Prince Fenneck Frostears of Flottenheim

Life, Identity

Fenneck comes back to the mountains and tells Natalya the Glitterfjell has joined Thymryu and that Baegla made him a prince.

Natalya pulled her brush across the canvas carefully watching the mountains come to life in her painting. She was sitting outside her cave painting the sunset come down over the western mountains. She heard a noise from below the cliff and saw Fenneck returning to the mountain. He was back a whole two months earlier than her should have been. When he reached the cliff he saw her and greeted her before heading into the cave, not waiting for her response. She let him be, he seemed to be in a bad mood. As the sky grew dark she packed her paints away and headed inside the cave to find Fenneck pouting in the corner. He looked rather upset and Natalya wondered if she should say something when he went off. "Did you hear?!" He asked her angrily. Natalya looked at him and raised her eyebrows, "I've only spoken to Dimitri like, once since you left, so I doubt it." She noticed his ears were redder than normal. "Baegla decided to join Thymryu!" Natalya was confused, "Like, in a treaty?" Fenneck looked up at her, "I fucking wish. We're a bloody fiefdom now!" This news was shocking to Natalya and she understood why Fenneck would be upset. "That doesn't make any sense." She said. He nodded at her, "No it doesn't, does it?" He looked relieved that someone agreed with him, "I think it's a horrid idea but of course no one asked how I felt about it. They even went as far as to avoid telling me that they had been working on this idea for months." He was upset and Natalya sat down next to him. "The whole reason we fought in the revolution was to avoid tyrannical kings. How is this a good idea?" Natalya tried to comfort him, "Well, what is Thymryu's king like?" He sighed, "Zeitdrache is a good man, I've met him a few times now and he...he's not what I'm worried about. What happens after he's gone? He's only a human Nat. What about their-" He swallows with disgust, "our next king? Jasna said it had more to do with Lenisily, that Baegla is fearful with her old age and Pufuktin's boldness. Last year we had a small skirmish break out on the Great Skyway border." Natalya thought for a moment of her time in Thymryu. She hadn't hated Ringstadt but then she remembered Arrallath. Maybe Fenneck's fears were justified. "Also, Baegla decided to re-assign the court and give out new titles to line up with the monarchial system of Thymryu. Henceforth you can refer to me as Prince Fenneck Frostears of Flottenheim." His voice was full of disgust. "Man that's a mouthful." She joked, "I'll stick to Fen, maybe Fenneck if I really want drag out a conversation." He smiled at her, "I'm upset. I'm upset with Baegla. That's why I am back early. I hope that's okay?" Natalya nodded, "Yeah, of course. Only for the fact that you can no longer judge me for running away from my problems." He sighed, "Fair enough. I would feel better about it too if Baegla would decide how we should elect the next premi- I mean lord over Glitterfjell. She hasn't made any motions to what kind of a system we want. Jasna thinks she will pick her successor." "What about Zeitdrache? Wouldn't he have a say?" "If he happens to be king when she dies he will. According to his track record with the other fiefdoms, he tends to allow each fiefdom to govern themselves as they see fit. If he dies before her though and the next king turns out to be rubbish then he could appoint anyone into the role. I think we should develop a system to allow more control to go into the hands of our citizens. Baegla doesn't trust an election system. To be fair, they do have they're own sets of issues like parties and the actual elections but I think the pros far outweigh the cons." Natalya watched him passionately express his views on the subject. "You really care about this stuff don't you?" She asked. He looked up at her confused, "Don't you?" She shrugged, "Sure, but you actually want to do something? I thought you were just some archer?" She teased. He bit his lip, "I don't know. I guess I do have more of a political presence than I think I do sometimes. My uncle does well to remind me that I left the 'little folks' behind when I went to live in the palace but I always assume he's just joking. I don't want to think of myself as though I am above anyone else. I despise that with my entire being." Natalya admired his goodness. She wished all politicians were like Fenneck. "I'm sorry, I'm probably boring you." He said. "No, I like your thoughts on the subject. I'm just not really interesting in being political myself." He laughed at her, "Absolute rubbish. You are one of the most political individuals I have ever met. You've assassinated a king Natalya, you're a politician." "Killing a tyrannical person for their evil deeds is not politics." She tried to defend herself. "It's common sense." He smiled at her, " You're motive was strictly political. Lenisily's problems are not their king, obviously, but even you know that those who hold all the power are directly responsible for the well being of their people. Politics!" She rolled her eyes and stood up. He continued, "Being a politician isn't a bad thing, it's a 'I'm a functioning member of the society I live in' thing, everyone should pursue the art that is politics." "Sounds like you should be the next lord." She said as she started cutting up vegetables for stew. "Oh please, I'm not suited for something as ridiculous as that. I hate the pomp and circumstance of it all." He waved her off. "How was you're winter? I feel awful leaving you up here all alone." He walked over and set next to her to help prepare their dinner. "It was fine, I saw Dimitri a couple times." "How is he?" Fenneck asked, he sounded genuine. The anger and jealousy of her choosing Dimitri over him had mostly faded over the last year. "He's fine. He said things are steadily getting worse. So, nothing new to report." "Did he try and shoot you again?" He joked. "No, nothing that exciting." "So no sex huh?" She gives him a look. He holds up his arms in defense, "Just thought I'd ask. Come on, I haven't got laid in over a hundred years, cut me some slack for being nosy." "We did." She felt her ears blush. She wanted to tell Fenneck about that sort of thing, but she didn't want to re-open healing wounds. "It's not that exciting though. Fairly vanilla." "I'd like to meet him sometime. See if he's really as handsome as you paint him out to be." She rolled her eyes at his teasing. "You jealous or something?" He matched her gaze, "Obviously. Of course I wish I was getting shagged in the snow every month by some edgy, dark, sexy half-elf. Maybe I should go one month and see if he's as bi as I am." Natalya laughed, "You're not his type." She joked. "Well then what's the harm in me taking my shot? He might like a romantic evening with a sexy ranger." She elbowed him, "He already has a sexy ranger." She said, referring to herself. "Not a romantic one." He said raising his eyebrows. She playfully pushed him and they continued preparing dinner. Natalya felt grateful for his company, but more grateful for their blooming friendship. Perhaps the gods were onto something sending Fenneck into her life.