The Ice Queen "The journey awaits" - Ch. 28 (Patreon)

Neytiri

There’s a lilt in my step as I descend the steps this morning. I am beyond excited. I am finally getting to see the world I have done so much research on. The country in all its turmoil is still fascinating to say the least. The history of it is brutal and yet filled with obstacles that created the nation. It’s interesting to see what humans have accomplished in the time the ancients have been away.

My smile widens when Caius appears at the bottom of the steps, a smile on his lips as he takes in my good mood.

“I’m guessing you’re more excited than Cassian to see the mainland,” he says walking next to me.

I nod.

“I’ve only ever learned about it in books and on the internet. I can’t imagine what it is like in actuality.”

Caius laughs humorlessly.

“Don’t get your hopes too high. The books and internet paint a pretty picture.”

I frown slightly at his words. Everyone here seems to hate the mainland and the people on it. I can only assume because they have dealt with them much more than I have and for much longer. I guess in hindsight, Caius does have a point. The humans have already attacked and I’ve only been away for a few months. I shake my head pushing the thoughts from my mind.

It doesn’t matter. If the humans decide to attack again, I will be ready. I think part of Cassian allowing me to tag along is that the last time he left me alone, the humans attacked my location. It would be best if they attacked on the mainland, and not in the vicinity of either of our people. The entire island could then be at stake.

“Are you coming with us?” I ask Caius as we round the corner.

He shakes his head.

“I’ll be here protecting the village should anyone try and attack while you’re gone. I have experience against them as well so it’s best if I remain here.”

I watch Caius as I speak.

“Will you be alright by yourself?” I ask.

Caius laughs, making a face.

“I won’t be alone. We have a few Dragonborn and Terran’s that have volunteered to help, and we have our own island military. We’ll all be just fine.”

I nod, smiling softly. It’s nice to hear the dragonborn are working alongside the Ikniri to protect the island.

“So there are a few other ancients living here?” I ask.

Caius nods.

“We made pacts with each of the ancient’s years ago. These islands are all sanctuaries for our kind. One of the islands Cassian bought was for the Mirena to safely inhabit beneath with no fear of being hunted or having their food depleted.”

I smile at that. Cassian may like to deny it for the sake of owning up to his sins, but he has managed to heal the wounds of our kind over the years. Caius takes in my smile, continuing.

“Maybe we can take you to see them upon your return. I heard everything’s been promising with the dragonborn. We’ve even had a few visitors from their side of the island.”

Hope blooms in my chest from that revelation, and Caius’s smile widens.

“Yes, you’ve made a difference. You’ve helped heal two people.”

Before I can respond, Cassian enters the room. He’s dressed in modern clothing, his expression stoic as his gaze shifts to Caius. It’s been so long since I saw this business side of him, it takes me a moment to recognize that this is the same Cassian I have grown with over the months. We’ve really come a long way since I first awakened.

Cassian eyes Caius intensely as he steps past him to greet me. His hands gently cup my face as he pulls me in, placing a searing kiss on my lips. My head is swimming as my thoughts become a mess. When he finally pulls away, my skin is slightly warmer and I’m out of breath as his dark gaze lingers on my lips.

“Good morning my queen. How are you feeling?”

“Fine,” I whisper earning a smile from my husband.

He gently brushes my cheek with his finger.

“We are ready to depart.”

He doesn’t give me an opportunity to respond as he turns away from me, expecting me to follow. I glance at Caius and he’s watching me with an amused grin.

“I’ll see you when you get back. Enjoy the mainland.”

He bows, but I ignore his formality, pulling him in for a hug.

“I’ll miss you while I’m gone. Try not to be too buried in work.”

~

The ride to the airstrip is silent. Cassian has to go to the mainland for business. He is announcing a new direction for his company and doing what the modern world calls a press tour. It’s strange seeing him interact with the modern world as if he is part of it, and not above it. He’s a king in our eyes, but in the eyes of mortals, he is just another man. Part of me is sure he’s bringing me with him so that no one will attack while he’s gone. He knows more than he’s telling me, but for the sake of our relationship and our people, I won’t press him for answers.

Luckily, the weapons have no effect on Cassian. They were designed specifically for me. And since Cassian’s body is different than mine, the effects remain different. Still, I would hate the day they got their hands on him. We would all be in danger at that point.

We arrive at the airstrip and I immediately see faces I recognize, Ulric being one of them. But as we exit the car, I take note that there are Ikniri lined up at the fence, waving. I look at Cassian who is watching them as well. His gaze shifts to mine and he smiles.

“Your people have come to see you off.”

I look down at our hands, gently placing mine in his. His palm is warm as usual, but the heat of his touch no longer bothers me. It comforts me.

“Us,” I say softly meeting his gaze, “They’ve come to see us.”

Cassian holds my gaze as I pull him toward the fence. I let go of his hand as I approach, smiling at the Ikniri. They don’t seem frightened of Cassian’s presence. They are excited as he stands behind me. The Ikniri bow as we approach, only standing when I speak in my native tongue.

“What brings all of you here?”

An elder Ikniri steps forward, her wrinkles soft as she studies me with a gentle smile.

“We’ve come to see you off to the mainland, Chieftess.”

I smile, clasping my hands in front of me.

“Thank you. I must admit I am a little nervous. I hear things are very different from my time.”

My words earn a soft chuckle from the crowd, and the elder pulls out a hand woven bag, handing it to me.

“To keep you safe on your trip. Both of you. Everyone in the village helped to make this. We infused it with what little power we have. May it guide you through the world of humans and keep you safe.”

Her expression is serious as she looks at Cassian.

“Both of you.”

I smile, taking the offering just as Ulric approaches.

“It’s time.”

Cassian gently places his hand along my lower back, and I wave goodbye to my people as I make my way to the jet. As I step onto the plane, I notice Caius standing near the steps. He has a gentle smile on his lips, placing his hand over his heart in a salute.

“Take care of them,” I say.

Caius nods.

“I will Your Majesty. Enjoy the mainland.”

I inhale a deep breath, turning away from him to step onto the plane. The last time I was on it, we were headed to an island in the middle of nowhere against my will. Things have changed so much since then. Even now we are heading straight into the world of the people trying to kill me. Nevertheless, I’m still excited. Reading about this world and seeing it is something different.

Cassian is already seated, taking a sip of his drink as I take my seat across from him. As the engines purr from the machine coming alive, Noam and Ulric step into the jet, passing us. Noam was one of the men I recall from Cassian’s camp as a child. He along with a few others didn’t follow Caius. Their loyalty is unwavering when it comes to Cassian.

I eye Cassian as I speak.

“You can bring who you like but I can’t?” I ask.

Cassian doesn’t miss a beat.

“I don’t trust any of the men you would want to bring. Especially Caius. And If I don’t trust them, then no; they are not coming.”

I frown at that.

“You know Caius would do whatever it took to protect both of us,” I say in irritation.

“Caius has already failed once in protecting you. I won’t allow him another chance to fail.”

I sit back, crossing my arms over my chest.

“Are you sure that’s the reason? Are you sure it has nothing to do with-”

“Yes. I am sure.”

Cassian holds my gaze intensely, his silent threat lingering in the air. After a moment his gaze shifts to the bag in my hand.

“What gift was bestowed upon us?” he asks.

I bite the inside of my cheek, in an attempt to reign in my irritation before placing the bag on the table between us. I slowly open it, pulling out the objects. It looks to be a necklace with a small jeweled pendant. I recognize the jewel as the crystal from the caves my family was buried in. I smile softly as I pull out a bracelet for Cassian that also has the jewel woven into it.

Cassian silently grabs the necklace, motioning for me to turn around, and I do. I feel the heat of his skin as he fastens the necklace for me, pushing my hair over my shoulder as he does so. From the moment he places it against my skin, I can feel the strength of it coursing through me. I turn to face Cassian who continues to watch me with a soft expression.

“It’s beautiful. Very fitting for a queen.”

I place my fingers over it, eyeing the bracelet.

“Your turn,” I say grabbing it.

Cassian holds his arm out to me, allowing me to fasten it around his wrist. I eye the crystal against his skin.

“Does it hurt?” I ask.

Cassian shakes his head.

“No.”

He studies the bracelet, smiling as he does so before leaning back to look out the window.

“When we arrive on the mainland, it will be snowing. I know the cold doesn’t bother you, but you cannot dress how you do on the island. It’s too cold for humans to dress that way. I know it will be uncomfortable to have so many layers on, but it’s necessary to blend in.”

I slowly nod just as Cassian leans forward, placing his fingers in my hair.

“You will also have to tone down your power. You cannot walk the streets of the human world with your hair like this. Humans can’t do that, nor have they ever seen someone who can,” he says referring to my mistified hair with an amused grin.

I roll my eyes.

“Anything else?” I ask.

He nods, placing what I’ve come to learn as glasses on the table between us. They’re dark glasses, that shield outsiders from seeing my eyes. I’ve seen Cassian wear them on multiple occasions. Especially on the covers of articles.

“When we are in public, these need to be on your face.”

I reach for them in confusion.

“And these are…”

I look through them, tensing as the world immediately darkens earning a chuckle from Cassian.

“They’re sunglasses. Most humans that share your physical features do not have eyes your color. The same can be said for me. I wear sunglasses to prevent any unnecessary attention.”

Disappointment blooms in my chest from all of the hiding. I knew it would require some hiding, but this isn’t what I was expecting at all. This feels extreme. Cassian senses my hesitation placing his hand over mine.

“I know this is frustrating. The human world can be very appalling when it comes to the way we carry ourselves. Always Remember, Neytiri. No matter how you look in their eyes, you are Queen. You are above. And never are you subject to their judgment.”

I nod, but his words do little to curb my uneasiness. I spent my entire life hiding because of what I am. And now that I have awakened in this place, it seems the hiding has gotten worse. The longer I think about it, the heavier the weight on my chest feels. But without Cassian’s consent, I will not bring up the option of war. For now, I will play along with the human world and hope they do not push me into a corner. If that moment comes, I don’t know how much more of their rules I will be able to take.

~

CIA HEADQUARTERS

We all stare at the large overhead screen in awe as Cassian Varus steps off his private jet. A woman steps off after him, wearing sunglasses. She has stark white hair and tattoos that match the color of her hair that soon disappear as she pulls on a coat. It’s the woman from the photos. The one who somehow single-handedly took out our tactical teams, leaving nothing but the memory of their screams before their vitals shut down instantly.

She’s dangerous and a threat to everyone’s safety and yet Cassian Varus lets her walk freely without restraint on our land.

“Mr. Varus has a press conference in a few days. There will be cameras, security, press, and important figures in society in attendance.”

The Director points to the woman on the screen.

“This... creature is a threat to us. It’s a threat to humanity and the country we live in. And Mr. Varus has now brought her here. On our soil. To our land, where she can repeat what she did to our people to the people of this country.”

He looks back at the screen.

“I will not let that happen. She belongs in a lab, under security. Come the day of the press conference, we will attack. Some of you may die, but that is the price we must pay to keep ourselves safe. We will show the world that there is a new kind of threat out there. A threat that Mr. Varus is cultivating and keeping on that godforsaken island. We will let the world see her true nature, and when they do, we will have the entire United States military, and our allies behind us to storm that island and neutralize whatever threat he has hidden there.”

Cheers erupt as we watch the pair get into a car on the live feed.

“This woman is the key to the future. And we will be the ones to unlock it.”