Part 9

After dinner Caitlin followed Barry out into the garden. The air was crisp and cool with it being early spring. Barry looked at her exposed arms seeing as she was wearing a short sleeve dress.

"Did you want to get a shawl or something? It is kind of cool out tonight." Said Barry

"I'm fine Barry. I don't get cold very often."

"Really? From what I remember Charlie does get cold so I know that it has nothing to do with where you grew up."

"It is something that is unique to me and a few other women in my family. If you are cold we could find somewhere else to talk. Maybe the library?"

"I'm ok right now. I just thought because you have short sleeves on that dress. Which is very nice by the way."

"Charlie always said you were nice. But he left out that you are so caring."

"I was just trying to be a gentleman."

"You are. Barry, my life is changing. Even after this short time I believe that I can see myself as your wife and Queen. Of the men that have been considered as possible suitors you are the first that has seemed concerned that I might be cold due to the temperature. The other two never gave a thought to how I feel. They only cared what they would get by being tied to me. One my father never even granted an unsupervised visit with me. The other was an arrogant jerk."

"I will admit I can be arrogant at times. But if I were ever a jerk to a beautiful woman my mom would take me over her knee."

Caitlin smiled. Her brother was right. She did like Barry after just meeting him.

"What is it?" asked Barry noticing her smile.

"Charlie is going to have so much fun rubbing it in that he was right. He said I would like you."

"Who said we have to tell him any time soon?"

"I don't plan to. But he will find out. He always finds out what I am hiding. I can't keep secrets from my older brother."

"Caitlin, you should know that my father is not going to let Zoom take your family's home from them. If either of us is not fully on board to marry he won't force it. He is planning to send two regiments of troops back with your father. No matter what."

"Your father will do that and not expect anything in return?"

"We know that the sale of the jewels from the caverns your family controls go to help the poor and orphans. My father will not let a monster like Zoom take that away. Besides if the rumors I have heard no woman should be subjected to how Zoom will treat them."

"If I were forced to marry Zoom, he will kill my family and only keep me alive to give him an heir to use to control the throne."

"Caitlin, I promise that you will never have to worry about that. If Zoom tries to hurt you I will hunt him down and kill him myself."

"Barry, I don't want you to get yourself killed. Zoom is dangerous. More dangerous then anyone that has threatened my home before."

"Has your father thought to ask for help from the Mountain Kingdom?"

"The people of the Dark Mountains that board the Snow Kingdom will not help. There was a war between us over 200 years ago. That is when we took control of the caverns. We got the caverns and they got control of the northern hot springs. That is also when they cut themselves off from most of the world. The mountains are so rough near the boarder that no one in their right mind will travel them. Most likely that is where Zoom and his army hid out until he was ready to strike. First he attacked and destroyed Board Town he spared a young man to send his demands to my father. That young man is now working as a stable hand caring for my horse. Frost is kind of temperamental. She has thrown every rider but myself and this young man. Last word I had heard on Zoom was he had attacked and destroyed Winter Haven. A town on the trade route out of the mountains that was run in large part by the town minister. Many of the people were deeply religious. As long as they followed the laws my family always let them do as they wished."

"There are a few places like that here. Caitlin, we have time. Let's get to know each other. I will also see about having your horse brought here. Until then if you want to ride we a have some horses you can ride. We can even see if Flash my horse that is temperamental likes you. He doesn't like any of the stable hands past them grooming him."

"Sounds a lot like Frost."

"Tomorrow I can take you to meet him if you like."

"That will be nice. Maybe we should head in. It is getting kind of late and I had a long trip."

"Of course. I can't wait to get to know you better."

Caitlin nodded. She could truly see herself possibly being happy with Barry. But she was not ready to fully open herself to him.

Nora stood on one of the balconies that over looked the garden watching her son with Princess Caitlin. She did nothing to hide her knowing smile. She felt her husband come up behind her a wrap a warm shawl around her.

"I know that you are originally from the Snow Kingdom darling. But unlike the Princess there I know most of the people do feel the cold you included." Said Henry

"Very true my love. Thomas has not said anything yet but I do believe that the rumors are true. I think Caitlin has inherited the powers of Khione."

"It doesn't matter if it is true. What matters is if Caitlin will be able to become the kind of Queen that our son needs."

"You mean able to tell him when he is being an idiot."

"Much like you have done with me. Nora, I think that under that shy exterior is some real steal."

"Of course there is. She is her father's daughter. Henry, you don't know Carla like I do. That woman has never cared about either of her children, not in the way that you and I care about Barry or Jay and Joan care about Jesse."

"I know Thomas only married Carla out of duty. While I do believe he cares for his wife. I don't think she has any feelings for him."

"Henry, Carla has shown almost no emotions ever in the time I have known her. Which was a pretty long time. We were both part of the Royal Court growing up."

"I know. It was on a visit with my father that you caught my eye and your sister Jay's."

"The rest is history. Let those two get to know each other. Hopefully our son can help the young Princess melt the icy wall she has her heart hidden behind."

"Don't go trying to medal. As much as I would like to see those two marry for more then duty. We can can't force them to love each other."

"Darling I would never medal in their relationship."

Henry just looked at his wife of twenty five years. By her smile he knew that those two were going to be in trouble if she got her way.