White Ice

The year was nineteen twelve, and many changes were happening to the people of Monarch. Monarch is a town made of ice, but beneath it a roaring hot spring arises. A wall surrounds the town. Although its appearance is pitiful, this wall has guarded Monarch for many centuries. Robust statues stand on the barrier, each one a football field length away from the rest. Each one held a weapon, whether is be a sword or bow and arrow. One does not think it's scary to see a person holding a weapon, yet seeing a one hundred foot statue with a sword, even though it is frozen, would make even the toughest warrior feel as if he were but a mere school girl.
Aside from being scary, the guardians are beautiful. Once inside you would feel as if you were dreaming. Everything in sight is made of radiant ice crystals. All the houses are cherry and clean. The street lamps are round and sparkly. The streets look like they had a new sheet of snow, but alas, they did not. Almost anyone would walk into the Kingdom of Monarch with their heaviest Winter clothes on. Ironic you did not need them. Monarch is not cold or hot. It has the perfect temperature all year round. They do not experience the season changes. It's like Spring all year round, this is if they knew what Spring was.
Inside the Castle two princesses sit. Both have silver hair and blue eyes. Their names are Yua and Eria. Yua and Eria are the Draka Cousins. Even though they look almost exactly alike, Yua is actually one year older than Eria. The only thing that would give the age difference away is their height. Yua is six inches taller then Eria. She picks on Eria for being short.
The cousins sit in their thrones side by side in the main hall. A luscious white curtain hangs from the ceiling and falls on each side of the thrones. The thrones have the first letter of the princess's name on the back. When they stand up crystals shine on the 'y' and 'e'. A beautiful crystal chandelier hangs in the middle of the room. Two stairways circled the thrones, and two doves sit on the end of the handrails. White rose petals are scattered delicately on each step.
White flameless candles sit in the crystal holders on the walls. The girls sit and look at everything that surrounds them, while they wait for their crowns. Both Yua and Eria are supposed to gain their crown on their eighteenth birthday, but due to Eria being a year younger she gets her's early.
The ballroom flourished with people. The men dressed in black or white suits, and the women in long, elegant dresses. The beautiful red, blue, green, and purple dresses looked like flowers being scattered all over the room. Each color complimented the next.
Every voice hushed as each princess stood at the top of the stairs. The lights dimmed, and the girls made their entrance.
Both Eria and Yua wore long, deep red dresses. Yua's had sleeves, Eria's did not. Yua had her hair pulled back into a long, straight ponytail. Eria had straight bangs, and a medium length curly ponytail.
The girls do not always look alike. They flaunt their differences.
Eria's eyes wandered around the room. She expected her prince charming to step forward like in the movies, but he didn't.
The cousins sat down and waited for the long, tiring speech to be over. Their uncle always talked way longer than he should.

Eria: Yua.

Yua: What?

Eria: Where are Hiei and Koji?

Yua: I don't think they could make it. Besides it's a formal ball, they never would have gotten in.

Eria giggled and listened to the end of their uncle's speech.
They both stood and accepted their crowns.
Yua smiled, but Eria did not. Even on one of the most important days of her life, she could not be happy without her friends. Yua saw her sadness and tried to comfort her.

Yua: Don't worry. I'm sure they have a good reason for not being here.

Although this was not what was bothering her, Eria went along with it.

Eria: They better. This was a really important day. We needed our best friends here for our spotlight dance.

Yua: Even if they were here I wouldn't dance.

Eria: Why?

Yua paused for a second and really noticed all the people in the room.

Yua: I do not like big crowds of people. Imagine all the eyes staring at you, just waiting for you to mess up.

Eria took her hands.

Eria: You wouldn't mess up. Besides Hiei would smile and chuckle and you would forget all about it.

The room grew noisy as everyone started eating, dancing, and talking about the ceremony. Yua and Eria decided to slip away, even if it were just for a few minutes.
Eria went in her and called Koji.

Yua: Any answer?

Eria: No, they must be really busy.

Yua: Why do you want to talk to Koji so badly?

Eria: He is my best friend.

Yua: Yeah, and Hiei is mine. But you don't see me waiting by the phone! They need their space. I guess you would call it.... guy time.

Eria: Or gay time.

Yua laughed and hung the phone up that has been sitting on the bed throughout the whole conversation.

Eria: I really wish he would call.

Just then the phone rang. Eria's heart stopped and she froze. Yua motioned for her to answer but figured out it was easier for her to answer, instead of waiting for Eria to snap back into reality.

Yua: Hello.

Hiei: Yua! You and Eria need to come to the hospital! Koji's been in an accident!

Eria heard him and quickly ran out of the room.

Yua: We will be right there!

Yua hung up the phone and followed Eria downstairs. They snuck out the back so they would not create a scene during the party.
They got into Yua's bright red corvette and sped off to the hospital.
It took them forever to find a parking spot, but they finally found one. Sadly it's the farthest parking spot from the hospital door. Eria got out of the corvette and started running through the parking lot. Yua followed close behind her.
Hiei met them at the door.

Eria: Hiei what happened?!

Hiei: Koji was climbing the rock wall and it fell.

Yua: That's not possible. It's ice, frozen to the ground.

Hiei: You're not going to believe me, but I think the Kingdom might be melting.

Yua: This Kingdom has been around for hundreds of years. Why would it be melting now?

Hiei: You tell me. You live in the Castle.

Eria walked inside and into Koji's room.

Eria: Koji?

Koji: Eria! I'd hoped you'd be here.

Eria: Of course I am here. How could I stay away knowing you are hurt?

Koji looked out the window.

Koji: It can't be that hard. My brother is not even here.

She gave him a sly smile.

Eria: Did you really expect him to come?

Koji didn't answer.
He looked at the white walls with little red flowers painted here and there. The light fixture was dim and the white curtain swayed in the breeze.

Koji: Yeah, I actually kind of did.

Eria looked at him in amazement. How could he want to see Jayden when they are mortal enemies?

Koji: I'm dying.

Eria: No you're not.

Koji: Yes I am. We all are. I don't know how or why, but the Kingdom is melting.

Hiei and Yua walked in and sat in the chairs by Koji's bed. Eria told Yua she had to go talk to their uncle.
Eria slammed open the front doors and marched up to her uncle.

Eria: Uncle Draka!

Mr. Draka: What is it Eria?

Eria: Uncle, the great Monarch wall has been here for many centuries right?

Mr. Draka: That is correct.

Eria: Then... why has the Kingdom only been here for hundreds of years?

Mr. Draka: Ah. I knew this time would come.

Eria: What are you talking about?

Mr. Draka: Monarch used to be a simple town. All the people knew each other and were friends. There were no problems, everyone was safe and happy. Then one day the Fire Kingdom attacked the small town. Instead of risking it happening again, they built the wall. After a couple centuries of peace they built the Kingdom.

Eria: Monarch used to be a small town of peasants?

Mr. Draka nodded. Eria was in disbelief.

Eria: Uncle Draka... is there any way Monarch could melt?

Mr. Draka: Well, it is ice. But the only thing that has ever melted Monarch was the fire demons, and they have been gone for quite some time.

Eria: Is there any way they could return?

Mr. Draka: Eria, why all these questions all of a sudden?

Eria: I think someone deleterious is in Monarch.

Mr. Draka: Why do you think that?

Eria knew her uncle already hates Koji and Hiei, he would be aggravated if if he knew they thought the same way.

Eria: Am I not allowed to be curious?

Mr. Draka: Curiosity put out the fire.

Eria was getting annoyed. Mr. Draka was not giving her straight answers.

Mr. Draka: Don't you have homework?

Eria glared at him and huffed off to her room.

Eria: I wonder what Koji is doing.

She called the hospital but instead of Koji, a high pitched sneery voice answered. She didn't want to ask for Koji, but she did. He was asleep. Eria thanked the nurse and hung up the phone.
She felt very alone. Koji is asleep, Yua is still at the hospital, and her uncle is not one you would want to be around for very long.
Eria took a hot shower and sat on her bed, picking out some pajamas. She put on some long, red satin pants and a satin tank top pajama shirt.
Eria lay on her king size bed and read one of her "Dark Knight" books.
Her eyes grew droopy. She had tried to wait for Yua to get home, but was not succeeding.
She eventually fell asleep, and her book was still laying on her bed.
Eria woke up the next morning to the smell of pancakes. She made her bed, got dressed in a very pretty red dress, and went downstairs. Yua was sitting at the table already. She was eating two pancakes and a fresh peach.

Yua: Morning.

Eria: Where were you all night?

Yua: Do you really have to ask? I was with Hiei!

Eria: What time did you get home?

Yua: I think it was a little bit after midnight.

Eria's eyes widened and she almost choked on her peach.

Eria: Does uncle know?

Yua: I'm still alive! What do you think?!

Eria: Yua you have to stop doing that!

Yua: It happened once...

Eria: Are you going to turn into some kind of a rebel now? Do uncle's rules not even matter anymore?

Yua: Look... will you stop freaking out for one minute so I can tell you what we figured out?

Eria glared at her.

Eria: Fine. What did you figure out?

Yua: Think about how thick the rock wall was. The only way it could have broke is if it was thin right? Ice thins by melting. Now, the main question is what is causing everything to melt? The heat is the same. It's not hot nor cold. So, Hiei and I went to the library to find out a little bit more about this land... and it's all hot springs.

Eria gave her a funny look.

Eria: Hot springs? Wouldn't everything have melted a long time ago?

Yua: That's the thing. The Kingdom shouldn't have lasted a day on this land. How did it?

Eria: None of this makes sense!

Yua finished her breakfast and washed off her plate.

Yua: I know.

Eria: Well maybe the hot spring is inactive.

Yua: Or at least was inactive.

Eria: Why would it just active out of nowhere?

Yua: I don't know!

Eria: Is our whole Kingdom going to melt?

Yua: It depends on how hot the hot spring gets, and how fast.

Erai looked at her cousin with heavy eyes.

Yua: This could be our last year alive.

Eria walked out of the room.

Yua: Where are you going?

Eria: My library.

Eria walked up the set of stairs above her throne and walked in her room. Along the wall behind her bedroom door were three more doors. The first one was her walk-in closet, the nest door was her bathroom, and the third door was her library. She walked into the giant circular room. There were books along the walls from the floor to the ceiling. She got on the computer and got the numbers for her books on hot springs. her library is so much better than the public library.
After finding a bit about hot springs she found her books on castles and her books on ice. After three hours of reading, Eria guessed they had six months before the Kingdom was demolished.

Eria was determined to make the last six months of her life fun.
She told Yua what she discovered and what her plan was. Eria walked down to the local pet store where her uncle's friend works.

Jessica: Hello Eria, How may I help you?

Eria: I am looking for a puppy.

Jessica smiled at her and went to the back of the store. She came back with a white and light brown pitbull puppy. Eria has always liked pitbulls.

Jessica: His name is Hector.

Eria: How old is he?

Jessica: He is four days away from being ten weeks old. He was born the twenty-third of September.

Eria: I'll take him.

Jessica: Great! I thought you would like him. How is Yua going to take to him?

Eria: I don't care. She's my cousin, not my mother.

Jessica giggled.

Jessica: How do you know?

Eria: If Yua was my mom, I am pretty sure I would have figured it out by now. Besides, she is one year older than me.

Jessica: True.

Eria put a collar and leash on Hector.

Eria: Don't joke about my mom ever again.

And she left.
Eria's mother has always been a sore subject. She never knew her, and what she did know she did not like. Her name was Kaya. She had a twin sister named Tora. The sisters were very close and wanted to conceive their children at the same time. When Kaya didn't get pregnant she did not think anything of it, until Tora told her she was. Kaya told Tora she betrayed her and Kaya strangled her. Her husband Malcom walked in and was horrified. Kaya told him that it was his fault she did not get pregnant. He looked down to see that Tora was still breathing. He admitted it was his fault and told her they would keep trying, but they would not leave the house until she pregnant. Kaya agreed and they left. Tora was heartbroken that her own sister tried to kill her. She told Markum and he was not one bit surprised.
Nine months later Tora gave birth to Yua. Kaya found out and stabbed Tora to death. Kaya was pregnant and knew Malcom would be outraged. She went home and killed him as well. Markum fell in love with Kaya's evil ways, and they got together. Eria was born the day after Yua's first birthday. Kaya's big brother had her and Malkum killed. He did not want any evil in Monarch, especially around his nieces. He never got married or had any kids of his own, but he took the girls in and raised them like they were his own.
However, he made sure they knew he was their uncle.

Thinking about her mother always made Eria sad. She felt like it was her fault Kaya killed Tora. If she had been conceived when they wanted her to be, both their parents would be alive.

*To be continued*