It was a cold and quiet Winter's day. Furaha and her older brother Orko were playing indoors and making lots of noise.
"Furaha! Orko!" called Ua, "Why don't you look in your box of books and pick a nice story to read?"
Furaha and Orko searched through the box and pulled out their favourite books. They giggled with excitement as they looked through the pages.
Then, Furaha danced all over the room, pretending she was in a fairytale.
"Hey, Furaha! You're missing the best bit! It's about a snowman!" called Orko.
Furaha and Orko loved stor-wait, weren't they already in one? Whatever.
That evening, Grandma and Grandad came over to stay the night.
"Hi Grandma! Hi Grandpa!" said Furaha and Orko.
"Hello, little fluffballs of fun," said Grandma, giving them both a big hug.
"It's time for bed now," said Ua.
"Please can Grandma and Grandad tell us a bedtime story?" asked Furaha.
"Of course, Furaha," said Grandma, scruffling the fur on her head, "We'd love to."
Once Furaha and Orko were tucked up together in their safe and cosy bed, Grandad showed them a beautiful snow globe that he owned since he was a young cub. Then, he began to tell the story.
"Once upon a time," he began, "There was a cold and magical place far away in the North Pole called Alaskarina."
"How do you get to Alaskarina?" asked Furaha.
"First, you have to travel over the snowy hills," said Grandad. "Then, you journey through a deep, dark forest. Finally, you must climb a huge mountain, until you reach a magical peak with beautiful glowing golden Northern Lights."
"I bet the Sugar Plum Fairy lives there, and a Snow Queen!" said Furaha.
"Oh! And a snowman, don't forget the snowman!" called out Orko.
Furaha and Orko loved their Grandad's story.
"I wish we could go to Alaskarina too," said Furaha, as she and Orko drifted off to sleep.
In the morning, Furaha and Orko awoke to the sound of jingling bells. They peered through the frosty window to find out where the noise was coming from.
"It's snowing!" gasped Furaha. "And Grandma and Grandad are outside with a big sleigh…and three reindeer!" "Hello!" called the reindeer in Inuit accents.
Just then, Kiburi and Ua came into the bedroom.
"Grandma and Grandad are taking us all on an adventure," said Ua, "We're going to Alaskarina!"
"Alaskarina was in Grandad's story!" cried Furaha.
"We'll be needing these," said Ua, handing out Winter coats and woolly jumpers, "We're travelling by sleigh."
Furaha and Orko shrieked with delight and jumped up and down, hugging excitedly.
Everyone climbed into the sleigh and they set off, as Grandad gave a cry of "Heigh-ho Dasher, Dixen, Vixen, off we go to Alaskarina!"
"So, uh, which way is Alaskarina anyway?" asked Kiburi.
Grandad pointed far into the distance. "First, you have to travel over the snowy hills…" he began.
"...then, you have to journey through the deep dark forest," continued Furaha sarcastically, speaking in tongues. "Finally, you must climb a-" "It would be madness if you speak in tongues," said Grandad gently. If you and your brother do, Winter will melt from Alaskarina forever, and will be replaced by a valley where a long hot Summer already exists.
After they went over the snowy hills - where they met a big friendly polar bear and her cubs - and through the deep dark forest - where they battled an evil black-furred, red eyed rat-like monster (anyone reminded of The Nutcracker?) - they started to climb the huge mountain. At this time, the reindeer were getting really tired, and were struggling up the slope.
"Are we nearly there yet?" asked Furaha. "The reindeer are awfully tired."
Just then, Orko saw something move.
"Christmas magic!" he cried, "Not mine, obviously, but…something made the snowman move!"
Everyone turned to see a snowman waving at them, and speaking frosty gibberish.
"Hello," said Furaha, "We're on our way to Alaskarina!"
The snowman only replied with a heap of more gibberish. "Do all snowmen speak like that?" "Yes," said Grandad, "It's their special Snowman language."
Furaha and Orko waved goodbye and the three reindeer pulled the sleigh further up the mountain.
Up the mountain they climbed. Up and up and up, until the sleigh reached a clearing the reindeer stopped, collapsing onto the snowy ground.
"How much longer?" asked Furaha impatiently, "I can't see the magical mountain peak!"
"I think we may be lost…." said Grandad.
"I'm sure it was the way."
To make matters worse, a huge snowstorm began to blow all around the family.
"Oh no!" Furaha sighed, holding onto Orko for comfort, "What are we going to do?"
"If only there was someone here to help," said Grandad.
"Hello, Furaha! Hi, Orko!" a voice said.
"Look, it's Tanya!" cried Furaha.
"Actually, Furaha, I'm the Sugar Plum Fairy," said Tanya. "You guys are on the right path. Alaskarina is further up the mountain!"
"This is so magical…" whispered Furaha, happy tears filling up in her eyes.
The sleigh climbed higher once more, and was nearly at the top of the mountain, when…
"Hot cocoa! Chestnuts! Colourful China mugs! Get your Alaskarina souvenirs here!" called out a store vendor from a log cabin-like shack. The vendor was called Hans, and he spoke with a Swiss accent.
Everyone hopped off the sleigh to take a quick look around. Furaha and Orko could do with a mug of cocoa, while Kiburi bought some mistletoe from Hans. He held the mistletoe above Ua and kissed her on the cheek. Ua got so excited she ran up to her husband and hugged him. All the customers cheered and clapped as this happened, and Furaha and Orko proposed a toast to a forever frosty marriage, to which everyone responded with "To the happy couple! Hooray!"
After this, Kiburi filled up a basket with Frost-Dither Sponges, a reindeer-shaped telephone and a nice woolly jumper for Furaha.
"I'm sure these will come in handy in Alaskarina." he said.
Everyone piled onto the sleigh and they set off yet again. The reindeer now had more energy in their legs from all that rest.
Finally, they arrived at Alaskarina.
"We're here!" announced Grandad.
Furaha saw something sparkling in the sky high above them.
As they got nearer, she gasped. "It's the golden Northern Lights! And do you see what I see?"
"Hello, everyone," said a beautiful, holographic woman from among the Northern Lights, "I'm the Spirit of Alaskarina. Welcome to my kingdom. Now, to find a home you would most like to live in, you must all close your eyes, and believe in a warm and cosy home."
Now, it's time you got involved in this. You close your eyes, and say this three times to get Furaha and her family to their home in Alaskarina:
I believe….
I believe….
Aaaaand LOUDER!
I BELIEVE!
Well done, everyone! Let's see where we are now.
"Furaha, this is our cabin," said Grandad. "We're going to stay here for the night."
"Wow!" cried Furaha, "This is the best frosty fairy tale adventure ever! Thank you, Grandma! Thanks, Grandad!" Furaha ran into her Grandad's arms, knocking him to the ground and causing him to chuckle. Orko joined in, and soon Grandma, Kiburi and Ua joined in too.
Furaha and Orko raced inside their warm, cosy cabin and looked around excitedly. The cabin was so warm and cosy, with enough hot chocolate to see them through, a fridge full of delicious food and a crackling fireplace.
"It's like we're in your story!" yawned Furaha as she and Orko got into bed.
"Maybe we are, Furaha," sighed Grandad. "Maybe we are."
There's still time for one more thing before Furaha and Orko drift off to sleep…a sleepy, cosy bedtime Winter hug.