Not long after, Erabella allowed herself to be dragged into her small, dinged room she had grown up in; only a few small candles burning as she stared out of the window at the day light. Blowing out the candles to save them for when the Sun fell beyond his Moon's beautiful glow; Erabella sat with her back straight and perfect posture, just like she had seen her King do and she was to be his Queen. If she did not know how to behave, then there wasn't the slightest possibility she could ever be Royalty.
Sighing just the slightest of amounts, Erabella thought back to her King: her dear Jack. His perfectly white hair that was soft like a small kitten and shone against the sun like a halo, eyes like the love children of diamonds and amethysts, china skin dusted with sweet freckles that made him seem so young and free when he was happy, his smile that spoke thousands of fun adventures possible in the Winter months... Her head leaned back to lean against the wooden frame of the window, her arms wrapped around her knees and she grinned as her head lulled to the left toward the glass covered view.
Letting her imagination flow, she thought of him playing in his own creation: running around freely, making statues of snow; smiling brightly with his childish flare that lit up the world, his clothes covered in the cool, frozen substance as he ran around in the falling snow; laughing as snowflakes danced around him gracefully or landed on his nose and bowed.
Something outside caught her eye. She saw her Father taking the other one away to the very same spot he had left her alone and was found by her handsome King. She laughed swiftly; it was an almost definite that the other one would not be coming back like she had. These people were greedy, selfish and full of gluttony. Even the man who loved her – the one who locked her in – had not listened to her and turned his back on her when he thought she has sold herself for shelter. That she had given away her precious maidenhead to a complete stranger due to him offering her shelter. The thought had sickened him so much that he had become blinded to reason in such a short amount of time. So blinded that he forgot she wouldn't ever give something so precious away unless she really loved the man.
But of course, she was just a young, stupid girl who didn't know the meaning of love and was so naive that she would do whatever a stranger told her because she was just a cowardly, stupid, unworthy girl who deserved none of what she had received. They all thought the gifts represented the loss of her innocence and that they were to praise her for her efforts to please the stranger and apparently had done so rather spectacularly due to the amount she had been given. Of course, she had received them by showing off her "one and only talent" as her so called Father had put it when she had tried to bring him back to his original self. The one who loved her and knew she would never just sleep with someone because they took her in or she would be bringing in money from the taverns and the pleasure houses.
Her eyes began to burn with tears at the thought of them selling her to the pleasure house and making her sell herself to strangers for profit and no one knowing the pain she would really feel, all the tears she would be forced to hold until the hours were over, how she would have to practice on people and learn how to please men, even though she would never get to love any of them.
Erabella gingerly placed a hand on her now severely bruised left cheek; wincing at the pain that only now she could feel. At the time, she had been to full of pride to let it show that it wasn't only the slap that would hurt later. It was also her heart.
Gabrielle sat under the same tree as Erabella had done and waited: Her short, brown locks moved with the breeze and the furs around her kept her very warm. Gabrielle had been given furs, warm shoes and a winter dress to make sure she didn't freeze if the rich stranger wasn't to arrive. She had also been given food and water in case of hunger or thirst.
Rolling her hazel eyes, she examined her nails whilst she waited for this stranger to arrive. "I bet he isn't even handsome." She snorted at the thought, not realising she was being watched by a pair of icy eyes; staring at her with near hatred as she cuddled against the warmth radiating from the surrounding blanket of furs. Not knowing that the King watching her knew exactly who she was speaking so lowly of and exactly what she intending to say about her. "That needy whore would sleep with anyone. No one could ever love a body like that. She's pathetic."
"Then how did she survive in the freezing cold, wench?" The King himself appeared from behind the trees; face set in a firm, cold mask. "Better yet, how did she survive you? Answer me that."
Gabrielle's jaw nearly dropped at the man before her. His eyes gleamed dangerously at her, the sun shone around him and made him look like some form of God walking the Earth, his hair a shimmering, crystal white against the offending weather and his clothes reflected the Moon's dear husband. "Do you not have a tongue?"
"Are you the one the girl slept with?" Gabrielle answered; not without envy or spite. Jack looked down at her with that gleam again; making shivers of seeming pleasure down her spine.
"I didn't ask that and for your knowledge, that darling maiden's virginity is perfectly in place, thank you very much. Answer my question."
"Fine." Gabrielle rolled her eyes again; not realiZing who the man in front of her was: she was blinded by greed, hatred and ignorance. "She didn't survive, you took her in. She never had to survive us because we didn't do anything but make sure she was raised properly. Clearly that didn't work."
Jack's jaw tightened considerably before he smiled tightly with a slight leer. "I think she turned out better than anyone else in that forsaken house."
Erabella moved solemnly from the window to her bed, slumping down onto it as the thought of Gabrielle laughing, joking with Jack and him slowly falling in love made tears fall from her eyes. The thought of them being wed, having a family and her being left alone made her young heart age quickly and crumble. It was so selfish to think that way – Erabella knew that – but she couldn't stop the silent tears from flowing free and swift from her eyes that had been darkened by the thought of being alone.
The rational part of her brain mentally slapped her across the face as it had many times over her life. "Crying doesn't solve anything. He'll come back to you or that Father of yours will finally pop his clogs and you'll be free to leave." Her inner voice spoke in her mind with a firm, authoritive yet caring voice.
"But what if he doesn't want me?" She answered aloud and she practically felt her inner self roll her eyes.
"Of course he wants you. Do you not remember who he is?"
"Jack Frost."
"KING Jackson Overland Frost." Her voice reminded her swiftly. "King of Winter and all things cold. Do you think he just gives out really expensive things to anybody he meets alone in the woods? Heck no!" A feeling crept up inside her and her eyes fell on the dusty, body length mirror at the end of her bed on the wall. Erabella got up and grabbed a rag from under her bed; cleaning the mirror expertly and with so much care, vigour and determination.
Soon, the mirror was shining with the Sun's rays and Erabella sat cross-legged on her bed; staring at the mirror. Her image began to evaporate and was soon replaced with someone she barely recognised as her own person. This version was dressed in a sleeveless white dress that had beautiful black patterning around the top of the corset, around the bottom hem of the ankle length skirt. She wore white heeled boots that only rich, Noble women would wear and showed them with pride: her legs bent over the end of the bed and one crossed over the other like a Noble woman should do. Erabella noticed her hair now reached her hips with gems hung in strands that came from a strange crown type of jewellery on her head; her hair brought of her image's lean, bare, left shoulder and the curls became beautiful waves as the travelled down to her round hips. There was a strange tattoo that started under her right eye and travelled down to her jaw line; curling like a hook at the end and facing her ear: it seemed important and held a seemingly tribal feeling to it.
"Who are you?"
"Isn't it obvious, dingus? I'm you if you stop blubbing and focus on the goal here." Her other self spoke sharply and Erabella swiftly wiped her tears away.
"How did you get here?"
"There are these wonderful things called the Future, Magic and Persuasion. When they are combined; this happens. So anyway, you need to stop worrying over some ho coming between you and your man, okay?" At this, Erabella's cheeks burned red and she buried her face in the blue shawl; wincing slightly at the pain in her bruised cheek from her Father's slap. "Yeah, I did that too." Erabella raised her eyes to see her image staring at her with a level yet somewhat serious expression. "Believe me honey, that isn't the worst of your troubles. Best prepare yourself."
"What do you mean?" Erabella couldn't stop the fear from rising in her throat. Her image just shook her head and then stared at her with the most serious expression Erabella had ever seen on a human being.
"Very soon, your Father is gonna come through that door and try to give beating to remember, young lady." Sickness rose in throat and tears burned her eyes once again. "Do NOT let him see you cry. You have too much pride in your body and soul; too much soul to ever let him see you cry again. Do you understand?" A fearful nod came in reply. "Do NOT show fear in you person when he enters. Show him he means nothing to you anymore nor will he ever. Believe me honey, I did and I got help."
"Help?"
"I can't tell you this help. This is all the advice you'll need to be strong. That weak, submissive girl is gone and you will be replaced with a strong, confident QUEEN."
The image vanished and was replaced with her own, normal reflection just as her door was opened. Erabella turned her head slowly to see none other than her Father standing in the doorway; blocking the light. Her eyes darkened; this time with the shadows of knowledge and preparation. "Why are you here?"
"To teach you a lesson so you'll never disobey again." Came his simply, dark reply. Erabella heard her image scoff in her head.
"What lesson? There is no lesson to be learned. I did not have relations with the beauty that took me in and kept me safe. I didn't die out there in that cold, but I died the second I left his home to return here. I was safer, happier and better off there." Her eyes hardened as he walked in and she got up to meet him; now only standing centimetres from each other. He stood a good head taller than her so she had to look up to meet his eyes. "You belong here: where the real whores are."
"You dare to talk to me like that." She caught his arm before he struck the other side of her face.
"Yes, I dare." Her face softened and she returned to the submissive girl she had been raised to be. "I have done nothing to offend you, dear Father. I have not betrayed you; I have not been commanding you." She took a few steps back from him; forgetting what she had been told. "He only wants what is best for you and I. I promise you."
At this, he grabbed the fabric of her dress. "Really? What's this then? The finest silks that have been hand crafted whilst I wear rags?" He tore her skirt and threw the fabrics at her. Her skirt was now torn to her knees and had holes. It was ruined. He reached forward and grabbed the shawl off her shoulders.
"Stop it. Stop it!" She cried desperately and he threw it to the floor; enjoying the look of utter disappointment and sadness on her face.
"When am I going to get what I want? If he cares about US so much! Where is what I want?" His old face seemed to twist into a demented being before her young eyes. "When do I get to be in his oh-so gracious presence?"
The way he mocked her King made her anger get the best of her. She picked up the shawl and threw it into his face. "You have not a single right to see him in his glory; you've done nothing right yet." Her voice was stern, strict and authoritive.
He looked down at her with nothing but disgust, loathing and hatred. "How. Dare. You. Talk. Back. To. Me!" He made sure to emphasis every word before he slapped her again in her bruised cheek with so much force she fell from her position and onto her bed.
Sooner than she could prepare, he was on top of her and pinning her down; trying to slap her yet again. "Since you gave it up to a stranger so easily, then you could surely give it up to me, couldn't you?" He pinned her hands and began to undo his belt. "You disgusting slut!" He threw his belt onto the bed as he began to pull up her ruined skirt.
Something snapped inside of her and she freed her hand, grabbed his belt and whacked the metal as hard as she could around his face. The shock and force pushed him off her and she shot off the bed to be by the window. Putting a good two metres between her and her Father. "I am the Queen of Winter. The future Bride of King Frost and soon I shall carry his child inside me." Her face became firm as she slipped off her ruined dress; having no shame in the fact that she was completely bare as she pulled a simply white dress over her that held just below her shoulder and pushed her cleavage up to hold them tight and secure. She stepped around the bed to stand in front of him: ice burning in her eyes as her frozen heart began to beat for only one. Her King. He cowered in front of this strong woman who held near no resemblance to his daughter. "The next time that you dare to raise any violence to me; will be the last day you see the Sun's light or the Moon's glow!"
Walking out of the room, she found the old hag who never tried to raise her on her knees, face in her withered hands and in a crying mess. Not bothered by her behaviour, Erabella walked towards her jewel chest and pulled out a necklace that went from the middle of her neck and spread out to her collar bones and her shoulders. It was made from white diamonds and smaller blue sapphires: the sun gleamed perfectly off it as she finally clipped it together.
She turned around suddenly when the front door burst open and a lean figure blocked the light from the doorway: the sun gleaming off the ice on their shining clothes. Their eyes icy, flawless and beautiful...
(Chapters 1-2)
Jinseiwakurai-Shougani: I love it! The old-style wording reminds me of a shimmering Faery tale...
My Response: Gee *blushes* thanks so much hon! Love you tons xxx
AyameKitsune: Interesting. More please!
My Response: More ha'th now been given! Enjoy!
Azorawing: AWESOME, AMAZING, SPECTACULAR STORY! I LOVE IT, CAN'T WAIT FOR MORE. IT'S PRACTICALLY A FAIRY TAIL... IT IS A FAIRY TAIL. Can't wait for more. :D :D :D
My Response: I really hope you love this one just as much! Love you!
Guest: Oh my God this so, so... Heart warming and strange and lovely and just plain beautiful. I like it way more than I expected.
Eagerly awaiting for more,
A-guest-who-shall-be-known-as-LilyAnna
My Response: You are so sweet! I'm glad you like it so much. I hope you continue to like it!
Derpyotaku: I really love your writing style. And the story too! Too bad the chapter was short. Can't wait for more!
My Response: Thanks xxx This one's longer! I hope you like it! Xxx
A/N: So this one is a bit darker but the whole tale of Father Frost is quite dark. I really want to explore Erabella's inner voice. I loved writing her as she was the one who help Erabella through everything.
BTW, after the tale of Father Frost is finished, do you want a Sequel? Because I'd love to do one!
So, Erabella has gained her confidence and is well on her way.
BUT we all know that all problems are not solved in one night.
Waddup ma Unicorns?
Hope you enjoyed!
I thoroughly enjoyed writing it!
Review if you like it!
Follow/Favourite if you really like it (or love it)
Have a FABULOUS day dahhhliiingggssss!
0^0 Weasel!