A Cruise

First Part
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Shiro managed to find himself in the center of the large crowd leaving the ship. He hadn't had much interaction with people from the capitol, aside from the captain and the baggage boy, quickly realizing the differences between the people from home and the people here. There was an air around him that he couldn't quite grasp, one he'd never felt before and he stopped for a moment to try and figure it out.

"Hey out of my way!" Shiro turned toward the voice before being knocked to the ground by a passing man. His face and body had the look of a man in his thirties, but his hair showed his real age. Not a single hair on his head was a color other than white. Shiro watched the man as he started to get up, dusting himself off.

"Don't mind him mister! I don't like him either." Shiro attention was pulled down by a little girl, no older than 7, tugging at his pant leg. A smile spread across his face at the girl's words.

"Lacy! You can't say things like that about the mayor. You know, he's only a step away from becoming president. Can you imagine what would happen then if he heard what you just said?"  The mother turned to Shiro. "It was your fault you were in his way, you should know better."

Shiro quickly disregarded the mother and turned back to Lacy. "Hey," she had started tearing up, "it's ok." He squatted. "Your mother has a point you know. You shouldn't be so quick to judge people. Especially at your age."

"But papa sai-"

"Lacy!" Shiro shot up as her mom grabbed her by the arm and yanked her away into the crowd.

He reached for his necklace, holding it tightly in his hands, and watched them disappear. "Please give me the strength I need."

The crowd surged forward and Shiro was forced out of the ship, blinded by the lights of the capitol. The sun had already started to set, but the buildings that stood before him each mimicked its brightness. The crowd thinned out as people found their complementary limos or stepped aside to greet a loved one, and Shiro continued on, searching for the limo he knew was waiting.

"Mr. Winters!" The voice was gravely, and Shiro immediately knew he had found the right driver. "My apologies for the lack of a sign." He opened the door and beckoned for Shiro to get inside.

Shiro got in to the limo and was greeted by a young man, no older then twenty-five, with dirty blonde hair and deep green eyes. He suppressed a flutter at the sight of the man. "Hello Shiro, I've been looking forward to your arrival." Confusion flashed across Shiro's face. "Right, your mother couldn't tell you everything could she?"

"How long have you known I was coming and how did you know my mother?" Shiro shot out before he realized he was talking.

"The name is Sebastian Frost, but you can call me Bastian." He looked out the window, scanning the sea of limos. "Hey, we've got a bit of a drive, I'll explain everything to you on the way, but before we start driving do you see that limo over there?" Shiro turned to look through the window. Which lim- Oh. His eyes landed on a driver dressed in a T-shirt and shorts. "Stands out doesn't he?" Shiro nodded. "If I were you I would take note of the passenger, and do my best to stay out of his way in the future."

"Who is he?" Shiro questioned as a large man approached the car.

"President Ivan Roberts." The man was tall, built like a bodybuilder, and didn't look a day over thirty with his deep brown hair. "His grandfather's dad was one of the founders of the capitol, and he's going to keep it in his family as long as he can."

"Aren't there other descendants vying for that?" Shiro was still perplexed by President Roberts.

"They tried, they still try, but he's relentless." Bastian clapped his hands and the driver started to leave the lot. "His whole family is, which is why you of all people should stay out of his way. If he finds you he'll eat you up and every single person who isn't inside the walls of the capitol will feel his wrath."

Shiro swallowed, "I can handle myself. First person to make it in from outside. Says a lot doesn't it?"

"No offense but the Alexandria has no security. In fact, that's a perfect starting point." He leaned back in his chair and motioned for Shiro to do the same. "We'll discuss President Roberts more later, but for now I need to fill you in on what your mother couldn't." Shiro shot forward at the mention of his mother. "We've been in touch for several years now. It's not easy getting word out of the walls, so we could only communicate when the Alexandria took a group to see the sights." He motioned sarcastically and made a face.

"Is that why she was always out when the Alexandria came by. The guards always came to watch the city, but she was never anywhere to be found. I never told anyone because I didn't want the guards to be the ones to find her."

Bastian smiled, "I like you already." Shiro couldn't explain his feelings to himself, but his heart skipped a beat when he saw Bastian's smile. "That's exactly why she was gone. I never met her, but my men made the trip to deliver a message to her and then bringing one back for me."

"Why my mother, why me?" Shiro quizzed him.

"You ask all the right questions." Bastian grinned. "Your mother may not have told you, but she once lived here in the capitol. In fact, she was good friends with my father, and boy did he have stories to tell me about her." He noticed Shiro's lost expression. "Don't worry, we're not related or anything. My mom admired her strength, but father admired her for her bravery. She was braver than anyone inside these walls, and no one even knows her name anymore."

"What happened? Why did she leave this!" Shiro motioned at the buildings they flew past. "I mean look out there!" Shiro actually looked, for the first time at the city they were in, and for a moment forgot to breathe.

The buildings stood taller than anything he'd ever seen, and each one advertising a different company or brand. The people who walked around all looked young, no more then thirty, and so full of life. They darted in and out of buildings always coming out with bags full to the brim. Everything was clean too, the streets were spotless, and the buildings were in perfect condition.

"That's what he said." Shiro was pulled back inside the limo. "Seriously, he could not understand how she would want to leave. She told him that one day he'd understand, that it would make sense to him when the frost signaled the coming fourth winter." Now Bastian had the perplexed look on his face. "Never figured that one out."

"Wait, she always told me that too!" Bastian focused entirely on him now. "She always said that someday the frost would signal the coming of the fourth winter, and that on that day it would all make sense." He sat for a moment thinking about the phrase. "Did your family ever know my dad?"

"No, your dad never lived in the capitol. It wasn't until I got in touch with your mother the first time that I even knew she had a kid. Dad always said she wasn't the marrying type." Bastian looked intently at him. "Why the sudden question about your dad."

"So she wasn't Margaret Winters when your dad knew her?" Shiro was more intrigued and sat forward even more, almost falling out of his chair.

"No, it was Margaret Sullivan." The gears in Bastian's head started to turn. "She spoke of a frost signaling a winter. I'm the Frost,"

"And I'm the Winter!" Shiro shot up. "Does that mean she had this all planned out from the beginning?"

Bastian sat in silence, contemplating the question, and trying to figure out just how much of this Ms Margaret Sullivan had planned out while she lived here. Had father known what she meant. Could he have known what she meant?


Shiro sat back in his seat, intrigued by the new situation that stood before him. What else could she have been planning?