Who knew that being a prince would be so hard?
Fifty-four months (4.5 years) of learning proper etiquette, how to control and use my magic in new and creative ways, physical and mental exercises, studies on history, politics, and magical theory. I had to learn and remember all of them and more!
Crystal, (one of the two names her majesty insisted on me calling her) taught most of these lessons, while other, more specialized windigoes taught the others. And yes, I was also surprised at how intelligent these creatures actually were.
Now, I'm sure many out there are wondering how the queen could take so much time out of her way to teach me. There are two parts to this answer.
The first is location. I learned that the Windigo Kingdom consists of a barren, frozen wasteland at the northern most point on the opposite side of the planet from the human country. Below us and beyond leagues of more frozen land lies the Crystal empire, followed by a country called Equestria, and so forth. Thus, we do not get any visitors, unless they're lost.
The second reason is that the majority of the windigoes have no reason to bother the queen with anything, so it would probably get boring for her. The only windigoes that do speak with the queen, and interestingly enough have names, are 'people' of importance, such as advisors, military commanders, and nobles; but there are very few of each.
At the end of the third year, I recieved a suit of armor as a present from the queen.
(It's the same one on the cover, but if you're too lazy to go back and look...)
http://www.fimfiction-static.net/images/story_images/226654.jpg?1416023481
The armor came with a large sword that could be wielded with either one or two hands, and an armor maintenance manual. Crystal told me that since none of the windigoes had ever needed to wear armor, I would have to learn for myself how to care for it. Actually, now that I think about it, I never asked where it came from.
There were also my physical changes. Over time, I became more and more resistant to the cold winds of the north, and my eyesight improved from time in the dark months. I became stronger, faster, and more agile.
But there was a major effect that weighed in on the negative side of the scale. With the rare exception of the queen, there was no happiness. The most I ever got was a satisfied or impressed nod whenever I did something right.
Now, that wasn't to say that Crystal didn't care for me, she just didn't show much emotion. And this started to have an effect on me.
I began to smile less and my sense of humor grew smaller. I wasn't becoming pessamistic or anything, it's just that I seemed to lose the ability to physically show any kind of positive emotion. Anger, sadness, confusion, all of those I could twist my face up to match, but I didn't laugh, could not smile, and never did I blush. My voice remained monotone, all feeling seemed to drain out of it.
To anyone who didn't know me, I guess it would seem like I had an icy heart.
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POV; Present Day
I believe I've kept her majesty waiting long enough.
I turn and walk across my room and out the door into the hallway. I pause for a moment, then continue down the left corridor towards the throne room.
It has been eight years since my first encounter with the windigo queen in the human country, my age now being twenty-one.
I approach the doors to the throne room and the guards give a silent salute.
I return the gesture and move past them, pushing open the doors.
Before me sits Queen Crystal on her throne, and to the side, stands the Frost family.
A scowl creeps onto my face. I know exactly what this is about.
The Frosts are one of those few noble families I mentioned earlier. Lord Frost is a very no-nonsense type of windigo, and his wife is pretty much the same way.
However, and once I bring this up you'll know exactly where this is headed, there is a third member of the family.
Perma Frost is a windigo, just a couple years shy of my own age. She, like every other windigo with a physical form, isn't ugly, in fact far from it, but her personality leaves something to be desired.
In laymans terms, she's a greedy, self-obsessed bitch!
(Now pause for a moment and think of somepony else who could fit this description.)*
I approach the group and cough lightly.
Crystal looks up in surprise, then smiles. "Ah, Jonathan! We were just talking about you."
"So I imagine," I mutter.
"Prince IceHeart, a pleasure as always." Lord Frost bows to me.
I turn and give my best 'smile'. "Greetings Lord Frost. Lady Frost, as beautiful as always."
She does a small curtsy.
"And Ms. Perma." I nod to her.
The youngest Frost puts on all the charm and does an exaggerated curtsy. "Your majesty."
Now that introductions are out of the way, Crystal takes over the conversation.
She looks at me. "Now my son, I am sorry to badger you on this subject, but I must know if you have an answer."
I frown slightly. To be truthful, I have been putting off my decision for a while now, mostly a ploy to keep this very subject off of the table for very long.
"And we would like a final answer now, if you would be so kind." Lord Frost says.
I glance up at Crystal, who appears to be trying to stare into my soul. I don't think I can withhold an answer for any longer.
I let out a breath, the vapor swirling into the air. "I am very sorry, Lord Frost, but I can not accept your daughter's hoof in marriage."
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Crystal stiffen.
There is a moment of silence, which is broken a few moments later by a sound. It starts out soft, barely audible, but continues to grow until it echoes around the room.
Soon, everyone but me has joined in, the laughter bouncing off the walls. I glance around and see that the noise is attracting others, who peer into the throne room, curious.
Lord Frost is the first to regain control of himself. "Why, your majesty, I had no idea you had such a sense of humor!"
I merely stare at him, one hundred percent serious.
Lady Frost wipes the tears from her eyes. "Yes, yes. Now then, please give us your real answer."
"You have already heard it." I say, raising an eyebrow. "And personally, I can't possibly imagine why it would be so funny."
Lord Frost furrows his brow. "So are you saying-"
"That's right. I do not, nor will ever, wish to marry your daughter."
Their reactions are priceless, and I would've smiled had I been capable of it at the time.
Looks of fearful disbelief and shock adorn the faces of Lord and Lady Frost, while their daughter looks as though she has been slapped, which, to be frank, is something I would very much like to do.
"B-but this....!" Lord Frost stutters. He looks at his wife for help, but she merely shakes her head, at a loss for words.
I do not look at Crystal, but instead I turn and begin to make my way towards the exit.
I am at the doors when a voice cries out.
"Why!?"
The word rings out loud and clear. I perform a half-turn and am surprised to see Perma, standing in front of her parents, her eyes meeting mine.
"Why, no, how dare you reject me! You should be honored that, despite our true feelings, we accepted your mother's proposal for an arranged marriage between our two noble families! We did not put on this masquerade for so long, just so I could be rejected! No, you should be ashamed! You will regret not marrying me!"
The moment Perma finishes her tirade, a deathly silence envelopes the room. Everyone is watching me, watching to see how I will react.
And I will not disappoint.
"Regret?" I say quietly. "As a matter of fact, there is something that I already regret."
I whirl around towards Perma and throw out my arm, pointing directly at her. "I regret not turning down this proposal sooner!"
Perma gasps and starts to respond, but I do not give her the chance.
"You are an arrogant, selfish bitch! That is the main reason that I rejected you! Sure, I have nothing against your parents, but you aren't worthy to even be standing here. And if I may remind you, you are merely a noble, meaning that as crown prince, I outrank you, so really, you should be honored that my mother even considered you for the position of princess!"
Suddenly, there is a whirl of snow and I am standing directly in front of Perma and her family.
I crouch so that I am face to face with the windigo. "You should be ashamed by your behavior, because now everyone has seen just how 'respectable' you really are."
Perma doesn't seem to understand, so I nod my head to the side.
Perma's eyes widen when she sees all the windigos that are watching.
I stand back up. "Though, in all your whining, you did mention something that interested me."
I turn and face Crystal, who has apparently been sitting as still as stone this entire time.
"I must admit, I did believe that the Frosts had constructed this whole scheme, but apparently I was mistaken."
Crystal smiles, but her smile is cold. "With so few eligible young ones, it is common for a marriage to be arranged between the parents."
"Perhaps if you had discussed this with me," I say, "I would've conceded and married miss Perma here. However, since I was given no reason nor any word in the matter, I naturally rejected the idea."
Crystal abruptly stands. "You have no say in matters such as these!"
"I WILL WHEN I'M KING AND YOU'VE RETURNED TO THE SKY!" I shout at her, my face wearing an emotion of fury.
There is a gasp from all present, and I don't blame them. I've basically told the queen to hurry up and die, and in the Voice of Storms none the less. (The Voice of Storms is the Windigo version of the Royal Canterlot Voice.)
I can see the hate and anger spilling out onto Crystal's face, and I realize then that this is the first time I've ever actually seen Crystal angry.
Crystal opens her mouth, and with a voice that makes the great hall tremble, speaks the words that change my life.
"Jonathan IceHeart, Using my power as queen, I hereby banish you from the lands and sky that form the Windigo Kingdom, for as long as I live!"
All color drains from my face as the room explodes into chaos. Windigoes are everywhere, some panicking, others merely floating or sitting in one place, stunned.
Crystal just now seems to realize what she's done, as her face also pales. She tries to mouth an apology, but I turn and stride out of the hall, leaving the sobbing of a heart-broken queen behind me.
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I return to my room, where the first thing I do is strip myself of my normal clothes and pull on my armor. After that, I grab a backpack and fill it with objects that might prove helpful.
In the middle of packing, my door opens. I turn, expecting Crystal, but instead, I see Blizzard enter with a large bag.
The Windigo walks over and places the bag on my desk. "I heard about what happened, so I figured I should provide you with food."
I nod and begin pulling packages out of the bag.
"Sire?"
"Yes?"
I...I would like you to know, that if I could, I would go with you."
I look over my shoulder at Blizzard, who is trying his best to continue looking dignified. "If I could, I would take you with me."
I finish my packing and move to my door, before turning back and looking over my room. It seems strange and empty, but maybe because it's not mine anymore.
With Blizzard at my side, I make my way through the winding hallways of the castle to the front gate. On the way, I pass many windigoes, many of which bow in passing, or salute me.
I stop just before the gates, for before me, stands Crystal. I can see the tear stains on her fur, so I know she's in pain.
I begin walking forward again. I pass Crystal, but I don't look at her. She doesn't say anything, she can't. The law forbids members of royalty from speaking with any who have been banished.
I pass through the gates alone, and stop, staring at the icy wilderness that stretches out before me. I have never been outside the castle in this part of the world, so I have no idea what to expect, but I'm confident that I can survive. Surviving the cold, after all, was a part of my training.
I hear the heavy, cold iron gates shut behind me, and I begin walking out into the unknown.
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Crystal Empire; Six months later.
'W-where am I?'
'W-what is happening?'
'Everything is blurry. I can't feel my legs. Do I even have them anymore? I don't know.'
'I hear someone. Are they screaming, I don't know, and I don't understand.'
'My body feels heavy. Is this what it feels like when.....when you die?'
