Lia and Phineas

-Sort of backstory-
Rhe Ac Lia is the queen of the fallen ice kingdom Karrakar.
The kingdom was left untouched after the young princess destroyed it completely on the day of her 16th birthday ball where her mother, queen Fir Da Ac, commanded her daughter to marry the way younger prince Phineas Alcazaar Feuerveger, the prince of the fire kingdom. The princess went so furious that she used her magic ice powers to destroy her mother and the whole castle of Karrakar. After that she left her land in a hurry to run away with a pirate crew.
A few years passed and princess - now queen Lia returned to her castle again to take responisbility and rebuild her home again.
Currently she lives in the old ruin of her former home with her guard and best friend Albert the polar bear.

Queen Lia went up and down in her room - one of the few rooms in her castle that actually looked habitable. Her heels clacked on the wooden floor as she rambled from one side to the other. Her guard Albert silently sat besides her large table where a candle created just barely enough light to illuminate the blank piece of paper that aspired to become a wedding invitation - for her hopefully future husband.
Suddenly Lia stood still, turned around to Albert and made her way to the desk again. Then she sat down on the comfortable looking armchair and took a giant, light blue feather out of the inkwell. She waited a few seconds and began writing.


Quickly the queen sealed the letter with golden wax, took a blue ribbon and tied it around the foot of her great, white crane.
She let him out off her window and looked after him until he vanished behind the large mountains that resemble the border between her land and the kingdom of darkness.

Phineas huffed into the fur he was wearing his breath coming out in puffs. The carriage he was in gently swayed on his way to the queens' castle, or what remained of it. The rumors said it was more of a ruin now than what it used to be. It was needless to say that, after her sudden outburst and escape, his father was more than furious. He almost made her a wanted target, but his mother Florence was able to calm the king down. She was also the one who got him to agree to seal the bond once and for all, being understandable towards the queen of karrakar since she and his father were an arranged marriage themselves.  Thus they agreed to send a messenger towards queen Lia announcing the arrival of Phineas shortly afterward to discuss marriage agreements.

Phineas clenched his gloved hands and crossed his arms. Huddling more into his seat. He hated this, he hated the cold that, even though his body warmth was above average due to his bloodline, bit on his skin that remained exposed. He hated that the former princess actually had the nerve to contact his kingdom again, after the way she rejected and humiliated him with her sudden rejection.  But he wouldn't make it easy for her. He smirked tilting his head, looking out of the window towards the approaching ruins. He would make her regret that day she fled the kingdom's and their marriage.

His carriage soon came to a stop, the door being opened by his driver and guard Cornelius. Phineas got out and looked at what remained of the castle. He scoffed, the owner of this couldn't possibly look any better, she was probably an old ugly broad but under the pressure of his father, he needed to do this. Straightening his clothes he looked at Cornelius, nodded and made his way towards the doors of the castle.

The queen stood at the window of one of the three large towers and looked over her land. She was nervous about her meeting with the prince. Not only because she could just imagine how dismissive and angry he must be. She still didn't want to marry him. Even though her motivations weren't the same now than they were when she was 16 years old. Back then she just didn't want to marry an 11 year old. She wanted to stay a child. Wanted to travel and see the world. Didn't want to take responsibility so soon.
But now a lot has changed. Lia realized that she would never be happy if she continued her vagabond life at sea - knowing that her people had to suffer under greedy landlords and self-claimed noblemen. Her kingdom is broken and only an alliance with the fire prince would help her to heal it again. She just hoped that he would forgive her. Forgive her for running away and now for marrying him.

She wrapped her arms around her thin body and closed her eyes. At least the cold was there.
It was one of the things that made her feel alive anymore.
When she opened her eyes again she could see the carriage she watched the whole time finally entering her garden.

The prince surely had grown up to become a handsome young man. The queen couldn't help but smile - she wouldn't have ran away when he would already had looked like this back then. But her smile vanished quickly when she thought about the fact that she was already 30 years old. That poor guy.

Dressed in a blue and white colored victorian dress she snapped the old fan with her family's emblem - a white lion with white lillies on a blue background - open and faned herself out while she waited for the prince to walk up the steps to her entrance to kiss her hand (it's all about the manners). She gave him a nervous but warm smile and greeted him as well as his guard.

"I am glad you could make it so fast, prince. I hope you had a pleasant travel?" They walked along the large hallway to the dining room. The paper on the walls were tattered and you could see they had to endure weathers because of some broken windows that were temporary repaired with little pieces of glass. There weren't many large paintings of former kings and queens left but you could still imagine that this must've been a noble hallway once.

The dining room was the complete opposite, another one of the few rooms that are habitable again. Lia asked her guests to take a seat - the prince with her on the large dining table, his guard on a comfortable looking chair on Phineas' side of the room. The queen was guarded by Albert again who silently inspected the fire prince.

Phineas hated to admit it but he briefly held his breath when he first laid eyes on the queen. He inwardly thanked the sun god that she aged well and he wouldn't have to marry an old looking woman. Which made it easier to take a bow and give her hand a short kiss. Maybe it wouldn't be so bad after all.

As they walked through the corridors of the castle the queen spoke up. "I am glad you could make it so fast, prince. I hope you had a pleasant travel?" Phineas who currently scoffed at the state the castle was in looked forward again before answering "as good as it can get in this cold" he said "and really it is not as if we had any time to waste after all "

Sitting down on the table Phineas briefly locked eyes with a giant polar bear, probably one of the only remaining souls in this castle. At least he didn't spot many servants. Cornelius who sat next to him let out a small cough and brought up the contracts that were to be signed.
Phineas took one and slid it along the table towards the queen facing him. " Now that we are finally at it, these are the contracts set up for our kingdom's alliance. Our troups in exchange for your resources. " he started "I am sure that my family would be so kind as to include servants too since these ruins that you reside in seem to need them. We would also lend you a hand at rebuilding it, I don't want to freeze my was off every time I have to stay here. Weaponry and troops will be sent over to your kingdom as soon as the formal marriage will be over."
He leaned back in his chair, folding his hands over his stomach with a slight smile that didnt quiet reach his eyes and ignoring Cornelius who slightly frowned at Phineas' remarks.

The queen stared at the contacts - her shaking hands now clenching in her lap. Albert started growling at the prince, he could feel the auras in this room getting worse. With a quiet "Sh!" Lia made him stop. She cleared her throat and pretended to read the paper but in fact she couldn't see even one letter. Her shame and anger made her blind for the words. If this was how her marriage would start she really didn't look forward to it.

Yes the prince got all right to be mad about her but he didn't have to rub her failure in her face like this.
Without reading anything she quickly took her blue feather, signed the contract and slid it over the table again. After that she stood up, careful not to let him see that she was still shaking and made her way to the kitchen while telling the prince that she was about to get something to drink to seal the deal.

Arrived in the kitchen she closed the door and sat down on an old barrel of wine. "My queen what has gotten into you?!" Hemni, the old kitchenlady that gladly got back in the castle when Lia returned stumbled to the queen and kneeled down before her. She took Lia's hands in her old paws when she saw that Lia couldn't hold her tears back anymore. "My queen what is wrong? Didn't he sign the contracts?" - "N-No Hemni. He did! ...He did... It's horrible." Hemni got up again without letting go of her hands. "I am inconsolable my queen but I don't get what you mean. Were the contracts alright?" Lia nodded a bit. "I guess so, I couldn't read them. It's alright but he... He's so..." , she sighed, "...he loathes me and my kingdom. How is this a good start for an alliance?" She looked up.
"My queen.", Hemni akimboed her arms, "What has happened to you? That's not the fierce little princess I once knew. The princess that went to the forbidden forest at 3am in the morning to meet the creatures. The princess that ripped her pink dress because she liked blue ones better. I am really sorry my queen but you have become just like your mother - may god rest her soul - a whiney, broken shadow of yourself. Get up, get out and show that self-regarding prince how much icey hellfire you got in yourself!"
Lia was shocked.

She stood up again, wiped the few tears that she cried away and gave Hemni a big hug. Her skin started to tingle and she felt a wave of goosebumps all over her body. Her cold was back. "Thank you so much Hemni, I really needed this!" - "M-My queen you are so cold."

With a big bottle of her best wine the queen went back to the dining room. Lia clenched the bottle and little ice crystals started to appear on it. With a cold smile she handed it to him so he could read the label. "I am really sorry that it took me so long my dear prince, I first needed to inspect the wine cellar to find something that would please your fine taste." She almost hissed the last words. After sitting down again at her chair she started fanning herself again. "And of course we can arrange to make it more comfortable for you. I just didn't think that a young man like you would get cold so easily in this mild weather. But don't worry, I'll keep you warm." She smirked at Phineas while her old butler Ugo had troubles pouring the wine.

Phineas took the contract back, and watched the queen leave the room without a word. He felt a bit of guilt, as if he overstepped a boundary there. Cornelius who gathered the contracts huffed " you really didn't have to give her so much crap phin." His friend scolded. Phineas sneered and crossed his arms, all of his feelings swept away in light of being called out. "Oh please, I really thought that for someone who could throw a fuss over being married all that time ago could handle so jabs, but maybe I expected too much " Phineas looked up to his friend who stopped beside him and had crossed his arms as well "you need to make this work Phin." Cornelius answered "think of what your mother told you " at that Phineas growled. " could you not bring my mother up at this point ? " he cast his eyes to the side for a brief moment, until the doors opened once again with the queen stepping out of them, holding a wine bottle and glasses.

With a cold smile she handed it to him so he could read the label. "I am really sorry that it took me so long my dear prince, I first needed to inspect the wine cellar to find something that would please your fine taste." She almost hissed the last words. After sitting down again at her chair she started fanning herself again. "And of course we can arrange to make it more comfortable for you. I just didn't think that a young man like you would get cold so easily in this mild weather. But don't worry, I'll keep you warm." She smirked at Phineas while her old butler Ugo had troubles pouring the wine. Phineas noticed that the temperature seemed to have dropped in the room, but couldn't help to smirk at her remarks, that's what he expected after all. "Why, you are too kind princess" he answered raising his glass towards her in an almost mockingly manner while Cornelius sighed beside him while raising a hand to his forehead. "A toast to our glorious alliance" he said, the sarcasm barely to be overheard.

-two hours later-
After many attempts Ugo finally managed to fan a flame in the big fireplace made out of gold and white marble. He was now sitting in the kitchen with his wife Hemni who prepared little canapés for the royals. From time to time a little bell rang and Ugo made his way down in the cellar to pick up another bottle of wine. He then arranged a platter with canapés and the wine and brought them to the dining room.

Albert was lying in front of the huge fireplace and snoozed. He was still on high alert but decided to rest his eyes for a bit - he had enough of the second-rate theater of the engaged royals but he didn't want to leave the queen alone. He knew her well enough.

"Tell me a bit about yourself, my prince. I would love to get to know my future husband." Lia swayed the remaining wine in her glass while inspecting Phineas. This was already the third bottle of wine but Lia didn't really feel drunk. Her time with the pirates prepared her for this day.

Phineas cursed inwardly, he was feeling a slight buzz going stronger but the queen still didn't cease on the new bottles coming in. How was she able to hold her liquor that way? And even though he knew that Cornelius was watching him with a slight frown he would rather die from alcohol poisoning than to let her beat him like that, so he did his best not to show her. He had one leg crossed over the other and was leaning back in his chair.

"There's not much to tell you, I enjoy a good sparring session from time to time as well as reading and horseback riding. I've spent the last 14 years with learning how to reign over my Kingdom and on how to defend it. I doubt there's anything interesting about me for a runaway princess like you," he grinned maliciously "and I am sure that you've had quiet more adventure than a normal prince like me"

The queen laughed delightful while Ugo poured her another glass of wine. "Oh yes I bet. I had the best adventures. But you're the guest of honor here, let's not talk about me today." She leaned forward, just enough to let him get a slight glimpse of her cleavage while taking a sip.

"I've been back for two years now. It was pretty lonely here just with Albert and my loyal servants. Having you around will be quite interesting..." She stood up without nutating even a bit. "Do you still remember when we were children and our families wanted us to dance?" ,Lia walked around the table, "It was quite a comedy. You were so small and my dress was way too sweeping. It seemed like you were sinking in it." Then she was standing besides him. "I still love to dance."

The queen emptied the wine in one gulp and placed the empty glass right in front of Phineas. "Let's see if you learned how to do it properly in those 14 years."

Phineas raised an eyebrow at the queen before him and grinned, he would lie if he said he didn't like the display of her cleavage, it took him by surprise though and even Cornelius beside him blushed in surprise. "oh I can show you alright" he answered placing his glass on the table and raised himself up from his seat. Upon standing he felt a slight rush to his head from the amount of alcohol he consumed but straightened himself right up again. He took her hand and led her to the floor, then pulled her towards him while placing his other hand on her hip. And even though he felt that he was slightly unsteady on his feet than he'd like to admit he started leading her.

Ugo quickly sat down on the large piano to play a classic waltz. Even though he is very old and seems a bit clumsy in some situations the old man played the tunes perfectly. Music is one of his two great passions in live - the other one is Hemni's cinnamon apple pie.

Lia had trouble not showing her amusement of the drunk prince and placed her hand on his shoulder. As he started leading her to the music she looked up and right into his eyes. A shy smile showed on her face as she eyed him up. His face looked still young but it was also very mature. And his eyes - oh boy - Lia could only imagine how they would look like when the fire that lives inside him comes out to fight. She couldn't wait to see it. But again her smile was sweeped away by the fact that he just probably didn't want an old, sad queen like her as his bride.

"You are doing pretty good. If you can keep up like this you will be a good husband for me. I hope you will be okay if this will be all for your connubialities. Dancing once or twice a week and I'll let you do your thing." She giggled a bit by the look on his face.

Phineas was a bit taken aback by her proposal, but couldn't help to genuinely let out a small laugh. "That would be a real shame though," he said his voice dropping a few octaves as he pulled her closer towards his body, his face towards her ear, hot breath brushing it while he spoke "I would not mind to fully succumb to my connubialities with you" he purred letting his hand slide down to her hip.

Lia smirked. "Oh what a charmer you are...", she cooed back, "but you see... You might have a lot to learn on that one as well." The queen looked into his eyes as she pressed her hip onto him. "I am not easy to please."

With those words she parted herself from him and walked back to the table while swaying her hips a bit more than usual to get her glass. She poured herself some more wine and turned around again. "Can I give you some more, too?"

Phineas needed a moment to collect himself after the Queen had her back turned towards him to fill her glass anew. He exhaled visibly which evoked a slight chuckle from Cornelius who was reading a book in the meanwhile.

Phineas was quick to straighten up though, grinning wide at the queen his eyes gleaming wicked he made his way over to her just to take his own glass and offer it to her "I'd love to have more of your wine" he answered, te undertone in his voice suggesting that he wasn't only talking about the alcohol.

"Good. I was afraid that you already had enough." She leaned on the table as she poured more wine into Phineas' glass. Then she handed it to him and they clinked glasses. "Just don't overdo it, I wouldn't want that Albert would have to carry you to your bed." She nodded in Albert's direction. "He can be pretty rough to people he doesn't know."
With her free hand she played with a button on his robe. "But I think you will handle the alcohol just pretty easy am I right? I bet you go to parties a lot. Where else would you have learned to flirt like that?"

Phineas didn't falter much at the Queens advances even though his heart leapt into his throat, he chuckled instead and took the hand playing with his buttons and raised it towards his mouth kissing the knuckles of her fingers. "Albert won't have to worry about me since I like it rough" he whispered. He then let her hand fall out of his and let some space come in between the two of them as if nothing had ever happened.
He shrugged nonchalantly at her question. " I do have one or two secrets up my sleeve, I went to some parties in our capital and I talk a lot especially since I also have to keep my harem entertained" He took a sip of his wine.

"Is that so?" Her look got cold again as she emptied her glass. "Well... I can imagine the ways you all talk with each other. I bet you have fun." She went over to the piano where Ugo was still sitting and handed him her empty glass. Without turning to Phineas again she moved to the great door that leads to the stairway.

Before leaving the room she waited for Albert to get up and follow her. "Ugo will show you your room. I hope you will have a pleasant night. Let's discuss the other formalities tomorrow. I'll meet you at 6am for the hunt." The giant door rushed into it's hinges after the queen and Albert left the room, leaving the two men alone with a shiver.

Drunk and furious the queen stomped all the way up to her room. She didn't say a word and Albert didn't dare to make his presence felt.
In her room she gave Albert a little kiss on the head before slamming her door shut and sealing it with ice for the night. She didn't want anybody to enter when she felt like this.

"Stupid asshole! I knew he was like that." A wall of ice began forming behind her back and soon nobody would even think that there was a door once. "Ooh I am young and handsome and every goddamn girl loves to join my harem." She formed a big pile of snow and kicked it furiously. Wildly she tried to excape from her dress and the corset.
After a while of punching and summoning ice and snow she sat down on the edge of her bed - exhausted and crying. "I knew it would be like this one day. But I didn't know that it already happened. There are no men anymore that would be willing to spend their live to love only me..."

Slowly she layed down on her bed and curled up in a ball of snow. "Oh well... There is... But I left him..." While still crying she fell asleep.

After the queen abruptly left the roo, Phineas felt as if all eyes were suddenly on him. He didn't understand what went wrong. Having a Harem was normal in his country after all. Cornelius huffed, closed his book and stood. "well you managed that well." he said with a raised eyebrow. Phineas just gestured excessively with his arms in return. "well I didn't mean for it to end up like that " he let his arms fall down to his sides in an exhausted manner and took the bottle with the rest of the wine as well as the glass beside it. Cornelius nodded at Ugo to signal him to bring them to Phineas' quarters. In the Quarters Phineas kept pacing back and forth emptying the glass. "that sudden change must have really gotten to you" Cornelius remarked, looking at Phineas over the edge of his glasses while undressing himself to his underwear.

that made Phineas stop dead in his tracks "n-no that's not it " he stuttered catching himself and going back to his usual behavior "its just that I just started to have fun with her and then she started to give me the cold shoulder" He uncrossed his arms to let Cornelius help him undress himself and went into the bed, Cornelius getting in from the other side. "I can't blame her though" the larger man retorted. "I guess if someone told me that it would feel pretty bad too" he chuckled at the sight of Phineas crossing his arms and huffing like a child. "ugh I guess," he said and turned his back towards Cornelius. Cornelius laughed once again at his friend's demeanour and put out the light before hugging him from behind and falling asleep.

At 6 am exactly Lia stood in her garden dressed in fawn breeches, dark brown jackboots, a white blouse, a black and gold tailcoat and a little black hat with one of her White crane's feathers attatched. On her back she got her weapon of choice - a bow.

Albert stood besides her again. He didn't look so well, probably because he didn't got any sleep at night worrying about the queen and thinking about ways how to ruin the prince's day.

When Phineas and Cornelius arrived the sun was just rising. The queen checked the time on her pocketwatch and greeted the men formally. "Good morning. I hope you slept well. Being early is necessary to hunt here."
They walked to Ugo who stood just besides the stables and Lia turned around to Phineas. "Yesterday you said you enjoyed horseriding. But I bet you haven't had the opportunity to ride a Niflyss yet. I got some for my own. They were a gift from a... friend of mine while she visited a while ago. My favourite is Nivall but since it's your first time riding I recommend Lyor." ,she turned to Cornelius, "I hope you are okay with Hinns. He may be short but he will not disappoint you."

After that Ugo opened the large door to the stables to show the Niflyss. Lia couldn't help to watch Phineas' and Cornelius' faces. Seeing a Niflyss for the first time was quite an experience.

Phineas gazed into the faces Of the creatures, if you could even call it that he exchanged a gaze with Cornelius and made his way over to one of the creatures chuckling nervously. These things were a bit spooky. Just as he wanted to pet the creature before him Cornelius let out a cough "phin- ere I mean sir, I think that is mine" he pointed out making a head gesture towards the other one beside it. Phineas blushed slightly "well, sure I obviously knew that " he lied with an embarrassed frown, no he didn't they all seemed the same to him, turning towards the other one and coming face to kind of face with it. It had it's tounge lolling out and huffed warm air into his face. "Hey there buddy" he chuckled rufdling the head on it's head and elicticting a happy noise from it.

Lia walked over to Nivall - the largest and jumpiest of them all. "You need to lay your hand on their herths. That's this part." ,gently she placed her hand on the large, jellyfish-like brain part which started glowing a bit. "Then you have to only think about positive things. Like what a good guy he is or how much fun you're going to have. Thinking about negative things will make him angry or nervous." A few seconds passed and the nervous Niflyss got a little calmer.

The queen waited for Phineas and Cornelius to bond with their Niflyss and then she handed them their harnesses and saddles. Ugo helped them all to apply it to the Niflyss and took them outside. Lia then showed and explained them the important commandos.

"I think you should try them on the training field first before going into the woods. The Niflyss needs to trust you to obey to your commandos when it comes to tricky situations."
After a few tries of the different orders the three of them started to ride to the forests.

Phineas was riding slightly behind Lia, Cornelius behind him. He almost couldn't contain his laughter at the image of his friend on the smaller mount. Despite that Cornelius managed to sit gracefully on the little Niflyss with a calm demeanour that could almost fool outsiders to be collected, but Phineas knew he was a bit bothered by Phineas laughter.

sooner or later he collected himself though, signalling his ride to go a bit faster to catch up with the queen. "so" he started scratching awkwardly at the back of his head "what are we hunting?"

Without looking away from the path before them Lia answered: "Some pheasants and quails. Maybe we're lucky enough to get some woodleaf birds for the Niflyss. They are usually hard to find but Hinns is really good at sensing them. We have to be quick thought when he senses some, Hinns is -" She turned around to Cornelius just to see merely a shadow sprinting away from her. Quick she turned around again to see Hinns and Cornelius disappearing in the bushes. "- always very excited to find them. ...Not again."

She gave a commando to Nivall and made sure that Phineas and Lyor catched up as well.
After half an hour they still couldn't find them.

Phineas got a bit uneasy at this situation being alone with the queen after what happened put him in a position where he didn't know how to act, especially without his friend to back him up, Lyor must have caught a glimpse of said uneasiness and started to fidget and laid his ears back, whining slightly.

"Whoa there " Phineas let out petting its herth and trying to get himself together, "sorry my friend I didn't mean to make you feel bad," he said gently, on which the Niflyss let out a happier sound.

"so," Phineas started turning to Lia"what do we do now?"