CHAPTER 30 – ATTENDING THE WINTER BALL WITH A THAWED HEART

Leon nodded. "I thought so." Jack Frost sighed. "Bring the dress to me when it is done." Leon smiled. "I understand." He turned and left Jack Frost alone in his room.

The ball was in full swing. It was only some hours before the ball now and the helpers, hand maidens and everyone else were on their feet. Leon had delivered the dress to Jack Frost who had run his fingers on it, imagining how it would look like on her. His imagination obviously satisfying him, he asked a helper to check if she was dressed. The answer came back affirmative, and he couldn't hide his disappointment. "She looks really beautiful, your majesty." Jack Frost nodded. "Is that so? Well, I will just gift this to her after the ball." He was saying it more to himself than to her. "Shall I package it as a gift, then?" "Yes." She nodded and took the dress away, returning shortly with the dress wrapped in a gift box with an elegant pink bow. "You can leave now." She bowed and left.

"How do I look?" Rhea was wearing a black sleeveless dress, one that showed a little cleavage, and accentuated her neckline. The dress was dotted in waves with diamonds, and tightened around her upper body, then opened up with a huge flair below that. There was a long slit on the right, one that let her show the light smooth skin of her long legs. She wore a transparent heel, her hair piled up and a few strands left to fall and curve her oval face. Her wrists had little gloves; her hair pin sparkled with blinding luster. She made sure she wouldn't be lost in the crowd. "You look majestic, your highness. Truly magnificent. This way, you do not need an introduction. You already look like a queen." She smirked and smoothed out the dress around her waist. "The neck piece." The helper handed her a necklace box, containing a long layered necklace of diamonds. She wore it on her own as the helper wore the matching earrings on her. "Perfect."

Jack Frost stood in front of the mirror, wearing the innermost shirt and trouser of his royal attire. That was the only thing he had to wear himself, as the helpers ran helter-skelter around the room, arranging for his dress, from the biggest things like the royal robe, to the smallest like the glove. They helped him into the coat, then the shoes and lastly, his gloves. He watched his reflection in the mirror. Would Althaia like it? "Are you still there?" A helper appeared, her head bowed. "Bring lady Althaia to me." The helper nodded and left. Was he being too clingy? He didn't care.

The helper whispered to Althaia who was standing at the balcony, watching the people troop in through the gate of ice. She nodded and followed her. "My lady, she is..." "I can see." Rhea interrupted her. "Keep an eye on her. You should only take her when Jack Frost comes down, or our plan will fail. Did you get me?" The helper nodded. "I will make my entrance later." She added with a wave of her hand.

Althaia followed behind the helper, who was ushered in by another helper. "Both of you can leave now." The helpers left, after dropping all the things they were holding.

He turned to her. "Sit." She sat on the edge of the bed, watching him. "How do I look? Be sincere." He said, gesturing at himself.

She gave a smile and stood up. Gently, she unclipped the diamond lace that had been clipped on the side of his coat and set It on the bed. Then smoothened out the coat. "You are already magnificent. Too many diamonds will only lessen your own luster and dull your shine." He smiled and turned to the mirror. He always looked good, even to himself, but he had never looked this good. He looked like a human 20-year-old, his body fit, his face royal. Today, he looked even more so. Maybe it was because she was behind him, holding his shoulder like Hera would, her head tilted, so she could see the reflection on the mirror. They looked perfect. A perfect royal couple. He cleared his throat. "Thank you." She smiled. "Always." He turned to her and examined her dress. "You look beautiful." She blushed a deep red. "Thank you." No words were said again, but they both stared, holding each other's eyes. Jack Frost was the first to break the eye contact. "Um." "I will head down. You need to make a kingly appearance." "Althaia, let us.. go together. I mean.." She shook her head. "I will see you at the ball." He watched as she left, before he told the announcer he was ready.

Rhea turned heads as she walked down, her hand maiden helping with her dress. Whispers about how she was obviously the Jack Frost's bride erupted and she smiled to herself. Just perfect. Her hand maiden left her side to go accomplish her mistress's mission and Rhea had never felt so happy. Althaia stood by the side, watching the staircase for Jack Frost. She didn’t even notice Rhea. Hermes had just arrived, and had taken a glass of wine, when the announcer called. "His majesty., king of winter kingdom, sole guardian of the winter treasure, god of frost, of ice, of snow, of winter and of mischief. His highness, Jack Frost is approaching the hall !" Everyone stood in awe, but no one was more awed than Althaia whose eyes even started to tear up as she watched him descend the stairs, his coat the way she had arranged it for him, his crown fitting perfectly on his head. He searched the crowd with his eyes and when he found her, gave her an unmistakable smile, before proceeding to sit on his throne.

Two men walked in, looking around the palace. One close look at them and you knew they had never been there. "There is no woman close to him." One whispered to the other. "Well, if we are going to take her, we have to find out."