member of another head of state is to be treated as a member of the Central Kingdom family. The penalty for attempted murder of the Royal Family is death. If I had known that Iris would try something like that I would have warned King Henry." said Wally
"I believe you. Go see the Captain of the guard for a bunk. Rest here for a few days then return to your unit." said Thomas
"Yes sir!"
Wally stood and headed out.
Caitlin walked through the garden as the sun set. The night air was cool but not nearly as cold as it was back in the Snow Kingdom. King Henry was acting swiftly and was having the woman that had attempted to kill her put to death at sunset the next day. Caitlin had declined going and seeing the woman and asking why she wanted to kill her. To Caitlin it did not matter. She heard someone coming down the cobblestone path behind her. She let frost start to form in her hands ready to defend herself.
"Caitlin, it's me! I am not going to hurt you Frosty!" said Barry
Caitlin rolled her eyes at his new nickname for her.
"Watch what you call me Fleet Feet." said Caitlin turning around with a small smile.
"Fleet Feet?"
"Well you are fast on your feet."
"Not sure I have ever heard that one. Well it is not like there are a lot of people that know about my gift."
"Charlie used to call me Frosty when I was learning to control my gift. He stopped when I threw an icicle at him. I didn't come close to hurting him. But he stopped after that."
"I am sure he knew that you weren't trying to hurt him."
"He did. Barry, I have only lost control a couple of times in the past five years. It was when I lost my temper. Luckily no one was hurt. I lost control because instead of just letting my anger out I tried to hold it in. My mother has the ability to really anger me. More than once after meeting with her in her office it would be covered in ice when I left. It is a good thing that Lady Cecile Horton, my mother's assistant knows about my gifts."
"You are not close with your mother?"
"No, never have been. Sometimes I think that she never wanted me."
"I am sorry. I don't know what to say. But it does seem you have a good relationship with your father."
"I do. I love my dad. He has always tried to make time for me. Charlie and I are close too. It was actually Charlie that suggested that you and I might get along."
"Well I think it helps that the few times that I saw you when we were kids that I did think you were cute. But I have to say that I no longer think you are cute. I think that you are one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. But what makes you even more beautiful now that I have had the chance to get to know you is that you have such a warm heart."
"Well outside of my family and Patty no one has ever gotten close enough to get to know the real me. That is until you."
Barry smiled then gently took Caitlin in his arms and kissed her. Caitlin was surprised at first but soon found herself returning it. When they broke, Caitlin knew that she was in love with Barry.
