Frozen Heart: The Prophecy of Janis the Snow Queen

The Arrival

Almost thirty years later and the cottage that once belonged to Reimund and Anne of House Chairn looked very different. Its foundation was strong, but the wood had needed replacement and repairs after so many years. It seemed like an entirely new home, but also very familiar to those who had lived within its walls. A woman sat in a rocking chair beside the fire, watching snowflakes fall outside the window. Her belly was large with child. She smiled and gently rubbed it. It wouldn't be long now. Her name was Elizabeth and she was pregnant with her second baby. "I cannot wait to meet you, little one." She said softly, as though the child could hear.

There was a crash behind Elizabeth. She struggled to turn around. Her eight-year old son, Gordon, rubbed the pain out of his knee. His wooden sword had fallen to the ground. It was typical of the boys of House Chairn. They all loved swordplay in their youth, but when they became men they took to romance and farming, for it was the simple pleasures of life in Misthaven that brought the most happiness.

"Careful, Gordon, don't hurt yourself!" She called out.

Her son had already recovered. He ran over to his mother, knelt down, and spoke to her large belly, "Hello, little brother! When you come out we're going to play every day! I can't wait to teach you how to swing a sword."

Elizabeth chuckled. "What if it's a little sister? You can still play with her. Will you teach her how to fight, too?"

"But I want a little brother, mama!" Gordon whined. Before he could go on, the front door swung open and cold air blew into the cozy cottage. Elizabeth's husband Wilhelm lumbered in, as usual with little regard for his surroundings. She rolled her eyes as he brushed the snow off of his furry coat and stomped his boots. Later, she'd have to soak up the little puddles he was surely making.

Gordon ran over and stretched his arms around Wilhelm as far as they would go. "I practiced with my sword, Papa!"

His father ruffled the boy's red hair with a smile and a grunt. "Great job son!" Wilhelm turned to his auburn-haired wife, "How are you feeling, love?"

Elizabeth sighed, "The baby is heavy and I'm quite tired, actually. I don't feel very well."

Her husband started taking off his thick clothes. "Hopefully you'll get better before the child comes." She nodded to herself, looked down again at her belly, and sighed once more.

The night grew darker and finally, Elizabeth was tucking Gordon into bed. The little rambunctious boy couldn't stop fidgeting. "Mama," he said, "When is my brother going to get here?"

"Any day now, my darling." Elizabeth leaned down to kiss him on the forehead, even though it caused her whole body to ache. "Goodnight, my son."

"Goodnight, mama!" Gordon said, and closed his eyes even as he continued to fidget under his blanket.

Elizabeth left the bedroom, the same bedroom that her husband once slept in as a child, and closed the door. Gordon wouldn't sleep alone in there much longer.

Wilhelm was sitting in his chair by the fireplace, lost in thought. Now, of all nights, he thought back to those words spoken to him by his father. Reimund had told Wilhelm's brother and sister, too, but they hadn't seemed very disturbed by it. For him, it was different somehow. He could remember it like it was yesterday... The prophecy said that a child shall be born to House Chairn that shall have a frozen heart and rule a frozen world. The child will have skin white as snow, hair black as raven feathers, and blue eyes cold as ice. I'm afraid it could be one of your future children, Wilhelm... He shuddered.

"Wilhelm? Wilhelm!" The large man turned to see his wife looking at him with concern in her eyes. "Are you alright?" She asked.

He looked at his wife up and down, and then his eyes focused on her belly. "Come here, my love." She shuffled over and sat on his knee. He wrapped his thick left arm around her and with his right he rubbed her torso. "I just want you and the baby to be healthy."