Conquering His Cold Heart

"My Empress, Princess please we must leave now!" Though also in extreme pain Dartanan loudly bellowed as he moved to grab hold of both Amelia and Avira.

What remained of the shadow guards quickly broke into two teams, one to delay the enemies advance while the other would work with Dartanan to sweep away the Empress and Princess to safety.

The Princess still in shock was easily manhandled but Amelia stood motionless, resisting Dartanan\'s attempts to dislodge her.

Dartanan frowned and looked directly at his Empress with a pleading look, but he was met with an expression that shook him to the core.

His Empress, Amelia Northrend with tears streaming down her face donned a look of unmatched resolve, biting her lower lip until blood was drawn and her teeth starting to grate against one another as her tears turned red and an air of malice and bloodlust burst forth from her body almost knocking Dartanan off balance.

"Dartanan take my daughter to safety let nothing bar your way…I will not run from that which I brought into this world. If he has chosen to become a monster, a calamity to all that we\'ve strived to protect then I as his mother shall return him to the void!" Amelia\'s voice was chilling to the bone and completely opposed to the gentle, calm woman that most citizens of Northrend knew and revered.

For Dartanan however it was nostalgic as though he\'d return to the time of his youth where he journeyed throughout the realm alongside the young Emperor.

\'The ice wraith of Northrend\' this was her monicker, a woman that could alter the weather with her spells, an ice mage with few who could be considered her equal. It had been years, decades even since this woman last wielded her staff and activated an aura that gave even someone like Dartanan pause.

"My Empress?"

"Go, that\'s an order Dartanan."

With a torn look Dartanan bit his bottom lip and nodded his head. "I wish you a smooth journey and glorious reunion." With those last words he tightly wrapped his arms around the gradually flinching Avira and charged into a secret back passage along with half of his shadow guards.

"Mother!!!!" Avira\'s pained scream was the last thing Amelia heard before the wall closed and the entrance caved in on itself barring any who would try to follow.

"Take care to avoid my magic lest you wish to become frozen along with my enemies." With Avira gone Amelia let loose with her full power, her aura shook the room and slowly froze the surrounding furniture.

She didn\'t have much stamina given the progression of the poison her son slipped her, but she should have enough for at least one spell that was without parallel.

"By your will Empress….it is an honour to die by your side." The remaining shadow guards all bowed and crossed their arms across their chests, they had long ago resolved themselves to die in service to the royal family.

"The honour is mine as is the guilt, I brought this monster into the world thus I should be the one to take him out of it…isn\'t that right Randolph!." A look of pure wrath flashed across Amelia\'s face as the figure of her eldest son appeared before her.

"Haaaaaa mother." A deep sigh escaped Randolph\'s lips as he gazed across the room, marking the faces of the shadow guards as well as that of his mother\'s. He himself donned a look of irritation and cold indifference.

"Though I initially planned to grant you a more peaceful death, just like father you had to go and betray me haaaaaa… kill them all, my mother included." There wasn\'t even a shred of love within his gaze as just like with his father Crown Prince Randolph ordered for his mother\'s death.

Randolph\'s subordinates lunged forward with their weapons, quickly clashing against the remnant shadow guards, a brave few even made their way towards Amelia.

"From the depth of Niflheim I call upon thee, frigid storms of the eternal cold, destroy all that dwells before me [Calamitous ice storm]" With her eyes closed in focus Amelia chanted an aria for a 5th circle spell, she even ignored the attacks directed at her, allowing a pair of daggers to pierce her flesh just so she could summon 100% of the spell\'s ferocity.

"Sayonara Randolph, my son."

"Your highness get back!!!"

Booooommmm!!!!

A moment later the area between Amelia and Randolph devolved into a freezing storm that instantly froze all those within range before tearing apart their frozen flesh, eviscerating them in but a single moment.

"Ahhhh!!!!!!" Randolph screamed at the top of his lungs as multiple defensive artifacts were activated and instantly destroyed. A loyal subordinate sacrificed himself to push him away but his left hand, his sword hand was still caught in the blast.

Erupting with all her strength Amelia slaughtered dozens of her foes and even took her son\'s dominant hand alas perhaps because she was just lacking in strength or perhaps deep down the love she held for her son stopped her from landing the final blow thus Randolph survived.

"Honey." Amelia collapsed after casting [Calamitous ice storm]. Her body grew cold, her organs failing as the lingering effects of the poison fairy\'s passing exploded throughout her system. As death approached she saw the face of her beloved and a peaceful smile donned her lips.

"Ahhhh kill her! Kill that bitch!!" Randolph screamed at the top of his lungs with bloodshot eyes and a mangled left hand. An instant later 3 surviving subordinates lunged at Amelia and ran her through, but she was already numb to the pain.

Amelia thus died somewhat peacefully, a lack of pain, knowing that her daughter would be safe and image of her smiling husband granted her serenity as she drifted away.

From then Dartanan ushered Avira to safety, rendezvousing with General Anya and the others who were loyal to both Emperor Franz and the Princess.

Their escape was successful thanks to both Randolph receiving a debilitating injury as well as Sedrick making his own moves against his brother, drawing the prime focus of his attention.

"Princess, Princess." Avira was drawn out of her stupor, her memories of that night as well as the following days in which they desperately fled to the Furano Viscounty by General Anya\'s calling and shaking.

"I\'m fine you can stop worrying." Her words only enhanced Anya\'s anxiety.

"Haaaaa didn\'t you have something to report?" Avira sighed and shook her head before forcibly changing the subject.

"….The mission was a success, that Frost has agreed to protect and escort you to Icethorne." Anya then proceeded to inform Avira about the specifics including the fact that the Furano family were upping the degree of their alliance.

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"Hoh now that is interesting. Uncle Douglas is supposedly a very apt ruler at least that\'s how my father and the prime minister always described him. For him to be willing to earn the ire and possibly even drift away from the control of my brothers to this Lord Frost is curious indeed." A calculating smile formed on Avira\'s lips as she was finally distracted from her trauma.

\'Curious indeed, openly revealing their intentions to me is it a form of loyalty, a trait of honesty or are they trying to suggest something. Is this Lord Frost really that impressive.\' She hadn\'t the opportunity to meet Frost in person, but she\'d heard a lot about him through the grapevine.

A young elf prodigy, a hallmark for a future A-rank adventurer perhaps even the very peak. Skilled with the glaive, ice magic as well as chakra, a triple threat with a strong relationship with the Furano noble family.

Arriving in the their territory less than a year ago he proceeded to save Leo and Luna from the machinations of their Uncle. He then even joined them in taking him down, restoring Douglas as Viscount and healing his wounds.

The bonds of friendship were sealed that day and only grew when he along with a young glacial winged tiger cub as his battle mount fought on the frontlines during the monster stampede, killing countless C-rank and even B-rank monsters.

However due to an attempted assassination by Sedrick a calamity was nearly brought down upon their empire. This man\'s background was so vast that he could call upon the aid of an S-rank fighter, a level in which no one in their entire empire could match.

From then he established his own territory on the outskirts of the Furano Viscounty quickly becoming a capable lord with reliable subordinates and a significant draw to local adventurers.

All this alone was incredibly impressive but still, was it to the point that the Furanos may even forgo the Empire?

Avira\'s smile grew and grew as her interest in Frost rose.

"Hehehe he\'s also supposed to be rather handsome, perhaps he\'d make a decent suitor ahahahah."

"Princess you must not be fooled by his appearance and talent." Anya acted like a cat having her tail stepped on, her fear rather genuine in regards to this topic.

"Hoh so even you think he\'s rather good looking and skilled." Anya\'s response only exacerbated her desire.

"Princessssss."