Chapter Text
F.N.: “Once upon a time in the Land of Fairytales, an icy, freezing adventure was about to begin.”
M.N.: “A chilling quest in which our heroes must face the bitter cold of unrelenting winter. Braid the icy blasts of treacherous snow storms.”
Brooke Page: “Whoa, Mom and Dad, not everything has to be portrayed like a super dramatic tale of action and danger! It`s winter break at Ever After High! Just look at all the fun everyone`s having! Classes are closed, there`s fluffy layers of snow to play in, the lakes have become arenas for ice skating … and there`s hot cocoa! Ginger Breadhouse`s business is bussing with all the customers who want to get warmed up with hot chocolaty sweetness!”
M.N.: “You are absolutely right, Brooke! But as fables would have it, not everyone was feeling the joy of winter break, namely because they could never take a break from winter itself. Far away, high up in the North Pole, laid a palace. A beautiful sparkling palace made of ice.”
F.N.: “It shined so brightly illuminating the winter sun … but on the inside it was nearly empty with just two residents and a few loyal servants. The Snow Queen – a cold detached ruler, known to lack all emotions of care and sympathy, lived there with her daughter Crystal Snow, the lonely princess, condemned to live in a realm where warmth, friendship and fun are too far of reach.”
Cold solitude were all this girl has ever known growing up in her mother`s realm. No friends, no stories or adventures to tell, not even any colors to break the image of blank white snow covering everything around. Every day was the same in the same old castle with same old servants. Most animals in the forest wouldn`t dare to approach her, fearing she might hurt them with her icy powers if they disturbed her – she was the Snow Queen`s daughter after all. Except for Snowflake – an orphaned baby polar bear Crystal adopted, with big curious eyes and soft cuddly paws. She helped the Snow Princess forget all her troubles whenever they went out in the castle`s yard to play together. They were inseparable like birds of a feather.
“I don`t know what is wrong with me, Snowflake.” she sighed one day holding her little bear in her lap. “None of your forest buddies want to come near me. There is something about me that is just too sharp and icy to them. Mother says that is how it`s supposed to be. I know that she wants what is best for me but … what if there is something … out there … outside of the North Pole? New places? New people? Somewhere I belong?”
Unlike her mother, Crystal was filled with emotions that could take full control of her mind and soul. Melancholy would often torment her sensitive little heart but alas … the Snow Queen is no nurturing being that could sooth her. Discussing such topics usually felt sharp as an icicle. But she tried again today anyway. She just had to let it out. Then again, she was met with the same old answer:
“We are creatures of the cold, my dear”, said the Snow Queen, gently holding her daughter`s chin. “Solitary. Independent. We fly with the chilly wind and the world bellow is a neatly contained snow globe in the palm of our hands. We need nothing more.”
“Yes, mother, I know”, Crystal sighed as she looked down at her feet disappointed yet again. “But I`m so sad and lonely out here. I wish I had at least one friend who isn`t afraid of me.”
“Oh, I got something for ya!”, shouted Jackie Frost, one of the castle servants, who was fixing the ceiling`s big glossy chandelier and jumped right down. A snarky loudmouth the princess wasn`t too fond of. “The Lying Mirror was shattered again! Some bozos called the Grimm Brothers trapped some scary old lady inside it but then she escaped and caused a whole lot of chaos, haha! Sucks for them, but lucky for us, because I gathered some fine little mirror shards!”, she shook the small pocket proudly and dropped it in the Snow Queen`s hand.
“Now that is splendid” the queen grinned at the newly discovered shards.
“I don`t get why you`re so whiny though” Jackie mocked the princess. “I`m here too!”
“My mother pays you to be here, Jackie” Crystal looked away with an annoyed grimace.
“Jackie Frost has granted you an opportunity, dear daughter. The Lying Mirror was a tool of great power. Anything that graced its own reflection in it could only see the ugliest, most horrid traits about itself. But if a shard, smaller than a snowflake, falls into someone`s eye, it will go straight to their heart and make it yours to keep.”
“W-what do you mean by this, mother?” the princess asked innocently.
“That someone will become cold-hearted like us and despise everything around them, except you – you`d be the most perfect enchanting thing in their gaze. Go, call the winter storm and send a shard to fly away with it. See whose soul it will bring you.” and then she handed the pocket of shards to the girl. Crystal took out a shard and gazed at it longingly. Could her lonely days finally be over …?
…
Meanwhile in Ever After, someone was getting a pep talk in the Headmasters` office:
“I am very disappointed in you, Faybelle!” Headmaster Grimm yelled. “Your involvement with the Evil Queen`s take over has left the school a vile mess!”
“Oh come on! It`s not that bad!” the young Dark Fairy exclaimed as a huge piece of the ceiling crashed loudly on the Headmaster`s desk.
“Don`t get me wrong. I am delighted you are following your evil destiny, but you must be punished so I am charging you with cleaning duties until our school is restored to its former pristine glory.”
“Clean the whole school?! In the winter when it`s all covered in snow and frost?! But that will take forever after!!” Faybelle cried in protest.
“Then I suggest you get started, miss Thorn.” said the man as he handed her the cleaning supplies.
Reluctantly, Faybelle grabbed the things and flew to the hallways. Much to her surprise, she discovered she wasn`t the only one tasked with cleaning duty. As winter began to spread its cold breath, many trolls, giants, agile youngsters and magic users volunteered to unfreeze buildings and clear out roads. Raven Queen was among those energetic volunteers. Exhausted from using her magic all day, she wiped drops of sweat from her forehead after being done with the hallway`s Mirror TV when the mischievous fairy landed right next to her.
“Ugh, Raven?! Oh hex, your mom sends the entire school flying and then Headmaster Grimm sends you to clean the mess on her behalf? Huh, and here I thought I had the worst luck.”
“I`m not being punished, Faybelle.” she replied with a displeased look. “Many of us came to help with winter clean-up on our own will!”
Right behind her was a familiar brunette blue-eyed prince, who was carrying a cardboard cup with warm beverage and pocked her shoulder.
“Hey! Thought you`d be pretty tired so I figured some hot salted caramel latte could help you recharge!” said Dexter Charming when he finally managed to get to her without accidentally slipping on ice and spilling any of it.
“Aww, Dex, you`re the sweetest! All these unfreezing spells are really draining me out. Thank you so much.” she smiled at him lovingly and reached to kiss cheek.
“Oh no-no-no, wait! I don`t wanna infect you!” he immediately took a step back and held her hand away from his face. Then he blocked a heavy cough from his mouth with his fist. “Ugh, I`m just a sickly pile of germs. Ever since I was a little kid, I`ve been like this every time the temperature goes below zero.” And he certainly looked like it – red sneezy nose, pale skin, shaky stance that easily gives away that fever had taken over his body.
“Don`t be silly. Come here.” she chuckled and kissed his cheek anyway. “You should go rest in your dorm. We got it here.” or so she thought until every big Mirror Screen lit up across the entire school showing the photo of a student – a boy with ginger red hair, bright green eyes and a rosy freckled face, wearing a beanie and a dark green shirt shirt with suspenders. His outfit would have looked quite bland if it weren`t for the small flowers and gardening supplies tucked in the pockets of his apron.
“Honored students” the sturn voice of Headmaster Grimm roared through the mics “Henrik Rosebud, son of Kai and Gerda Rosebud, has mysteriously disappeared. If you happen to know anything regarding his whereabouts, please contact our office immediately.”
“A missing student?!” Raven exclaimed while many of her friends and other schoolmates gathered around the screens.
Dexter: “That`s Henrik, he`s my dorm mate! He`s been missing since the blizzard started.”
Ashlynn: “His parents came all the way to Ever After to look for him! They looked so worried.”
Hunter: “Rumors go around that the Snow Queen caught him and took him to the North Pole.”
Raven: “The Snow Queen? I think I`ve heard of that name before but nothing much beyond that. I don`t think the author himself could even got a closer look to describe her properly. She`s kind of a mystery.”
Hunter: “She sure is, Rae. She sounds real spooky though. I heard kidnapping kids is her thing.”
Ashlynn: “Hunter!!”
Hunter: “Pumpkin, that`s what I know!”
“Miss Raven Queen, please come to my office this afternoon. We need to have a word on the matter” Headmaster Grimm`s voice declared yet again.
Raven: “Way to be subtle, Mr. Grimm …”
With this sudden drop of news, murmuring quickly began to fill the halls. Henrik Rosebud was commonly known as an introverted loner who spend his days in Ever After High`s botanical garden tending to flowers like his mother taught him. He seemed to like plants more than people. Yet here is being the talk of the town. A missing student? Taken by the Snow Queen? Will she take other victims too?! Is anyone safe in these chilling scary times?! But that growing fog of distress got immediately distracted by another curious sight – a couple of blondes known all throughout the land.
Being the school`s beautiful ambitious queen-bee and charismatic jock heartthrob, Apple White and Daring Charming were set to become the fairest power couple ever after. Once upon a time, they would set every room ablaze with the applause and flashing cameras. Now they were just awkwardly walking side by side in the middle of the crowd faking smiles and begging no one notices how much they`ve drifted apart from one another since the unprecedented “true love`s kiss” fiasco last fall. And if it couldn`t get any more uncomfortable than this, another famous blond decided to interfere.
“Blondie Lockes, here with another relationship rumor cast! The whole school knows that Daring Charming`s kiss was a total fairy FAIL when he couldn`t wake Apple White from enchanted sleep! A.K.A. he is NOT her destined prince. Awkwaaaard! Is this power couple about to power off?! Apple! Daring! Care to comment?” Blondie shoved her mic in their faces putting them right on the spot.
“Um … not really?” Daring replied hesitantly, to which Apple added a very abrupt thunderous “NO!” and stormed off as fast as she could dragging him by the hand like a deer tied to a sleigh.
“Ugh, and there you have it.” Blondie exhaled being left all alone in front of the camera. “Tune in for more hex-iting news, I guess.”
Apple ran to the first empty classroom she could stumble upon, threw Daring inside it with her and shut the door behind them. When she turned around to face him, the two stared at each other for a long silent minute. Something in their chests felt so tight, like a bitter truth that was crawling its way to be spilled out. Ever since they were born, they were told to follow only one straight path and if they did, it would all work out enchantingly. They were so sure of this fairytale promise that they mutually decided not to rush. They had forever after to be together like she said a long time ago. But reality did not match those plans.
“Daring, can we talk?” finally Apple uttered a word.
“Y-yes, sure! I`ve been meaning to ask the same thing actually.” he admitted.
“Our story isn`t what I thought it was. When I was in enchanted sleep, your kiss didn`t wake me. There was no magic.” she said with a somber, hurt voice clutching anxiously to her own arms. “I know I said we didn`t have to do anything before graduation but I really need to ask. How do you really feel about me? Am I … not your true love?”
“True Love`s kiss …” Daring murmured. They knew each other since childhood. Apple looked at him with her big rounded pupils and he couldn`t bear to look at her in such a state. She was hurting because of him. “You are a very important person to me, Apple, truly.”
“But you don`t LOVE me, do you?!” Apple lashed out, fighting to hold back tears. “I thought we were destined for each other. But I guess, you can easily write a story of true love but you can`t … force it into existence. Raven … Ashlynn … everybody else found their prince except me. This is so unfair.” she held her face in her palms as tears streamed down her rosy cheeks.
“And you will find yours, I`m sure of it! You`re a fair maiden! And a capable one too! One would be a fool not to pursue you!” he reassured her with confidence, but then his tone shifted back to guilt. “Unfortunately, I`m that fool. I`m so sorry, Apple. Blondie`s correct. I am not the charming prince you`re looking for.”
As she wiped her tears off her face, a thought came over her. Not the Charming she`s looking for? Was she looking at the wrong one?
“Wait …” she sniffed. “Your kiss didn`t wake me up but then Darling`s did. Does that mea- HUH!!!” she gasped and her face became red like the most ripe apple fruit. “I … uh … oh my Fairy Godmother … oh curses …”
“Uh, are you well?” he asked with concern.
“Your little sister, Daring! She likes me!” she shouted impatiently.
“Yes, I`m aware she`s fond of you even when you`re being a little tense! Her words, of course, not mine, ha-ha …”
“Not that way, Daring! The way Hunter likes Ashlynn!”
“But Hunter and Ashlynn are in courtship, what does that have to do wi-“ and then it finally reached his thick skull.”Ooooh … I, uh … hold on, what?! My little sister likes maidens? The same way I do? Do we need to have a talk about this?”
“Uuuuh … yes, totally! I`m fairy glad we cleared things up! Nice chant! Charm you later!” Apple babbled nervously as she shoved Daring out of the room and shut the door behind him.
…
The Grimm Brothers welcomed Raven early in the afternoon the same day. She was still standing at the entrance when Milton Grimm exclaimed:
“We are most grateful that you answered our call, miss Queen. We figured you would be of great assistance in this case since you have experience with um …” the old man hesitated trying not to offend the infamous Queen of the Rebels who no longer wanted to have anything to do with her mother`s tale. “… your kind! Which is …”
“Wicked queens?” the girl replied sarcastically with a raised eyebrow.
“N-no offense.” the headmaster stuttered.
“None taken.” she replied lightly. After all the challenges she fought to get her freedom, she could not care less for titles. To the left corner of her eye, she saw something that immediately turn her whole gaze in that direction. It was Dexter sitting on of the couches put to the side of the office next to the wall.
“What are you doing up?! I thought you had a fever!” she asked in distress as she planted herself on the seat next to him. He gallantly took her right hand as she sat down and she placed the other one on his forehead.
“Yeap, still do! It hasn`t gone down.” the boy replied with a smile to calm her down. “But I`m the last person who saw Henrik before he disappeared so I decided to come too. We need all the info we can get to get him back safely. And … these are his parents, Kai and Gerda!”
“Huh … oh, hi!” the young witch was so distracted worrying about her sick prince she didn`t notice there were other people in the room sitting right in front of them. “Sorry, I`m so rude. I didn`t see you there.”
The Rosebud boy definitely resembled both of his parents – from the typical fashion of their region to their physical features. He had stolen Kai`s whole face and overall physique (and cheeky sense of humor) while he also had Gerda`s green eyes, freckles and red hair – like a bright fresh marigold flower in human form.
“No worries, kiddo, you seemed occupied! Raven Queen, correct? Heard you`re pretty popular around here.” Kai chuckled and seemed a lot more laid back, while Gerda was sipping tea and glaring at her with a sturn expression. Apparently she did mind getting ignored.
“In more ways than I`d like to admit!” the teenager blushed awkwardly. ”I`m really sorry about your son. I wish I could help but he and I have never crossed paths. I have no idea where he could have gone.”
“Last time I saw Henrik was yesterday morning at our dorm.” Dexter began to share what he knows. “He was acting weird. He had brought some plants from the botanical garden which he knows I`m allergic to and when I asked him to put them away, he just rolled his eyes. That was also when I woke up with this wicked fever and he said he didn`t care if I wither away like a dry old bouquet in a trash bin as long as he`s left alone.”
The distressed parents looked at him in horror when they heard such cold words came out of their boy`s mouth. Gerda nearly dropped her cup. Their worst nightmare may have actually come to life.
“So it`s true, just like I feared …” Gerda finally spoke with her hand clinging to her chest. “Henrik`s entered the first phase of his fairytale destiny. He has a frozen heart.”
“A frozen heart ..?” Dexter wondered. The two kids took one quick look at each other in confusion. Oh, curses. They haven`t read “The Snow Queen”. How could they decipher what that vague sentence is supposed to imply?
“Um … could you fill us in? We aren`t familiar with your story all that well.” Raven asked trying not to look flustered while Dexter nodded in agreement.
“No worries, it`s chill.” Kai reassured them. “It`s not exactly the first piece you`d pick from the shelf. Do you wanna hear the short version or the tedious full version of 7 chapters?”
“I think they could do just fine with the synopsis, honey. No need to bore them.” Gerda smirked for the first time in this conversation. “It all began in the city my husband and I grew up in. We were neighbors and best friends since we were very little. Even our bedroom windows faced each other.”
“Gerdie had this beautiful bush of roses growing from her window pot that formed a huge arc branching all the way to mine where I grew my peas. She cared for it every day most generously. Every morning I would wake up to that delightful scent of her roses and … there she was! Waving at me, smiling like the sun. We were inseparable. All summer we`d play in the meadows and swim in the lakes with the other city kids, and in winter we`d grab all our sleighs and race faster than the wind could blow. Until one day … something poked my eye …”
“To me Kai was the funniest, kindest, most adventurous boy in town … but out of nowhere he became someone I couldn`t recognize – cold, distant, awfully rude. All our friends began to stray away from him but I kept begging him to tell me what I did wrong to deserve such treatment. One day, he took out his sleigh when a thunderous snow storm broke out in town. He was nowhere to be found after this. Many thought he died which broke my heart in pieces.”
“Gerdie didn`t know this then, but that was when the Snow Queen took me. She was the one who cursed me to only see the bad in everything around me. I became cold-hearted like her and could only see beauty in cold unfeeling creatures such as herself.”
“In my grief, I decided I was going to find my lost friend even if it meant searching the entire world. Along the way I stumbled upon many friends and foes, until I finally got to the North Pole where the Snow Queen kept Kai hostage. I found him on the cold icy floor of the castle trying to solve an impossible puzzle in exchange for eternal life like the Snow Queen had promised him. He was so invested, he didn`t notice I was there … or that he was freezing to death. The sight devastated me so much that all I could do is grab him, hug him tightly and break down in tears.”
“And miraculously … her warm tears of love unfroze my heart. Then we raced back home, we grew up, got married, built a house with a huge garden, had Henrik, lived happily ever after and all that jazz. You know the gist.” Kai finished the story on a cheerful note.
“So if your son has become cold-hearted, that means the warmth of love can save him?” Raven concluded after she heard the (not yet) full tale.
“Yes, that is the cure we know of.” Gerda explained with sadness in her voice. “But we couldn`t give him a sibling and he`s such a loner with barely any friends. I don`t know who could ever be his destined savior.”
“Did you ever consider yourselves? You clearly love him more than anything if you came all the way to Ever After for his sake!” said the daughter of the Evil Queen, as if that`s not most normal thing any good loving parent would do.
“Repeating our destinies? Are you really sure that will work?” Gerda replied unsure of the strange teenage witch`s plan.
“You’re his own mom and dad! If anyone can unfreeze his heart, it`s you! My friends and I could set up a squad to help you on your journey. Let`s see … Darling is a fableous warrior, Daring could lend a muscle, Hunter knows about survival in the wild … Oh! The Hood-Badwolf sisters could be a fierce addition as well.”
“You would do all this … for a boy you don`t know?” the formerly untrusting mother asked in disbelief.
“I may not know him but he`s in great danger. It`s what should be done.” the girl answered bluntly. Kai and Gerda looked at each other. Something oddly close to relief came over their troubled hearts.
“See? Dex told us we can trust her.” Kai told his wife softly.
“You`re a very good girl, Raven.” Gerda expressed her gratitude. Not judging a book by its cover was not her strong suit. Asking the child of the despicable Evil Queen from “Snow White and The Seven Dwarfs” for help in such a devastating time was the last thing she expected to give her hope for a happy outcome.
“It`s who she is. Kind and wicked brave.” Dexter looked at her lovingly, still holding her hand during this entire meeting. Finally the world saw her the same way he did.
~ The end … is just the beginning. ~