(Chapter 6)
The Prince of Aureathen

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Author POV

Location: Aureathen

The snow crumbled like dust beneath the feet of the soldiers of Aureathen. The sound of crunching snow and panting echoed around the travelling pack. Their boots barely making a sound in the snow, not wanting to risk an avalanche.

They followed their prince, the man at the front, leading the pack to their destination. His white hair covered by the thick hood of his reindeer hide coat. He had a cloth wrapped around his mouth and nose to try and prevent the cold from chilling him to the bone. Only his pale eyebrows and blue eyes being the only bits of skin peeking out from his cocoon of clothing.

The packs on their backs were heavy, and were beginning to feeling heavier as they continued to walk and their energy drained from their limbs leaving them weak and feeling as if they were made of jelly.

"We will stop in these caves" Taehyung the only prince of Aureathen called out to the tired herd of people. He repeated the action with the sign language of his people, it was used when storms came and voices were unable to be heard above the storm and blizzards. The signs were repeated by the people till they reached the back of the crowd and everyone obeyed. Changing their course to the caves at the base of the mountain.

Once inside the cave, Taehyung gave silent orders to the men and women who walked beside him. They immediately began to pull the kindling and firewood they had stored in their packs to begin a fire to warm the bones and muscles of the weary travellers.

Once the fire was lit and the cave beginning to light up with the dancing flames, did Taehyung allow himself to sit down and rest with his people. His father and mother were travelling a different way. Taehyung had received a message by snow owl that instructed him to head towards the kingdom of Batia. They were to meet his parents at the border and cross together as one large pack.

The meat from hunting trip they were originally supposed to be on became their dinner for the night. They dug into the tender meat of the reindeer they had caught only days before. It had been boiled down into a stew as most food in Aureathen was, it was vital to stay warm and through warm food was one of the ways.

The kingdom of Aureathen was known as the kingdom permanently stuck in the season of Winter. Leaving the landscape cold and harsh. Aureathen had faired as one of the best kingdoms in the great war. With the harsh ice and snow and no paths to guide you though the kingdom it was easy to get lost or attacked by wild animals. So the capital of Aureathen wasn't touched in the time of battle, most of their fighting happened along the border.

It was easy to distinguish the people of Aureathen from the other kingdoms. They often had white or platinum coloured hair and pale skin. Their eyes a pale blue or grey, that they shared in common with the kingdom of Norus.

They weren't as far North as Norus and their mountains of Tenebris, but they had their own mountain range of Viribus. The snowy peaks being the location of their capital. The kingdom had been carved into the mountain, the mountain was named Pruinae. However the castle and capital were known as Frigus.

With their rulers King Lixue and Queen Lumi. Taehyung's parents were fair rulers in his eyes even if they were almost as cold as the ice in their kingdom. They did not take well to strangers or enemies. Often coming across and blunt and cold.

But to their loved ones while they did not show love through words they expressed themselves perfectly through their actions. Hunting and providing food for a loved one was one of the most loving acts one could do. As it was someone going out of their way to treks potentially several days to find food, display skill to kill the animal and then to show strength by bringing it back to the one they desired to gift it to.

While Taehyung had never heard the words 'I love you' from his parents lips they had gifted him many kills over the years. Many of which he used the hides to create blankets and clothing that kept him warm and comfortable all year round in their kingdom of ice and snow.

"Your Highness are you feeling unwell?" A warrior asked him.

He looked up to the battled hardened woman who was many years older than him and had served in the last few years of the war. All of the princes in the kingdoms had been born a couple of years after the war ended. The Kings and Queens finally deeming it safe enough to have heirs now that the fighting had ceased and peace, although rocky, had been declared.

The princes had been born in quick succession. Prince Jin of Voucaea first, followed shortly by Prince Yoongi of Norus. Prince Namjoon of Kador and Prince Hoseok of Crouris had been born within the same year. Then came Prince Taehyung of Aureathen and finally Prince Jungkook of Rikelux was last.

Prince Nuru of Batia had been born between Taehyung and Jungkook and often thought himself superior to the other Princes. All the Princes have met eachother in the past on neutral ground, and while they mostly got along their cultural and Kingdom differences made it hard to connect without effort and time.

Taehyung wouldn't say he was particularly close with any of the other princes but he did exchange letters as frequently as he could with Prince Jungkook of Rikelux. He had sent some letters to the other princes as well. He never received an message back from Nuru or Yoongi, he suspected Prince Yoongi's was mostly due to his closed off nature, but he seemed nice enough when you talked to him in person.

"Don't worry I am well" he finally responded to the warrior woman, a smile lining his frost chilled face.

And he continued to eat his reindeer stew in silence the warmth of the fire beginning to do its work as life was breathed back into his fingers once again.

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So that is the Kingdom of Aureathen. Did you like it?

Fun fact:
Taehyung is very good at making snow animals and he often makes them for the children of Aureathen to play with

So anyway I hope you liked it. We have the Kingdom of Rikelux next and then we are going to be back in Batia again with Jimin.

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Bye,
Winter