Frozen Throne

***

The morning dawned after the sleepless night. When she woke up after a short nap, MarryAnne was washing her face.

“Are you awake, Miss?”

“Yes, good morning.”

As Kyrie rose, MarryAnne paused and approached her with a loud noise.

“Miss, you’re not well!”

“It’s a slight fever.”

“You told me not to ignore a slight fever!”

At MarryAnne’s worried words, Kyrie smiled softly.

“I was in charge of something back then. But right now, you know right?”

Her voice subsided. It wasn’t just because it was morning.

“I’m fine, so don’t worry. What about Nathaniel?”

“Early in the morning, he saw you sleeping.”

Kyrie looked out of the window. He seemed to still have business outside, although they would have more time together since she was ill.

“Do you know what he’s doing out there?”

“MarryAnne doesn’t know either. Shall we find out?”

MarryAnne replied, putting rose petals on the lukewarm water. Kyrie agonized for a moment and shook her head. It’s not like she can do anything even if she knew. She then headed to the bathroom. Kyrie, who immersed herself in the bathtub, murmured self-helpfully.

“Everyone must be saying I’m full because I’m taking a bath while others are working.”

“Um, um.....”

MarryAnne rolled her eyes. Kyrie laughed at the honest response.

“I see the courtiers do.”

“A little bit..... Bad mouth!”

“It’s okay because MarryAnne recognizes it.”

MarryAnne’s hands briefly stopped pouring water on Kyrie’s neck.

“But MarryAnne is not enough, is she?”

Kyrie turned her head. It was as if she knew what was going to happen today. MarryAnne, however, only looked glum, but didn’t seem to have any other intentions. Kyrie tapped MarryAnne on the back of her hand.

“I’ll figure out a way to keep you safe no matter what.”

MarryAnne’s black eyes stare without blinking at Kyrie, then headed to the bath brush in her hand.

“Don’t you hate MarryAnne? MarryAnne can’t do what you want.....”

“I don’t hate you.”

Kyrie turned head-on again. She muttered languidly, cheek-to-cheek.

“If I die, it’ll all be solved.”

“.....”

She was lost in thought without noticing the stiff MarryAnne.

Execution.

The long-term sign was probably the signal of Laura and Maria. There had been no contact, but they seemed to be looking for a way to escape from behind.

‘Can I escape?’

It might damage two people. Her only goal was now to die on her own.

“MarryAnne, what if I said I wanted to run away from here?”

“.....”

“Are you going to stop me? “

MarryAnne’s eyes trembled violently. Soon after, MarryAnne’s head fell.

“I’m not going to stop you if that’s your choice.”

It was a voice of resignation somewhere. MarryAnne didn’t talk anymore, and Kyrie also finished her bath quietly.

“What would you like to eat?”

When the bath was over, MarryAnne asked. Kyrie nodded after hesitating.

“I’m going to eat today. “

MarryAnne welcomed her immediately.

“Then I’ll call someone to serve the meal. Please wait a moment!”

She pulled the rope and approached the door. In the meantime, Kyrie approached the window and put out her hand.

It was such a long winter that spring should have come. Snow was everywhere, white and calm outside the palace.

Kyrie swallowed dry saliva.

‘Can I really get out of here?’

***

Throughout the day, Nathaniel did not show his face. It was a night without any incident. Kyrie fiddled with a hidden chess horse and leaned her back against the back of her chair. Recently, MarryAnne, who had been wide awake, repeatedly dozed off.

“MarryAnne, if you’re sleepy, you can go to bed.”

“No! Not sleepy.....”

MarryAnne replied, shaking her head.

“Really? You look tired.”

“No, it’s because there’s no tree.....”

“Tree?”

“Yes! But it’s okay!”

“Anne, come on.”

It was when Kyrie, who was worse than her, got up from her seat.

Boom boom boom!

They heard a loud explosion. Kyrie and MarryAnne turned their heads at the same time.

‘This vibration is from inside of the palace.’

Don’t tell me that the tie-up meant blowing up the palace?

MarryAnne blocked Kyrie before she could hide her embarrassment.

“Miss, back off!”

The window cracked with a loud noise. Then two men in black came into the room and knelt down.

“I’m here to pick you up, Miss Buchanan.”

A cold winter wind enveloped Kyrie. She identified OldCiudad’s laurel sentence, which the black-clad man pulled out of his arms. Her purple eyes shook finely.

‘Should I leave? Can I do that? Maybe I’m being too selfish?’

She was confused. She was afraid to think about what would happen. But she quickly quit thinking and clenched her fist.

‘I don’t know when we’ll be able to escape. There may never be a chance.’

Her mental strength would wear out someday. She had to go out before that. Before even the desperation for death would be diluted.

‘Please die.’

I had to. That’s right.

“MarryAnne.”

“Miss, back off! MarryAnne will protect you!”

“No, MarryAnne. They’re the ones who came to pick me up.”

“What?”

MarryAnne grabbed the leaf from her sleeve and looked puzzled. Kyrie sat in front of her and grabbed MarryAnne by the shoulder.

“MarryAnne, if I leave you, I don’t know what he’ll do to you. Let’s go out together.”

“Miss.....”

“Miss Buchanan, we’re running out of time.”

“MarryAnne, okay? Let’s go together.”

MarryAnne’s black eyes shook. It was neither fear nor fright in MarryAnne’s eyes at that time.

Strangely, it was sadness.

“Miss.”

“MarryAnne, come on!”

“Miss Buchanan, we’re in a hurry at one o’clock!

Boom boom boom boom!

A series of loud explosions led to an urgent rush.

“Anne! Please......? .”

Then MarryAnne mumbled with her head down.

“MarryAnne is......? thought it would be like this.”

“Anne?”

“MarryAnne doesn’t know what to do anymore......? .”

MarryAnne groaned, covering her face.

“What is right? What about the Miss? Is MarryAnne properly prepared?”

“Anne, what are you talking about? Talk later and hurry......? .”

“Miss Buchanan!”

“But MarryAnne knows one thing. MarryAnne should be here.”

Platanus (Sycamore) leaves burned in her hands. There was a strong wind. Kyrie and the men jumped out of the window in an instant. The blade of the wind also cut off Kyrie’s ribbon tied to her wrists and ankles.

“Ugh..! MarryAnne!”

Standing on the stone floor, looking up at the window, MarryAnne looked down at Kyrie with sad eyes.

“Do what you want, Miss.”

“MarryAnne, come with me! If he’s here, he’ll....!”

“No, I won’t.”

MarryAnne, who covered her face, slowly backed away. Her voice also faded as if she could not hear it.

“Because he’s already.. here.”

Even after MarryAnne’s disappearance, Kyrie stood blank for a while, staring at the window where there was no one. A man in black nervously called her name.

“Miss Buchanan, there is a limit to catching the eye of the Legend. We have to go.”

Kyrie closed her eyes tightly. This was MarryAnne’s choice.

‘I just need to accept her decision.’

She opened her eyes after a short deep breath. A cold voice came out.

“Where should I go?”

“This way.”

The men put out black capes and shoes to cover her clothes. Kyrie lowered herself and started running with them.

‘Stone floor.’

Kyrie blinked her eyes. She looked up at the sky.

‘Night sky.’

Even the sky seemed to be shaking because of the sound of explosions that continued to explode somewhere.

‘Winter wind..’

She thought she couldn’t get out, but she went out too easily. It was both vain, suspicious and emotional.

“What about Nathaniel?”

“My eyes are tied.”

She didn’t ask how that was possible. She didn’t have to worry about every urgent matter at one o’clock. She soon disappeared into the darkness of the blue city.

Snow began to fall over it.

***

The view beyond the big window was white. There was no light in the room, and Nathaniel sitting by the window was only seen in black silhouettes.

As MarryAnne entered the room, a voice of melancholy was heard.

[Did she leave?]

MarryAnne nodded with no expression.

“They’re gone.”

MarryAnne said. And added.

“She really went.”

The girl’s black eyes captured the shady side of the man on the sofa.

“....as Lord Nathaniel said.”

[Yes.]

Nathaniel smiled. He laid down deeper, caressing the handle of the cane on the floor.

[It’s a little early, but as expected.]

“....Don’t you have to chase her? What if it gets dangerous for Miss?”

[It’s not happening.]

Nathaniel fiddled with his cane. MarryAnne shrank. When Kyrie disappeared, he was again a cruel and fearful being when she first met him.

[I’ve put a lot of work into it this time.]

He laid his cane calmly and put it on his lap. Transparent blue eyes turned out the window. For a while, the two only looked out of the snowy window.

It was not until a long time later that Nathaniel calmly opened his mouth.

[Do you know why I’ve been out lately?]

MarryAnne blinked anxiously. She had to stick by Kyrie’s side, so she had hardly heard anything from the outside. What MarryAnne knew was one thing.

“You’ve prepared something....?”

[Yes.]

“So if Miss is trying to run away with someone else’s help, you’ll just let her go?”

Nathaniel smiled faintly.

[Yes.]

“....What have you planned?”

[Did Kyrie say anything?]

“She just asked me if I know what Lord Nathaniel is doing these days.....”

[And?]

“I asked her, ‘Let’s find out.’ She said she was fine.”

Nathaniel slowly leaned back his head.

[It would have been better if you asked me to. You’re not interested, are you?]

He laughed, but the temperature in the room dropped sharply. MarryAnne recoiled and winced.

“She wants to die, and if no one watches her, she really might die.....”

[If you thought I’d leave a predictable problem with my eyes open, I’d look pretty shallow too.]

He replied in a cordial manner. Snow was falling more, and Nathaniel on the sofa was relaxed. MarryAnne lamented quietly.

“....Didn’t you just let her go?”

[I’m just providing you with a situation.]

He bobbed his cane slowly.

[It’s all up to Kyrie. Your naive master, who still thinks I have nothing to do with her.]

When his eyelids, which had been blinking less in the first place, slowly closed, thin ice began to form all over the room around him. Ceiling and furniture, beautiful murals, and beds waiting for their owners. Now Nathaniel was like a king sitting on a frozen throne. Like in that snowy town before he met Kyrie.

[More happiness, more certainty, more despair.]

Blue eyes sparkled like stars. MarryAnne’s knees trembled at the sound of evil and sweet poison spit out by his mouth. Nathaniel turned his head slowly. He was again stuck in a serene black shadow between the white eyes.

[It’s just a little play.]