Ugh! Guys! So sorry! No updates to anything or replies. I've just... I'm been slowly dying for 5 days now. Working and sicker than a dog. I nearly passed out at work the other day and had to sit on the floor for like an hour. Then I FINALLY get my two days off in a row and I spend them in bed. Yay. Go me. Nothing done. And I'm finally starting to feel better today. At least not quite so dead. Just exhausted. Being sick just drains everything! Hopefully next week, I'll get my days off and not be dying and can get some updates.

Beware the Frozen Heart
Chapter 11: Snow Monster

He heard the scream and spun around. But the doors slammed shut before he could move. Owen reached for the doors but they were frozen shut. "Zach!" He yelled as he yanked on the door handles. No give. He put his shoulder against them and pushed. But they still held fast.

"O?"

"Zara?" Owen pressed closer to the door as he heard her voice. "What's going on?"

"A lot of snow." She answered. "Like a lot. A ridiculous amount of snow is swirling around inside the giant ice castle."

Owen rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Zara!" He snapped. "Where's Zach?"

"Upstairs where all the snow's coming from."

"Stand back." He took a few steps back and then ran at the door. Still nothing. It took three times before the doors finally gave way an inch. Owen pushed his way in and looked down at Zara. "Where?"

She turned and pointed her stick arm up the stairs.

Owen took off running. "Zach!" He called out as he followed the staircases. He didn't slow until the King was in his sights. He knelt beside him and placed a hand on the young man's back. "You okay?"

Zach nodded his head quickly. He glanced sideways at Owen and smiled. Then looked back at the frozen floor. "I'm fine." He said softly. He moved real slow as he tried to pull his legs up under him.

"Let me do it." Owen gently hooked his arms under Zach's. He hefted the King up easily and kept his hands on Zach's waist. Owen was sure if he stepped away, the King would stumble and fall again.

"I'm fine." Zach repeated but didn't pull away. He looked up at Claire.

She was standing across the room. She looked like she was about to say something, her eyes on Owen. But she just shook her head and turned away. "Just go." She said softly. "All of you."

Zach shook his head. "No! We can figure this out together!" He insisted, his voice weaker than it had been. "I know we can!"

"No!" Claire shook her head. "Just go! Now! You can't stop me... no one can..." She added softly, stepping back from them.

Zach tried to step forward but Owen's hold stopped him. "Zach, I think we should listen to her and go."

Zach shook his head. "No! Not without you, aunt Claire!"

"Listen to whoever this is and go! Now!" Claire clenched her fists for a moment and then flicked her fingers at the ground. Ice shot out and exploded on the ground. It swirled and grew and suddenly a huge pile of ice and snow blocked their way. The thing moved and shifted. Then there were arms and legs and it's head bumped into the ceiling.

Owen didn't let Zach protest anymore. "That's our cue." He pulled the King towards the stairs. "Zara, come on!"

"It's just a giant snowman." Zara said, waving her arm. "It's not gonna hurt me." She turned back to smile at it. The snow monster narrowed its hallowed eyes. Then it lifted its massive leg and kicked Zara. She went flying past Owen and Zach and tumbled down the stairs.

"Zara!" Zach broke from Owen's grip and rushed to the fallen snowgirl. He bent down and helped her up. "You alright?"

Zara nodded her head a tad forlornly. "My heart is just sore."

Owen rolled his eyes as darted behind Zach. "Move!" He shouted as he pushed the King towards the door. He grabbed Zara's stick arm and preceded to push both out of the castle. They all stilled as the ice beneath them shook. They turned and the snow monster had jumped down the stairs. It opened his mouth and roared loudly. "Go!" Owen screamed again. Zach and Zara finally got the message and started running down the stairs. Owen tried to follow but a large, icy hand snaked out and grabbed him.

"Owen!" Zach turned and started back up.

Owen dangled in front of the monster as it lifted him up. "Hey... you got a name?" The thing just blinked at him and Owen continued on talking. "Everyone should have a name. Can I call ya Ida?" The thing roared again. "I'll take that as a no." And then suddenly, Owen was flying through the air as it threw him.

Zach watched in horror as Owen landed on the snow below and didn't move. The reindeers all crowded around him and Zach couldn't see him anymore. "Owen!" He ran back down the stairs as fast as he could and pushed in between the reindeers. "Move!" He snapped at them.

Owen was attempting to bat a licking Echo away. "Stop it!" He snapped. "I'm fine!"

Zach fell down on the ground beside him. He reached out and grabbed the man's shirt. He pulled him up and threw his arms around Owen's neck, hugging him tightly. Owen was stunned for a moment and didn't move.

"Hey! HEY!" Zara marched up to the bottom of the stairs. "You don't just throw people!" She snapped and bent down to grab a stickfull of snow.

Zach pulled away from Owen and turned around. He frowned slightly and then his eyes widened. "Zara! No!"

Zara rolled the snow into a snowball. And then threw it up at the snow monster.

Zach scrambled up and ran towards Zara. He grabbed her and pulled her back. "Leave that thing alone!" But it was too late. The snowball hit the monster.

"You made her mad." Owen called, standing up slowly. He shook himself and brushed the snow off. "We should run again." He waved Blue forward and quickly pulled himself up. Then he nodded at Charlie. She turned and darted off towards Zach, Echo right behind her.

Zach turned and quickly climbed on Charlie's back. Echo dipped her head forward and Zara reached out to grab her antler. Then Echo flipped the snowgirl on her back and they raced back to catch up with the other reindeer.

The reindeer outpaced the snow monster easily and quickly. After a while, Owen pulled Blue to a stop and they all slowed and turned. But there was no sign that they were being followed anymore. Owen slipped from Blue's back, Zach and Zara dismounting too. Owen moved around Blue and quickly checked out her hooves. Then he moved on to check Delta and Charlie. Echo tried to prance away from him but he grabbed her antlers and yanked her back. "Hold still." He snapped.

Zach looked back up at the mountain and let out a sigh and shook his head. He'd failed. His first task as King, bring his aunt back to thaw the Kingdom, and he'd failed. Miserably. What was he supposed to do now? What would he tell his brother? His people. He couldn't go back without her. He signed again and turned to watch Owen and Echo wrestling again. He smiled and shook his head. "Her?" He asked, stepping closer.

Owen slapped Echo on the rump after he let her go. He watched her prance away and shook his head. "What?" He asked, turning to look at Zach.

"Her." Zach repeated, stopping beside Owen. "You said made her mad."

"Oh..." Owen nodded his head. "She. I named her Ida."

Zach stared back at him blankly for a moment. "You named the snow monster that tried to kill us."

Owen nodded again. "Everyone deserves a name."

Zach rolled his eyes and smiled. But then a pang of pain shot through his chest. He leaned forward a bit, his hand to his chest. He took a deep breath and it subsided.

Owen stepped forward quickly. "Hey, you okay?" He asked, reaching out to touch Zach's shoulder.

Zach nodded quickly. "Yeah, yeah. I'm fine." He mumbled.

Owen's eyes widened suddenly as he lifted his gaze from Zach's face. "Your hair..."

Zach straightened up and his hand went to his head. "What?"

"It's uh... white..." Owen said slowly.

Zach pulled his hands away and shrugged. "You just notice that or something? I was born with it." Zach didn't understand the big deal. So he had a tiny patch of white hair?

Owen shook his head quickly. "No... I mean... it's... bigger."

"Bigger?" Zach dipped his head forward and touched his hand to his hair again.

Owen nodded and stepped closer. He reached out and pulled Zach's hand away. Then he traced the spot with his fingers. "It's because she struck you with her magic, isn't it?"

Zach ducked away from Owen's touch and stepped back. "Does it look bad?" He asked softly.

"Uh... no..." Owen said awkwardly.

"You hesitated." Zara pointed out, pushing in between them.

Owen held up his hands and shook his head quickly. "No I didn't." He snapped, looking down at Zara.

Zara tilted her head. "Yes you did."

Owen shook his head again. "It looks great." He said, looking at Zach and smiling. "I swear!"

Zach breathed out and shrugged. It didn't really matter. It was weird, yes. But his hair was the least of his worries.

"But you need help, okay?" Owen said, turning around.

Zach frowned and tilted his head. "Help?" He touched his hair again. "You just said it looks fine!"

Owen shook his head. "Not that. Blue." He waved at her and she came forward. "Come on."

Zach stepped forward as Charlie walked towards him. "Where are we going?"

"To see my family." Owen said as he pulled himself up on Blue.

Zach watched Owen for a moment. "The love experts?"

"Oh the love experts!" Zara repeated in a sing-song voice. "Yes! Let's go see your love experts!" She hopped up on Echo's back. "You know, I consider myself a love expert!"

Zach smiled and shook his head as he pulled himself up on Charlie's back. "Yeah. We know. No singing!"

Owen ignored them as he looked back at Zach. "They'll be able to fix you."

Zach looked at Owen. "Are you... sure?" He asked softly.

Owen nodded. "Yeah, I've seen this before."

Zach frowned. "You've seen someone get hit by magic before and it turn their hair white?"

Owen shrugged. "Yeah... sort of. When I was younger. This girl hit her little brother."

Zach's eyes widened. "So there's someone else with magic powers like aunt Claire?"

"I uh... I guess so." Owen said awkwardly as he kicked Blue's side. "Come on, Blue. We're going home." And as Blue raced through the snow with the others right behind her, Owen's thoughts trailed off. He didn't know why he didn't realize it before. The red headed teenage girl he'd glimpsed, with who he assumed was her parents and her younger brother. He couldn't exactly remember how long ago it had been. But he knew it was more than 10 years ago. Charlie was running beside Blue. Owen glanced sideways at Zach. He did the math in his head. More like 13 years ago. Seriously. How had he not put the two incidents together?

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Author's Notes: Ugh. So tired and dead!