In front of the somewhat terrified and timid children, the iced throne's platform was greeted by a figure of a tall woman, who walked from the backroom behind her throne chair. A slender figure with pale skin, and straight, snowy-white hair going down to her mid-back, she appeared and moved with such poise, her gaze remained blank and emotionless with her seemingly wide, light-blue eyes. Her clothing was so elaborate, almost like a queen's, being colored pale blue, white, and silver, almost matching the winter theme of the fortress.

Looking upon the batch of children before her, Freya traced her eyes over each of them, already noticing how fearful they must be. "How lucky you are", she spoke in a soothing voice that sounded regal and neutral, almost as if she had no feeling, but to anyone in the room, it was calm. "You're with me now, and you will never know this suffering again", Freya began to step down the small stairs before her throne, so she was standing closer to the children standing in the front row of the group.

Walking across them, while looking down before her, Freya's gaze was caught onto a boy before her. He was an young African American boy, seemingly being eleven years old. He was slightly shaking, looking down at the floor, trying to not look at her. "You are scared?", she coldly asked him. It wasn't a threat, but a half-observation, half-curious question. He visibly fidgeted a little, still not looking at her. "N-no", he stuttered meekly. "Is it your mother that you miss?", Freya calmly asked him, her voice almost sounding sympathetic, but her facials didn't shift. "Yes", he nodded his head, still not looking at her. "Yes", she echoed. "Tell me your name", she said to him, calmly. "Tull", he finally looked at her with a timid glance.

"Tull", Freya once again echoed, before gently putting her hand under his chin, guiding him to look at her. However, her gentle touch began to turn firm, as a small trail of frost began to appear from her hand, on his skin. He whimpered in pain, due to the frostbiting touch. "Love is a lie. It is a trick played by the cruel on the foolish and the weak", Freya told him in her cold, emotionless voice, as the frost continued to slowly spread on his face. "Cast it from your mind. Never let it render you frail of mind, or of will. Because in my kingdom, there is only but one rule: Do not love. It's a sin, and I'll not forgive it", she continued with slight desperation in her voice, but it was masked with her neutral mannerisms. Freya finally released him from her firm touch, and the frost slowly dissipated from his face, returning him back to his natural self. But, it did leave a scar on both sides of his chin.

"Now", she began to say to all of the children before her. "Let's hear no more of family and love. Those illusions are beneath you", Freya told them while ascending the stairs of her throne. "I have freed you from them", she added in a calm, but regal tone in her voice, as she turned to face the arrivals before her. "And in exchange for this precious gift, I ask only of one thing: your loyalty", Freya stood proudly before them, looking at each child. "You will train. You will harden. You will become my elite, my Huntsmen", as soon as she says this, the knights started to forcefully guide the children out of the throne room, while Freya watched them go with her cold gaze. The last thing they heard was her last request. "And nothing will ever, ever destroy you".

Forced back to the front part of the fortress, the children were separated and tasked to a station, where there were straw dummies, and archery targets in various spots. Certain weapons were to be used like hatchets, bows, staffs, and knives. Instructions were said to them by the knights, and for many years, they were bound as the Ice Queen's personal Huntsmen and warriors.

For many years Eric and the children trained to be the Queen's personal huntsmen. Eric trained hard through the years and it was no walk in the park of course. For years he trained to be beat down and only pick himself back up again and work harder, anticipate, observe, be fierce. Through the seasons, had hardened with the work of his training, the cold and the others who strove to be huntsmen. They all knew they had to stick together to survive and Eric was no exception. Learning the ways of kill or be killed, survive in the wild, track, trail, and eliminate. In return when reaching adulthood became a tough and humble warrior.

Eric was no stranger to wars. Fighting in the Ice Queens name, expanding her reaches throughout the cosmos. Winning many wars with many in the legion of huntsmen, effectively working together. Of course they too would be injured, a few killed, but not in vain. In the end Eric became one of the most exceptional fighters, along with a female fighter, Sara. In secret he fell in love with her. He showed hints by competition with her. Later on trough those years, married her in secret. Their hearts and themselves abandoning the one rule the Ice Queen gave them. Thinking that the Ice Queen, Freya would never notice.

The one thing they didn't know is, was that she was watching.

Perched above the two lovers, was a white owl; its feathers: stone-white, and eyes: icy-white, except with no pupils. She was indeed watching...

Back in the icy fortress, Freya had on a white mask, which appeared to have bird feathers all over it. It covered her face, except for her eyes; her pale-blue eyes, now solid white, watching her two most exceptional warriors before her. Giving a sigh, closing her eyes, and severing the connection, the Ice Queen gently removed the mask, and set it upon the arm of her throne chair. She looked into space with her cold gaze at the empty throne room.

"Guard?", Freya called in a neutral tone, but commanding, to one of her knights, who entered the room. She didn't face him, but had her back turned. "The boy and the girl. Who are they? What are their names?", she asked him, wanting to know who they were. "Which?", he asked her. Clearly, there were many boys and girls. Freya moved to the center of the room, and elegantly waved a hand before her, over the floor.

"The best ones", she answered. The generated ice on the floor began to take shape, making a table, with an ice-constructed map of the Nine Realms upon it. "Eric and Sara, my queen", now that she had their names, their forbidden act will not be tolerated in her kingdom. Coldly gazing upon the map, she set her hand above the section, showing Alfheim on it. That was when her eyes turned to their full-white. They don't know what was coming...

At that specific section where Eric and Sara were, the temperature around them began to drop, and their own breath began show coldness. The nearest water source began to freeze into ice upon the surface, and after that fully froze, it didn't stop. It began to travel over trees, flowers, bushes, and even a few animals.

Within the forest where the couple had been hiding, unknown of them that they were being watched. Eric could feel the temperature dropping. Dropping to the point that he could even see his own breath. Looking concerned he looked away from his wife, Sara to look around them. Seeing that the source of the cold was in fact ice starting to cover the land from the grass, to trees, even some of the wildlife. Eric saw it wasn't stopping and even to the point that it was heading in their direction. "Oh no....Go, Go!" He instructed, tried to get her moving, her to run and escape the freeze. Running as fast as his legs could take him making sure that Sara was keeping up.

Sara looked about as well, and saw the freeze coming straight for them. Knowing that this particular force wasn't going to stop, that was until she had the same thought that Eric had: Run! Moving as fast they could to escape the deadly force, the red-haired woman followed her husband over hills, around trees, and jumping over rocks. Panting to keep up with Eric, the female warrior tripped over a fallen tree stump. "Eric!", she shouted in desperation, hoping to let her husband know that she need his help.

Looking back after hearing a cry for help, Eric saw his wife his eyes widened with fear as he ran back to her. He tried to help her up as quickly as possible. "Its okay, come on." He assured her as he then looked behind her to see the ice coming closer. He feared that they wouldn't be able to escape the covering ice. But he wasn't going to tell her. He wanted to keep her positive, that they will make and he needed to believe that as well.

Sara held onto Eric tightly as he tried to help out of her predicament, but no matter how hard she felt him try, there was no difference in the fear. Looking back, she felt a sharp pain of regret as she looked back at the incoming ice. The thought terrified her, but she wants to at least be safe. Her fear was gone, and there was only regret. Looking at Eric desperately trying to help, she put a gentle hand to his muscular arm. "Eric, stop", she softly told him. "It's all going to be okay. Let me go", she continued. The crackling of the ice getting closer to them. "There is no other way. Let me go", she repeated, forming a sad, painful face. The ice got even closer to her, just a few inches away. "I love you, Eric. More than anything, but it has to be this way. Let me go", she grew stern and desperate.

Eric tried as he might, not wanting to give up, feeling the desperation to get Sara out of the frost's wrath. A gentle touch to his arm made him look up at his wife, not believing what he was hearing from her lips. He wondered if it was some trick, that she was only bluffing. Eric tried to continue to help her. "No, I can't." He grounded out with the frustration and now fear. He stopped only to look to her, seeing the sadness and painful look on her face. Her next words froze him in his tracks, feeling his heart ache as well as growing stern and desperate. Her words got to him, and hard. He didn't know what to do now. By then it was too late.

Sara's skin began to turn a ghost pale white, the temperature of her body dropping as she was beginning to freeze to death, ontop of that watching the frost that came after them consume her body from head to toe. With that the frost storm ends, breaking away with a motionless, lifeless body of her wife, Eric held her within his arms, grieving from his loss, his heart broken and torn as he cried.

With the dream being so powerful, Eric shot up from his sleep, and panted with sweat appearing on his forehead and face. The Huntsman looked around to see if he could spot anything that would appear in his dream, and hopefully make sure that what he saw wasn't real. Managing to slow down his breathing and keep himself calm, Eric just had the urge to make sure his newfound family was safe and in site. The treehouse that he, his niece, and his new life companion just built in Loki's Hometree of the Moors, was comfortable, being made of wood with some trinkets that the Asgardians and the Elves were kind enough to loan them: rugs for their floor, silk blankets to sleep in and wrap themselves with, candles around each room as their only source of light, and other things that would be needed as natural resources.

His dirty blonde hair being slightly a mess, Eric pulled away the blanket that covered his body and placed on his pants. Silently walking out of the room, Eric peeked into the room where his now found niece Silena rested in peace. He was just happy for her to be safe, and out of Hades' hold on her during the battle within Harmonia's raging maelstrom. Of course, his own sacrifice was necessary to save her and Loki: getting stabbed in the heart by the dark God. The healing wound still remained present on his chest after Harmonia managed to resurrect him, only on Loki and Silena's behalf. He was just happy that they were with him.

Relieved that she was retired within her own room, Eric trailed back quietly to the room where he and the Jotun took sanctuary. Yes, they were officially married binded together for eternity, wedded in the middle of the battle of Harmonia's maelstrom. The events plagued him that day, and they haunted him, as much as it haunted Loki. Witnessing Maleficent sacrifice herself to end Hades' reign over the Cosmos' seas was enough to haunt Loki for the rest of his life, and Eric knew that, knowing he will be there for him whenever he needed to. Propping himself on his side next to his 'sleeping' companion, Eric watched him before taking hold of the silk blanket, which laid at his hip, and gently slid it upon the Jotun's naked shoulder. He stroked the Raven-black hair in a gentle manner to not wake him, before placing a kiss on the side of his head.

Taking the blanket at his side of the bed, the Huntsman covered himself back up again, and laid upon his side, allowing himself to slowly fall asleep...

Little did Eric know during the night of which he had awoken from his nightmare was the fact that Loki had been awake, staring that the locket that was once his Maleficent/Harmonia, his mother. Not having moved from when Eric had left the bed to when he came back to his side. With the blanket being pulled up to his shoulder, the Jotun continued to look at the locket remembering all that happened. It indeed haunted him and knew that his life companion and his goddaughter were here for him as he was there for them. They kept him grounded, not losing himself within his sadness and depression. But his regrets were ever present for they haunted him more. With the kiss that was placed on his head, Loki closed his eyes, feeling his mind settle before having fallen asleep.

Within the following morning, Lounging upon one of the branches of the Hometree, watching his goddaughter Selena as she was being taught by Eric further within combat training. Granted she learned from the Warrior's Three and a little further from Hades, though he remembered the day that Selena had practically begged her uncle to train her further within the ways of combat. Loki had to admit that she had a honorable warrior's heart. That he knew for certain and Loki could only smile. Watching them now, the Jotun subconsciously was fiddling with a dagger.

"Ah!" Be blocked and spun in the other direction, Selena had almost lost her balance only to regain it and spun to face her uncle. "I thought we were sparring, not spinning me till I get dizzy." Selena pouted a little only to fade with a smile. Selena flipped her right curved sword facing behind her while the second her had in the left hand toward her uncle. "One go. I think I've got this down."

Looking upon his niece in front of him, Eric felt a bit of amusement when he watched Silena try to knock him off his feet, although there have been times where he would mostly beg to differ. After all, the last time Silena has ever showed her combat skills was when she dillusionally served Hades upon his dark vessel. Even during the battle in the maelstrom, she already did knock him off his feet twice.

Blocking Silena's strike from her right-wrist blade, the Huntsman managed to stop her left from swinging at him, as he spun her around to keep her back. "When you get dizzy, you're don't feel the flow of your movement", he explained to her as a half-tease with a chuckle, as well as a half-serious note. Taking a glance up at Loki, who sat on a tree branch, he remembered when he used to tell the Jotun that when he first started to teach him how to handle advanced knife wielding. It was a memory to them both, of how they first felt an emotional bond between them. When they fell in love...

Hearing her say that she wanted one go, Eric couldn't help but glance up at Loki. He had to get his thoughts into something else, instead of staying in a depressed state. That's when he decided. "Hey", the huntsman started to say as he approached Loki at the lowest branch, standing in front of him. "Wanna have a match with her?", he asked curiously.

Loki could almost be seen with his mind distant. He'd been watching and had smiled a little with slight amusement when Silena had been blocked by Eric and spun back to keep her away. Hearing them tease each other set his mind at ease, the dagger in his hands wasn't fiddled with as much. Though from there his mind went elsewhere and he couldn't help it. So much had changed, and much of it his mind couldn't seem to grasp or just couldn't seem to get over. It would continue to fester and pester till he found peace or somehow manage to forget, and rarely did he forget. He couldn't get over the certain things, one of them being that his mother was no longer here beside him, to guide him, to help him when he had no one he felt he could turn to. Not saying that he couldn't turn to Eric, but that he didn't know how to approach the subject that bothered him to Eric where he could understand and something not being misunderstood.

Before he could think further upon his wondering thoughts, he was pulled back towards reality by the sound of his partner's voice, looking at him instead of a distant gaze. Seeing Eric infront of him with a question he had not quite expected to be asked. However he saw no harm in sparing with Silena. The female Asgardian had noticed what was going on and let it be, she didn't seem bothered though she had asked her uncle, but having a different sparing partner wasn't so bad for right now, her godfather looked distant lately and seemed to need to have his mind elsewhere for now. "I don't mind. Come! You need a distraction!" She spoke up with a brightened tone, trying to encourage him. "I just won't go easy on you~!"

You could say there was the only encouragement Loki needed, sliding off the branch having his brow raise in amusement. "Oh really. We shall see then." He told her with a amused smile. Pulling his daggers from the sheathes that were attached to his thighs.

Loki had his blades at the ready when he put himself into a graceful, defensive stance. However, just before they could even begin, specks of light darted out the forest trees and stopped just before the prince of the Moors. "Prince Loki! Prince Loki!", they called to him in their high voices as they flew desperately to him. They appeared to be in distress.

"The trees see something coming towards the Moors. We've never see it before", one of them explained in a fast, but distressful tone of voice. "We need you to come quickly", they flew back into the woods, towards the border. "Coming to the Moors?", Eric wondered aloud to his companions. "We don't get much visitors here. We usually go to them for aid, not for them to come to us", he added before taking a few steps to where the fairies flew. Turning back to look back at them. "Let's go see what is and what they want", he proposed before taking off.

At the border, a white horse rode across the valley between the kingdom of Asgard and the forest land of the Moors. Upon the steed, was a figure of a woman with blonde-brown hair, while wearing a caramel-colored, sleeveless dress, along with a gold cape draped over her back.



Eric, now at the border, while hiding in the green of the bushes, had his hunting crossbow at the ready aimed at the newcomer, but halted in his movements, waiting to see if it was friend or foe. The white horse halted at the border, not going any farther toward the forest. "Loki Malefison, Prince of the Moors, your prescence is requested to speak with me!", the woman called to the guardian.

Looking from Silena, he had heard the call of some of the fairies that had come to him. He had relaxed, placing his knives back within their respective sheathes. Watching their light as they came closer, his eyes saw their distressed features. With their news heard, the fae Prince looked over toward his goddaughter, who had set lowered her weapons, placing them behind her back respectfully, watching the fairies as they had come for the guidance of Loki in such a situation. Loki granted was curious as to what would come to the Moors. Looking to Eric when he spoke up, he was indeed correct. They rarely got visitors and even they, they are usually the ones that leave the Moors. With the curt nod of his head, the Jotun went within the direction of the Fairies at the border with Eric and Silena.

Coming toward the border, he had come beside Eric while he had been hiding behind the bushes. Loki knew he would be easy to see to those who would know what to look for to see him, but even in the Moors, he could adapt to nature around him to conceal himself. He watched as he noticed a female figure upon horseback, a good look at her clothing giving her away as someone from Asgard. Silena hid among the bushes and foliage with her blades at the ready, though too having taken note of the horse and clothing this woman wore. Loki heard the summons, having placed a hand on Eric's shoulder before stepping forward, revealing himself. "And who is it that summons me may I ask, my lady?" Standing infront of the border and before the woman, asking respectfully, bowing his head to her.

Silena had decided to come from her hiding place, knowing if something where to go wrong she would be there to defend her godfather. She stood behind her godfather.

The woman descended herself from the white horse, as soon as Loki made his presence known, and immediately, she paid her respects by lowering herself to both of her knees. But she kept her gaze with him. "Prince Loki of the Moors", she began. "I am Fulla, handmaiden to Lady Frigga of Asgard. She sent me", the blonde-brown haired woman stood to her full height before the three guardians.

Being a few inches smaller than both Loki and Silena, the handmaiden reached into her golden cape, where she retrieved an object being concealed inside. "Her majesty wanted me to give you this. Says it's important to give, in person", Fulla finished her explanation as she gestured for the prince to take the envelope-looking scroll.

Watching the woman before him now know as Fulla and handmaiden to Lady Frigga, who he seen and come to know over time. Having seen her kneel before him to introduce herself and out of respect then to rise, Loki watched her pull a envelop-like scroll from her person and hand it to him of which he took though listening to her further from upon who it from and why. Giving a curt nod to her, the Jotun opened the parchment within to read its contents.

Prince Loki of the Ancient Moorland,

It is of my being to present you this invitation to your family for the grand celebration of the 'Gwyl Gaeaf', or you might say in the common tongue "The Festival of Winter". My father wishes to welcome you and your family as our special guests within our Elven realm of Alfheim for the celebration, and I hope that, in my condolences, you would be there.

Ar Parch Mawr (At Great Respect),
Prince Legolas Thranduilion

Eric stepped out of the bushes, and approached the three figures before him, but stopped next to his niece, just behind Loki. "What is it?", the huntsman asked his lover curiously.

The Prince of the Moors read the letter to the end, noting that the one who had written it was Legolas. He still remembered Legolas and how he helped them. With a glance toward the bushes that rustled, Loki heard the footsteps of his lover who stopped behind him and beside Silena. With his question asked, Loki turned his head to look at Eric and handed the invitation to him. "It is an invitation." Looking back toward Fulla, a bow of his head to her in thanks. "Thank you Fulla, for delivering this letter to us. Please give my regards to Queen Frigga." He told her. Silena looked from Loki to her uncle with curiosity. "An invitation? Ooo! From whom?" She asks, not wanting to be rude by looking over ones shoulder.

Being told of his thanks, Fulla returned the gesture in respect with a kurt nod before boarding herself upon the white horse. With that, the handmaiden made her exit by riding into the valley, away from the border, and back to the palace. With his hands on his belt, Eric approached the Jotun to take the letter parchment from his hold when handed. Looking through the parchment, Eric heard his niece's question. "An invitation indeed", he confirmed to Loki's observation. "From the Light Elves in Alfheim", he added, before looking to his lover in the distance. "Are you sure you want to do this?", the huntsman remained concerned, and he wondered if Loki felt ready to attend, due to his spiritual security from witnessing his mother's departure.

Loki watched the handmaiden climb upon her horse and ride off into the valley toward the castle of Asgard. Hearing his partner confirmed the invitation to Silena only to then ask him if the Jotun was sure of going to the Winter festival. Loki began to think about it. Wondering if he was ready. He felt he was yet wasnt. He saw no reason he shouldnt for it had been a week since he had seen the Elven King and Prince Legolas. It sure would be nice to see them again and that gave Loki a smile to his lips. Though what made him concerned would be how the Moors would fair without them especially after a short time of the Moors still mourning (him especially though not trying to show it so much) over the formal protector of the Moors, Maleficent. Yet if hhe thought of what she might say to him about this, she would want him to go. Turning to face to his partner and god-daughter. "I am sure about this." Though wondered why Eric seemed concerned.

Silena smiled, feeling excited about going to this festival. She wondered how the elves celebrated such festivals though glad as Loki seemed happy to go to one. She looked to Eric wondering what his thoughts were on the matter. A slight wonder to the concern that Eric had.