by K. M. Shea
Snowflakes:
A Snow Queen Short Story Collection
By K. M. Shea
Copyright © K. M. Shea 2017
SNOWFLAKES: A COLLECTION OF SNOW QUEEN SHORT STORIES
Copyright © 2017 by K. M. Shea
Cover design by Myrrhlynn
Edited by Jeri Larsen
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any number whatsoever without written permission of the author, except in the case of quotations embodied in articles and reviews.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination, or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or historic events is entirely coincidental.
www.kmshea.com
Table of Contents
Story Time
Scouting
Arrivals
The Throne of the Snow Queen
Mages
A Tour of Ostfold
The Robber Maiden
The Captain’s Story
The Attendant’s Story
The King’s Story
The Wolf
Forgiven
Afterword
Story Time
This story takes place in the few peaceful weeks between Heart of Ice and Sacrifice. I badly wanted to include it in Sacrifice, but neither the timing nor the setting was right. I hope you enjoy it! (Bonus fact: The book Rakel reads here is the book Gerta and Kai read to her when they visit her in the year she is unconscious.)
Rakel played with the tip of her white braid and looked out over the icy flower garden she had created shortly after retaking Ostfold. Her gaze rested on the ice statue she had made in her brother’s likeness. In spite of all my best efforts, he’s gotten even more distant. I haven’t had a decent conversation with him—nor have Oskar or Halvor. She sighed. How can we lure him out? He knows we will not hurt him. What purpose does his isolation serve?
She pressed her lips together in displeasure. “Perhaps we should seek out those who previously counseled him. They might better understand the workings of his mind,” she murmured.
Snow crunched, and hope surged in Rakel for a moment. Perhaps it was Steinar! But no, there were two sets of footsteps on the crisp snow, and they ran with childish impatience. Rakel was not at all surprised when two children catapulted themselves at her.
“Princess!” Gerta squealed.
Kai backed away for a moment so he could gravely bow. “Princess.” He immediately threw himself at Rakel again, making her stagger.
“Good afternoon, children.” Rakel patted their backs. “Is Grandmother Hilda speaking with General Halvor again?”
“The General and Oskar, yes,” Kai said. “The General said we could come find you.”
“He said you were moping, so you would be free to play with us,” Gerta added.
“I see.” She tried to give the pair a rusty smile.
Gerta jumped up and down with glee. “We were wondering if you and Phile could tell us a story.”
“Unfortunately, Phile is gone,” Rakel said. The sly Robber Maiden had been sent to scout out the area to make sure the Chosen weren’t preparing a surprise attack.
Gerta drooped. “Oh.”
Kai frowned at his friend. “I am sure the princess could tell us a marvelous story.”
“Oh, yes! Please do, Princess!”
“I’m sorry to say I don’t really know any stories,” Rakel said.
Gerta and Kai lost some of their brightness. “We understand,” Kai said. He smiled bigger than usual in an obviously forced expression.
Feeling guilty for their disappointment, Rakel recalled the royal library. “I could, however, read a book to you.”
Gerta clapped her hands. “A book?”
“You would let us look at a book?” Kai asked with reverence.
Rakel wanted to shift with discomfort, but she forced herself to stand still. Often, her isolation caused uncomfortable situations—like not knowing any stories or failing to have any kind of knowledge of what cities looked like. But even in her isolation, she hadn’t realized that she was still given a few privileges. Her ice castle on Ensom Peak had a small fortune’s worth of books and maps, making it easy for her to forget that regular citizens often didn’t own any of either.
“I will show you the Royal Library, where you can look at as many books as you wish,” Rakel said.
“A library?” Gerta’s voice was hushed in awe. “Do you think they have more books than you have in your ice castle?”
“The Royal library has hundreds, if not thousands of books,” Rakel said.
“Thousands of books,” Kai repeated with wide eyes.
“Could you show us your favorite book?” Gerta asked.
Rakel had, in fact, spotted her most beloved book among the library shelves not two days ago. “I could, but you may find it boring.”
“Never,” Kai said.
“Does it have pictures?” Gerta asked.
“Yes.”
“Then we’ll love it!” Gerta promised.
Rakel wasn’t so sure, but she imagined they could easily find a volume of morally instructional fairy tales when they grew bored. “Let us proceed to the library,” she suggested.
“Yes, let’s!”
“‘A talus is the sloping surface at the base of a fortified wall. It is constructed to be thicker, which makes it more difficult for attackers to break through because of its great mass’—it is referring to its thickness there. It is reinforced.” Rakel pointed to a sketch in the castle architecture book.
Her reservations that the children wouldn’t like it proved to be wrong. Although the book itself was dry—at least, Rakel expected others would find it dry—it was filled with detailed drawings and sketches that fascinated them.
“Reinforced—you said that means it is strengthened and supported,” Kai recited.
“Like if you took a thin sheet of ice and reinforced it with rock,” Gerta added.
“Correct,” Rakel said.
Kai peered at the illustration. “Did you build a, a talus into the walls of your ice palace?”
“I did on the towers, but not because I feared an attack, but because it was structurally needed,” Rakel said.
“You had a dome roof on a part of your castle. What is that called?” Gerta asked.
“It was over a small outbuilding, so it is called a cupola. Here.” Rakel paged through the book and pointed out a masterfully rendered sketch. A barely-there smile spread across her lips. The book really was her favorite. It had been one of the most helpful references she had received when she first started dabbling in constructing and architecture. She was surprised at the amount of joy it brought her to share such a beloved volume with others.
Somewhere in the library, a door opened. “Little Wolf?”
“Phile’s back,” Kai remarked.
“We’re over here,” Rakel called, unable to rise due to the children tucked against her sides.
“The Princess is reading to us,” Gerta said.
Phile sauntered around a bookshelf. “How cute is that? You three look—what are you reading to them?”
“A book on castle architecture and features.”
“You’re reading a book about buildings?”
“It has been quite interesting,” Kai said.
“Yes,” Gerta said. “We were just talking about cupolas.”
Phile shook her head. “You have more patience than I,” she told the children.
“Did you need something?” Rakel icily asked.
“Yes. Granny Hilda sent me—it’
s time to go.” She gave Gerta and Kai an apologetic look.
“But we haven’t even gotten to talk about drawbridges,” Gerta protested.
“Next time.” Rakel shut the book with a smile.
Gerta slid off the settee they were perched on. “Do you promise?”
“Gerta, she’s a princess. Princesses don’t have to promise,” Kai scolded.
Rakel outright laughed. “I promise.”
The children turned expectantly to Phile. “There’s a maid in the hall waiting to take you to Granny Hilda,” she said, a strangely thoughtful expression smoothing over her face.
“Thank you, Phile, Princess,” the pair chorused.
“The book was beautiful,” Gerta said worshipfully before Kai pulled her away.
Rakel watched them leave and was about to stand when Phile plopped down next to her.
“So, tell me about drawbridges,” Phile said, sliding close.
Rakel frowned. “After you questioned my reading choice and all but called it boring? I think not.”
“I was only joking.”
“You were not.”
“You’re right, I wasn’t. But if Gerta and Kai found it interesting, I’m sure I will, too.”
Rakel’s frown grew more pronounced.
“Please, Little Wolf?” Phile batted her dark eyelashes.
Rakel sighed. “Fine.” She opened up the book and swiftly found the right page. “What?” she asked—almost crossly when she saw the soft smile on Phile’s face.
“It’s just nice to know that even in your isolation, you had things that brought you joy.”
Rakel smoothed a fragile page like a mother soothing a child. “Yes. But if it is pity that has you wanting to learn about drawbridges, you need not worry.”
“It’s not,” Phile promised. “I want to learn about it because it makes you happy.”
Rakel stared, almost dumbfounded, at her friend. I don’t deserve her friendship—or that of Gerta and Kai…but I’m going to accept it anyway.
Phile whistled. “Okay, I’m sold. We need to build a fort and construct a drawbridge. They look slick—and imagine how satisfying it would be to pull it shut in someone’s face!”
“I cannot construct a drawbridge of ice. It requires moving parts.”
“No, no. We want it made with wood so it can stand year-round. Idiots are native to all seasons—not just winter.”
Rakel smiled. Yes, I am blessed indeed.
The End
Scouting
This short story also takes place after the events of Heart of Ice and before Sacrifice. It was a fun little bonding trip I imagined that—like some of the other shorts—didn’t fit well in either of the books, so it became a standalone short story. I hope you enjoy it!
Rakel mindlessly stared at the book open on her lap—a tattered fencing manual. It was one of several books she had selected as research material in her quest to learn more about edged weapons. (It still bothered her that her ice replicas were beautiful but imperfect.) She had chosen this particular copy because the childish scrawl in the book showed it had once belonged to her father.
She held in a sigh and shut the book. What am I doing? Steinar won’t leave his room, and we haven’t found detailed information about the mirror; yet I’m hidden away in the library, reading. “I should be doing something,” she murmured.
“Great! I’m glad to hear you’re aware of that—because I didn’t know how I was going to nicely tell you all this reading is making your face pinched.” Phile popped into Rakel’s peripheral vision.
Rakel blinked. “Phile.”
The Robber Maiden bowed. “At your service!”
“How did you get in here? Knut said he would announce anyone who entered.”
“Yes, but Knut is posted outside the door. I came in through a window.”
“Of course. Did you need something?”
Phile plopped down in an armchair. “Not really, I just dropped by to collect you for an airing out. You need some sunshine.” Phile’s crimson-red jacket and white linen pants clashed horribly with the green velvet of the armchair.
“I thought that since arriving in Ostfold, your greatest undertaking has been to avoid the frigid outdoors,” Rakel said.
“That was before I knew we were going to be aimlessly kicking up our heels for so long. It’s been a week and a half, and Colonel Dimwit and his regiment haven’t budged an inch.” Phile scowled and played with her glossy, dark hair that was collected in its usual ponytail.
“General Halvor says it is a boon to us.” Rakel put the book aside. “He is using this time to reorganize our troops, and it gives the Verglas magic users time to practice—an opportunity they have previously not had.”
“Yeah, but you can bet the Chosen are up to something sneaky,” Phile argued. “Farrin Graydim is brilliant. He wouldn’t pout in his camp for this long just because we kicked him out of Ostfold. He’s waiting for something.”
“Or someone,” Rakel said, meeting her friend’s gaze. “Tenebris Malus.”
Phile grimaced. “Probably.” She tapped her fingers on the armrest of her chair. “Why don’t we confirm it?”
“I beg your pardon?”
Phile leaned forward, an eager smile spreading across her lips. “We could go scout with Snorri—like we did for Glowma—and find out for ourselves what the wait is for.”
“We scouted in Glowma because it was necessary for me to see the city. I have no such need to see the Chosen camp.”
“I don’t believe it,” Phile declared. “This inactivity is bothering you as much as it bothers me. You can’t fool me, Little Wolf. I know the mirror troubles you. Wouldn’t you like to see if we can find more information?”
Rakel pressed her lips together, aware that Phile was manipulating her. But she has a point. If we could unveil more information about the mirror…if we could find it, we could destroy it!
“For the Glowma scouting trip, we went with Oskar and General Halvor. Neither have the time to spare to journey with us, as Farrin’s camp is more than a day’s ride away,” Rakel said.
Phile’s grin turned sly. “I think Glowma proved that you, Snorri, and I are all that are needed.”
“General Halvor would never agree to it.”
“What if Oskar agreed to it?” Phile wheedled.
“And what of the General?”
“We could forget to tell him.”
“You don’t have to.” Oskar strolled out from behind a bookshelf. “He’s out on practice maneuvers with the troops and won’t be expected to return until this evening.”
Knut hovered at the attendant’s shoulder. “Oskar is here to speak to you, Princess.”
Rakel smiled wryly. “Thank you, Knut.”
The soldier saluted and returned to his post.
“You can’t scout in the camp. It’s too dangerous and unnecessarily risky,” Oskar said. “But I see no reason why you couldn’t view the camp—provided Snorri agrees to accompany you and you refrain from using your magic, Princess. If you use any of your powers, you will alert Chosen magic users to your presence.”
Phile sprang out of her chair. “Wonderful! I’ll get some provisions and packs for us!” She was out of the library before anyone could stop her.
Rakel, however, didn’t trust Oskar’s quick approval. “Why do you so easily agree?”
Oskar smiled knowingly. “You’ve been quiet and thoughtful for several days. An adventure with Phile will brighten your spirits.”
“General Halvor would say it is too perilous.”
“It’s a calculated risk,” Oskar admitted. “You are capable of taking care of yourself, but your companions will add another layer of protection—particularly Snorri, now that he has come clean about his magic.”
“What will you tell General Halvor?”
“That you and Phile went on a camping trip. He’ll know what you’re really doing, but it will keep his rage level to simmering instead of eruptive.”
A
fond smile curled Rakel’s lips. “Thank you, Oskar.”
Oskar bowed. “It is my pleasure, Princess.”
Rakel stared at a squirrel sitting in a tree with suspicion.
“Relax, Little Wolf. That’s not Dimwit’s shape shifter,” Phile said. She rode her horse—which she had stolen weeks ago from a Chosen soldier—and which obediently walked shoulder-to-shoulder with the two ponies that pulled the small sleigh in which Snorri and Rakel rode.
“How do you know?” Rakel asked.
“Because she doesn’t have a squirrel form.”
The squirrel chattered and ate a nut.
Is it…listening to us? “You can’t know that.”
“Yes, I can. We’ve seen a fox, snow bear, and a wolf. She hasn’t changed into anything that isn’t a carnivore.” Phile ticked off the shapes on her fingers.
“Maybe those are only shapes she chooses to take in battle. I imagine she has a separate set she uses for scouting,” Rakel said.
Snorri mumbled.
“What was that, most-majestic-and-virile-of-scouts?” Phile asked.
Snorri’s expression remained flat. “The Princess is correct.”
Rakel pulled her eyes away from the squirrel long enough to give Phile her version of a triumphant smile—the barely discernible curling of her lips.
Phile ignored her. “Oh my, Snorri! I like it when you take charge!” She winked, then her expression sobered. “Perhaps you are right, Little Wolf. Maybe the Chosen shape shifter can turn into a tree rat. But I promise that squirrel isn’t a magic user. How would she know to be in this exact area? Why would she appear out in the open instead of hiding in the trees when there is a chance we might want squirrel stew for our dinner?”
Snorri nodded in agreement.
Not at all reassured, Rakel stared at the squirrel until they moved around a curve in the hill.
Phile raised her nose to the air and sniffed. “We’re almost there, aren’t we? I can smell their campfires.”
“We’re downwind of them,” Snorri said. “There’s a cluster of tall hills up ahead. We’ll remain there.” His voice was quiet but firm.