When I'm alone in the wintry forests I like to tell stories. I like to talk to the small critters of the forest,
And sometimes help them find food. I love the nippy, bitter flurries that envelop me wherever I step, and the creatures of the forest don't judge me.
My favorite story to tell them is about an old couple who regretted having no children, and how on Christmas Eve they opted to make a beautiful daughter out of snow. They used two blue beads for eyes, a red ribbon for her lips, and added dimples to her cheeks. She was perfect, they agreed, and by the end of the day, they were finished. They had made their dream child together, but still it broke their hearts. She was not real. Christmas Day, however, they awoke to a knock at their door and found me—their living breathing daughter made from the snow—before them, standing next to an old friend of theirs.
His name was North.
When I tell the animals this, their noses twitch happily. They love North, he has a way with animals, I guess.
Anyway, North told the old couple that he had granted their wish, and breathed life into the young girl. They rejoiced, naming her Snegurochka, or the Snow Maiden. However, there were conditions. She could not stand extreme heat, and therefore could not be near fires. She could not be embraced, and would never know what it was like to love. Springtime depressed her, and she spent most of her time in the basement where she lived.
For years they lived happily; Christmas was their favorite season, because she was born then. They loved their sweet daughter and would do almost anything for her, as she would for them.
But one Christmas, a fire spread through their village, and the couple sent her away just in time, before their house was engulfed in embers.
The girl—whose sole purpose that was to be loved—lost the two people who had loved her to the utmost extent. She cried often, and the tears froze on her cheeks.
Although that's where the story ends for the animals, I found out that it was only the beginning...
It was Christmas again. One of the holidays I hated the most. It was my birthday, and the day both my parents died. Needless to say, I lived alone, and as I was walking back to my icy cave in which I made a home, I heard a small sound. It was a small jingling noise, easily ignored at first. Still, I stopped to inspect my surroundings, for winter nights like this are usually deathly silent. Whatever noise there is, usually is muffled by blankets of snow. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so I continued hesitantly on my way. Not two steps ahead, I heard it again—a faint ring of a jingle-bell. Before I could dismiss it as me hearing things, there was the large thumping of heavy boots in the snow.
I panicked. What can I say? I wasn't used to people being near me, so I did what any scared girl would do. I ran.
"Wait!" I heard, but didn't stop. My legs carried me as fast as they could go, and still I could hear the thumping footsteps close behind me.
I darted through the forest, weaving in between tall evergreen trees, but suddenly I bumped into a wall of fur.
I landed in a heap of powdery white snow, my head colliding with the tree behind me, and my vision obscured as another layer of snow landed on my head.
"Net, ty durak!"
I knew that voice. It was deep, husky, demanding attention, and yet merry. North.
Before I could make a stealthy escape, I felt a sturdy grip on arm, and was lifted easily out of the snow. I wiped my eyes to rid them of snowflakes, regaining my vision once again. North smiled broadly, spreading his arms wide. I raised an eyebrow.
"Chto vy khotite ?" I muttered, rubbing the arm he had grabbed crossly.
"Snegurochka! I have not seen you since you were born!" He boomed happily. Crossing his arms contently, His eyes crinkled. Next to him was a yeti, which—I guessed—I had bumped into earlier.
"I go by Natalya now." I sighed, rubbing at the frozen tears on my face subconsciously.
He looked slightly disturbed. "So…" North became grim. "What they tell me…It is true, then?"
I managed a humorless laugh. "Depends on what they tell you."
He shifted uncomfortably, his brow furrowing so deeply, his bushy eyebrows practically covered his eyes as he squeezed them shut, applying pressure on them with his large fingers. He stood like that for a moment or two before taking a deep breath, and blinking away the sorrow.
The yeti plopped down sadly on the ground with a heavy sigh, causing it to shake slightly. Some more snow landed on my head.
With a sniff he looked at me sadly. "I believed them to be rumors spread by ignorant people…I am sorry to find them proven true."
I looked anywhere but at his eyes. His eyes I knew to always hold incredible emotion despite his burly appearance.
"Where are you living?"
"Alone."
The yeti looked up in protest, his mouth agape.
"Alone?" North exclaimed. "Nemyslimyy!"
I stared woefully at the soft snow. North relaxed and held out a gentle hand. "Sneg—Natalya…I beg you…come to the north pole…You will be happy!"
I tilted my head.
"The Yeti's make very good company," He encouraged. I glanced at the Yeti, who was drawing in the snow. North elbowed him, and the Yeti looked up distractedly until North cleared his throat, indicating for the Yeti to wave.
I smiled softly, and took his hand…that was when the journey began.
A/N: Soooo, like many other Dreamwork's fans, I'm anticipating the arrival of Rise of the Guardians. (and Jack frost XD …) I wanted to try my hand at writing a fanfic about it (if need be, I will edit it on a later date, after I see the movie)
My story is about Snegurochka (google it…it's Russian), basically a Russian fairytail XD
Sooo yeah….tell me what you think :3
Is it worth a shot?
Picture credit to OlesyaGavr on Deviantart :)
Russian words:
Net, ty durak- No, you fool
Chto vy khotite ?- What do you want?
Nemyslimyy- Unthinkable
