Season Sisters by Elli Bell

Chapter 1: Winter

At my parent's wedding reception, a fairy prophesied that Father would have four daughters. Winter, Summer, Spring, and Autumn. For the most part, those aren't our actual names. It's simply what we are.

I, being the eldest, am Winter. I have powers that can control anything related to Winter. I can make a blizzard, but I just can't make it melt.

That's where my sisters come in. Summer was born next, so she can control anything related to Summer, like a fire, for example. She just can't put it out, like I can't put out my snow and blizzards and anything else.

After Summer, Spring was born. She's the one who can melt my snow and put out Summer's fire. She can also heal things and make things grow. It was extraordinary, seeing her use her powers after she was born. Before she was taken, all those years ago.

The youngest of my sisters is Autumn. She can also put out Summer's fires, but because the season of Autumn has lower temperatures than Spring or Summer, she obviously can't melt snow.

Autumn can make things wilt, though. It is pretty simple, really.

Our names are not actually the Seasons, like I've said before, it's what we are.

My name is actually Frostine. Frostine means snow, and I always rather liked my name.

Summer was named Kyra, which means sun. She really always did shine as bright as the sun.

As a child, I always wondered why our parents chose those names for us, but then Governess Florence taught me the meanings behind our names, and it all came into place.

After Summer came Spring. Ancient Mythology dictates that the first Spring was named Demeter. The other three names of the original Season Siblings have unfortunately been lost to history. She was named Demi, as a shortening, or a twist on Demeter.

The youngest of us all was named Autumn, which means born in the fall.

My sisters and I live in the village, and Father lives at the palace. Well, most of my sisters live in the village with me. Demi doesn't. I don't know where she is. None of us really do. Father's held extensive searches for her, but we haven't found her. Yet.

A day after she was born, she was taken. We don't know what she looks like anymore, but we do know her powers. When she was born, her hair lit up, and it healed Mother. Demi's birth was a hard one, and Mother almost died from it. Then Demi healed her.

Mother still ended up dying. She died a few years after Autumn's birth. Autumn was only 3. I was 12. I remember every detail. Spring would have been 6, and Summer was 9.

Now, I'm 18. Summer's 15, and Autumn's 9. Spring would be 12. I'm really the only one who actually keeps track of Spring's age. Everyone else is too focused with everything going on in their lives, but I think that it's important to keep track of her age.

I saw the witch take her, but we don't have registered witches or whatever. For the most part, we typically let them live in peace. They are still human. They just have magical properties like my sisters and me. I wouldn't want us to be hunted!

"Frostie! I have a letter from Father!" Autumn yells as she enters, Summer at her heels. We love getting letters from Father. They typically mean invitations to balls. We love balls. After all, we are princesses. Why wouldn't we love balls? They are practically our religion.

"That's great, Autumn. Read it aloud, would you, dear?" I tell her, excited. Autumn's face lights up,

"'My sweet, dear daughters, I am getting mar-'" Autumn's face froze, with her in a face that's almost crying. "Father's getting remarried."