The Snow Queen

A Frozen Heart

Once upon a time, in a time where magic covered the earth, there was a faraway kingdom covered in sparkling ice and snow. This kingdom was ruled by a Snow Queen. The Snow Queen was a very beautiful woman; no man, woman nor child could scarcely glance upon her without being enraptured by her ethereal beauty. But for every level of beauty she possessed she was as equally wicked and evil. Without hesitation she would freeze all who opposed her rule. Encasing her victims in an icy shell leaving them alive. Frozen, for eternity.

But the Snow Queen was not always this evil. She was once a kind and caring queen, whom was adored by all her subjects. She had everything she could have ever wished for. A beautiful palace, magnificent power, adoration from her subjects. But she felt it was all for nought when she had no one to share it with. The Snow Queen longed to fall in love and start a family but her royal duties refrained her from committing to a search for her hearts one true desire.

So, in search of love, the Queen disguised herself as a commoner and spent many months searching her own kingdom and many more after that traversing the neighbouring kingdoms. Though eventually the time came where she could no longer stay away from her royal duties. Filled with sorrow over her failed quest, the Snow Queen slowly began to become withdrawn. She feared that she would never find what her heart so achingly desired.

In on last desperate attempt, she decided to throw a tournament and the winner would have her hand in marriage, she sent servants far and wide across the land to call forth all eligible and able men to come forth and have the chance to win the Queens hand and heart.

Men flocked from all corners of the kingdom to prove their worth. The Queen planned each tourney around the qualities she was looking for, so the tournament began with a test of strength. There were sword fights, jousts and many other tourneys and all who spectated watched as the numbers dropped from their thousands to little over a hundred. Then followed the test of intelligence and the Queen watched as the numbers dwindled even further until there were barley even fifty left. Third there was a test of courage and soon there was only a handful of men left. The final contestants were invited to the palace for a meal with the queen to congratulate them on getting this far in the contest of with, strength and courage.

Eleven extra places were set at the table that evening and as the contestants filtered in they took their assigned seats and awaited the arrival of the queen. The ornate oak doors swung open silently and she stepped into the banquet hall. Silence fell as the men stared at the Queen, enthralled by her beauty. As she took her place at the head of the table food and merriment were served all round. The colourful sound of laughter filled the halls of the once empty palace. As the evening ended the Queen decided that it was time to set the next task. A riddle. The riddle would lead the men towards the Snow Queens rose garden that was enchanted to stay in bloom all year round, even though the bitterness of winter. The first five men the completed this task would be eligible to move onto the final task and there-forth a winner would be found.

The Queen presented the riddle and set forth the conditions for the task; they would have three days, from the next sunrise to the final sunset to figure out the riddle. For those three days she would await them at their destination until the sun set on the third day. The sun rose the next morning and the lock began ticking, the Queen awaited in her garden for only half a day before the first contestant had figured it out and so the next three followed over the courses of day two and three. Four of her final five champions had made an appearance but the fifth was yet to show himself. As the sun began to sink below the horizon, he burst through the garden and landed in a heap before the queen's feet. He arose and knelt and presented his apologies for greeting the queen in such a manner. He introduced himself to the Queen as Jonathan, a writer from her kingdom whom had long admired the queen from afar. The queen felt her breath catch and her heartbeat became erratic. As she was about to speak Jonathan, rose up, took the queens hand and kissed it lightly and left the garden silently. Feeling quite flustered the queen did not leave the garden until the sun had long set.