Frostbitten Fairy Tales

by Melanie Karsak

  We approached the other end of the Frost Fair. The fair, situated on the ice between London and Blackfriars Bridges, thinned out near the Blackfriars end where the ice was said to be thinnest.

  “There,” Lizzie said, pointing to a line of people waiting to get a handbill.

  “Get one for me? I’ll get us both a hot chocolate,” I said, pointing to another vendor across the lane.

  I joined the long queue of people waiting to get a cup of steaming chocolate. The copper kettle from which the vendor was ladling the drink effervesced the sweetest perfume. The scent of cocoa filled the air. The delicious aroma fought off the smells coming from a makeshift tavern and gaming tent nearby. Someone had written City of Moscow on a board and had hung it over the entrance. The smells of ale and smoke billowed from the tent.

  I looked back at Lizzie, who was chatting with two young women in line behind her.

  I finished off the last bite of oil cake then clapped my hands, freeing them of the loose sugar, as I waited. Once more, a strong wind whipped across the ice. The tents’ walls, many of which had been made from sails, snapped and shifted in the hard breeze.

  I pulled up my hood, afraid the wind would take my hair apart once more. Holding my cape shut at the neck, I turned from the wind and found myself facing the City of Moscow tent. The wind blew insistently around me, and with my other hand, I held down the skirts of my dress to fight off the unexpected updraft. The sharp wind pulled a peg from the ground, and one corner of the tent at the City of Moscow pulled free, revealing the revelers inside.

  “Next,” the gentleman at the hot chocolate stand called.

  With the tent flap pulled aside, I looked into the City of Moscow and spotted several gentlemen sitting at a makeshift gaming table, all of them drinking. And for a brief moment, I swore I saw John. He tipped his head back and laughed loudly. What was he doing here? Hadn’t he said he had some business in town?

  “Next! You, Miss. In the blue coat.”

  I turned to see it was my turn.

  “Sorry. Two, please,” I told the man, opening my bag to retrieve my coins.

  I set the coins on the table then looked back at the gaming tent. A worker had come to fix the tent flap, obscuring my view.

  Turning back, I took the steaming cups of dark chocolate from the vendor. “Thank you,” I said with a polite smile. The dark liquid, almost black in color, looked as thick as mud.

  “I got them!” Lizzie called, crossing the ice toward me.

  I handed her a drink.

  “I put them in my bag so the wind didn’t take them. Such an odd wind, wasn’t it? My dress blew up, almost showed a glimpse of my knickers. No wonder your hair came undone. Elyse? What’s wrong?”

  “Can you hold this a moment?” I asked, handing her my drink.

  Confused, she nodded.

  I went to the entrance of the City of Moscow and looked toward the table where I thought I’d seen John. Another man sat in his place wearing a coat that was the same deep green color. The man also had the same sandy-colored hair.

  “Miss?” a man said, meeting me at the entrance.

  “Is…is Lord Waldegrave within?”

  The man scrunched up his face and thought back. “Lord Waldegrave? No. Haven’t seen him since last night.”

  “Last night?”

  The man shrugged. “He was by for a few drinks.”

  Well, that was to be expected. It was a Frost Fair, after all. If he was partial to drink, that explained the taste of anise on his tongue: absinthe.

  “But not this morning?”

  “No, Miss.”

  “Very well. Thank you,” I said.

  I’d been mistaken. I chided myself for my distrust. What was I doing acting so suspicious? I turned and rejoined Lizzie.

  “Everything all right?” she asked, handing me the cup of hot chocolate.

  I nodded. “It was nothing. How is it?” I asked, motioning to the drink.

  “Ambrosia!” she exclaimed.

  Taking her word for it, I took a sip. She was right. The drink had been brewed thick, and it carried a hint of spice. It was an unusual but well-matched flavor.

  “Should we head back?” Lizzie asked.

  I nodded, and we turned back toward the Ice House. As we walked, Lizzie chatted happily, pointing out all the sights. My mind, however, was busy. What kind of woman was I to doubt my love at the first opportunity? Not a very true one. I had no reason to doubt John. He’d been nothing but forthcoming with me. I sighed. It had been an odd morning. As we passed the row where Kai and I had been met by the boy that morning, I paused.

  “Why don’t you go ahead? I want to check on Doctor Murray.”

  Lizzie raised one eyebrow at me again. “Do you want me to come with you?”

  “No, I’ll be fine. Kai—Doctor Murray went to check on a patient. I just thought I’d see if he needs anything.”

  Lizzie smirked but said nothing. “Don’t be long.”

  With a wave, I turned and headed across the ice toward the ship where the boy had led Kai. My nerves were rattled. Had I really seen John? I wasn’t sure. What I did know, however, was that nothing comforted me more than Kai’s advice and opinion. I knew that spending just a moment or two with Kai would make everything right again.

  Chapter 9: The Captain

  Outside the ship, a small area of the ice had been swept of snow. I wasn’t sure how they’d done it, but the ice appeared to have been washed. Its surface was an oval of glass upon which some of the sailors were skating. Their moves were sublime. They skated with such ease, moving around each other in a pattern that reminded me of a quadrille. Nearby, someone had carved a lovely castle made of ice. It seemed the sailors had decided to make their ship as festive as possible. Lanterns sat along the rail, and from inside the galley, I heard music.

  I approached carefully. I looked over the skaters and the other merry-makers but didn’t see Kai. A moment later, the boy who’d asked Kai to come with him appeared on deck. He grabbed a rope and slid down to the surface of the frozen Thames then ran over to me.

  “Miss?”

  “I was looking for Doctor Murray. Is he still here?”

  The boy scrunched up his brow as if he was not sure what to say. “Yes. He is still with the captain.”

  “May I see him? I just wanted a word.” A word. A comfort. A reassurance. A…something.

  The boy thought over my request for longer than seemed needed. “Certainly,” he said. He smiled then, both cheeks dimpling in a mischievous grin. Waving to me, he beckoned me to follow him.

  The skaters slowed as I approached. I noticed that, like the boy, many of them had long dark hair which they let hang loose down their backs. They were a very attractive group of men. The leatherworking on their attire was remarkable. Where were they from? They nodded to me then went back about their business.

  “This way, Miss,” the boy said.

  I walked up a plank onto the deck of the ship. There, several of the sailors sat around a brazier while they played unusual instruments: long-necked lutes, oddly-shaped harps, and one man even played what appeared to be a flute made of…ice? I stopped when I saw it.

  “Is that…Is that made of ice?” I asked, unable to stop myself.

  The boy smiled. “Indeed.”

  “But how?”

  “Magic, of course,” the boy replied with a wink then waved for me to follow him to the captain’s quarters. When he reached the door, he knocked.

  At first, there was no answer. I heard muffled voices and movement inside. I frowned, conscious that time was passing quickly. I needed to get back soon. Maybe I should have come later.

  The boy knocked again. “Captain? Doctor Murray’s friend is here.”

  The voices on the other side of the door fell silent.

  A moment later, a man in a wolf pelt coat opened the door. He gave me a hard look which unnerved me. I looked around him hoping to catch sight of Kai. I spotted Kai’s boots.

  “Doctor M
urray?” I called.

  The man at the door frowned then stepped aside to let me in.

  The cabin within was nothing like what I expected. Rather than finding a captain’s lodging complete with a table, desk, or rough cot, the room was very finely appointed with rich furniture. Colorful tapestries hung on the walls and bear furs covered the floor. The furniture appeared to have been made by artisans with great craft, each piece adorned with figures and old Celtic knots. Even the moulding around the ceiling had been carved to look like a line of leaves. The room was warm and softly perfumed like lavender. In the midst of this unexpected scene was Kai, who was wrapping a bandage around a strikingly beautiful woman’s ankle. The woman, I realized, was staring at me. She had long, curly dark hair, wide dark eyes, and red lips. Her face was very pale and so perfect she looked like she’d been carved of marble. She wore a green gown trimmed with ermine. She’d pulled up her dress to her knee, a scandalous amount of leg exposed.

  “Doctor Murray?” I said again, calling to Kai who still, or so it seemed, had not noticed me.

  “Doctor, your friend is here,” the woman said then smirked. The strange expression on her face froze my heart. Her look was full of so much unexpected malice it surprised me.

  Kai stopped and looked up at me. “Miss McKenna? What are you doing here?”

  The sharpness of his question confused me. “I thought…I wondered…I just wanted to see if you need anything. Can I can assist you?”

  Kai frowned in confusion, his forehead furrowing.

  “Doctor Murray has been very good to me. You see,” the woman said, waving to her ankle. “I twisted my ankle while skating.”

  “Oh, I thought the boy said the captain was injured,” I replied, realizing then that no one had introduced me to the woman.

  “I am the captain,” she replied.

  I choked down a gasp. “My apologies, Captain. Are you…are you well now?”

  The woman huffed then suppressed a sneer. “So, you are the actress everyone is talking about. The girl who plays at being the faerie queen.”

  The man in the wolf pelt chuckled.

  “I’m Miss Elyse McKenna,” I said, looking toward Kai. Why was he being so rude? I hated when Kai was so focused on his work that he forgot his manners. “I’m an actress at the Ice House Theatre. We normally perform at Struthers Theatre but have come for the Frost Fair.”

  “You don’t look like I thought you would,” she said then rolled her eyes toward her companion. “He oversold her a bit, I think.”

  The man sniggered.

  Having had enough of the captain who clearly had the manners of a pirate, I turned to Kai. “Doctor Murray, do you need any assistance or are you finished here?”

  Kai paused then looked up at me. “Elyse? What? No…no…I think I’m almost done,” he said, looking confused.

  “Excellent. Then I’ll see you at this morning’s show.” I ladened my voice with unspoken words, hoping Kai would take the hint that he really ought to get out of there, but he didn’t look back.

  I bobbed a curtsey to the captain. “I wish you a speedy recovery, Captain,” I said. “And I hope that the ice melts soon.”

  “That, at least, is something I can agree upon.”

  I curtseyed again then turned to exit.

  The gentleman in wolf furs held the door for me.

  Without another word, I left.

  Outside, the little boy sat on the deck of the ship listening to the musicians. The ice flute produced such an unusual sounding reel. The music had such a lovely sound and vibration to it. It was enchanting. Despite the sour mood that had settled over me, the beautiful music was delightful. When the boy spotted me, he stood up.

  “This way, Miss. Careful on the plank. The ice is slippery,” he said. Taking me gently by the elbow, he led me across the deck of the ship and down the plank.

  The skaters still spun as we passed. The boy walked me back to the lane closest to the tents.

  “Thank you,” I said, smiling down at him. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your name.”

  “Robin.”

  “Robin. Thank you, Robin. And your captain…I’m afraid Doctor Murray was so busy he forgot his manners. I was unable to learn your captain’s name.”

  “Captain Behra.”

  “Captain Behra,” I repeated. “Very good. Thank you, Robin.”

  “Miss,” he said with a bow then turned and headed back toward the ship.

  Frustrated, and feeling more ill-at-ease than ever, I headed back toward the theatre. At least there, I knew my place. At least there, I knew who I was. I was no one and everyone. And right now, getting lost to who I was sounded like a very good thing.

  Chapter 10: Something Like a Fairy Tale

  When I arrived at the Ice House Theatre, the patrons were already being seated for the pantomime of Hades and Persephone. I passed Marion as I headed toward my section of the large tent behind our makeshift stage. She was dressed in my Persephone costume, looking like the perfect image of spring, silk flowers in her hair, wearing a belt of ivy. She carried a pair of dancing slippers, my dancing slippers.

  “Marion…those are not part of the costume. They actually belong to me. They were a gift.”

  She looked down at the slippers. I could see the wash of confusion then frustration pass over her face. “These old things? I almost left them, ragged as they are. I thought Marve had assigned them for the costume. I don’t care about your precious slippers, Elyse.”

  I bit the inside of my cheek then said. “It’s just that they were—”

  “A gift. I heard you. I have my own slippers anyway, and not old rags like these,” she said, practically tossing the ballet shoes to me. She turned toward her own section of the tent.

  I clutched my pale pink ballet slippers. She was right. They were old and ragged, but they were also a gift from my grandmother. She’d bought me the pair when I’d joined the company five years back.

  I hugged the slippers to my chest then went to my station and sat down. The tent was heated by braziers, the floor strewn with hay for warmth. Partitions offered a little privacy. I slipped off my cloak, shivering in the cold, then began working on my hair. For the faerie godmother, I would pull it up in a bun to create a different effect from Titania, who wore long, loose locks trimmed with feathers, flowers, and sparkles. I wouldn’t use the glimmer cream either. Instead, I’d seek to look more matronly.

  As I worked my hair, I heard the sound of trumpets and flutes marking the beginning of the show. My heartbeat quickened, and once more I felt deeply annoyed with Marion. With so many important people on the ice this morning, she’d stolen my chance.

  For the good of the troupe.

  For the good of the troupe.

  I reminded myself over and over again.

  The pantomime of Hades and Persephone finished within an hour. By the time it was done, I had transformed myself once again into a faerie. Rather than Titania, I was the benevolent faerie godmother ready to bestow gifts on the sweet cinder maid.

  I heard the applause from the crowd. The performance had been well-received, and from the sound of it, the crowd was quite large.

  It would take a few moments to change the set.

  Giving my hair one last look, I grabbed the faerie godmother’s wand and headed out of the tent to the backstage area.

  Lizzie, dressed as the cinder girl, Amy as one of the stepsisters, Hannah as a second stepsister, and Agnes as the stepmother, prepared to take the stage alongside Robert, who would play the father who perished in act one, leaving Lizzie to the cruel care of her stepmother.

  “Elyse, you look lovely,” Lizzie said, smiling at me. “Is that really the same costume?”

  I nodded. “I removed the wings, and added a shawl,” I said, motioning to the soft pink wrap.

  “Marion tripped…twice,” she whispered, leaning toward me.

  “They made it look like part of the act,” Amy added, clearly clued into the gossip.

  I
forced myself not to smile then chided myself for my pettiness. “How is the crowd?” I asked, winking knowingly to Lizzie as I changed the subject.

  “Elyse, you’re too good,” Hannah said with a giggle.

  “Not really. I’m just trying to be good,” I replied.

  The girls chuckled.

  “The crowd is bigger than last night,” Robert said. “It’s…there are a lot of lords and ladies in attendance.”

  This made Lizzie and Amy go silent.

  “No matter, girls,” Agnes said. “We’ll do our best no matter the manner of the crowd.”

  “But they…these fine folk usually go to the big theatres. They’ll be expecting…” Amy began but trailed off.

  “We are all very fine actors,” I said reassuringly. “Simply because we didn’t have connections to get us into a grand playhouse does not mean we lack in skill. All of us are masters at our craft. We know our work. We will, as always, transport them,” I said, sounding more confident than I felt. In reality, I had never even practiced the role of the faerie godmother. I knew the lines, and I’d seen the marks, but had not practiced them. My stomach quaked.

  Lizzie, Amy, and Hannah looked reassured. Robert and Agnes nodded to me.

  Flutes sounded once more, and the others headed out on stage.

  Robert went to the front and began to address the audience as the prologue.

  “In a fine chateau lived a gentleman of means with a loving wife and a fair daughter who was a mirror reflection of her mother. Tragically, the young wife died, but the gentleman—that is me—found a new love. Upon his marriage, he returned once more to his country estate to introduce his new wife, and her daughters, to his blessed child. The rest, as they say…” he said, and here I knew he would flourish his arm toward the stage behind him as a harp sounded in time. The curtain drew back to reveal the actresses.