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“So, you’re telling me your brother is the supposed almost crowned King of Arendelle?”
Cyrene nodded slowly but eagerly.
“And you want me to help you get him back after he ran away?”
Another nod.
“Are you well aware I am just a lumberjack?”
“Yes”
Mydei took a long sigh, the store owner only smiled uncomfortably waiting for two odd customers in the middle of a heavy winter.
“Look, princess. You are asking the wrong guy. Do I look like a fighter?”
She looks up and down. Zero thoughts, zero hesitation, “Yes.”
“I only chop wood.”
“I could see that.”
“I am not good with the cold.”
She looks again in his snow covered glory, “You look fine for someone that isn’t good with the cold.”
Mydei was about to protest again but Cyrene held up her hand, “In return, you get a place in my Kingdom after my brother calms down.”
“Wouldn’t your brother kill me?”
“No, of course not? What sorts of rumors have been circulating around while we were gone?”
A lot actually like Prince Khaslana is secretly trying to freeze and kill all of the people of Arendelle for example. Mydei is not stupid enough to face a literal wizard that could just drop a huge amount of ice shards in a second.
But he also heard Khaslana is very protective of his sister.
The mind bug Cyrene was infected with is getting to him.
“Alright since you asked nicely.”
“Yippee!” Cyrene clapped and jumped. If she was younger, Mydei would’ve thought she was cute.
.
When Mydei saw the supposed tyrant in a big giant castle made out of ice, his jaw dropped as high as the castle itself
Khaslana was utterly beautiful.
Hair white as snow, eyes that he could stare for hours without fail, lips so kissable that it is so unfair because it distracted him when Khaslana was arguing with her sister.
“Cyrene, I am not coming back. I’m a danger to my own people!” His eyes were brimmed with anger, but sadness mostly covered that rage alone, “You saw how they reacted when I revealed my powers. They called me a monster!”
“No they didn’t! It was just that annoying mayor who kept pestering us to be a part of our family!” Cyrene shouted back, “Why couldn’t you just listen to me? Why did you shut me out for so many years?!”
Tears fell and shouts were exchanged back to back. Mydei couldn’t do anything but to stare at Khaslana again, maybe he also hoped he would hear his sister out more. But then Mydei noticed how the future King always belittles himself so much.
Mydei’s heart broke for him.
He wanted to comfort Khaslana, to tell him he did as much as he could. That carrying those powers alone for all of those years alone was proof he was strong.
Mydei wanted to tell how courageous he was to even reveal his ice powers alone, even if he was nothing but a commoner who sells blocks of ice and wood for food.
But before Mydei could gather courage to do so, they were both thrown out.
.
’Fuck’ Mydei turned the wheel as hard as he could in high speed. Their cart is sturdy so it should be fine.
“Mydei, cliff!”
Cyrene from behind helped grab the string wheel while another big huge clump of snowball almost made them into mashed potatoes.
“That was not a snowball! Literal solid ice! My brother is so mean!” She complained and screamed when the monster threw another one.
“Talk about that later! Your brother is insane! Hot but insane!”
Cyrene gasped, “Are you checking out my brother?!”
“No.”
“Liar!”
“Princess, we should talk about this later!”
“Aha! You’re changing the topic!” She points out and poking fun at him, “Ooh, you want that cookie so bad huh?”
That was the last sentence before they plummeted.
Thankfully, the snow was enough to handle their fall. Mydei could see the scraps of his precious cart but at least none of it had gone through their ribcages.
Instead of finding another way, Cyrene silently sat down with tears forcing to fell down again.
“I can’t believe he shut me out again.” She wiped her own tears, “I just wanted to help.”
Mydei was never good with words. He worked alone and lived alone for several years after his parents died during a snowstorm. All he could do was to sit down beside her, give her a little space, and listen out.
Cyrene glanced at his worried but awkward face and gave an airy chuckle, “My brother used to comfort me in a similar way through the door. He would sing me songs and read me stories. I would never get bored of the same thirteen books, after all that was all he had.”
She looked a bit better, not as soul crushed as before, so Mydei took it as a chance to ask.
“From earlier, I heard pieces about your brother shutting himself out. Why?” Mydei asked as carefully as he could.
“I’m older now and I suspect it has something to do with my parents' teachings. I saw them, the box of gloves from small to how big his hands are now.”
“I wish I could hold them..” Mydei mumbled and immediately went red when he realized he said it out loud.
Cyrene laughed until a different kind of tear dropped on to the snow.
“You’re funnier than I imagined.” She smiled and thanked him for his comfort, then there was a devious smile, “So, my brother huh?”
“Princess, I’m going to leave you.”
“No you wouldn’t~ You’re a big softie deep down. You're my brother’s type.”
Mydei perked up, “Really?”
Cyrene’s mouth wobbled in a funny way, “I always hear him the most when the book is about a big muscular hero who defied his kingdom’s tradition to save his people. I just know my brother has a thing for muscles.”
Mydei flexed his biceps, checking himself up while Cyrene dusted her own winter dress and noticed an odd color with her hair.
“Hey, was this always here?” She separated the white strand from the rest, “I don’t think this is normal.”
“Odd, your brother didn’t even do anything aside from that snow giant. We didn’t even get hit.”
Mydei felt something was wrong when he laid his eyes on her hair. Why does it feel like she was not in danger but someone else?
“I know a place.” Mydei declared.
“You’re not selling me as a last resort, right?”
Mydei rolled off her awful attempts at jokes as they headed towards the forest.
.
“Do you think I was too harsh on her, Olaf?”
Meanwhile, the supposed mean brother was fretting over her sister’s departure. He only meant to create something that would lead Cyrene home again but all of the anger he kept into himself had manifested into a big huge giant instead.
And most of all, he was also angry that his own sister never told him she has a boyfriend now.
How outrageous!
Khaslana almost paused when he saw that man. His clothes were nothing but covered in snow unlike her sister who is pristine clean. He suspected that man had made sure Cyrene was safe and he was glad!
But he couldn’t keep his mind off of that.. boyfriend of hers!
“Your highness, I think you should sit down before you create another me again.” Olaf gingerly offered one made out of ice.
“Thank you.” He sat down and looked carefully at his son(?), “Olaf, may I ask your opinion.”
“Why of course! Your highness is always so kind to me.” He clapped his wooden branch hands, he was such a cheerful child.
“Is it crazy of me to have a little crush on someone’s lover?”
Olaf only blinked, “Hm? Does Your Highness like someone now?”
His ears were aflamed, “No! I mean maybe?” Khaslana covered his face and sighed in defeat, “I don’t know but that isn’t very important right now, is it? My sister is probably trying to get back now from whatever miles away. She’s as stubborn as I am but I hope she eats well.”
Olaf walked towards his side, “I don’t think your feelings are less important than your sister. And don’t worry too much about her! Your sister, she’s as strong as you.”
Khaslana huffs out a laugh, “How am I strong, Olaf?” He patted his head, “I’m just a coward who ran away from his problems.”
“I don’t really understand your situation, but you were never a coward in my eyes Mother or you would’ve left me in that mountain.”
His blue eyes widened at the title but before he could hear more of it, he heard a small crack of ice near his feet.
“?”
He guesses even his castle needs maintenance.
.
The trolls were family to him. They fed him, clothed him, and gave him shelter until he was big enough to fend for himself.
“Sorry that I had to bother you all again.”
“It’s alright, boy. Bother us as much as you want.” The eldest troll patted his hand, “Now I haven’t seen you before, pink child. But I have a feeling you were here for those?”
“Oh, you noticed? It blends well with my hair don’t you think?” She smiled but the troll’s face was serious.
“Children, come closer and sit down.” Rocks suddenly were moved and both of them fell immediately towards them.
“Do not panic, for I have a solution to your brother’s problem.”
Chills went through her spine, dread spread through her chest and her usual happy smile was gone. “My brother..? Why? What’s wrong with him?”
Mydei grabbed her by the shoulder, giving her a look and she sat back down again.
“Your brother, Khaslana was it? He is the kindest child I had ever met.”
With magic from the troll’s hand, an image of her brother as a child emerged, “His powers are extraordinary, something even in my long extended years of life.”
There were then images of a young Khaslana playing around with a younger version of Cyrene, then the color red.
“Yet it came with a cause. Your brother’s power is very dependent on his emotions. The white hair you have now, it is hard to explain with words and logic, but it is a sign that something is very wrong with your brother’s mental condition.”
“Please, tell me.” Cyrene glanced at Mydei, his pupils shook, “Tell us and we will help whatever it takes.”
The troll knew this, he took a long winded sigh with a hint of sadness and pity in his eyes.
“Khaslana is starting to freeze himself.”
.
The giant carefully picked up its creator and cradled him to his bed. The snow creatures were worried for their mother who grew tired everyday, ate less than a day ago, even when they called him, his response was slow as if he was half-asleep.
“Mother, are you comfy?” Olaf gently patted Khaslana’s hands, instead of the usual gentle smile, his eyes were shut in a deep slumber.
Olaf knew something was out of place when ice started to form on his legs. Khaslana said it was nothing to worry about and it’s just his powers being overdramatic again, but then this evening he just…collapsed.
It scared all of them.
Olaf couldn’t cry like his mother does, but he continued stroking his icy cold hands, awaiting for a miracle.
“No, I’m not going to sit still while my mother is sick.” He fixed his sagging head, turned it left and right to adjust, and looked to all the snow creatures Khaslana claimed had mistakenly made.
His mother is such a bad liar, why wouldn’t he admit he was just lonely?
“I’m going to find his sister and her friend. I just know they could help.”
A fox creature had hopped over Khaslana’s chest, rounding itself in hopes of warming him but alas, they are nothing but snow. It whimpered, poking Khaslana’s nose in hope of a reaction, but he was frozen in time.
Another crack of ice formed on his torso, they were running out of time.
The giant monster looked at him.
“I know Mister Giant, I promise I’ll find them.” His eyes were determined as he headed out outside the castle gates.
.
“Mydei..” she whispered, close to crying while holding her hair almost pristine white. She always joked she wanted hair like her brother’s but now…
“W-what are we going to do? We won’t make it on time.”
Mydei almost threw his axe towards something moving in the snow.
“Oh it’s you!” The little snowman ran towards them and pulled Cyrene’s hand, “We have not much time! He is sick and dying!”
This prompted the two to cast aside their confusion and immediately ran to follow the snowman towards the fastest path towards the castle.
The creatures who were huddling up Khaslana’s head, who is close to frozen, all looked at their arrival.
“Brother…” Cyrene ran in tears, the others dispersed and watched as Cyrene trembled while trying to hold his hand.
“Khaslana.” She pleaded, “Please, open your eyes. I need you.”
His eyes were still shut, not a single breath even escaped his lips.
“My brother, my sweet older brother. I’m sorry for the things I’ve said. I know you’re scared, but you don’t have to be alone.”
Cyrene’s hands were shaking, “I’m sorry for not understanding you. I know you just wanted to protect me and our people and at the very end.” She gave a hollow low laugh, “In the end, we couldn’t even protect our sweet prince.”
Grieve overwhelmed her. She cried while beside the bed. The princess was convinced her brother is good as gone but suddenly, a warm hand patted her head.
“Mydei..?” She looked up and saw him smiling.
“Are you really thinking about your boyfriend when your brother almost died?”
Cyrene immediately jumped towards the bed, hugged him as tight as she could, afraid he would disappear from her sight again.
Khaslana only stroked her pink hair, he looked at Mydei who was standing awkwardly behind and shyly waved.
Mydei flinched and looked around, then realized he was actually waving at him, he waved back.
“Are you two flirting behind my back?” Cyrene sniffed and blew her nose with her napkin she carried around.
“Why would you think that..?”
Cyrene laughed, tired of crying as she laid beside her brother. “I’m happy that you're okay now..”
“...Sorry for worrying you.”
“Pfft, don’t just apologize to me. Apologize to that guy over there too- Ow.”
Mydei now stands beside the bed, his hand in a fist after hitting Cyrene’s head.
The little snow critters were already swarming them with Khaslana as their main attention. Some of them licked his face, others nuzzled and slept closely to his now warmer body.
“Sorry for troubling you.”
“Hmph, apologizing is not enough.”
Cyrene only smiled, knowing what’s coming.
“Then what could I do?”
“Let me live with you.”
Khaslana slowly blinked, mouthed a small “What?”
Cyrene interrupted before this conversation went further with a clap, “Oh that is a great idea! I offered Mydei a place in our castle for helping me. Please brother, it is the least we could do.”
He couldn’t say no to his little sister, so he agreed even if he had complaints.
Whatever she plans with her boyfriend, Khaslana would make sure that they wouldn’t go overboard.
.
“Eat.”
“This is my second full course meal.”
“That’s how normal people eat, Your Highness.”
In fact, Khaslana didn’t need to monitor Mydei as much as he thought when the man followed him around.
“No, don’t touch that Olaf, you’ll melt.”
Khaslana quietly chews his food blankly while Mydei made sure Olaf wouldn’t touch anything that would melt him.
Months have passed and Khaslana hasn't gotten used to this much attention and most of all, the lack of work he has to do made him feel useless.
Cyrene, even with her very busy schedule, would always have time to spend with him over tea or even walking around their garden. She would nag him as if he was the younger sibling, for helping some of the maids on cleaning the floor.
Olaf was a constant presence of course. He mostly would talk about what he finds interesting like how many different colors of butterfly he found and described how much he loved the sun. He fondly smiled at that, maybe some of his likeness to the sunlight was also mixed into Olaf’s creation.
Khaslana was a bit sad he couldn’t take his biggest kid creation and the rest to Arendelle since it would take a lot of energy for him to maintain a big snow cloud.
“Don’t worry, Mother! My sisters and brothers said they would very much love to stay here!”
“Are you all sure?” He kneeled down, a snow squirrel climbed on to his shoulder and gave him a small thumbs up. It was very cute.
“Me and Olaf would visit of course. At least once a week.”
“You’re taking me with you.” Excitement doesn’t cover how Olaf looked like he was about to explode.
“Of course, now come on. Cyrene and Mydei are waiting.”
“Is he going to be my dad?”
Khaslana flushed, “Maybe we should talk about this later.”
And Mydei, is well.. he couldn’t quite understand the man’s fixation on him. They were just acquaintances at this point, maybe close to being friends.
Everyday, Mydei and Cyrene would wake him when he slept for too long (trauma), serve and cook him breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and even go as far as accompanying him everywhere he goes.
“Shouldn’t you spend more time with Cyrene?”
There was a parasitic plant sticking out of the ground near where the roses are and Mydei picked them out by hand.
“Your Highness should focus on his health instead of others.”
“You’re a very strange man. You asked me to live here but instead of enjoying our riches, you work and train as a butler instead.”
“It was a deal I made with Cyr- the present Queen. And you are also quite strange Your Highness, I’ve seen you sneak out to what I assumed as a patrol.” He then handed the prince a little tray, “Tea?”
Khaslana said a small thank you, not even responding to the scarily accurate accusation. He won’t say it out loud but by gods, the tea Mydei makes is just out of this world.
“Do you like it?” Mydei smiled.
Reading Khaslana was easy unlike what the other employees said. You just have to have a weird obsession with constantly looking at his gorgeous round blue sparkly eyes that held constellations.
“It’s good.” He took another small sip.
Gods, Mydei just wants to squish him right now, how dare people say this puppy incarnate is scary??
“Don’t cut my roses too. Are you allergic to them?” He asked with the saddest wet puppy look Mydei has ever witnessed.
Mydei then tried for hours on gluing the roses he distractedly cut back up again.
.
“This isn’t working.” Cyrene mumbled.
It’s been a year since he had been living with the royal siblings. Cyrene was here again on their weekly meeting progression on wooing Khaslana that ended up absolutely nowhere.
It was a deliberate plan for Cyrene to loudly request that she wanted roses in their garden so Mydei could pick them up in a perfect manner for Khaslana.
But to only end up with a smile and said, “I see they grew beautifully as my sister.” Smelled it and left.
Mydei was happy with the smile he received but Cyrene groaned and rolled around, complaining how Mydei is just blinded by love.
And there was another time when the kingdom had a skating event where all the townsfolk could celebrate her brother’s powers.
Khaslana decorated the place in beautiful ice, he was still a bit shy with how welcoming the people are aside from the Mayor who she put in jail for planning on capturing her brother while she was away.
Cyrene was excited, hand in hand she could finally ice skate with Khaslana again after years being separated by a door.
She was a bit rusty but with her brother’s guidance, she was able to skate on her own again.
“Are you not joining in?” Mydei stands beside Khaslana on the side lines of the ice rink.
“My legs got tired.”
Cyrene waved from afar, she was with a couple of children. Both men waved.
“Do you know how to ice skate, Mydei?”
“A bit, but not as good as Your Highness.”
Khaslana’s eyes widened at the sudden compliment and cough at his fist, “Just call me by my name.”
Mydei couldn’t help but to smile at the other’s cute reaction, “I find it a bit inappropriate."
An eyebrow was raised, “Why? Aren’t you going to be a part of the family?”
If he was holding a plate, he surely would drop it, “What?”
“I mean, you’re going to propose to Cyrene someday right? Don’t worry, I approve of you now. Seeing how you take care of her when we-” A cough at the embarrassing memory of their first meeting they had when he had an outburst, “When we met at the other castle.”
“Your Hi- Khaslana, what are you talking about?”
The ice prince only tilted his head in confusion, “Are you taking it slow then?”
“We’re not dating.” Mydei was absolutely flabbergasted at the assumption. In what world would he be with Cyrene? She was more of a sister to him.
“If you say so.” He was clearly not convinced.
“My brother is denser than a rock. You have to add a little pazzazz to get him noticed.”
“Should I hand him a big bouquet of them?”
Cyrene waved her hand dismissively, “No, that would scare him.”
“Seriously?”
“My brother is not used to such a degree of affection.”
“That just motivated me more into spoiling him.”
“Why do you like him so much?” Cyrene grumbled but secretly happy that someone else likes his brother.
“He’s pretty.”
“That’s shallow.”
Ignoring Cyrene’s comment, Mydei continued “And I like when he smiles, the way the sun shines every time he does so. I like that he’s also protective of you. I like how strong he is. And I like how he took responsibility for his children.”
“Alright.” Cyrene huffs, gets up, and opens the door to reveal that at the other side, a feverishly Khaslana was about to do the same, “You heard all of that right?”
Mydei got up from his seat in shock, eyes wide open in embarrassment and also fear of Khaslana’s reaction.
“So?” She smiled encouragingly.
“I… don’t condone cheating?”
She looks back calmly, “Mydei?”
Cyrene opened the door wider, letting Mydei see a full view of her brother still in the state of shock.
Mydei was already at the door, holding the door open as Cyrene left the room and pushed her brother in and closed the door.
“Wait, Cyrene.”
Cyrene’s voice came out muffled from the other side of the door, “Talk to Mydei, not me! Good luck~”
Khaslana was about to open the door again but Cyrene was holding the other end shut.
Another hand also pushed the door, all options of escaping this room were out.
His face was still looking towards the door handle, afraid at what kind of expression Mydei is making right now.
Would it be teasing? Angry that he listened when he was not supposed to? Or-
“Stop thinking too hard.” Mydei whispered, his forehead slowly leaned forward to rest on the other’s shoulder. He expected the prince to fluster and removed himself from this but Khaslana only sighed. Mydei wanted to believe it was out of relaxation.
“I mean it, every word of it.”
He tightened his hold on the handle, it was slowly freezing under his touch but Khaslana couldn’t care any less. He needed the cold for his body that now ran hot with how painfully aware the blonde’s every breath.
“What if I hurt you. What if-!”
Khaslana gasped when Mydei suddenly held his hand and immediately took it back.
“Don’t do that so carelessly! I could freeze you!”
His breath shuddered as Mydei took a step closer and gently took his other hand with gentlest eyes he had ever seen in him, a gaze as if he was looking at the most precious thing in the world.
“See?” Their hands were joined. Khaslana noticed how pale his hand is compared to Mydei’s due to his past isolation.
“You’re not freezing me.”
It was impossible. No one was immune to his icy touch.
Smoke sizzled between their hands, Khaslana’s eyes widened.
“Do you have fire powers?”
Mydei chuckled, “Does having a higher body temperature than average count?”
“I don’t know.” Khaslana followed Mydei’s laugh, “If you could light up a candle, I believe you are as magical.”
“I feel magical when I’m with you.”
Khaslana snorted, “You’re ridiculous. And so stubborn.”
“Maybe I got the inspiration from a certain prince who ran away from their kingdom in the middle of a coronation because only one person said a bad thing.” He immediately regretted it, “I mean I-”
“Pfft, at least he’s in jail now thanks to my awesome sister.”
Mydei huffs, “Yeah.”
.
Cyrene giggled and laughed as she threw roses all over the ballroom.
A maid was curious, “What is the big occasion, Your Majesty?”
She grinned widely and gave the maid a stem of rose, “Oh, you will love to hear the news my fellow shipper!”
A heavy cough was heard from above. The pink queen shooed the maid and skipped towards her brother.
“Had fun~?”
Khaslana massaged his neck, she could clearly see several bite marks all over, “I only teased him for a bit and he devoured me.”
Cyrene freezes. She suspected her brother would go red and gave a little cute fit on teasing him, “O-oh.”
“Not that I was mad at him! He was-”
She closed his shameless mouth, “Alright! No need for details!”
“But I thought you like writing about us?” He muffled through her hands.
The only one who knew this was her “book club” and…
“Mydei! That son of a-” She breathes in and shouts, “I’m going to write you as a toxic ex for this!”