A Palace of Sorrows

Anisa walked through the diamond palace's gleaming halls, her purple dress swishing against the crystal floors. The Silver Kingdom sparkled all around her, but something felt wrong. The servants whispered in corners, their faces sad.

"Where is King Frost?" Anisa asked a passing maid.

"In his throne room, miss. He hasn't come out for days," the maid replied, wringing her hands.

Anisa found the massive doors and pushed them open. King Frost sat slumped on his silver throne, staring at an empty chair beside him. His blue eyes looked tired and lonely.

"Your Majesty?" Anisa stepped forward carefully.

King Frost looked up. "Queen Icela's chair," he said quietly. "She died three months ago. I don't know how to rule without her."

Anisa's heart squeezed. The powerful king looked so lost and broken. She noticed how his hands shook slightly.

"You're not alone," she said gently. "Maybe we can figure this out together."

King Frost's eyes sparked with the tiniest bit of hope.

The Golden Message

King Frost straightened in his throne. "There is someone," he said quietly. "Queen Sunbeam of the Golden Kingdom. Her letters have been kind during my grief."

Anisa's eyes lit up. "Do you love her?"

The king's cheeks turned pink. "I think so. But she rules her own kingdom far away. She loves her home there."

"Have you asked her to marry you?" Anisa asked.

King Frost shook his head. "How can I? She won't leave the Golden Kingdom. Her people need her there."

Anisa paced around the throne room, her purple dress swishing. An idea sparked in her mind. "What if you visited her first? Maybe there's a way to solve this."

"I can't leave my kingdom," King Frost said firmly.

Just then, a small hummingbird with emerald feathers zipped through the tall windows. It carried a golden scroll tied with a sunburst ribbon.

"A message from Queen Sunbeam!" King Frost gasped, untying the scroll with shaking fingers.

He read silently, his face growing pale. "She's considering another suitor. Someone who lives in the Golden Kingdom."

Anisa's heart sank. They were running out of time.