The Queen Of Winter Book One

Ready As I'll Ever Be

The grey mist swirled and danced around the two figures that had emerged from the arch way. The mist slowly dispersed and disappeared into the cold air of the cottage. A woman with beautiful flowing silver hair and icy blue eyes emerged. She was tall and slender with perfect porcelain skin that glittered like the frost covered ground in the rays of the sun. Her dress was made up of shredded strips of material different rags of silver and grey fabrics. The man beside her was tall and strong. He wore a traditional Scottish kilt in a red and black tartan with a matching earasaid over his shoulder. The sash was pinned to his kilt with a brooch. The brooch was the sigil for Hydra. The familiar skull and tentacles. He had crystal blue eyes and long dark auburn hair that was slicked back and touched his shoulders and his bushy beard was a similar colour. They stepped forward hand in hand and observed their new surroundings. All of the agents in the cottage took the knee and bowed before Callieach, The Queen of Winter and Bodach, the Trickster. Rumlow was the last person in the room to kneel. He walked up to his mother and father. "Mother, father. welcome home." Rumlow addressed his parents as he bent the knee.

"Arise children of Hydra." Callieach's voice was no longer harsh and raspy as it had been when she was communicating with Rumlow through the water. It was soft and melodic. Callieach approached him and embraced her son in a gentle hug.

"You have served us well my son." Bodach patted his son on the shoulder.

"Today is a new beginning for us. Today the creeping eternal winter begins to take a hold of the 9 realms. For too long now we have been pushed further and further away from the light and into the darkness. Now that we are free I shall seek revenge on those who have opposed us. The Asguardian who so ruthlessly killed my children will be the first to suffer my wrath. I will make him know what the pain of loosing a child is like. His only child, Annabelle Njorddóttir will join with us and serve as an eternal reminder of his failure. Loki of Asgard will watch on as his one true love becomes a Princess of Winter and not of Asgard as she has been chosen by our son as his bride to be." Callieach addressed the room with poise and elegance. There were roads of Hail Hydra and long live the Queen of Winter.

"Come, my son. It has been far too long since I walked the beautiful lands of Awe." Callieach extended her slender arm out for Rumlow to take a hold of. He lead his mother out of the cottage into the clearing. They walked through the frost covered ground to the Loch. From the mirky icy cold water Duke and Baron began to emerge. Their brilliant white coats matched the frozen landscape perfectly as they trotted and galloped around the loch.

"The spell has been broken mother. Gho....Annabelle has regained her memories. It seems the bond between her and Loki is stronger than we thought." Rumlow explained. "As we speak she is with them, The Avengers and Loki and Njord." The names were bitter on Rumlow's tongue and caused his face to contort as if he had smelt something foul. "I have no doubt they will be plotting and scheming as we speak."

"Fear not my son. For this slight setback may well be a blessing in disguise. The knowledge we now possess about them is of great importance. Their bond and love for one another is strong but you see my son love is a dagger. It's a weapon to be wielded far away or up close. You can see yourself in it. It's beautiful until it makes you bleed." Callieach's voice was soft and gentle. She swirled the dancing snowflakes in her hands as she spoke and transformed them in to silhouettes of Anna and Loki and a dagger. Anna wielded the dagger and stabbed Loki through the heart with it.

"I'm sorry mother I do not follow?" Rumlow stated as he watched the figures in the air.

"We use their love as a weapon against them. They would do anything for one another. Even sacrifice their very life to protect the other. Foolish indeed but useful to us" Callieach swished her hands and the snowy figures turned back into beautiful falling flakes of snow.