The Prince, the Curse, and the Ice Mountain
Once upon a time, a long, long time ago, there lived a handsome king and his beautiful queen. His name was Carlisle. He was a just and honest king, caring and concerned about the welfare of all his citizens—not just the wealthy or powerful, but everyone who lived in his realm. Because of this, he was well loved and well respected by all his people.
Queen Esme was kind, good-hearted, and known for both her beauty and her charitable deeds. People flocked to see her when she visited towns and villages. Tradesmen gifted her with finely wrought jewelry made of gold and precious jewels. Weavers presented her with silks and fine woolens for her wardrobe. Farmers vied with one another to give her their freshest vegetables and ripest fruits. Everywhere she went, children followed, hoping to be the one she would bless with a smile or the one whose cheek she might touch.
Because King Carlisle and Queen Esme were just and good, happy and healthy, so too was the kingdom they ruled. The land was fertile, the crops abundant, and the people contented and satisfied.
Only one thing marred the happiness of the ruling couple—they had no children. Even after years of marriage, after consulting healers and wise counselors, after numerous offerings to the gods and goddesses of the land and performing all manner of good works and kind deeds, the queen remained barren. So great was her sorrow at what she believed to be her failure, she took to her chambers, refusing to be comforted as she sank further and further into despair and despondency.
The king was frantic with worry, especially when she urged him to put her aside and marry a younger, healthier woman who could give him a child. He was aghast at her suggestion, for he loved his queen with his whole being and could not imagine taking another woman to his bed. Day after day, he spent time with her, assuring her of his love. Together, it was decided a worthy young man from the aristocracy would eventually be chosen to be their heir. With that resolved, the queen resumed her life and duties.
Sometimes, fate toys with our best intentions, and sometimes, fate twists our well-laid plans, and sometimes, fate rewards us with our most longed-for desires. Such was the case when, only a few months later, the queen was shocked to learn she was with child. The kingdom and all its citizens rejoiced at the news of the impending birth. When the queen gave birth to a baby boy, the celebration that followed lasted a full seven days.
On the seventh day, the proud king and queen made their way to the great cathedral filled to overflowing with all the important people of the kingdom, and there, with many offerings and many prayers for long life and happiness, they presented their newborn son to the gods and goddesses of their land. With the priests and priestesses officiating, they named their son Prince Eduard.
Many people who were there remarked on the beauty of the young prince, for though he was but a week old and should still have had the wrinkled appearance of a newborn, he did not. Instead, those who saw him claimed him the most beautiful baby they had ever seen, more closely resembling an angel or one of the cherubs decorating the cathedral's walls and ceilings.
Prince Eduard was indeed a comely baby; as he grew, his beauty only increased. But his outer beauty was not matched by an inner goodness. He was petted and pampered, cosseted and coddled. With none to gainsay his requests, he became more demanding and difficult even as his outward appearance grew more pleasing. As he progressed into childhood, playmates were found to keep him company. Those who refused to accede to his demands or bullying soon went home, leaving the prince surrounded by a group of boys who followed him everywhere and obeyed him unquestioningly.
The easy-to-dismiss group of rowdy boys became a gang of undisciplined teenagers. Led by the handsome but self-centered Prince Eduard, their once mischievous pranks became increasingly cruel and dangerous. It was the common folk, the castle staff, and the servants who bore the brunt of his antics. Cowed by years of his bullying, they feared to speak ill of the prince, knowing his parents would not acknowledge their complaints.
Things might have gone on this way for years, but as Prince Eduard matured into a handsome young man, he discovered a more exciting game to play. Once again, it was the servant girls and common women who first drew his attention. Flirting games turned into hurried kisses, which in turn became bolder groping in dark hallways. When the first serving woman slipped into his bed one night, the prince found a more exhilarating pastime for his entertainment.
He soon tired of servant girls and serving wenches. They were easy prey, most of them more than willing to spend a few hours with Prince Eduard, and none were upset when he lost interest or moved on to the next conquest. He was a prince; they were lower class; it was to be expected.
A bored Prince Eduard turned his attention toward more challenging targets—the daughters and wives of the kingdom's nobles and landed gentry. It was all a game for him and his childhood cronies, a pleasant afternoon diversion of flirting and seduction followed by an entertaining evening of drinking, bragging, and comparing stories.
It was not a game to those whose hearts were broken or reputations ruined, however. More than one young woman found herself shipped off in the middle of the night to some country estate or retreat for her "nerves" or "weak lungs".
The aristocracy was not as quietly accepting as the lower classes. They talked and complained and finally approached their Majesties about the conduct of Prince Eduard and his friends. When King Carlisle and Queen Esme could no longer ignore or dismiss their son's behavior, a council was convened to suggest ways to deal with the problem.
It was agreed Prince Eduard should marry. All hoped he would find a suitable young woman—preferably a princess from a neighboring kingdom—with whom he could settle down and begin raising a family. It was thought these added responsibilities would cure his wanton ways.
A series of balls were planned, and young women, both royal and aristocratic, were invited to attend. Couriers spread the news far and wide to kingdoms both rich and powerful, poor and weak. The preparations took months.
Far to the north, at the very edge of the inhabited world, was a small kingdom. Threatened by unending ice and snow on one side, and steep, formidable mountains on the others, it was a poor country whose people barely eked out a living from the cold, dry mountain meadows where they lived.
Their ruler was a widowed queen whose daughter was her only surviving child. The princess was young, only eighteen, yet she was no stranger to hardship or hard work. She grew up laboring in the fields, shepherding goats and sheep through the mountains, and training the hardy horses her country was famous for.
Not only could she cook, sew a fine seam, and nurse the sick, but she was deadly accurate with the short bow even while galloping on horseback. Even as a young girl, she understood her duty to her country lay in making an auspicious match for a husband. If she could marry a powerful prince or wealthy noble, it would benefit her poor country.
When the courier finally reached their kingdom with the news of the balls, the princess knew what she must do. The entire country worked together to prepare her. The treasury was stripped to buy dainty shoes and elaborate ball gowns, jewelry and hair ornaments. Three of their finest horses were selected as gifts for King Carlisle, Queen Esme, and Prince Eduard. With the entire populace wishing her success, the young princess and her retinue left on their journey.
For all her practical skills and knowledge, the princess was unprepared for the magnificence and sophistication of King Carlisle's court. Neither was she prepared for the in-fighting, back-stabbing, and gossiping of the other young women she met there. She tried to distance herself from them, tried to find some solace in her horses, in her needlecraft, and in the palace's extensive library. Lonely and homesick, she would have returned to her country had she not been aware of the responsibility resting on her young shoulders. She was here to find a husband and a suitable marriage to benefit her country.
The only bright spot was Prince Eduard. He was unlike anyone she had ever met before. Stunningly handsome with courtly manners and a quick wit, he swept her off her feet from the first moment of their first dance.
As for Prince Eduard, he was intrigued by the northern princess. Her dark exotic beauty was a sharp contrast to the pale charm of most of the women in court. Although he performed his duty by dancing and spending time with all the prospective brides, he found himself drawn to the unusual young woman from so far away. Gradually, he began spending more time with her.
One day, they went riding. He rode the horse she gifted him and was amazed at the stamina and speed of his mount. She rode her favorite mare. When she demonstrated the horses' training, he was even more impressed. But it was watching her shoot arrow after arrow while galloping at full speed that had him cheering and applauding. That evening, they spent almost every dance together.
Many happy days passed. They took long walks in the gardens, picnicked in flower-strewn meadows, and galloped their horses through the dense forest. He listened and watched as she described her homeland: the high open plains, the snow-covered mountains, and the raging white-watered rivers. There was pride in her smile and longing in her voice.
She listened and watched as he described trips to the ocean and his astonishment at the endless, restless water. He talked about hunting deer in the vast forests and attending the great market fairs in the city with their food and goods for sale. There was happiness in his smile and laughter in his voice.
Prince Eduard did not spend all his time with her. Warned to be on his best behavior, he was polite and gracious to all the other women who were visiting the palace. If he ate lunch with one, he ate dinner with another. When he danced with one, he spent time talking to another, and shared refreshments with yet a third. But he always came back to her.
Pleased with his attention and sure of his affection, she did not pull away when he held her hand. Did not step back when he pulled her close and kissed her. Late one night when he appeared at her door, she did not turn him away.
He was gone when she awoke the next morning and did not appear at the breakfast table where she joined the other young women who were all in a state of great excitement. "Prince Eduard made his choice," they whispered. "Even now, he is meeting with the king and queen and their advisors to plan the announcement. Princess Tanya will be his bride," they twittered. "She was told just this morning," another added.
She looked to the other end of the table where Princess Tanya sat, smiling and graciously accepting their congratulations. Her large, wealthy kingdom bordered Prince Eduard's, so it was a logical choice to join the two. There was no denying she was very beautiful. Regal in her pale blondness, dressed in the richest of gowns, she did not ride recklessly through dense forest, did not herd sheep and goats, did not climb snow-covered mountains or ford icy streams. Her soft, carefully manicured hands had never held a bow or harvested crops.
Quietly, the northern princess rose from the table and made her way to her suite. She was a fool, she told herself. Even with all the rumors about Prince Eduard and the warnings she'd received, she still allowed herself to succumb to his charm. Desperate to escape her self-shame, she gathered her belongings and her retinue. Within the hour, they were gone.
She sank into despair. The long journey home gave her more than enough time to reflect on all her failures. Her foolish trip had beggared her country. Now she was returning without a husband and with no prospect of one. She had been a stupid, clueless child who allowed herself to be used and thrown away. Her self-hatred was more than she could bear. She could neither eat nor sleep. Her guards and handmaids were helpless as she wasted away in her grief and despair.
They entered their country dressed in mourning. The wagon, which once carried ballgowns and dancing shoes, now bore the shrouded body of their princess. The shocked and saddened citizens lined the road as the procession passed on its way to the capital city. They wept in sorrow, cried in anguish, and wailed in despair at a life cut short. The whole country came together to mourn the passing of their princess. But the queen did not weep. A rage hot and violent, uncontrollable and overwhelming, consumed her. Revenge became her only goal. Mounting her prized stallion, she rode away to the north and into the icy wilderness there.
For seven days, she journeyed until she came to the abode of the Goddess of Ice and Snow. There she pleaded her case, begging the goddess for revenge against the one who, because of his cold heart and lying tongue, had caused the death of her only child. She offered up all her riches and jewelry, the magnificent stallion at her side, and even half her kingdom.
"Revenge is not always sweet," the goddess warned her. "Curses can turn against the speaker, causing as much suffering to the innocent as to the guilty. Consider your path carefully before you beg this boon."
But the queen would not be deterred and continued to plead and bargain with the goddess. Eventually, she was granted her wish and left the land of ice and snow with the power to curse Prince Eduard and his court.
She arrived during an evening gathering. King Carlisle and Queen Esme sat smiling on their thrones. Prince Eduard was beside them, but his gaze was turned away, an ugly scowl upon his handsome face.
The music stopped when she flung open the doors and strode into the room. The attendees stepped back, leaving an empty space around her. Many of them began to slip quietly out the doors and away from the enraged woman. The king and queen rose in surprise at seeing her standing before them. She gave them no chance to speak, but began to curse the prince.
"Your cold heart has chosen," she raged. "So coldness shall be your companion. For you, there will be no warmth of hearth or home, no loving partner in your bed, no children to bring you happiness. You are cursed to live in frozen whiteness, a palace of frost inside a mountain of ice until the end of your days. Your senses shall bring you no pleasure—neither taste, nor touch, nor sight. Your name shall be hated and despised, and you shall wander these desolate halls alone until death takes pity upon you and releases you from your loneliness."
A creeping coldness began to fill the room, coating the walls and floors in frosty white. The remaining courtiers ran screaming from the ballroom, pushing and shoving in their haste to escape the palace.
Prince Eduard stood abruptly, gasping in horror as the frigid air wrapped around him. "No! It was not like that. You don't understand. I loved …" he managed to say before the cold leeched the color from his clothing and drained the sight from his eyes. "Please," he screamed. "Please!"
"Silence," she commanded before turning her fury upon his horrified parents.
"You!" she shouted. "A child learns goodness and rightness from his mother and father, but you turned a blind eye to his behavior, so now you will be forced to watch everything. You neither taught nor reprimanded your son, so now you will not speak. You did not act, so now you are frozen, immobile for all time.
"For the rest of his days, you will know the sorrow of watching your child waste away from dejection and despair. You will know the pain I carry every day." With a last furious glare at the three before her, the northern queen turned to leave.
Tears flowed from Queen Esme's eyes as she called out to the departing queen, pleading for forgiveness and mercy, but it was King Carlisle's words that caused her to pause.
"What you say is true," he said to her retreating back. "And some punishment is deserved. But this curse you have laid is too long, too harsh. It will also hurt the people of our kingdom who, through no fault of their own, will be forced to share in our penance. Have they not suffered enough at the hands of their rulers? Please, I beg of you, do not harm the innocent in your wrath against the guilty.
"I did not know your daughter well, and we were saddened by the news of her death," he continued. "But I know she loved her people and would not be proud of the burden you have placed on mine. Can you not find it in your angry heart to have pity upon them?"
His words touched her, and she turned to face him. "I will make one change to the curse," she offered. "If within ten times ten years, there be a maiden fair who will, of her own choosing, enter this frozen place, and if she can teach Prince Eduard the secret of True Love, then the curse shall be broken. Should a hundred years pass without its breaking, then the curse shall last forever until the stars fall from the sky and time is no more."
Having finished, the queen from the far northern lands turned her back and left the room.
Behind her, a chilling fog slithered its way around the room. It froze King Carlisle and Queen Esme to their thrones, then drained all color and warmth from the throne room before making its way down the stairs and into the rest of the palace. It spread into the conservatory, coating each leaf, flower, and stem in glistening ice. The guards by the doors, the cooks in the kitchen, and the servants in the hallways all yielded to its frozen embrace.
Ice began to form on the outside of the palace. It grew rapidly, coating the entire building in layers of crystalline white. A massive mountain of frozen snow formed where once a beautiful palace stood. Trapped inside its lonely silence were a king and queen able to watch but not act, and a sightless prince whose cold heart had caused its formation.
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AN: Many thanks to Sally, Ipsita, and Donna for their help with this story and this chapter. Any remaining mistakes are all mine. Thank you, too, for the reviews, the follows, and the favorites. Hugs to all the readers! Stay safe (and sane!) haha