Chapter Text
“Sire, what are you sculpting now?” The prince was inquired of by his butler.
“Not much, to be honest,” sighs Prince Sunghoon. “I’m just bored given ya know, none of my friends like to come visit my kingdom since it’s a frozen wasteland compared to their respective kingdoms.”
“Yes, sir, I’m aware sir,” responds the man with a nod. “How long has it been since they last visited?”
“Two years maybe,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a sigh, “I miss them.”
“Yes sir, I’m aware, sir,” responds his butler with a nod once more. “Why don’t you invite them for a visit?”
“I honestly don’t think they’d accept,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a sigh as he continues to work on the immense ice sculpture before him.
“But you could still try,” his butler does his best to coax and convince the prince.
“Yeah, I’ll think about it, I will,” responds Prince Sunghoon as he works on his sculpture. He lets out a sigh. “I don’t do well in their warmer kingdoms so I get them not thriving here to some extent.”
“Yes sir,” responds his butler with a nod. “You remember how sick you got when you went to your friend Jake’s kingdom still, don’t you?”
“Yes, of course, I do,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a sigh. “I got hotter than my body could handle and I had to be escorted home in an ice chest. Most claustrophobic I’ve ever felt. Most sick I’ve ever felt too.”
“Yes, sir, I’m aware, sir,” responds his butler with a nod.
“Yeah, it’s not my fault I’m literally a popsicle,” Prince Sunghoon sighs sadly in response. “It just makes it so hard to hang out with anyone I actually care about outside of my mom, dad, and sisters of course.”
“Yes sir, I’m aware, sir,” responds his butler with a nod once more.
“I just wish I was normal like my friends are sometimes, so I could actually leave my castle walls more than I do,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a sigh.
“Yes sir, but if you were normal, you wouldn’t be you, sir, you know that, sir,” responds his butler.
“Yes, I know,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a sigh as he adds onto his ice sculpture, “I know.”
“The Ice Ball is this weekend, are you ready to choose your bride, sire?” The butler inquires of the prince. “It would be worth it to invite your friends.”
“Yes, you’re right,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a sigh, “I’ll invite my friends. Can you please write up the six invitations for me?”
“Yes sire,” responds the butler with a nod as he sits down at the icy desk and begins to write the invitations to send off to the other princes in the nearby kingdoms. “Shall we send them out tomorrow? It’s getting late.”
“Yes, and I know,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a sigh. “I’m just going to work on my sculpture. I need something to focus on.”
“Okay, sire, yes, sire,” responds the butler with a nod. “Can I be dismissed?”
“Yes, of course, have a good night,” responds Sunghoon with a sigh.
“Yes, you too, sire,” responds the butler with a nod. He then leaves the prince’s quarters and turns in for the night himself.
Sunghoon lets out a sigh as he returns to his sculpture. “Gah, I hope they’ll accept the sudden invitations when they arrive. Hopefully they’ll come.” He looks over at his beloved little ice dog Snowy. “Do you think they’ll come, Snow?” The little dog stares blankly at him before letting out a little yip of a bark. “Yeah, thanks Snowy,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a sigh as he focuses in on his ice sculpture once more. After a few hours, he falls asleep on the floor near his sculpture, absolutely exhausted.
The next day, he wakes up and immediately sends out the invitations to the surrounding kingdoms, them arriving at their respective invitees two days later and soon enough with that Saturday, all his friends shockingly show up for his Ice Ball.
“Hey guys, I didn’t think you’d make it,” smiles Prince Sunghoon as he hugs each and every one of his friends.
“Why would we miss? You’re in preparation for your wedding, yeah?” Cracks Jake.
“Yes, the ball is to pick a bride, yes,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a smile. He hugs his friend. “I’m just happy to see you again after all that…”
“Your accident two years ago, yeah I know,” responds Jake with a nod. “I understand, really. My kingdom is too warm for your ice elf self.”
“Yes, that’s right, and I’m glad you understand,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a smile. He then happily takes his friends to the guest quarters. “The igloos are topped with furs to keep the heat regulated, by the way.” He continues to beam happily at the presence of his friends. “The ball will be late tonight, 9:00 on the dot.”
“Okay,” respond his friends with smiles and nods of their own. Seeing they’re good, he heads off for his suit fitting at last. He smiles as he gets into the suit for the ball.
“I’m glad you’re excited, sire,” smiles his tailor.
“Yes, of course, I am,” smiles Prince Sunghoon. “So many ladies to choose from from my court.”
“Yes, sire,” responds the tailor as he pins into the prince’s sleeve. “You have your work cut out for you, sire.”
“Yes, I know,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a smile. “I’m honestly excited!”
“Yes, sire, I can tell, sire,” responds the tailor as he sticks another pin in the suit. He begins sewing where he has the pins to reinforce the sleeves. After another two hours, the suit is done and hung up for the prince to wear at the night’s ball.
Soon enough, about 7:00, Sunghoon returns into the tailor’s quarters and is helped into his suit by his superior ice guard. He then heads to check on his friends.
“Okay whoa,” says Sunoo not long after his friend enters the guest quarters.
“Yes,” smiles Sunghoon. “It’s my suit specific for tonight’s occasion.”
“Okay, well it’s lovely,” responds Sunoo with a smile.
“Thanks,” beams Sunghoon with a smile in return. “I can’t wait to see your suits for the night, my friends.”
“Yeah, thanks,” respond his friends with smiles of their own.
Soon enough, 9:00 rolls around as Sunghoon enters the ballroom at last, his friends standing near his parents in the front of the room. He can’t help but beam as he sees them in their absolutely regal suits.
“So regal, as expected,” Jay whispers to himself as he watches Sunghoon basically glide across the floor, soon finding the first lady of the court that catches his eye.
“Sire,” bows the girl. “I’m Lady Snowden.”
“Yes, I know,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a smile as he outstretches his hand, “would you like to share a dance with me?”
“Yes, of course, sire,” responds Snowden with a nod as she takes his hand and lets him lead her into a waltz across the frosted floor. The two smile at each other as they talk.
“So, what would you say if I do ultimately choose you as my queen end of the night?” Prince Sunghoon inquires curiously of Snowden.
“I’d accept the honor, of course, sire, you know that,” she smiles at him. The two dance for another thirty minutes before he goes and chooses another lady from his court.
“Sire,” bows the girl. “I’m lady Feigh.”
“Yes, I know,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a smile as he outstretches his hand once more, “would you like to share a dance with me?”
“Yes, of course,” responds Feigh as she takes his hand and the two begin to waltz once more.
Several hours and ladies of the court later, Sunghoon finally makes up his mind as he soon skates across the floor, soon finding himself in front of Snowden, his heart beating happily as his eyes meet hers. “So, Snowden, will you be my bride? My queen?” Smiles Prince Sunghoon.
“Yes, sire, I’d be honored, sire,” responds Snowden with a smile as she happily puts her hand in his.
“I’m glad to announce I have chosen my bride!” Beams Prince Sunghoon. At that, his friends can’t help but cheer, so happy for him. Sunghoon then takes his friends and his bride to be to go enjoy a midnight dinner in the sculpture garden with his parents.
“We’re glad you chose your bride, son,” smiles his mother at him between bites of their dinner.
“Yeah, as am I,” beams Prince Sunghoon as he continues to hold Snowden’s hand in his own. “As am I.”
“So, when will the wedding be?” Jungwon inquires curiously of his friend.
“Five months yet,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a smile. “I hope all you boys will attend.”
“Yes, of course we will, you know that,” responds Jake with a nod. He smiles at his friend. “We’re all so happy for you.”
“Yeah,” agree the others. They all then continue to chatter into the early hours of the morning.
Later that morning, his parents leave, leaving him alone with his bride and his friends. “Man, it’s chilly,” coughs Sunoo.
“Yeah, he’s right, we all should be on our way here, soon,” agrees Jake with a nod.
Sunghoon looks at his friends with an understanding sadness behind his eyes. “I know you like having us around, but they’re both right,” sighs Jay, a matter of factness behind his own eyes and tone of voice.
“Yeah, I know,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a sigh. A few minutes later, he calls for a set of carriages and leads his friends to the carriages and helps them climb inside. Once inside the first of the two, Jake wraps a still freezing Sunoo in a blanket to keep him warm.
“I’m sorry,” Sunghoon mouths to his friends as the carriages leave out of his palace’s front sculpture garden. He watches them leave with a sadness in his eyes.
“What’s wrong, Love?” Inquires Snowden as she takes Sunghoon’s hand in her own.
“Just hate that my friends can’t truly enjoy my kingdom,” responds Sunghoon with a sigh as he watches the carriages disappear into the distance beyond his castle at last.
“Yeah, that makes sense,” responds Snowden with an understanding sigh of her own. “They all come from way warmer kingdoms than we do.”
“Yes, I know they do,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a sigh, “and now one of my friends literally has a cold because of coming here for my Ice Ball.”
“Yeah, but don’t blame yourself for that,” responds Snowden with a sigh. She looks at her betrothed with a sadness in her eyes.
“But it is my fault,” responds Sunghoon with a sigh. “If I’d never invited them, Sunoo wouldn’t have gotten sick.”
“Yes, but again, don’t blame yourself,” responds Snowden with a sigh as she looks at her betrothed with a frown.
Meanwhile in Jake’s kingdom, Jake’s doctors tend to his friend. “Are you feeling better now?” Jake inquires caringly of Sunoo.
“Yeah, going to have this cold for awhile though,” responds Sunoo with a cough. He sips on a warm tea handed to him by one of the nurses. “Thank you,” he murmurs out between sips.
“Yeah, you’re welcome,” responds the nurse, a Miss Clara with a smile.
Meanwhile at his kingdom of Ice Hale, Sunghoon changes into a more comfortable top after changing out of his ball suit. Not long after he’s changed, he hears the peep of his betrothed behind him. “Hey Snowden,” he lets out a sigh.
“Hey, you done beating yourself up yet?” Responds Snowden with a sigh.
“A little,” responds Prince Sunghoon with a sigh. He looks tenderly at his soon to be wife. “And you’re right, it’s not entirely my fault.”
“Yeah, there ya go,” responds Snowden with a smile as she rubs his shoulders. “Wanna go ice skating? Calm your mind some more?”
“Oh absolutely!” Beams Sunghoon. He then grabs his skates as well as the ones he bought for his bride to be and the two head out to the ground’s frozen lake at last. The two smile as they lace up their skates before taking to the ice together hand in hand. The two beam as they skate hand in hand across the ice. “Man, this is exactly what I needed!”
“Yeah, I can tell,” responds Snowden with a smile as she happily shares a small peck of a kiss with her betrothed. The two continue to skate hand in hand across the ice.