Tale 98- The Boy Claimed by Ice

 The Traveler found herself walking down the path toward a familiar house, one with a large back garden and two floors, a small window overlooking the outdoors. It took her a moment, but she suddenly knew exactly where she was, feeling tears filling her eyes. She was home. She thought she saw a face in the window upstairs, but they were gone, and soon a man stepped outside, dressed in overalls and covered in wood shavings. He was a carpenter clearly, but as he stood before her, his eyes changed slightly. Staring down, they filled with tears, and he rushed toward her, tightly hugging her. Only then did the Traveler realize who was in front of her, burying her head in his shoulder. “Edwin…” she whispered, tightly throwing her arms around him and the man giving her a gentle embrace. Her youngest brother…he was so much bigger now, whilst she hadn’t changed a bit. She looked up at him, seeing the resemblance between his younger face and him now, even despite the fact he now had a moustache and beard. He stared down at his sister, as if wondering whether she was even real, and then took her hands in his own. “I am so, so sorry.” He whispered, tears coming to the Traveler’s eyes as her heart throbbed. If anyone was deserving of an apology, it was him. Her little forget-me-not, the one who always wanted hugs and who she’d vowed to protect from the moment she and Richard had met him. Her brother…the one she’d abandoned, and who had cried for her to stay. The one who had awoken the entire house just to try and find her, but the ensuing blizzard had made it impossible. Her sweet, innocent little brother…and the one who made the wish. She reached into her book, pulling out the paper and his eyes changed in recognition, both of them collapsing into pained, broken tears. They had been without each other for so, so long, and yet they never truly forgot how it felt to love one another. 

Entwining hands just as they used to, Edwin led his sister toward the gate into the back garden, before his face fell slightly. “What is it?” the Traveler asked, Edwin looking up at her remorsefully. “I must warn you. Everyone else is through here, but…not in the way you think.” he spoke, before opening the gate and letting her through, unable to follow her. The Traveler stared down at their familiar old garden, where roses were just beginning to come back to life, and forget-me-nots were in bloom. Though, there was not a single aster to be seen, which was odd. Turning a corner toward the tree under which they used to play, the Traveler noticed something strange. There, under the tree, were three headstones. And on the tree, a brass plaque. Confused and fearful, she stepped toward the tree, finding a eulogy for one not dead…for herself. ‘To our dear, beautiful daughter. Each day we think of you, our hearts feel your loss. We hope to hear news of your safe arrival, to see the beautiful dress we sewed for you intact, the cloak around your shoulders for warmth and protection. We hope to see a joyous smile on your face, a happiness in your eyes you always had. But until then, little rose, to you we dedicate this memorial.’ 

The Traveler felt tears running down her face. They…they did love her. They did want her. They never stopped loving her. Taking a deep breath, she approached the headstones, and her heart sank. The first, and the smallest, was for Richard. It had a small inscription on it, one the Traveler traced her fingers over. ‘To our dear little aster, wherever you are, we’ll look to you shining up there in the stars.’ The Traveler wiped away her tears, before continuing on. The next grave was for her mother, and the final, her father. She began to sob, her head in her hands. She’d never see them again. Her quest had taken so long that her dear baby brother, her mother and father…they weren’t here anymore. Wiping her eyes, she suddenly felt a hand on her cheek, expecting Edwin, but…no. He was younger, a familiar smile on his face. “Don’t cry, you big baby.” Richard giggled, the Traveler feeling new tears prickle her eyes as she stared at the ghosts of her parents and brother. They looked at her with so much love…she sniffled, trying to blink back the tears and hold back the sobs forming in her throat. The world had stolen Sarafelle, her mother, her father, her brother…she tried to stop crying, and Richard put his hands on her shoulders, staring up at her. “We love you. Never forget that, okay…?” He whispered, the Traveler nodding with tears rolling down her cheeks. And with a smile, the ghosts passed on, Richard giving her one last grin before he was gone. 

The Traveler turned, walking away from the graves and into the arms of Edwin, who led her inside and passed her a handkerchief. He took her around the rooms, the girl staring up at the hourglasses- hers had ceased ticking despite having sand on the top still, and Richard’s had all the sand at the bottom, signalling his life ending just as her father had said. Only Edwin’s continued to fall, the girl wondering about the mystery of it all. He tapped her shoulder, taking down Richard’s hourglass, and sighed, telling the tale of ‘the Boy Claimed by Ice’

‘Once, there lived three siblings who went skating all the time in the colder months. The eldest was the best at it, and was capable of doing all sorts of tricks and spins, whilst the middle child would tease the littlest on the ice, playing tag and skating much faster than the youngest was able to. Despite this, all three of them loved to skate together, even though there was once an incident where the youngest had fallen through the ice and his sister had to dive in and save him. Though they were frightened of thin ice from then on, they tried to be careful whilst playing, and would spend each winter skating together. Though, one winter, the boys’ sister had disappeared, and could no longer skate with them due to the fact she had not yet been found. In a state of constant melancholy, the middle child wanted to find something that would cheer up the youngest, and offered to take him skating. The youngest boy agreed, the two first going to the part of the lake that was not frozen in order to allow the youngest to throw a wish in a bottle away, in hopes that it might come true someday. The two then went to skate, the middle boy showing off in hopes of recreating the fun that they had previously, but there was a risk- the ice was much thinner than either of them had anticipated. Realizing this, the middle child managed to get the youngest off the ice safely, but the ice cracked beneath him, sending him plunging down into the cold waters, where he froze to death. And thus, the ice claimed him as its own, taking his frozen form and decorating it with frost while the youngest boy ran for his parents. And as time passed, the home began to fall apart. Having lost two children, their mother died of a broken heart, and their father followed not long after. So the youngest was left to fend for himself, with the small hope that perhaps someday, a miracle might happen.’

For a moment, the Traveler was completely still, and silent. If she had been there, perhaps she could have dived in after Richard just as she had once for Edwin. And she left her baby brother all alone as everyone else around him withered like flowers. What sort of sister was she? Could she really leave if he had nobody to take care of him? He had every right to hate her for abandoning him, didn't he? Was she really deserving of their love? She was suddenly startled by a cry, though, of a small child. Turning to look at Edwin in surprise, he gave a soft smile as his wife descended the stairs, holding a little baby in her arms. “This is my wife, Anne.” He spoke, before leading the Traveler toward his daughter. “And this…is my little girl.” He smiled, taking his daughter into his arms and giving her a tender kiss on the forehead. Anne smiled at the Traveler, all three of them going to sit on the sofa together, and Edwin brushed back one of his sister’s hairs. “We named her after you.” he smiled, the Traveler looking down at the child in surprise. This baby had her name… but a look at Edwin revealed one simple thing- he’d never let his baby go through anything near as awful as his sister. “I couldn’t protect you from the dangers of the world. For a long time, I blamed myself, but I was far too young. I used to bargain with the stars each night, claiming I’d switch places with you in a heartbeat, but now…now I have too much to protect. But I swear on my life, I will never let my child suffer, and I refuse to let you suffer anymore either.” He spoke, turning to his sister and putting an arm around her tightly, as if to make up for all the hugs he had never been able to give her. He then offered to let her hold his daughter, the Traveler gently stroking the baby’s cheeks and giving her a little kiss on the head. Edwin would protect his daughter, and perhaps when she earned her freedom she could watch the child grow. Handing her back to Edwin, she turned to her brother. “I must continue onward for a short while, but I may return soon. And when I do, I promise to tell you everything.” she spoke, motioning to her book and Edwin giving an understanding smile. “Just remember one thing: how much we love you.” he spoke, before handing his daughter to Anne and going outside to bid his sister goodbye, the two sharing one final embrace before she walked off into the forest, feeling a healing in her soul after the nightmarish years of believing in lies. Her family loved her, and they held nothing against her, and that fact alone made everything brighter.