The day was dawning. Odilon, standing by the window, sipping a cup of soothing herbal tea, as he watched the sunrise over the small coniferous forest and felt the light icy breeze on his face from the snowdrifts in the backyard. 

   They were in a small hut in the middle of this snow-covered forest. Andrhel, the man who saved Polipedes, was preparing something on his small wood stove, while Polipedes slept on a narrow bed in the corner of what seemed to be a living room. 

    "Will she hold on?".  Odilon asked, making a noise as he sucked tea from his mug. "It's been a few days since she slept without waking up." 

    "She's strong, one of the strongest I've ever seen."  Andrhel made a mix of spices. "Soon she will wake up. The wound is almost healed." 

   "How could it have healed that fast?" 

   "Ice giants have the ability to regenerate faster than humans." 

    "Polypedes does not belong to the ice giants."  Affirmed the prince. 

   Andrhel didn't insist on convincing him otherwise. 

   "Aaaaiiiiii!"  Whimpered Polipedes, as he slowly opened his eyes. 

   Andrhel ran to the headboard of the bed and stood in front of the sorceress.

   "Yavel?"  He said. "Are you okay?" 

   Yavel is Polipedes' other name, but only ice giants called her that.

   "Andrhel?!" The sorceress gave a shy smile.

   Odilon realized that this exchange of glances meant more than friendship. Andrhel softly stroked Polypedes' face, who was ashamedly stroking his strong, hairy arm. The prince, disconcerted by the scene coughed dryly. The sorceress removed her friend's hand from her face and tried to get up. 

    "Shit!" He cursed. 

    "It's not fully healed yet." Andrhel said, returning to the edge of the bed with a pot of soup. "Here! This will help a little." 

   Polypedes looked disdainfully at the soup.

   "You know I don't like it. Why didn't you prepare the healing potions like I taught you." 

   "I don't have the formulas. Besides, this isn't here to cure you, it's just for nourishment. You've spent days sleeping, without eating anything." 

   "I'm not eating that." Polipedes gently pushed Andrhel's arm away. 

   "It's your health." Andrhel placed the bowl of soup back on the countertop.  "So what motivated you to come to Tanhur? Don't you know that here you are trying to crack down on magic users?"

   "I only began to suspect it when the entire city guard chased me." Polypedes tried to get up, but couldn't. He groaned and leaned back on the bed. "Tell me, why are they chasing the wizards?" 

   "Ah, something these religious people do. Milos, the new king, is being advised by the priest's bench." Andrhel passed some water from the pitcher into his mug. He took a long sip and dried his mouth with his fist. "They are saying that the coming war times for Azhard is the fault of his deep relationship with magic."

   "With that they are making him order the execution of all beings related to magic, or something of the like." Polypedes deduced. "How do you manage to live so freely here?" 

   "Well, I..." Andrhel hesitated to give the answer.  

    "Say!"

    "I have entered into an agreement with the king. I protect these lands, in exchange for not being disturbed."

   "How can you?" Polypedes spoke, in a hoarse voice. "To join with a person who is doing such a horrendous thing, instead of doing something." 

   "Milos is a child. I don't kill children. Sooner or later there will be someone who will do something, but it won't be me." 

   "You don't kill children?" Polypedes asked, rhetorically. "The last time you meddled in political affairs you helped destroy an entire kingdom." 

   "Who are you to lecture me, Yavel? Have you forgotten the horrible things you've done?" 

They both remained silent, just giving each other angry looks. Odilon, embarrassed and at the same time irritated by the whole situation, decided to meddle in the matter. 

   "Polypedes, remember why we are here. We have to go rescue Sotrel." 

   "Yes, true." 

   "And where is she?" Andrhel asked. 

   "Are you interested in children now?" Grumbled the sorceress. "The question that should be asked is with whom, not where." 

   "They are with the ice giants." Odilon said in a sad voice. 

  "They broke into Fahel's palace. They turned everything over, broke everything, set everything on fire. They were looking for me. I wasn't there, so they took Sotrel, to force Odilon to use me as a bargaining chip." 

    "I suppose the one responsible for that invasion was Adanhael."  Andrhel rubbed his hand over his chin, giving the impression that his assumptions were right.

   "If I remember correctly, Odilon." The sorceress spoke serenely. "You said you had a plan. This is a good time to share it.  

   "We need to gather an army to confront them. If you help me I will withdraw all the accusations Antiphes has made against you." 

   Andrhel let out an uncontrollable laugh. The man was laughing so hard that he bumped into a shelf, knocking over a few jars of spices and condiments. 

   "Are you crazy boy?" He said, trying to contain his laughter. "Going into Mist? Into their territory? That's very dangerous." 

   Odilon was disconcerted by the situation, he took a deep breath, in order not to give any wrong answers. He did his best to look away from Andrhel. 

   "Although I don't share Andrhel's sense of humor," Polipedes said, looking reproachfully at Andrhel, who was still sighing, trying to stop his laughter. "I have to admit that he is partly right. Entering Mist is a very risky maneuver." The sorceress suspended her body a little upward, smoothing the pillow. "And we both know that your father had never agreed to such a thing." 

   "What do you suggest doing then?" He spoke dryly. 

   "I have a plan, but I also have my proposals." Polypedes didn't beat around the bush in showing that she was wanting to benefit from the prince's problem. 

   "Tell me, what are your demands?"

   "One hundred thousand gold doubloons." 

   "Plus that's a very large sum!" Said the prince, startled by such a demand. 

   "Consider that my payment, plus an additional indemnity for the fallacies they said about me." The sorceress was determined. "I guarantee it won't be missing from your father's coffers." 

   "Very well!" The prince did not want to bargain. "But if the plan fails..."

   "It will not fail." He interrupts him. "You will get your daughter back and with my money I will disappear once and for all from the Antiphes family's sight." 

   "And what is your plan?" Andrhel asked, trying to reiterate himself in the conversation. Now I'm not laughing anymore. 

   "You will take me to them as agreed. Only, contrary to what they think, I'll be in on the situation." 

   "Oh, great! We've gone from one suicide to another. Grumbled Andrhel.  "Do you really want to go through with this madness?" 

   "I have nothing left to lose." Odilon was determined to go through with the plan. "And how will this go on?" 

   "I will design a copy of myself, while you pretend to make the switch I will take it upon myself to inspect the place and see if Sotrel will really be there. If so, once I've put her in a safe place I'll come back for you." 

   "Is that really what I'm hearing? This plan is crap. How can you be so sure that this will work?" 

   "Bantar won't miss a chance to see me humiliated. So he'll probably be there and do that tedious monologue he always does."

   "Absolutely." Andrhel shook his head affirmatively." And in that period you'll be checking the perimeter." he deduced. 

   "Exactly." Confirmed the sorceress. 

   "What if that man is not there?" Odilon was beginning to doubt the functionality of the plan. 

"They hardly walk separately. you'll just have to watch out for Adanhael and Eiron." Andrhel crossed his arms, adopting a more serious tone and posture. "Bantar, even though he is the leader is more malleable, however, his henchmen do not follow his methods as much." 

   "Certainly." We should call for reinforcements. 

   "What do you mean reinforcements? Isn't this ice giant coming with us?"  Odilon referred to Andrhel with utter disrespect. 

   Polypedes looked at Andrhel, begging him to come along. Even without saying a word, the prince realized what was going on and found it strange, since he had never seen this sentimental side of the sorceress. He had spent his whole life seeing her as a strong and independent woman, and now he was there, witnessing the same indomitable sorceress weakened on a bed, begging for a man's help. 

   "No matter how sad your look is; I won't go." Andrhel turned on her back, in order to avoid her friend's sad look. 

   Polipedes sighed and crossed her hands over her lap. Everyone was silent. Odilon sat down and put his and his mug in his left hand, which he had put on the table with his elbow. Polipedes had a thoughtful look on his face, staring into the void. Andrhel remained on his back. His look was sad, for even his real intention was to help Yavel and the prince, but he knew that he could not leave those lands; he knew that his obligation to Milos was above his former friendship. "Torac has already been invaded by Polian's army, if I leave I can let the enemies in here too. 

   "Shit!" The sorceress made a negative gesture with her head. 

   "It's no use Yavel. Trying to defeat the ice giants with vague ideas and little contingent is impossible." Andrhel picked up a piece of bread on the countertop, dipped it in the soup, and ate it. "Give up." 

   "We can't give up." Odilon raised his head, having almost fallen asleep. "My daughter is in the Hands of these men." 

   "Don't fool yourself, Odilon. By now your daughter is probably dead." 

   Odilon stood up and confronted Andrhel, who stood erect, showing that his size was greater than that of the young prince. 

   "What? Are you going to face it?" Andrhel picked up his axe and began to slide his finger along the edge of the weapon. 

   Odilon locked his gaze on his own. He knew he couldn't win this fight, but he stood there, taking in the hot breath coming out of Andrhel's nostrils. 

   "Ah, please!" Polypedes held out his right hand two purple, hand-shaped lights distanced the prince from the giant. "Two grown men fighting over nonsense. Andrhel, stop being pessimistic. Odilon, stop confronting Andrhel. He helped us and welcomed us into his home. Be kinder." 

   "My daughter was kidnapped and my house destroyed. This... brute says that my little girl is dead. And I'm the rude one?" 

   "Let's be frank, Prince. This has been going on for days. Bantar hates to wait, and so far you haven't delivered Yavel." 

   "I've already asked you to stop talking nonsense, Andrhel." 

   "Those are facts." 

   "The situation will be resolved." Polipedes said subtly. 

   "Oh yeah? It's going to be solved? Who's going to fix it?" He shouted. 

   "I will settle it." Retorted the sorceress, with a shout. 

   "Oh yeah, and how are you going to do that?" 

   "I'm going to turn myself in." He whispered. 

   Andrhel, irritated by what he had just heard, went outside the house. He slammed the door so hard that some of the snow on the roof fell off. 

   "You...you can't give yourself up." Odilon rubbed his hands over his face. 

   "It's the only way. Get our things ready. We'll be leaving soon." 

   Polipedes walked down the small stone path from the house to the exit gate. He passed Andrhel, who was sitting outside, drinking something from a small bottle, but didn't want to look directly at him.

   Andrhel, realizing that the sorceress was approaching, looked away so as not to see her leave. He knew he would miss her, but he didn't want to accept her absurd idea, so he was upset. 

   "You know, Andrhel," Odilon whispered in his ear tale. "I thought you were a real man. A guy capable of standing up to any challenge. I see that I was wrong. You are nothing but a pawn in the kings' games, a mere tool of royalty. It was like this with Bantar, now with Milos, and you know what else? It will be like that with all the other kings to come, and do you know why? Because you are weak. Just another puppet."

   "Was it me who freed a prisoner to satisfy Bantar's wishes?" 

   Odilon spat on the ground. 

   "You are a worm." 

   "I will remember that when you are in trouble again. Now go away." Andrhel closed his right hand. "Before I finish you off."

   Odilon left, staring at Andrhel, who, noticing the prince's threatening look, raised his head in questioning. 

   Polipedes was already far from the house. Odilon hurried his pace to keep up with her.