Frosted (Frosted #1 | Jackunzel)

{ Prologue }

It was a somber, stormy night in the village of Corona. The wind was blowing so strongly, it was as if a giant was crouched down by its shores, exhaling fast, hard breaths directly its way. The rain was falling so ruthlessly, it was as if an angry faucet had opened itself in the skies above.

Somewhere, deep inside the heart of the stone village, a young couple lay devastated in their bedroom. The man's wife, Liesa Rettersonne, had gotten ill only days prior. The couple had known common illness, of course, and of how to remedy themselves for fast recovery. But, given how quickly Liesa was bedridden, rendered completely incapable of mere walks across their small house, it was clear to the both of them that this bug was not one she would escape.

The realization of this could have been somewhat bearable—somewhat survivable—if it wouldn't have been for the innocent child blossoming inside of her belly, awaiting to see this wonderful world for herself.

Liesa's husband, Zacharia, sat still beside her, crouched low on the creaky, wooden floor, her hand wrapped tightly inside of his own. His heartbreak was written well and clear upon his face.

"Two Dark Day's, and both of them in our lifetime." He tried for a laugh, but it came out faint, and half-hearted. "We must be well and truly cursed, if such things exist."

Liesa hummed in agreement, the smallest of smiles finding its way to her paled lips. "We are a special case... you and I. To... bring forth curses."

A bitter feeling clenched at Zacharia's heart. Corona had never seen ill fate in the entirety of its written existence. What had they done to anger the sky so, other than attempt to live their lives in mundane peace?

"My love," Zacharia breathed, just loud enough to hear over the storm roaring beyond stone walls. "Surely there must be something we can do to heal you, to save our child..." His hand moved unconsciously up her arm, where it settled flat over the woman's swollen belly.

With all of the efforts in the world, Liesa reached out to brush a strand of curled, brown hair behind her husband's ear. "Zacharia, I truly wish... there were..." She drew in a tired breath. It rasped painfully in her throat. "I would... do anything for her, for you. To stay by your sides for... all eternity.''

Zacharia nodded solemnly, wetness blooming behind thick lashes. But all of his tears vanished once more when a dangerous idea sparked inside of his mind. Liesa's body tensed at once, as soon as she noticed the change in her husband's demeanour.

Desperation laced Zacharia's words. "I could always fetch one of—"

"No!" Liesa interrupted at once. The sudden rise in her voice sent her spiralling into an unforgiving fit of coughs. Her body ached painfully from the harsh movements, a flare she'd thought could not possibly worsen, and her lungs burned with renewed rawness. She already knew exactly what the man desired to propose.

The rapunzel's that grew inside of their neighbouring yard were the only golden bloom anyone had yet to discovered across the entire stretch of the island. The Rettersonne's themselves were convinced of their power, for they heard Dame Gothel sing to them each week, and saw her when she strolled through the market the following mornings, her aura glistening with an enchantingly unnatural glow. Her skin smooth and youthful as a child's.

If it were anybody else, they could have simply knocked on the door to ask. But never with Dame Gothel.

She'd lived on the island for as long as the couple had both been only babes learning their steps. A six year old girl she'd been, yet no one remembered her birth, or bore any memories of her parents, no less. Liesa had always wondered how horrible the orphanage must have been for Dame to leave it so abruptly only seven years later. After all, the other children appeared to be as happy as she'd ever seen anyone be. Yet Dame had demanded her own home, and had wandered far from all those who'd ever found the courage to attempt joining her seemingly invisible circle of friendship.