“Perhaps I will cut your hair tomorrow,” Sigrid murmured, playing with a long lock of Kay’s platinum blond hair.
The boy failed to reply. His mind was focused on the puzzle only.
“Why do you only focus on that puzzle, Kay?” the snow queen wondered aloud although she knew he would not answer. “I know I told you that you would regain your memories and freedom if you spelled ‘eternity’ with the ice, but do you not like it here in this castle with me? If you would only stay, we could talk and spend time together forever.”
Kay’s now dull blue eyes never left the puzzle.
Sigrid sighed, turning her attention to the mirror. It was her only piece of solace at the time because Kay failed to speak with her, as he had for the last year and a half. Perhaps he had stopped paying attention to her even before Gerda had been taken by the robber girl, Ingrid.
Sigrid did not know who Ingrid was, other than that she was a robber girl, but she appreciated Ingrid’s keeping Gerda hostage. Sigrid did not wish to die nor be parted from Kay, no matter how unresponsive he might be, and she enjoyed hearing the stories Ingrid forced Gerda to tell each night.
However, Sigrid could not shake off the feeling that Ingrid had been someone she once knew. She had seen that light chestnut hair and those light amber eyes that Ingrid possessed before, but she knew not where. Sighing, she stared at the Blakfrodleikr. A young twenty-four-year-old woman with pale blue eyes and stark white hair stared back at her, a sad look upon her face.
Sigrid pushed her confusion to the back of her mind as she manipulated the reflection to watch the robber girl’s cave. She was not expecting the cave to be in turmoil.
Ingrid pushed Gerda down onto the ground. “How did that crow escape? Did you let ‘im free? Tell me now!"
The younger girl whimpered. “N-no, I did not. He simply opened the cage on his own. I swear I am telling you the truth.”
The robber girl let out a cry of frustration. “If a stupid crow could get free, then anyone could!” She collapsed on her bed. “C’mere, Gerda. Tell me a story. I’m very angry now.”
The girl timidly climbed into the bed and let Ingrid stroke her hair. She began to tell the story of her pursuit of Kay, one of her personal favorites. Sigrid knew because of how often Gerda told the story. When Gerda had finished her story, Ingrid rose quickly without saying a word, reaching for her knife. She raised it up high above her head. Gerda let out a cry of fear as Ingrid swung the knife down.
Gerda’s cry was cut short when she realized Ingrid had only cut the rope that tied her to the bed. Gerda could have run away if she was not so frightened from earlier.
“Now, pet, I’m setting you free. You seem to care for your friend Kay a lot, and I really want to ‘elp you.” Ingrid moved closer to the mouth of the cave. “Hans!”
A robber appeared. “Yes, m’lady?”
“I wanna help Gerda out a bit, so would ya take ‘er to see the witch, please? She’s gonna need advice to fight the Snedronningen.”
Gerda jumped up and wrapped her arms around the robber girl. “Thank you, Ingrid, thank you!”
Ingrid laughed. “It was nothin’, Gerda. I just got tired of you, that’s all."
Sigrid knew not what to make of this development. She knew that Ingrid had grown increasingly fond of Gerda, but not to the point of setting her free. Also, she knew that the battle against Gerda was now inevitable. If Ingrid trusted that this witch would be able to help Gerda find her and kill her, then Sigrid knew she could not escape.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Sigrid tracked Gerda’s movements with the mirror. She was shocked to see Hans deliver Gerda to Erika’s orchard. There was no way that Erika would help Gerda kill her.
The witch ran to meet the girl. “Gerda! How have you been, dear?”
Gerda smiled at Erika. “Hello, Erika. I am not here for simple pleasantries, however. Ingrid told me that you would be of assistance in my quest to defeat the Snedronningen and take Kay back.”
The witch hesitated. Sigrid waited with bated breath for her response.
“That girl does not need that witch’s advice, and the witch knows it. She is already powerful enough,” fru Edda’s voice hissed into Sigrid’s ear.
The snow queen shifted away from the old woman but did not cry out in surprise at the woman's sudden appearance. Her chest tightened around her heart. “Is that so?”
“Yes, yes. Now, we must hurry and escape before the girl arrives. I doubt it will be very long now; the witch is bound to give the man’s horse herbs to speed up the journey.”
Sigrid glanced at the display on the mirror and saw that she was correct. Erika was brewing a potion for the girl. She felt her breath escape her, not to be returned, and could not seem to stop the tears from pooling in her eyes.
Fru Edda grabbed the mirror. “Quickly, quickly.” She urged Sigrid out of the room.
“What of Kay?” Sigrid exclaimed, turning around.
“We will have to prepare the sleigh first! Let him alone until we are completely ready; otherwise, he will just be in the way.”
Sigrid nodded uncertainly and prepared to leave. When the reindeer had finally been tied to the sleigh and the provisions packed neatly, she headed back to the throne to fetch Kay.
“Where are you going?” fru Edda called out.
“Kay is still in the throne room!” Sigrid replied. She quickened her pace but was surprised when the old woman stepped into her path, accompanied by Aleister. “Fru Edda, what are you doing?”
The old woman glared intensely into the snow queen’s eyes and released loud peals of laughter. “I do apologize for my rudeness, fool.”
Sigrid could not utter a word, nor could she breathe or stop her heart rate from elevating.
“You were just so easy to control. All you wanted were those memories that I stole from you. It was always memories, memories, memories. Are memories not just the loveliest things?” she cackled.
Sigrid did not understand of what fru Edda spoke, or, perhaps, she refused to understand.
The old woman stopped her laughter. “Aleister, kill her. I no longer find her useful.”
The crow nodded as he dove toward the young woman. “As you wish.”
“Wait!” Sigrid finally cried out, dodging the crow’s attack just in time. “Please explain this to me.”
Fru Edda let out a heaving sigh. “You were always a dimwitted one.” Aleister’s assaults on Sigrid grew fiercer and more frenzied as the old woman continued to speak. “I am a norn. I am not a witch, as I know you suspected, but a norn. I can manipulate time and destinies. I was present at your birth. Thus, I manipulated yours. I carefully watched over you to develop your powers, though I had hoped they would be more powerful than just ice powers, and kidnapped you the moment you turned eighteen. It was the opportune time. You must understand. I took your memories to make sure you completely under my control, and it worked. You should know the rest. After all, I have not taken any of your memories of the past six years.”
Sigrid could no longer understand her surroundings. All she knew was that there was a turbulent storm inside of her that threatened to escape, and she allowed it to do so.
Fru Edda cursed as a violent storm engulfed the castle. “Aleister!” she screamed. “This is taking too long! I will help you!” She muttered an incantation to a spell and laughed as Sigrid cried out in pain. “There are your beloved memories, you fool,” she whispered with glee.
Aleister took advantage of Sigrid’s pain and delivered a crushing blow to her head. He flew after fru Edda as they used the sleigh to escape.
Sigrid clutched her head as she struggled to drag herself to the throne room to reach Kay. Her physical wound did not hurt as much as her mental wound did. Her memories poured into her head all at once. She could see her sister and herself playing in the meadow during the summer. She could see herself calming her sister down after a nightmare with a mug of warm milk. She could see herself wrapping her sister in a bundle of fur coats before going out to play in the snow.
She now knew who Ingrid was. How had she failed to see the similarities? Of course, her physical traits had been manipulated by her ice magic, but she still looked very similar to her younger sister.
“Ingrid, I am so sorry,” Sigrid sobbed. “I have failed you as an older sister.”
“That is true.” Sigrid turned to see that Ingrid was standing right in front of her. “How have you been, sister?”
Sigrid screamed in pain as memories continued to flood into her mind. “I-I have been better. How are you, Ingrid? What brings you here?”
Ingrid crossed her arms, glaring at her older sister. “I’m here to help Gerda and Kay escape. You’re gonna tear the castle apart with your snowstorm.”
“I apologize for that.” Sigrid groaned. “Please help me, Ingrid.”
“Save it. I don’t care.” The younger woman crouched down in front of Sigrid. “I stopped caring about you a long time ago. You know, I actually met you once after you disappeared on me. But you brushed me away like I was just so insignificant.”
“No, no. I am so sorry. Please help me.” Sigrid pushed herself up to a seated position.
Ingrid stood, laughing humorlessly. “Like I said: save it. I don’t care about you anymore. Now you’re only the enemy of my friends. What were you thinking, taking Kay like that? Gerda was worried sick about him.” Ingrid kicked her older sister back down. “Ah. But you don’t care, do you? All you wanted was everything to yourself, huh? I’m done with you, sister. Leave Gerda and Kay alone, and I never want to see you again.” Then, she was gone.
Sigrid screamed yet again. How had it come to this? All she had wanted was her memories, but she had never imagined it would be anything like this. She could not believe that she had let fru Edda take advantage of her, but how could she have known?
Clawing blindly at the floor, Sigrid managed to drag herself out of the castle. She spotted a dark blur in the white snow and used the last of her energy to propel herself toward it using the snow.
“Ah! It is the fool, Aleister! She has arrived!” fru Edda cackled mercilessly. “How are your memories? I presume they are all that you wished for.”
“Help me,” Sigrid moaned. She hated that she was now asking the one who had used her for help, but there was nothing else she could do. “Please help me.”
The old woman’s eyes hardened, but Sigrid could not see them. “Sigrid, my dear. Do you not understand? This is the happy ending. Gerda will rescue Kay by solving the puzzle with him, and Ingrid will rescue Kay and Gerda, and the Andersen brothers will take them back to Ingrid’s cave, where they will have a tearful farewell. Then Hans and Christian, upon Ingrid’s request, will take the two to visit the prince and princess, Magnus and Regina, in the royal castle, where they will celebrate the birth of the royal child. Then, they will return home, where I will be waiting patiently, ready to celebrate their twenty-first birthdays. I can see the future, Sigrid, and this is what it is.”
“Help me. Please.”
“No, no, Sigrid. You will die here. You are the evil, wicked villain. Do you see how many people you have hurt? You must die, Sigrid, and then all will be right with the world.”
“Please.” Her voice had cracked, as if it signaled that her body was giving up completely. The pain was close to unbearable.
The grandmother sighed. “Yes, yes. I suppose I will. Aleister, if you will do the honors.”
Sigrid was in pain no more.