Of course, Heat and Snow's siblings noticed the change in temperature in less than two days, so they came to tell Mother Nature. They were met by North, who gleefully told each of them the two troublemakers had switched elements and that Mother was making it better. They all laughed about it, and they waited with eager expectation to see what Snow and Heat looked like now.
After a week, though, it became apparent that this wasn't just a small hiccup in the scheme of things. Snow could barely wake up long enough to eat or drink anything, and nothing Mother Nature did warmed him up at all. They watched as their mother became increasingly panicked by her inability to smooth things over. Their excited amusement turned to concern as the temperature began to drop in Summersland and then around the world. By then, even North had lost his bluster, and he was genuinely worried for Snow and Heat. Heat refused to let any of them come in to see them, but they weren't going to be shut out of this. So naturally, they began snooping.
At first, they tried to approach Heat's and Snow's servants themselves, but they only received tight, polite responses that conveyed nothing but the sense that they needed to back off. When that failed, they sent their servants to wheedle the information out. All the servants gossiped about their sires, they thought, so of course they'd know in less than a day. But that didn't happen. What happened was that the fire and ice servants told them in no uncertain terms to keep their noses out of their sires' businesses or else. Having been sent with strict instructions not to return without an answer, North's servants persisted. That turned out to be a big mistake.
The brawl that followed was so violent that a large chunk of Summersland was ripped apart. Every kind of vegetation, tree, bush, and plant, was singed away or shattered by a severe temperature drop. Everybody came running to find that the fire and ice minions had teamed up and had absolutely devastated all of North's servants and any others who were stupid enough to try and stop them. With eyes glinting like sunlight off an icicle, Flurry turned to look at them as Cinder steamed beside him, his face a mask of rage.
"Don't try it again," Flurry warned. "Any of you. We are not yours and we will not tell you anything. If you try again, you will not like what happens."
He waved at the other servants, who turned and left, huddled together and grumbling. Flurry took Cinder's hand and led him toward the house to tell Heat what had just happened.
Mother Nature stared at the devastation that was her garden, and she sank down and wept. After shaking off the fear that rooted them to the spot, the rest of her children tended to her and the wounded servants. They all took Flurry's warning to heart and they stopped snooping, but now they weren't just worried. They were scared. Something big was happening, and they didn't know what to do as the temperature continued to drop and their mother ran out of ideas.
After the fight, Flurry and Cinder grew even closer as they worried together. They talked about everything that had happened, and Flurry finally thawed and confided in Cinder about his fears and frustrations with his sire. Cinder listened and shared his own feelings and observations about Heat as they tried to figure out how to rectify the situation.
After another week, the weather was officially colder than it should have been all over the world, and Mother Nature was at her wit's end. She had done everything she could think of to reignite Snow's core, but nothing changed his temperature even a degree. Nothing she noticed at least. But she couldn't bear to touch Snow because of the bitter chill that clung to his skin. Heat could touch him, though, and his cold powers meant he was incredibly sensitive to heat. He noticed it was only his own careful, loving touches that changed Snow's temperature. He waited for Mother to fix things until he was sure she couldn't. Once she sent an urgent letter to Father Time, he knew she was out of ideas.
Cinder and Flurry came in to check on them after the urgent letter had been sent, and they found Heat looking thoughtful.
"Father Time should be here soon, sir," Cinder said.
"He won't help, either," Heat said, his voice full of certainty. "I don't think much would."
Flurry wilted and covered his face with his hands to hide his expression. Cinder looked at him and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.
"It's okay, Flurry," he said.
Flurry looked up, and glittering tears slipped down his cheeks. Heat stared at the tear tracks then looked at his brother. "You said his anger imploded," he said quietly.
Flurry sniffled and tried to control himself. "Yes, sir," he said, his voice wavering. "Why?"
"You said inwardly turned anger is cold."
"Yes, sir," he said.
"So what if we turn it outward?"
Flurry and Cinder froze then glanced at each other. Cinder grinned. "Of course! Why didn't we think of that?"
"I did," Flurry said.
"Then why didn't you mention it?" Cinder demanded.
"Because it won't work," Flurry replied matter-of-factly.
"Why do you think that?" Heat asked.
Flurry hesitated and glanced at Cinder. The fire servant took his hand. "We have to fix this. His trust is not misplaced simply because you need to tell us."
Flurry sighed and looked at Snow's prone figure. "I'm sorry, sir, but I think telling them is safe," he said earnestly. Then he turned and gazed at Heat. "Snow is afraid to get angry or sad, sir."
"Afraid?" Heat asked, his brows coming together.
"He doesn't want to disappoint Mother Nature," Flurry said. "Any outward display of his anger growing up triggered a stern talking to and a punishment that might not seem like a punishment."
"What punishment?" Cinder asked.
"Mother Nature would talk to him and guilt him into apologizing for being angry or upset. Then she would tell him to smile because it made her happy. He doesn't show anger anymore. He simply smiles because he has to be his mother's happy Snow."
Heat clenched his fist and turned to look at his brother. His breathing was so shallow, and his face was so pale. How could their mother do that to her own son?
"Stay here with Snow," Heat said. "I'm going to talk with Mother and Father."
Heat stood up and left the room for the first time since they'd arrived, and he stepped outside to see Father Time land with his great griffins. He watched him talk with Mother Nature. Aurora noticed him first, and she gasped.
"Heat!"
Everybody turned to look at him, and silence fell. Mother Nature looked hopeful. "Is he warming up?"
"No."
The sharp, cold word sounded odd coming from their hotheaded brother, and his siblings peered anxiously at him. Father Time walked over.
"What happened, Heat? You're… you're blue."
"We switched," Heat said tightly.
Alarm crossed Father Time's face, and he looked to his wife. "So Snow shouldn't be cold at all," he groaned. "No wonder you're so concerned, dear."
"Concerned," Heat said slowly. "Are you concerned, Mother?"
Mother Nature put her hands on her hips. "Of course I am, Heat! Your brother is colder than ice, the world's elements are out of balance, and nothing I do warms him up! If we don't solve this soon, it'll be a disaster!"
Heat looked at his mother dispassionately. "Mmhm."
Father Time turned to Heat. "You know something, don't you?" he asked.
Heat simply stared at him, his lips pressed together. He noticed the fire and ice servants watching him closely. Father Time nodded.
"What is it? What do you know?"
Heat tilted his head, considering his answer carefully. "I know that you won't be able to fix this." He swept his eyes over his siblings and stopped on his mother. "None of you can."
"Then what do we do!" Mother Nature cried, throwing her hands up. Her island trembled beneath their feet at her anger.
"Temper temper, Mother," Heat said softly. "We mustn't get angry."
His siblings gazed at him in astonishment as Father Time glared at him. It had been millennia since any of his children had been stupid enough to disrespect their mother like that.
"You watch your tongue, Heat Miser!"
Heat didn't even look at him. He had eyes only for his mother, who appeared astounded. Then a dawning look of dismay crossed her face. When Heat didn't move, everybody looked at Mother Nature, who went pale and swayed as she covered her mouth. Earthquake bolted over and supported her into a chair.
"That can't be what's wrong," she said faintly.
"Of course not, Mother," Heat said evenly. "Because it was never wrong before." He peered around then looked at his mother again. "You should smile, you know. It would be disappointing otherwise. And we mustn't disappoint the family."
"Heat," she said weakly, reaching out. "Please, you don't understand…"
Disgust and anger crossed Heat's face. "I understand better than you, Mother. You won't be able to help. You can't. It's your fault, Mother. This is all your fault. I hope your happy Snow was worth it."
He turned around, gestured for the fire and ice servants to follow, then headed back inside. Mother Nature sat very still, her face pale. Even Father Time didn't know exactly what Heat was talking about, but he was determined to find out.
"Let's go for a walk, my love," he said tenderly. "We need to talk."
Mother Nature nodded and stood up, leaning heavily on her husband. Her expression was frightened as she looked at her cozy little cottage toward Snow and Heat. Then she wordlessly lowered her head and shivered. Her children watched their parents stroll away, bewildered and scared by their mother's reaction and Heat's boldness. None of them would have ever dared to speak to her in such a way. What exactly had their mother done? And what did it have to do with their icy brother?
As Summersland was filled with a biting breeze, they glanced at each other and wondered if the whole world was about to end.