Frozen Heart: The Prophecy of Janis the Snow Queen

The Vision

By the time they got to the valley of the trolls, Reimund could barely walk. He was breathing hard. Helen was growing impatient.

"You must run a lot," the boy said, "I can barely keep up with you."

Helen smiled as she said, "I love to run! We can rest if you'd like, but we're almost to the Troll King's cave. You must speak with him."

Reimund stopped for a moment, put his hands on his knees and dropped his head. After a minute of heavy breathing, he said, "Let's go, I'm ready.". As Helen leads Reimund through the valley, the boy looked around, the lake was surrounded by the pine trees and huts, their walls were made of mud bricks and the huts had straw roofs. They entered the dark cave. It took a while for their eyes to adjust to the shadows, and also the silence. The cave blocked out many sounds from the forest. Reimund seemed frozen at the cave entrance for a few moments, but after Helen waved him ahead, he trudged forward.

The two human children found the Troll King snoring on his rocky throne. Reimund's eyes were huge at first as they approached him. The king was a very large troll; Helen guessed that Reimund was scared of just how big he was. But soon, Helen started giggling because the king still hadn't heard them, and Reimund relaxed and smiled when he saw that. Helen decided she'd play a little joke on the king, after all, she was free now to go and do what she wanted. She cupped her hands around her mouth and yelled directly at the king, "Your Majesty!"

The king of the trolls was startled and gasped in his seat. It took him a moment to look down at the children. "Who dares to disturb my slumber?" He growled at them.

"It's me, Helen, your majesty." The girl said while she curtsied. The king glared at her, then at the boy, then back at her.

Helen giggled nervously. Maybe she shouldn't have yelled in his face. She added, "I brought a friend to meet you."

The king looked back at the auburn-haired boy. "And who is this new friend of yours?"

"His name is Reimund Chairn." After Helen said his last name, it seemed to echo again and again throughout the cave.

The king glared at them in silence, for so long that they became very nervous. Suddenly he rose to his feet, took his scepter and slammed it into the ground in front of him. The children backed up, and the king's eyes focused in on Reimund. "Child," he boomed, "Do my old ears mistake me? Are you from the House of Chairn?"

Reimund shivered in fear. "Uh... uh, yes... your Majesty. Why?" At that the two heard footsteps skitter from outside the cave. They turned and saw that a crowd of trolls were rushing in. Helen saw Fern among them. Soon, the children were surrounded by them. The trolls were all looking at Reimund, and each whispered to each other about "A child of Chairn".

Fern placed a hand on Helen's shoulder and said, "What have you done?" It worried Helen so badly, it was like a heavy weight in her stomach. Reimund seemed frozen in place.

"Silence!" The Troll King shouted. The trolls stopped their chatter and knelt in front of their king. He beckoned to Reimund with his scepter. "Come closer, boy. I shall tell you of the prophecy."

Reimund walked to just in front of the king and knelt like the other trolls. Helen did the same.

The troll king raised his arms and began to speak in the old tongue. It was a strangely beautiful language, and Helen couldn't usually understand every word, but she knew what he now said to them. He then repeated himself so that they could understand, "Hair as black as raven feathers, skin, white as snow, and blue eyes cold as ice. A child born to the House of Chairn shall have a frozen heart and rule a frozen world. This is the prophecy we trolls have guarded for generations. We look for the signs of the one with the frozen heart, and warn all those who will listen."