A Frosters Curse

~Chapter One~

Rose woke to the sound of her brother moving around the kitchen, the smell of cinnamon floated to her room. The yellow suns' head kissed the horizon, setting the sky with reds and pinks. She smiled and thought to paint the sunrise. Rubbing the sleep from her eyes she willed her legs to move. Her slippers barely made a sound as she bounced down the stairs. Her brother Simon smiled as she began setting the table. The air was chilled but warm for an April morning. The sweet smell of her breakfast almost made her cry, it reminded her of home. Home she banished the thought from her head. Instead, she focused on the meal in front of her. Whipped eggs, flour, and milk with sugar and cinnamon. Pancakes, this would have cost her brother a large sum which she knew they did not have.

"It smells amazing, but where did you get it?"

Simon smiled, "Do you remember the market place we passed a couple of days ago? Where we stopped so you could see the goats? Well, I thought I would surprise you. I gathered the ingredients while you played with them"

"I remember, I named the small one Rakim for his kindness, "I love it thank you." She smiled wide. "But, how did you pay for it?"

Rose saw her brothers smile falter but caught himself and told her,

"I sold one of your paintings. The one of the pond" he paused "Rose I know that it has been hard this last month but you never have to worry I will always take care of you." He took the pancakes off the heat and placed them on the table. His dark hair fell into his eyes.

"Thank you" she whispered.

"You're welcome" He kissed the top of her head. "Now eat" Simon picked a cup and began to fill it.

"So, I was thinking," she said carefully "that I would travel into town today" Her brother slammed the cup of milk in his hand with a thud. She winced at the sound

"No"

"Why not?" She demanded.

"You know why?"

"You worry too much we are far enough away from the palace." His gaze softened and he covered her hand with his.

"I worry enough you are acting as though what is going on is a game"

"Please listen, we can't keep having this argument every time I want to go out.

"Apparently we can" He rolled his eyes

"I'm in need of paint and if you insist on moving us to a new abandoned house every week, then I must get some to stay sane!"

"I could get that for you" He shrugged.

"No no. I need to go. I hate staying locked up besides I go with you"

"Exactly, with me. I'm there to protect you"

"I'm sure I would be fine" She tried to sound sincere instead of annoyed.

"Okay answer this, you are walking down the street and are grabbed by a royal guard. What happens then?"

"That wouldn't happen and if it did I'd..." she trailed off.

"Exactly, and that is why you are not going into town"

She ate the rest of her breakfast in silence, ignoring her brothers' half-hearted attempt at small talk. When she was finished she put her plate on the dusty counter.

    "Rose, we will figure this out" He sounded so sure. She did not believe him though she wished she could. Simon was smart always thinking ahead she was proud of her big brother and his brain. As she walked upstairs the sunlight fell through the window into her eyes. The day was new why get upset and ruin it? She quickly dressed, the lavender dress embroidered with lilies had belonged to her mother. The thought of Roses' mother brought a sad smile to her face. With her long curly hair piled atop her head secured with old and bent pins, she started to walk down the wooden stairs. They were falling apart but were in better condition than the stairs of the house Simon had last found. Before she reached the bottom step Rose heard a loud banging on the door. She felt her heart race and unwelcome tears of fear pricked her eyes.

    "Rosella Ashberry! By the order of His Majesty, you are to come with us and be escorted to the palace and tried for treason."  The man's deep voice filled the air, muddled through the thick wooden door but she still could recognize it as the same man who killed her mother and who had tried to kill Simon. Simon, where was he? Worry exploded in her chest as violent images of her mothers' fatal attack filled her head. It was as if fear held her in its place. The banging continued. How much longer would they knock before barging in? How did they even find her? What was she going to do? All these thoughts filled her head as she stood just steps away from the door that held her fate. Her brother ran to her and together they quietly raced to the bedroom. She felt relief spread over her. Simon was okay and they were together. The relief was only temporary, fading when she looked to Simon. Scared of her brothers' face, Rose saw the pure rage in his eyes. The rage he felt of losing his mother and being chased with his sister who was innocent sent him to a cruel and dark frame of mind. He looked towards his sister and his gaze followed to her hands. She realized his thoughts.

"No?" She asked in horror.

"Yes,"  His tone was murderous.

"Simon? I can't!"

"You have too."

"I'm not a murderer." She pleaded "I've only practiced on bags of potatoes" Her thoughts rushed to the times where Simon had set up bags of rotten potatoes. She had thrown icicles, frozen them from the inside out. She knew at the time what the practice was for but she had foolishly hoped she would never have to use her 'gift'  as her mother had called it, on a living person.

"It can't be that different?" Simon scoffed

"There has to be another way"

"There isn't. Think about our mother, did they show mercy?" He paused "At this point, it's killed or be killed. You are strong Rose." She could hear the sound of desperation in his voice. Rose desperately tried to think of a plan in her head. She took a deep breath and focused on the door. She pictured ice forming first on the handle she then willed the door frozen shut.

"They can't get in now," she said mostly to calm her self more than her brother.

"That gives us some time." Simon exhaled. That was when she heard the front door slam open. Her breath caught in her throat. The sun hit the ice that had crystalized on the door reflecting light around the room. The crystals danced on the walls but Rose didn't feel like dancing she felt like crying and giving up. But she knew she couldn't do that, not to her brother. She counted to ten in her head hoping that an idea would come to her. Just then the siblings heard a loud bang downstairs. They knew it was the guards crashing into the house. Rose could hear the sound of boots pounding downstairs. In every new room that the guards entered they ransacked. Rose thought of the small number of belongings they had, things that had belonged to their mother. Simon walked over to the window and peered through the glass.

"If we can jump and get out before being seen, we can sneak into the woods" He whispered out of fear of being caught. It was new to Rose hearing fear from her brother. He was the strong one, He had a plan, He would protect her. She looked out from the second-story window and considered her options. Her brother was right but there were so many things that could go wrong. They could get split up. Or caught. Rose knew that the guards would only beat her, the King wanted her alive. But Simon would be killed possibly tortured if he was caught. That thought spun her into action. She imagined layers of snow building until it reached the window. When she looked out, the landscape was just as she imagined.

"Okay Open the window and jump in the snow, then we can make our way down." She quietly whispered. Simon nodded as he did what she said. The sound of Simon landing in the snow made her heart sink, she listened for a moment and released the breath she was holding in. The guards hadn't heard it. Yet. Once her brother was safely on the ground she slipped through the frame and hopped in the pile. The snow soaked through her slippers but the cold water didn't bother her, cold never did. Simon grabbed her hand and quickly ran into the trees. They ran for what felt for hours, the ran when her lungs were burning and she couldn't breathe. They didn't stop till the sun was starting to set.