As her husband paced the room, his rage growing steadily, Irma held a glass of vodka in her hand. Contrarily, she seemed quite calm about what was going to happen. For now, anyway. It was something she anticipated. She wasn't sure how the others didn't.

"This is unacceptable. The King will not be put in a cage!" Lucian roared.

Irma gave him a disinterested look. "What are you going to do about it, my love?" Lucian froze, his nostrils flaring as he turned to give her a fierce look. "My, my, that would be mighty frightening if my heart weren't already made of ice."

He approached her throne, his fingers thawing the ice as they moved along the armrest and closer to her. At last, his face met hers directly. They gazed at one another intently. For a moment, time seemed to stop. Whether their love was greater than the anger in their hearts was never certain to either of them. At last, Lucian smirked and kissed her on the mouth.

"I wish to remain free; that is true. But...for you, I would risk imprisonment."

"I understand," grinned Irma. Lucian retreated a step as she got up from the chair. "But I can't let you do that."

Lucian's gentle expression turned to rage again as he narrowed his eyes. He took another step back, not wanting to be betrayed. "Wicked woman! What is your plan?"

Her small frame almost glided across the ice floor as Irma approached him. He did not flee or defend himself in spite of his rage and resentment. He leaned into her palm as she gently placed it on the side of his cheek, closing his eyes to prolong the illusion. "This is where our journey comes to an end."

Before Lucian could say anything more, she withdrew her hand, and a swarm of snowbees surrounded him. Bewildered, he looked around. He begged, "Do not do this," astonished at how much this woman had softened him. As the nefarious little creatures turned his limbs to ice, the snowbees started to envelop him. "We will meet again, Irma. Our journey is far from over. She will not be kept away from me."

Irma turned to face the doors as the scene was cut short by heavy footsteps. She saw her husband gradually turn to ice. "We will see about that."

While Lucian froze, Irma reached for a white fur-lined wooden basket. She ran her fingers through her soft brown curls, gazing at the baby inside with all the warmth she could muster. Irma smiled slightly in response to the child's cooing, then regained her bearings and walked past Lucian, flicking her wrist to open the enormous ice doors. She stepped outside and gave the guards a hearty laugh.

"Took you long enough to get here."

A guard approached her; he was young, not much older than the new king. Wearing the garb of a Chinese warrior, he stopped in front of her, obviously attempting to put on his most solemn expression. "Your Majesty, it is time to go."

Irma cackled now. She pondered, pinching his chin between her thumb and index finger. "Oh my, my. You must be as fresh-faced as they come if you choose to regard me as royalty in these times."

He began to say, "Ma'am," but his chin started to freeze. She could almost feel his pulse accelerating. He let out a trembling breath. "Please…"

As her arm was yanked away from the soldier's face, Irma grinned. "Enough," shouted another soldier. "Get out of here, Li Shang. Now."

The other soldier turned back to Irma, and Li Shang staggered away. "Hand over the child, love."

"Be gentle," she said, passing him the basket. As the soldier seized the basket, she continued, "She is fragile cargo." Then Irma looked at him blankly. "Thank you, Mr. Hood."

Irma's long white dress flowed easily down the large, icy staircase as the two started to descend. She made no fuss or attempt to defend herself. It was really of no use. She gave Li Shang a cheeky grin at the bottom of the stairs, and his chin grew back to its once attractive position. It was fear that Irma desired, not love or sympathy. She glanced down at her daughter, who was awestruck by the night sky. She, too, would wish the feared one day.