A glow radiated through the stone carved halls of the great elven palace of Seutaui. White light reflected off the dark surfaces of the cold passageways, setting them aglow with an ethereal brightness. Torches lined the halls, there orange flames chased away by the unnatural white light. It was morning in the house of the great Elf King.

    Shimmering curtains of blond hair trailed over the side of the bed of the great king of Aleumdaum, spilling onto the cool stone floor like a waterfall of silk. Pale milky skin peaked out from under thick silver blankets, its color reflecting the white of the frozen land surrounding the palace. Light glistened throughout the great King’s chambers, evidence of his power. Movement beneath the gossamer drapes tangled through the intricately carved canopy of the King’s bed awoke the monarch from his slumber.  His ice blue, cat like eyes flicked open and a small smirk formed on his plush lips as he felt someone press against his side.

    “Good morning, Sire.” The King’s advisor and lover whispered into his ear, warm breath skating across his chilled skin. “Did you sleep well?”

    “I never sleep well, Leeteuk-ah.” The Elven King answered, turning his icy gaze towards the male pressed against him.

    Lord Leeteuk smiled knowingly at his king, his intelligent gaze and soft dimpled cheeks bringing some comfort to the monarch. Reaching out to his advisor, the Elven King threaded his fingers through the older’s long sandy blonde hair. Though, Lord Leeteuk was a warm presence in his life, he was not enough to chase the cold from his heart. Winter had set in long ago for the Elven King and it would take much to thaw it.

    Giving his lover a soft kiss, the King sat up in his bed and reached for a tall silver bell located on the nightstand. A high pitched ring echoed throughout the halls of the Seutaui as the King flicked his wrist and set the bell in motion. It did not take long for the King’s chambers to be filled with motion and life as his servants brought him his morning meal and began laying out his clothes for the day.

    “What is the schedule for today, Leeteuk-ah?” the King questioned as a silver tray was placed in his lap and a stack of sweet smelling Elven breads was uncovered. “I do not feel like doing much.”

    “You have to inspect the prison,” Leeteuk detailed as a young male servant with long brown hair brought him his tablet and pen. “Thank-you, Kyuhyun-ssi.”

    “If I may ask, My Lord, why inspect the prison? We have not had any prisoners in decades.” Kyuhyun pointed out, bowing politely when his King gave him a dark look. “Sorry, King Heenim, Sire..,”

    “He makes a valid point,” Heenim agreed, his expression changing a bit at the young servant’s bold words. “I do not need to inspect something that is not in use. Cross that off the schedule.”

    “Alright,” Leeteuk complied, “You have lunch with your cousins and we need to go over the specifications for the forest patrol. I’ve gotten report that the men of Eoleum have been more active than usual.”

    “Eoleum is not my concern,” Heenim dismissed, “What goes on outside the forest is of no interest to me. If the realm of men wish to antagonize me, I will set them straight as I did before. I will not be insulted by lesser beings.”

    “Yes, Sire.”

   “Kyuhyun, bring me my robes. I do not feel like eating alone.” Heenim ordered his faithful servant. “I will take breakfast with my cousins instead.”

    Motioning for the rest of the servants to leave, the Elven King placed his breakfast tray on the nightstand and threw back the covers. Kyuhyun kept his eyes politely on the floor as his king slid out of bed completely unclothed and unashamed. Lord Leeteuk smiled at Kyuhyun’s humble behavior, knowing well that the young Elf was not so timid in other company.

   Keeping his eyes trained on the floor, Kyuhyun held out his King’s long silver robes and carefully helped the monarch dress himself. Heenim chuckled to himself in response to his servant’s shyness. It wasn’t an uncommon thing for the lesser elves of the realm to be cautious of him. They worked around him like silent mice, skittering about doing their jobs without so much as an upwards glance. Heenim preferred it this way. Too much chatter from the lesser was irritating to him and led to no good.

    It wasn’t hard to spot the inferior elves of the wood. Unlike the royal blooded rulers of the realm whose hair was the color of starlight and eyes tinted blue by their magic, inferior elves hair color was dark like the woodland trees and their eyes held no blue tint. Elven magic did not favor the dark haired, only granting them simple powers such as healing and agility. Most inferior elves worked as palace servants or manned the elven armies. They were looked down upon by their silver haired brethren, just a step above the humans outside their boarders.

   Securing his intricate silver robes closed, King Heenim lifted his crown from the bedside table and placed upon his head. Once the silver crown touched the King’s long platinum hair, the white light inside the room dimmed, surrendering to the torchlight and casting the halls in shadow. The King controlled the light inside the halls of Seutaui. White light radiated throughout the stone passageways only when the monarch was in the right mood. What moods brought on the light, he himself was unsure of, but it was most intense just before waking and darkest when he was lost in thought.

    King Heenim stepped in front of his dressing mirror and took in his appearance, making sure he was presentable before venturing from his chambers. His long golden hair lay smooth down his back and his crown was nestled securely upon his head. The intricate head piece twinkled in the torchlight, its blue jewel incrusted spindles resembling twigs plucked from the frozen forest. His long robes hung close to his thin frame, the silver fabric embroidered with luxurious threads that artfully curved into delicate designs of plants and flowers long since lost to the snow.

    “Beautiful, Sire.” Lord Leeteuk complimented from the bed as he jotted down notes about the day’s schedule.

    “You do not have to tell me I’m beautiful, Leeteuk-ah.” Heenim pointed out with a smirk, “I have eyes.”

    “Beautiful ones,” Lord Leeteuk teased, “They’re like the ice you created on the land, piercing and cold.”

   “Cold?” Heenim repeated, “Am I that emotionless to you?”

   “I was making a compliment, Sire. I meant no harm.”

   “You never do,” Heenim dismissed, turning on his bare heels and making his way towards the door. “Kyuhyun, attend to Lord Leeteuk and see he’s dressed and fed properly.”

   “Do you want me to call an for you, Sire?” Kyuhyun asked, a bit uncomfortable that the King was about to leave the room alone.

    “I want to walk free of the guard today,” King Heenim answered, “There hasn’t been a threat to Seutaui in a hundred years. I will be fine on my own.”

    Stepping from his bed chambers, Heenim took a deep breath before moving down the long torch lit passageways. The halls of Seutaui were vast and winding, the palace housed amongst the roots of the great trees of Aleumdaum. Sunlight peaked into the Elven King’s home through the stone walls and root tangled ceilings, but it provided little light. The winter snow clouds masked the sun’s rays from the land and stole what little warmth it provided.

    “I wish the snow would stop,” Heenim whispered to himself, careful not to let anyone hear his words.

    The heavy snow and frigid cold was getting to the king of Aleumdaum. He longed for the days when the forest was alive with color and green. He missed the warmth of the sun on his skin and the sound of flowing streams. Wood elves thrived off the life in the forest, life that had been taken away by the snow.

   Running his fingers along the cool stone wall as he walked, King Heenim tried to remember what it had been like to call in the seasons. Hundreds of years had passed since he’d used his magic to warm and cool the land. With each passing year, the Elven king became less and less familiar with the magic of the seasons. It was now to the point of forgetting. His heart had frozen over long ago and his memory refused to recall the reason. Despite his desire to stop the snow, the great Elf King could not, for the secret of the seasons had been lost long ago, along with the secrets encased in his cold heart.

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