A Frozen Heart

Out of the Wood

Darkness that is all I see, I can't feel a thing around me and the only thing that is keeping me company is the haunting song that is always playing in the distance. It was cold, colder than I could ever remember it being, in return it had made it hard to move, but then I remember what my father used to tell me. “Keep moving, make your body work to keep warm.'' He was a wise man and believing in what he said all that was left to do was keep walking. I traveled alone like this for a long distance. “How can it be so dark?” I thought to myself. When I started to talk to myself I hadn't noticed that  the music had stopped and was replaced with the beating of my heart. “Something doesn't feel right” I thought to myself and soon as the words escaped my lips a monstrous screeching sounded in the distance and with it the sound of huge hoofs running in this direction, and with every power in me I took off as fast as my feet could. looking back nothing could be seen until a pair of hoofs came downward out of the dark waking me from my slumber. The feel of  sweat and the shaking of my body felt as if it had been thrown into the fireplace. I looked around to find that I was safe at home in bed. “Wow it was a dream, it felt so real” I thought to myself. “What was that thing? I feel like I had seen it before but where?”. I stood up and stretched. walking over to the window to only see that it had started to snow, and it had painted the entire ground white already. It was beautiful even as it snowed lightly at any moment it could turn into a blizzard. “ICLYN” my mother yelled “ARE YOU UP?”. I smiled and opened my door to respond “yes mother I am, just getting dressed”. “Good, I need you to run to the village and take some medicine and grab a few things before the snow either gets too deep or becomes a storm, could you do that for me?”. With a grin on my lips I responded  “Yes mother, I will be ready soon”. I closed my door and grabbed my black dress that I had made last winter. It was Black with blue embroidered roses that gathered at the bottom. fur cloak and gloves hand the last thing needed was my necklace. I had found it one day in the forest and since no one came looking for it I kept it. The necklace was a silver snowflake that stood as a reminder of the winter time that I loved so very much. It fitted me very well since my name means ice, and compassion. With one more look outside something had caught my eye. On the windowsill that had never been there before was ice that had made branches like image, “Iclyn you ready?” taking one more look I shrugged it off and headed out the door.

I made it down the stairs to the kitchen where most of my family resided, “good morning honey” my mother said to me as she prepared my basket for the trip. “Morning mother” I gave her a kiss on the cheek and then went and kissed my youngest sister Enya and told her bye. She smiled and waved bye to me. She I swear was the little spark in our family. My mother gave her the name of a little fire and it fit like a charm. ``sissy” Enya said and I turned to see my two other sisters standing behind me. Looking at them you would have thought they were twins. one for their striking resemblance to one another and the fact they were born the same day, month and just a year apart. You see Ember was the second eldest but she looked younger then Eisa. She was also shorter and shaped differently. Although all three had gold hair and each of my sisters had striking blue eyes not one like the other, to me this made them more beautiful. My mother was beautiful, also dark earthy brown eyes and fair facial features that were framed by hair as pretty as the fall. My father and brother came in and with them a bit of snow. “Morning father and Sten” I greeted them. My brother nodded at me which was nothing new he really wasn't a talker especially when there was food. My father smiled at me and gave my mother a hug. “ All righty my dear the basket is ready. The note on what to do with the medicine is in the basket along with a couple of things to eat and a couple of jars of water for you to drink if you become thirsty.” I took the basket from her and pulled my hood over my head. “Do be back before dark that gives you 11 hours to get there and back, be careful now.” she said giving me a hug and as i go out the door my father stopped me “ I don't trust anyone there, so here take this” he handed me his knife “it will keep you safe and if anything happens use it” I smiled and kissed my father on the cheek and responded “see you before sunset father” I closed the door and looked up at the sky “ it is going to be along day” I commented and with a shrug of my shoulders I started to walk towards the forest.

I had been walking a few hours and had noticed that the snow had decorated the trunks of the trees, and watched as deer were walking trying to find a place to graze. The birds were even singing during this cold winter's day. When I opened my basket and saw my favorite blueberry muffins I picked one up and groaned at its warmth “thank you mother” I said out loud as I started to eat at the wonderful surprise. “Lets see we need flour, goats milk, sugar and anything else I can think of.” I talked to myself trying to think. I looked up from the ground and saw that I had made it to the valley that marks the halfway point. I looked over the valley that during summer and spring is rolling with flowers and green grass, even now it is more lovely. I thought to myself and started to walk through the valley. I heard something flitter next to my ear. I turned to see what bug could have survived the cold and I saw nothing. I turned back and continued. With just a few steps I heard a whisper “turn back”, I stood still thinking it was a figment of my imagination. “Go back before it's too late.” I turned around in circles wondering what was speaking to me. “Who is there? What do you want?.” I waited a second and they responded “we are the keeper of snowflakes, we wish no harm, but you must go before it is too late he will find you if you go on.” they said with a trembling voice and I almost want to go back. “I can not go back. There are people both family and strangers, who need my help and I can't let them down.” as if disappointed in my response they stopped talking. “I am sorry” I said with a meaningful voice and continued to pass through the valley. I turned to look one more time and I could have sworn I saw millions of little white glows staying in the air staring at me, and with a blink of my eyes they were gone.

I made the rest of my journey wondering what I had just seen and if it was just me or if it was real. “Should I have listened?” I thought to myself and since I didn't who could possibly be coming for me that a creature I had dreamed about and never seen before. if they were real why  would they want me to turn back for my safety. I continued to think about it till I came to the edge of the forest and laid eyes on the village that at one point was our home, that is until I started to get backlash for being a witch. My father fought them enough that he gave up on their stupidity and moved us five hours away to protect me. though I was thankful it would never fix the way people thought of me, even when I brought medicine for them from my mother, or gave them crops from my father, they still wouldn't change. I walked slowly down the hill to keep from sliding down. The more I walked the more the snow got deeper which made it easier not to slide since it gripped at my legs. I made it to the village and made my way through the still busy streets of people hurrying to collect their stuff before the snow got too bad. I made it to the Holdens small home and I went to walk up onto the porch when the door swung open. Henry Holden stepped outside. “Don't step onto my porch girl, and don't look at me with your witch eyes either.” I looked downward and nodded to the man. I couldn't protest since it was his home. “Did you bring the medicine we asked your mother to make.” I pulled it out of my basket and held it out along with the note on how to use it. He gently grabbed it from me and looked at the notes and with a different tone “look you seem like a good girl but why with all the bull s**t you take from here do you still come on a day like this to help us?, it must not be a safe journey nor could you feel safe here.” I smiled “may I speak” I replied. “Yes you may''. “I don't fear the forest nor do I fear the weather if I were to die trying to save a life, even a life of a person who treats me cruelly then maybe God will have a seat at his table for me”. He didn't say anything as he stared at me, and as if with gratitude said “thank you”. He walked into his house and I turned to leave and his door flew open once more except this time he came out with a small closed bucket of goat's milk and a steaming glass of hot tea. “It is not much and I did pay your mother, but this is for you a token of my appreciation, I won't insult you again thank you.'' Looking up at him I noticed that he was staring at me with curiosity. “Your eyes'' he mumbled, “they are quite beautiful a bit like you, how can we be so blind.'' The blood that pulses through a person to do things out of a jolt had pushed me to hug Mr.Holden. He hugged me back and soon he heard his wife coughing. Looking towards his home with eyes that looked concerned “well my wife needs me, bless you on your travels home.” “bless you and your wife during this long winter”. He slowly walked to his house and soon disappeared, and just like the seasons the first taste of kindness from another being other than my family made my heart sing and it warmed my soul more than even the tea could.

Looking for a shop to get the rest of my supplies, I walked by a shop that I had never seen before. “Well if it doesn't have what I need then I will go on” opening the door caused all the villagers that were inside to lift their heads in hope to see a friend or a family member. When they noticed it was me they put all their stuff down and pushed by me to go out into the bitter cold, and like all the other times it bit at my heart that people could be so cruel. “What can I do for you my lady?” a strong and familiar voice said. Looking up I saw the most beautiful man I had ever laid my eyes on. He was very tall and muscular. He had broad shoulders and long straight black hair and a beard that matched, but the most breathtaking feature of this man was his eyes. They were icy blue with a black ring that acted as a barrier for his iris. He smiled brightly at me as he walked from behind the bar, rubbing his hands on a large cloth. It took a second but I was able to clear my throat. “Sugar, flour, corn if you have any, wheat and a piece of cider to put in warm tea.” he nodded and walked so gracefully around the shop to gather all the supplies i had asked for “if you don't have cider its ok I know how hard it is to obtain at this time of year” with a few steps he walked behind the bar and reached down and pulled out a piece of cider. “ You mean this” holding it out and placing it in my hand, I put it into my tea that Mr.Holden gave me and let it sit. He told me what I owed and I opened my basket to grab it for him. “Is that one of your mothers blueberry muffins?” he asked with eyes as bright as a child with a new toy. “Why yes it is why do you ask”. “I tell you what you throw in that muffin and a fresh batch when the blizzard has passed, then I will give you all of it” I looked at him confused “why would you do that for a simple muffin?”. “You see because they are the best things I have ever tasted.” I looked at him puzzled by his response. “Do I know him?” thinking to myself. Reaching into my basket I pulled out the muffin and laid it on the bar. I started to grab my stuff and put it away for the trip. “What is your name?” he asked with a curiosity that spilled from him. With a giggle “think of ice and you will know my name, think of snow and know when you shall see me smile, but lastly think of a snowflake and know my heart.” Like I had just turned on a light his face had brightened up. “And may I ask for your name”. “Think of icy ferns and see the sign, hear the song in a blizzard and know I am near, but think of winter and know I am the one nipping at your nose” I started to laugh, and with a bow I headed for the door. “Stay warm” I said over my shoulder. I didn't catch what he said but it sounded like he had said “with you it will be hard not to”. I walked down the road of the village towards the way I had came “Strange man I have never seen him before or I think I haven't, but he did catch me off guard with the way he acted like he new me” I took a sip of the tea and felt the cider sweetness touch my tongue “well he is quite handsome maybe the village folk won't scare him away before I get his attention.” I giggled to myself about my thoughts and like I had felt multiple times before when I was here a strange feeling that someone was walking up behind me. Turning to look and noticed it was John Michaels “We don't want your kind here witch” he said crossing his arms over his chest. “Well if it is any of your business I was just about to leave” I took another drink from my tea as they walked closer. “You shouldn't come here if I had my way, you would have been executed by now, then the stormy winters would go away” he said, grabbing a strand of my dark brown hair and playing with it. “Good thing you don't get your way” I pushed his hand away from my face “now like I said I am leaving” I turned to walk away. “Be careful the forest is a dangerous place to be even for a witch, in this weather anyone could go missing”. I continued to walk but what he said made even my spine tremble.

Entering the forest once more, my mind was racing with the poisonous words that John had said when I was leaving.. “Today had been one heck of a day”. I reached into my basket to grab the warm tea and the cedar root when I felt an unease come upon me. The trees were starting to tremble above me, and the wind was much colder than a second ago. “I better hurry'' Looking at the cup of tea. "There is no time to drink it now” pouring it onto the snow below, I put it in my basket. I hastened through the forest when a cold shiver came up my spine, and like a bolt of lightning I felt something slice my arm and hit the tree in front of me. Taking a closer look at the trunk an arrow sat there piercing in it. Pulling it out I took a good look at it. It was too small for a hunting arrow. I looked a bit closer and noticed it was a war arrow. “Only one family makes these in the village "hearing a rustling behind me, turning to see Daniel, one of John's friends, and he was aiming another arrow my way. I ducked right before it hit the trunk of the same tree. Taking off running through the trees as fast as my legs could carry me. Laughing was coming from all directions or at least that's what it sounded like. “Run b***h run” they sang as I hurried as fast as I could trying to find a place to hide or to get far enough away to where they wouldn't see me climb a tree. I looked behind me to see if anyone was behind me and no one was there. I stopped for a second when I started to feel dizzy. Suddenly I felt like I had been hit by a boulder. I flew through the air and felt the contact of the ground to my back. Looking around trying to catch my surroundings. Kile was laying on the ground but quickly pulled himself to his knees. I turned onto my stomach and started to crawl when a pair of boots stood in front of me. Looking up John's familiar face stared down at me. Before I knew it his foot was in contact with my chest and I felt a hard crack tremble through my body. Grabbing my chest crying in pain, when a blow came from above and hit me in the head. I laid there in the snow when pools of scarlet poured down my face. A strong hand grabbed my shoulder and rolled me onto my back, looking up I noticed it was John holding me in his arms and gently brushed the hair from my face. Staring at him I whispered “why”, he only giggled and touched my face softly “don't die just yet little witch, we are not done with you yet”; and just like this morning I was stuck in a nightmare I could not wake from. He grinned at me and fear wrapped itself around my heart and before I had a chance the darkness engulfed me back into its cold arms.