The Scarlet Phoenix and the Prince of Winter

Chapter Forty One

"The deity of winter? This is the first time that I heard that the deity of winter has a name," I said, perplexed. Of course, I know that old folks used to believe that if there was a deity of fire and volcanoes, then there is also a deity of winter. But back then I thought that this deity was just made up of some kids who were bored and just decided to make up a new deity. I would have never expected that it would be in a legitimate book about Aure's folklore.

"It is a lesser popular deity," said the Crown Prince who had now picked the book and closed it again and stared at me. "Volo was said to be a very smart and intimidating deity that no one wanted to be close to him."

"Oh. So he makes you feel intimidated? That's rich."

"Volo was also said to be our ancestor," he revealed. "He is said to be the Royal Family's direct ancestor, that is why Aure's coat of arms is similar to his, which is two swords crossed together and in the middle is a huge snowflake."

"Woah! Really? That sounds so cool! And no pun intended!" Prince Kao chuckled again. "Then you must have powers like a deity too!"

"That's the part where it is a hundred percent fiction. No one in our family possesses in kind of power akin to a deity so it is just a myth."

"Yeah, but still, it sounds cool. No wonder the whole castle has that coat of arms in every corner. If he really was your ancestor then that explains why there is an eternal winter."

Prince Kao shook his head at what I said. "I don't think that is what happened. You see Rainha, even if Volo was indeed a real deity and that I am descended from him, no one would want a winter season that has now lasted for over a century. Do you get what I am saying? If we really have the connection with Volo don't you think my ancestors would have not tried to stop the winter? I bet they would have as everyone suffered from the eternal winter, even us who lives in a warm castle."

"Well, yeah, you could say that," I said agreeing with his argument because I could see that he has a point. This deity that Prince Kao calls as Volo sounds like an innocent deity after all. Because if he did something that caused this eternal winter then he would have been more popular than he is now because everyone would have blamed him.

"He was the first deity that I tried to research, in case he indeed has something to do with the eternal winter. But I did not find anything about him nor any kind of literature that depicted him. This is the only book that tells something about him, while the illustration is just an artist's interpretation.

"If he's innocent, then why is he not more popular than the Scarlet Phoenix? I did not even know anything about him until this night. And if he represents the Royal Family members such as you then why does almost everyone does not know him? What ever happened to him?

'That is a good question. According to the history books and historians alike, back when my grandfather's father was still the King, he ordered the Royal Family to distance themselves from the image and emblem of Volo. They did this to avoid the people from making assumptions and from connecting the Royal Family with the deity of winter.

"Oh. So that was it," I said, finally comprehending what the Crown Prince meant. "You guys decided to distance yourself from him so that people would not think that the Royal Family has something to do with the eternal winter."

"Precisely. And that to me is a shame, as Volo was said to be a powerful deity too. But right now, we are not even allowed to venerate him or just even offer food to him as lucky offerings."

It's crazy because this Volo deity sounded like he should be the one that would be the reason why the eternal winter exists. He is the deity of winter for freaking sake. So naturally, by following the logic of the deities in Aure's folklore back then, he is the one who is supposed to have total control of the element that he represents in. But in Aure's stories and literature, it was a female deity that has to carry the blame. People are often unfair like that, and we don't even realize that we are already discriminating against someone.

I was about to ask the Crown Prince more about Volo, the deity of winter when he suddenly thought of something and then stood up without a warning and went to get his rucksack which he brought with him for this trip. "There it is. I almost got scared that I left my social robes."

I gasped. "Oh yeah! I already forgot about that! You are going to attend a public celebration so you will be going to wear a social robe!" I even giggled after I said that, but I immediately stopped when I noticed that Prince Kao was looking at me curiously.

"Rainha, are you looking forward to the ball because I'll get to wear a social robe?"

I slowly nodded. "I'm sorry... It is just that I have never seen you before in a social robe as those type of events were usually held outside the castle."

"Oh, that is true. You guys at the castle usually see me in my formal robes so it is rare that a court servant will get to me in those. But to be honest, I don't like wearing those things. It makes me feel so suffocated."

"I bet," I replied chuckling because that must have been true. Social robes were known for their tightness especially if worn by men. Prince Kao must have hated it every time that he has to wear it, but not to me, as I have always wished that I would see him in those because it is so cute.