Nobody died that decade. Rather, nobody was reported dead. It was impossible to document all twenty thousand of them and it mattered less when the cause of death was all one of the same—freezing to death.

There was no telling why the once forest-covered and rough terrain of Zandra morphed itself into a mountain of crystallized snow. However, many accused and linked the birth of Prince Lee Euijin, the third and youngest prince of the former King and Queen of Zandra, to the blizzard that overstayed its welcome. 

As a young ruler, being blamed for something so horrendous, he was bound to return the favor. It was only fair. Hence, in one breath, citizens of Zandra were banned from speaking of the snowstorm and the King. Anyone caught doing so was exiled and forced to face the angry weather with nothing but the clothes on their backs.

Since twenty-six-year-old King Euijin ruled the Kingdom with an iron fist, many of his former followers and people had forsaken him for the safety provided by neighboring kingdoms. Thuis gave rise to an atrocious tension between the rulers and kingdoms. For the last ten years, no one had entered or returned to Zandra except one. 

A man named Kim Seyong. A former warrior of Euijin when Euijin was but a mere prince and not yet the overwhelming person of power. 

Other than the fluttering of Seyong’s long, draping cape in the winter wind, the Kingdom was a ghost town. Most homes were abandoned, half trampled, or caved in by pure snow, displaying the ultimate sign of carelessness. 

However, fallen homes, broken carts, and abandoned children’s toys were not what caught his attention. It was his spitting image on ‘Wanted’ posters plastered along every post he could identify. 

It came as no surprise as he had been dubbed a traitor for a decade. 

He studied the poster before him, soundlessly, soaking in the fact that the hunter would be rewarded £ 1,000 and corresponding property in exchange for the head of “Kim Seyong” surrendered to the King. Disheartened, he scratched his scruffy chin with a gloved finger and sighed. 

“Not dead or alive but actually just dead, huh?” He grumbled to no one in particular. Given he was alone. “Can we truly not go back to how it used to be, your majesty?” 

As the night sky quickly clouded over him, running his time thin, the man came out of his trance and ripped the poster off with a hint of resentment. Up ahead, he made out the familiar gray castle at the top of the hill. He crumpled the paper into a ball and began up the trail blanketed in frost. 

Unexpected company awaited him. 

“Leader Kim! Kim Seyong! What are you doing!” 

Circled around and in front of him was his most-trusted friend and ally, Ong Seongwoo. Although the man was ten years his junior, Seongwoo’s maturity allowed Seyong to rely on the younger one. 

In the case that lurkers were present, Seongwoo hauled them into the shadows of lined up houses.

Seyong felt flustered as he had been caught red-handed in the attempt to confront the King of Zandra alone, “Seongwoo? Why did you follow me? Does His Highness know?” 

The other rolled his eyes and tried to ease Seyong, “If you were that concerned about his highness, why did you leave without a word? Let us go back before someone finds us,” 

Seyong refused with a shake of his head. “Nighttime grants me a very low chance of being detected. It will make meeting his majesty in person easier and—”

Already knowing what Seyong would say, Seongwoo impatiently cut him off, “You’ve made all of us a promise. That we will see the King together tomorrow morn’. And what if someone sees you and you get caught? The King’s order in all the five kingdoms is to kill you on sight unless they wish to go to war for hiding you and us. You will never get close to him without backup. Allow me to accompany you.” 

Seyong pressed his lips together. He fully understood Seongwoo’s feelings, but he could not risk the life of the only man capable of protecting the Prince if Seyong no longer breathes. 

“I will do this alone. Go back and see to it that the Prince is safe. This is a command, Deputy Ong.” 

Once Seyong called him by his title, Seongwoo knew very little could be done to change the older man’s mind. Drawing in a deep breath, the younger forced the words out of his mouth, “I’m not leaving per your command, but because I trust you when you say the King won’t hurt you. Still, be careful. And if you are not back by dawn, we will charge in.” 

The corner of Seyong’s lips curled up briefly. He placed a hand on Seongwoo’s shoulder and lightly squeezed it, “I will be back.” 

In the shadowy corridor with dying candles, pillars looked like still guards. None to his surprise, most of the castle was vacant. Since the snow made it too costly for the King to maintain guards around every corner, Seyong had expected only the King’s chamber and study room would be properly guarded. 

So in the empty courtroom, Seyong went down on one knee to pay the throne his final respects. He crossed his left arm across his chest and offered his silent condolences. In his lifetime alone, he had seen three different Kings sit on the wooden chair. 

One ended his own life due to the hardships that came with the seat. The second overworked himself and became ill, passing on as a result. Fortunately, the third and current King, Euijin, is physically healthy although many questions his state of mind. 

With reports of his cousin being alive, it was only natural that he would become paranoid. No King, with living competition, has ever been promised a prolonged life or immortality. Every King dies, even those believed to be untouchable. However, it has been eighteen years and his cousin is nowhere near a threat to his throne. 

Behind him, Seyong heard footsteps and saw the light of fire torches approach him. 

“Your majesty,” he voiced carefully. 

Across from him, he was spared the grandest grin the King could muster, “Kim Seyong. I’ve waited a long time for you, old friend.” 

In a bear cave, just southwest of Zandra’s territory, 18-year-old Prince Hwang Yunseong and his audience of nine men were gathered around the sole campfire. Not one man realized that the leader and deputy of their guild were not with them as the Prince joked, told stories and theories that intrigued the entertained folks. 

With his bow and arrows by his side and a tin can of water in his hand, Yunseong leaned forward, “Remember the tavern in Allerza? When the old wizard pulled me away? Well, he foretold that His majesty is this snowstorm’s lifestream. He said, ‘Forgiveness will prevent the new and acceptance will melt the old.’”

“What is the new and the old?” asked one of the guild members, his brown eyes sparkled with anticipation. 

The corner of Yunseong’s lip habitually curled up. The others’ participation in his storytelling always brought him great joy and much happiness. “Snow, the old and the new snow.” Yunseong beamed and thought his response would be accepted as a fact, but when his personal protectors set off with an abundance of questions, it caught him off guard. 

“Your highness is saying his majesty had full control of the weather all along?” 

“Is that even possible?!” 

“We’re talking about the same King, right? The one who’s out to eliminate us?” 

“Is it the Heavens’ will to bestow unto him unending powers? To such a crude man?” 

“Whoa, whoa, whoa. Simmer down everyone,” Yunseong intruded as he waved his hands around. “It’s only a theory. Don’t take it too seriously. He is not out to eliminate us and he is not crude. By the way… has anyone seen Seongwoo or Leader Kim?” 

Of course, only the Prince noticed that his favorite Leader and Deputy was missing. Quickly, everyone scanned their surroundings, but none had good news. 

“Looks like they’ve gone off somewhere together,” the youngest of the bunch, though three months older than Yunseong, pointed out. Upon hearing that they were together, it lessened Yunseong’s worries but not enough to diminish it. 

“Let’s move out and see if they’re nearby,” Yunseong ordered, garnering much hums and nods. 

“What brings you here? Where is my cousin?” Euijin questioned, with fifty men armed and lined up behind him. 

Seyong turned to face the King, his eyes quivered with guilt. Though Euijin was younger, the paranoia and stress were evident in the creases on his face. Seyong knew he was responsible for one or two wrinkles. “Your majesty, I come to make amends. His highness, the Prince, is innocent and doesn’t deserve your animosity.” 

“My animosity?” He scoffed, “Have you believed it’s been my fault and not my uncle’s all this time? He was the man who intended to do away with me so to give my cousin a chance at the throne. You view me as a bully for targeting an innocent life?” Euijin’s voice and words were stoned, laced with enmity. 

However, nothing could withstand something forever. Everything is bound to break or crack at some point, “Your majesty, I—.”

“Have you any idea, Seyong, how difficult it is to get out of bed every morning, knowing people detest you? Every day they point their dirty fingers at the castle and declare that I am the root of their problems. Where is the gratitude and praise I deserve?”

Euijin did not need to say more. Seyong was fully aware of Euijin’s contributions and how great of a ruler he is. Essentially, it was how he had inherited a confused and disorganized Kingdom instead. 

In a year’s time, Euijin brought in warm clothes, firewood, timbers, and machines that could defeat frozen nights. Seyong had seen Euijin recite and learn from ancient books, skipping sleep for the better of the people. The young King reopened old trade routes with chosen Kingdoms after having to bow his head to those his father and brother had offended. He encouraged civilians to band together and form guilds for the benefit of the people. Not