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F rostspire welcomed me home with open arms. Instead of shame, they met me with fanfare. Just days after my arrival a celebration was thrown to honor my return. Quickly, I realized my mother had spun the story of my absence. I wasn’t the daughter who ran away. I was the daughter who lost her way. Part of me wanted to correct the narrative, but I understood why it was necessary. Our internal family issues didn’t need to be shared with the world. The royal family needed to look strong.

Especially with the growing threat from the trolls. During the days since I had returned home, my parents filled me in on everything. Trolls were making an impact, threatening both sides. My father clarified that I could never continue my relationship with Asante. Not if I wanted there to be peace between the sides. And we needed the treaty to work if we wanted to survive the onslaught the trolls were clearly planning.

“Are you sure about this?” my father asked. “Once we announce it, we cannot take it back.”

“I don’t want to be queen.” Once again, I declared my true desires. “I didn’t before, and nothing has changed. It’s not my intention to return and step back into a life I never wanted.”

“Are you sure?” My sister entered the room behind me. “This is your birthright as the Promise Born.”

I recognized that look on her face. She was poised to say the right thing, but the tightness around her full lips told the truth. My sister wanted me home, but she didn’t want me to take over. How hard has she worked to fill my place since I left? How difficult was it to do, mourning a sister while being thrust into that responsibility? Regardless, she’d handled it with grace, like a true queen. Like the queen she was meant to be.

“Leah, be honest with me.” I turned to my sister, because the conversation affected not only me. “You’ve always wanted this, right?”

My sister took a deep breath, collecting herself before responding. She glanced at our parent then back at me. “Yes.” The smile lifted the corner of her lips. “I’ve always wanted this but I was okay with it being you. I trusted you. And even after what you did, I still do. If you want to take your place, I will step aside and allow it. But if you’re asking me what I want, it is to rule.”

“And you look amazing in this role.” I walked over to her and grabbed her hands in mine, tears ready to fall from my eyes. My voice choked as I continued. “Far better than I ever did. Besides, you’re going to be married soon. Focus on that, focus on your plans. I’m here, but this is your destiny, not mine.”

“How do you two feel about this?” Leah turned to our parents. “Will you allow it?”

“Of course we will.” Our father answered, and we both shared a confused glance. “Besides, we need to appear stable to our people and outsiders, especially the trolls. A change in leadership now would make them think we are weak and might encourage them to expedite their plans against us.”

“And,” my mother nudged his side, urging him to drop the diplomacy for a moment.

“I’m sorry that this was ever something you felt you had to run from,” he continued. “We’ve talked and we realize we didn’t give you the space or the choice. This will not be easy to explain to the others, but your mother is brilliant at these things, so I’ve agreed to let her take the lead.”

“I know, and I’m sorry to have put you in this position.” I looked at my mother.

“We’re just happy you’re alright. For so long, I’ve said you were still alive, and they all looked at me like I was insane. But a mother knows, in my heart I felt you.” My mother hugged me. “I’m sorry we made your life so miserable.”

“My life wasn’t miserable. You gave me a beautiful life and I am grateful for the past, but the future you planned for me wasn’t what I wanted. I took the coward's way out and I will forever regret the pain I put you through. But I couldn’t think of another way to get away from the fate promised to me by birth.”

“It is not a path for everyone.” My father nodded. “You’re not even the first to want out. My father hated the prospect at first. You are, however, the first to run away.”

I dropped my head. Passive aggressive digs were a birthright for him.

“I’m sorry.” I said softly.

“No more apologies.” My mother clapped and wiped tears from her eyes. “It is time we moved forward and though you are choosing not to be queen, maybe there is something you can help us with.”

“Anything, of course.”

“I’m glad you’re so agreeable because I need you to make your sweets.”

“What do you mean?” That was the last thing I expected my mother to ask me. “You spent years telling me to get out of the kitchen and now you’re asking me to bake for you?”

“Not for me, specifically.” She scrunched her nose up. “We are still hoping to repair the relationship with Starfell. And you won them over in part because of your food and in other because you saved the prince. Your father wanted to keep this away from you, but we received word he is awake, and he confirmed you didn’t attack him. Now that’s a big relief and I’m happy his parents waited for his account before attacking. Still, the trust has been bent because of your actions.”

“I don’t understand. Those are typical deserts that anyone here can make.” I frowned. “Why does it have to be me when we have a full staff of chefs here who can make them the same? Besides, they’ll break down and taste horrible by the time you get them there.”

“This is the result of me downplaying your desires for all these years, isn’t it?” My mother hugged me, then sighed. “Kiala, you must know there’s something special about the things you make. They do not taste the same as others by far. Maybe that was a part of the reason I pushed for you to stop. There was a little jealousy on my side. As for transport, we have ways of delivering our goods, or have you forgotten? We’re ice dragons, we can keep them cool enough.”

“Jealousy?” My mind brushed right over the rest of her response. “Why would you ever be jealous of me?”

“Because my mother loved to bake. She tried to teach me, and while I picked up the technical side, I could never get them to be as good as hers. You did. If I’m honest, they taste better. They say it's based on the dragon making the food. Each one has a slightly different flavor because of the ice fused with the dessert. Your ice is sweet, and mine was always a bit too bitter for the process.”

“Wow, you never told me that before.” I stared at my mother in shock. “My ice is sweet?”

“It is. And I didn’t tell you because what mother wants to admit to being jealous of their own child? It was my shame. But my shame almost caused me to lose you forever. I won’t let that happen again.”

“I don’t know if I can go back there.”

“Not a problem,” she paused. “You’re not invited.”

“Oh,”

“It’s not personal. But the relationship between you and Asante was improper.” My father asserted. “We don’t want to appear as if we encourage that.”

“Right.” I nodded. “Of course, I understand. I’ll do it.”

Over the next week, I attended meetings with the leaders of Frostspire. This was my duty. Show my gratitude for their love and appreciation for how they welcomed my return. This was the one time I would be exactly the daughter my parents wanted me to be. Because it meant assuring our people I was not there to return to my duties as the next queen. As my mother put it, after my ordeal, I was in no position to lead, but I was grateful to be home.

Following my mother’s lead every step of the way, I had done just that. Everyone seemed happy I was back. No one questioned the decision for Leah to continue in my place. She’d already won them over in my absence.

The morning my parents were to go back to Starfell, I worked tirelessly crafting my best versions of the desserts. I was afforded a private kitchen to work in, one my mother had built the moment we got home. It wasn’t finished, but it was good enough to do what I wanted. While I waited for my dough to rise for the fluffer loafs I would make, I pictured what the kitchen would look like when it was done.

“Kiala.” My mother entered the kitchen.

“Mother.” I turned to greet her.

“You’re just as you were when you were a child, you know?” She smiled and glanced at the trays of desserts I’d already finished.

“In what way?”

“You pout when you can’t have your way.” She pointed at my bottom lip. “That lip was sticking out to the moons. It has been since you returned. I thought it was because you were worried about the decision your father and I would make. We’re not forcing you to be our next queen, and yet still you’re not happy. Do you not want to be home with us?”

“I’m fine with being back home.”

“Fine, but not happy.” She sighed. “Perhaps that is because your happiness doesn’t live here?”

“Mother,”

“I see it. You are my child, and I know you better than anyone else in the world. That brave face is just a mask. Your heart is broken, Kiala.”

“Is it?” I chuckled. “Mother, I’m fine.”

“Do you love Prince Asante?” She shocked me with her question.

Stunned, I just looked at her.

“I-,”

“Answer me honestly. There is no judgment here.” She reassured me. “This is a safe space, I promise.”

“I care for him.” I admitted. “But I wouldn’t go as far as calling it love. We didn’t get that far.”

“You care for him, so much that you shifted for the first time in years and risked your own life to save him.” She tapped the tabletop with her fingernail. “That sounds like a lot more than simply caring for someone. What do you want to happen?”

“It’s not something I’ve considered.” My eyes swelled with tears, but I blinked them away. “It doesn't matter. He has already made his choice. Asante hates me for lying to him, and I can’t blame him for feeling that way.”

“What if that’s not the way he feels? These things can be complicated.”

“It almost sounds like you’re encouraging something here.”

“I would never.” She picked up a pastry and bit it slowly. “Better than my mother’s.”

“Thank you.”

“Listen to your heart. You’re not bound to stay here forever. Just don’t run away without telling me where you are.” She kissed my cheek and left me alone in the kitchen.

“Is this a trap?” I raised a brow at her.

“A trap?” she placed her hand on her chest. “How could you ever think I would trap you?”

“Why are you suddenly so open to me coming and going as I please?”

“Kiala, I mourned you. For years. Though I knew in my heart you were still out there, I feared I would never see you again. Now, I can’t speak for your father, never could. And you heard him. He doesn’t agree with what you did, even though you say the relationship wasn’t real. But I will not fight you on the choices you make for your life.”

“Will you help me convince him to do the same?” I asked hopefully. I wasn’t planning on running back to Asante, but I wouldn’t rule out the possibility of going off to start a new life. It would be nice to do so without living in hiding.

“No child,” she pulled me into a tight hug. “You’re on your own with that one.”

A while later, the treats were done and packed in the airtight coolers to insure they would last the ride. I watched as my family flew off, part of me wishing I was going with them. But I understood why I could not. When they were out of view, I did the one thing I could think of to calm my mind. I headed to my kitchen. For hours I worked, baking my delights and when I was done, I stood in front of a large batch of the pastries that were Asante’s favorite.

I had intentionally left them out of the order I prepared at my mother’s request. What would it say to him if I send his favorites? Would he think I couldn’t get over him? Would he interpret it as some message to him? After passing out most of the goods to the aides who worked in the halls of our palace, I headed over to the courtyard. Underneath a blossoming fruit tree, I sat and watched the bird dance as I nibbled on the treats I’d kept for myself. The ones he loved so much. One question echoed in my mind. Asante was awake, but was he okay? I found a seat underneath a full tree and leaned my head against its massive trunk.

It wasn’t long before I drifted to sleep with thoughts of Asante as my lullaby. The sound of thunderous wings, the wings of a dragon overhead, woke me. My skin felt hot from the sun, but luckily the shade of the tree I sat beneath had kept my skin from burning.

The fog left my mind just as the dragon landed across the courtyard, knocking leaves from the trees as it did. I squinted against the sunlight as I watched hit carefully. Did I recognize this dragon? Had my daydreaming convinced my brain that he had actually come to my home?

The dragon shifted, returning to true form, and when the dust settled, Asante stood in pants and an open top that showed his chest.

“Asante?” I stood and squinted. When I was sure it was him and not my imagination, I ran to him, slowing to a stop just a few feet away from him. “What are you doing here?”

“You didn’t send the jelly ones.” He looked at the small plate that sat on the ground where I was. Small bugs covered the plate and the remaining treats he loved so much.

“I didn’t.” I shook my head.

“Why did you leave?” He took his eyes from the plate to look at me again.

“You told me to.” I frowned. “Did you lose your memory when you fell?”

“My memory is fine. But since when do you listen to me?” He fussed.

“You were out of it. I planned to stay until you woke up, but Domin accused me of attacking you. It wasn’t safe for me to stay.”

“I heard.” He looked disappointed.

“But you question why I didn’t stay? I heard you cleared my name. Thank you.”

“Of course I did. They shouldn’t have blamed you at all. Who knows what would have happened to me if you hadn’t been there? And you were right. Trolls attacked me. I saw them just before they struck. I didn’t have enough time to adjust my path before I was hit.”

“I can’t believe they got that far into the territory.”

“None of us can,” he sighed. “We’re still trying to figure out how that happened. It looks like it might be an inside job. I have someone looking into it. Someone I know I can trust. The problem right now is that we don’t know how they got in or out without detection.”

“I’m sure Domin will figure it out.”

“Domin, sure.” He hesitated. “Either way, I won’t give up until I know the truth.”

“Why are you here?” Not that I wasn’t interested in what he had to say, but to me, there was something far more pressing.

He chuckled and dropped his shoulders. “That was an abrupt shift in topic.”

“Asante, I’m sorry, Prince Asante. I can’t stand here and pretend like it's not a big deal for you to be here right now. You said you never wanted to see me again.”

“I told you. You didn’t send my favorite. Those little jelly filled treats with the sugar dusting.” He pointed to the plate. “You won’t give them to me, but you will give them to the bugs?”

“You came all the way here for that?” I laughed. “Do you really expect me to believe that?”

“I took you from your home and forced you to live with me for those sweets. Do you think I won’t take a flight to see you for them?”

“Right. There isn’t anymore. I hate to tell you this, but you came here for nothing.”

“And-,” he continued. “You. I came here for you.”

“Okay, so you did hurt your head when you fell.” I laughed. “Asante-,”

“Kiala. Do you love me?” He asked me.

“I-,” suddenly I felt overheated and like I would choke on the air.

“Do you want to be with me?”

“Asante- this isn’t-,” I didn’t have an answer.

“Don’t tell me what’s proper or what's acceptable. I’m asking you a question about what you want. That’s why you ran away, right? Tired of not getting what you want. So, tell me.” He stepped closer to me, and I looked up into his eyes. “What do you want?”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Do I have to have an answer to that now?”

“Yes, because you know the answer, you just won’t let yourself say it.” He grabbed my hand pulling it to his chest. “Say it, Kiala.”

“This isn’t right.”

“Says who?”

“Um,”

“Kiala,”

“I want you to be with you, Asante.”

“Good,” he pulled me to him and kissed me. When our lips met, the birds sang, the wind picked up, and my heart raced. This was going to be trouble.

“Is this really good?” I asked when our lips parted. “They won’t let us be together, you know that.”

“They won’t have a choice.” He grinned. “We’re taking control of our futures.”