Linnea: A tale of the Snow Queen

Chapter 23, Eternal Winter

I always missed the snow during the summer months. Isla’s birthday was coming up so I decided to send her a gift. A dress made from my ice. Laced in the ice cloth I put white rose petals for my little rosebud. The petals would never die due to the ice. I finished the dress and sent it on its way to Isla. I missed her little footsteps running through the hallways with Emilie following close behind. I needed the comfort of the cold. I needed to get rid of Ingrid. It wasn’t working anymore.

One day Aksel came to me. He had a book in his hand but one that I didn’t recognize. It was colored blue. He brought it to me and told me it was empty. I opened the book and saw the title, “The Snow Queen”. I thought he was trying to trick me but then I read the text. It told of a mirror made by the devil. It had fallen to earth. I kept reading but then it stopped. Like the rest of the story was yet to be written. It was like the story about the mermaid. The fairy tales were real. I brushed it off and told him it was probably a miss print and to go put it back.

Astrid had grown into a beautiful young lady. Soon I had several men lined up to try and marry her off. She was fifteen after all. It was nearly time. None of them caught her eye though. I had no clue how much she was like me. It was like Agnes trying to get Ingrid and I married. There was one man who caught her eye though. A guard. I didn’t even pick him out for her. I knew that I would be asked for a blessing of the marriage if they did decide to get married. All Astrid wanted to do was please her older sister. She never told me about him but I caught them by accident. I never told her I saw him kiss her hand. I was just happy that she was happy. This one wouldn’t try to kill me like Agnar did. He worked for me. It would be treason if he did.

Markus was Markus, what can I say. Markus had matured over the years but he was still my little brother. He knew about Astrid. I think Aksel did too but they never dared to tell Ingrid and I. Markus was definitely an odd person. He never wanted to be around me any more. I guess that’s just what happens when kids grow up. He didn’t need me anymore. Is this what would happen with Isla? Unlike me she would go on to live a long and eventful life. She would die. I wouldn’t. I would continue to live. Everyone in this castle would continue to live.

I had given up on trying to control it. One day I looked out the window at the vast forest dividing the castle and the village. I imagined half of it to be covered in snow along with the castle. I thought it would bring me some comfort if I imagined the cold during summer. Then I saw the impossible, snow falling in the summer. It had started to snow outside. I touched my hand to the glass and it started to frost. It was me. I was causing it to snow. My ice could never be destroyed unless I got rid of it. I had created a controlled eternal winter. The snow would never leave or expand unless I willed it to.

Ingrid had seen what I had done. I didn’t care. I ran outside to embrace the snow. I stood there in my dress made of ice. I wasn’t bothered by it. The cold had accepted me. I felt like I was a part of it. Then Ingrid stepped outside with the rest of my siblings. The three had come out to witness the miracle I created. Ingrid was here for me. I turned around and saw her, “Linnea, get rid of it.” she demanded
“No. It’s beautiful, don't you think so?”
“It’s unnatural. It needs to go.”
“We’re unnatural too, does that mean we need to go?”
“Linnea. Not in front of them.”
“Ingrid we can’t keep going like this. We can’t keep secrets anymore, it's dangerous.”
“Don’t you think I know that? I keep a secret every day and no one knows. You know what I’m talking about.”
“You don’t know what I’ve done. I’m trying to stay sane. Ingrid, I think I’m losing it.”
“Linnea you lost it a long time ago. Lucas is dead because of us!”
“What?” asked Astrid. I didn’t hear what they were doing though. Neither did Ingrid we had gotten too loud. The truth about what had happened was about to come out. They were watching us now, but we hadn't noticed, “You could’ve healed father! You wanted to do it for Agnes but you can’t!”
“You won’t let me see her! She could be dead by now!”
“She is, I killed her! I also killed Agnar!”
“You what?”
“Ingrid, I’m sorry. He tried to kill me but I got him first.”
“What about my mother?”
“We had an argument and I lost it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I was afraid…”
“I… I can’t even look at you. You’re a cold blooded killer.” she replied. There it was. All the secrets were spilt. She turned around, unable to look at me. Our three siblings were watching. They had no clue what I was capable of. Ingrid turned around and caught me off guard. She tried to burn me with fire on her hands. I dogged but she kept coming. Finally I made a sword of ice and plunged it into her gut. I impaled her. The ice was red on the other side. They watched on in horror. I pulled her closer on the sword, then I whispered in her ear, “I didn’t regret killing Agnes and Agnar. But unlike them you get to have last words.”
“You’re a monster.”
“I’m a Queen. I’m just doing the execution myself.” I replied. I pulled the sword out and she fell to the ground. Her hair returned to black and her eyes went back to their original green. Her magic couldn’t save her. She bled onto the snow.

Ingrid was dead. I actually got satisfaction out of it. I finally had her out of my way. Then I looked up and saw them there. I looked up and stared at them. They ran away from me. They tried to hide but I found them one by one. I found Aksel in the woods, “Linnea. Linnea no don’t!” he shouted
“I’m not going to hurt you.”
“Then stop!” he yelled back. I eventually caught him and put him under my control. I sent him home. Then I found Markus hiding in a bush. He screamed and then I grabbed him. Then I used my magic on him like I did with Aksel. I told him to go home too. The only one left after that was Astrid. I knew where she was. I walked into the castle garden and into the area where Agnar was. Astrid was mesmerized by what I had done, “Isn’t he magnificent this way?” I asked
“You did this. How did you make it? Why is it here?”
“You don’t recognize him. It’s Agnar. He tried to kill me but I got him first.”
“What happened to Lucas?”
“Ingrid and I were about to fight with our magic. He came between us. Half of him is ice. The other half is a topiary. He’s actually here in the garden as well.”
“I think I saw him coming in. What are you going to do to me?”
“Relax my autumn leaf. I would never dream of harming you.”
“Then what are you going to do?”
“Just relax.” I replied. I took my hands and did the same thing to her that I did to Filip, Aksel, and Markus. They were under my control.

I then figured out how to do it to all of my staff. They were under my control. I had them bury Ingrid’s body. I even made her a grave of ice. She was near Agnar in the garden. I made sure that they could be together in death. Ingrid might’ve been happy about that. I made the castle and everything in it out of ice. I even made the village forget about us. I finally had what I wanted. An eternal winter.