Linnea: A tale of the Snow Queen

Chapter 8, Proper Ladies

Father was going to return tomorrow. I remember the day before his return. Agnes gathered the three of us in the drawing room. Today was a test of what we had learned so far. She gathered us for afternoon tea. Astrid was going to be presented like Ingrid and I but her lessons were far from over. There was a slim chance of a ten year old being the next queen. We all knew it was going to be Ingrid. She was picture perfect. Graceful, kind, beautiful. We were both different but also similar.

We were finishing up our tea. Agnes took note of everything we did. She let Astrid leave first due to her being the youngest “Astrid dear, you are excused.” she said
“Thank you mama.” Astrid replied
“You’re quite welcome dear. Linnea, Ingrid, I need you two to stay. We must discuss a few things.”
“Yes mother.” we replied. Astrid left the room. Agnes looked at the two of us “Astrid, shut the door on your way out dear.”she said
“Yes mama.” Astrid replied
“Thank you dear.” Agnes then returned her attention to us. She motioned her hand to have us stand. We both stood up and she walked around us. She was inspecting us. Looking for posture, form, perfection. I started to get nervous. The room was getting colder again. Ingrid started to shiver. She looked over at me. I was perfectly still. Trying not to become panicked. Then Agnes left. She never liked the cold.

Ingrid looked at me. She touched my skin. Pulled me towards the couch “It’s you!” she exclaimed as she threw me on to it. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”
“Don’t play dumb with me Linnea!”
“Ingrid stop, you’re scaring me! This won’t end well!”
“Ever since our winter walk you haven’t been the same!”
“What are you talking about?!”
“Look at you! You think no one noticed but Lucas! I noticed! Your features are much lighter than normal!” She kept yelling at me and pushed me onto the floor. This was the wicked side I never wanted to see of my step-sister. In these kinds of moments Ingrid was not my sister, she was my wicked step-sister. I was laying there on the floor, the room getting colder “Ingrid stop! I don’t want you to get hurt! You don’t know everything!”
“You are a fool! You can’t even stand up for yourself! You pale, sickly, little…”
“Stop!” I yelled. In that moment ice and snow surrounded Ingrid and I in the room. Ingrid was still alive but stuck. I was in tears that froze as they hit the floor.

Ingrid’s head was above the ice. Her feet and arms were stuck so she couldn’t move. She stared at me in fear. I was still crying on the floor. Then Lucas came into the room. It was covered from top to bottom in ice and snow. It looked like winter had come indoors. Lucas looked at the situation and analyzed what had happened. As he came closer he closed the door “Ingrid, what happened?” he asked
“I don’t know.” she replied
“She was yelling at me and threw me on the floor.” I explained through the tears
“Can you reverse this?”
“Yes.”
“Linnea I’m sorry. I didn’t know…”
“What if I didn’t have these powers you would’ve kept going.”
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
“Just be careful next time.” I said. The ice and snow began to melt. Eventually it all disappeared quickly. I knew she was lying about not knowing. She knew because Ingrid had a habit of waking up in the middle of the knight. I had been having nightmares recently. My powers could be used even in my sleep. Every now and then ice or snow would form in the night and I had to get rid of it quickly.

Every time I used my powers I felt something in my chest. A cold, unforgiving feeling. I didn’t know it then, but my heart was being frozen. In time I would lose my kindness, my warmth, and my ability to love. In time I would become as cold as ice. I would forever have a cold heart.