Symphony of Dawn

Ice King

Up in the high north, at the edge of our world, a spirit of magnificent power roams. He holds power to turn sweet summers into harsh winters. He holds the power to captivate one's heart and hold it forever in his grasp whilst having no heart of his own.

Once you fall under his curse, you will never break free again. For in his world, his horribly wondrous world, you find your fantasies realised. You find you are the person you have always wanted to become. Until you realise that the only reason your fantasy lives is so it can die. So you can die. And your soul belongs to him, for all eternity.

He is the wicked man no woman can allow herself to love. He is the devil all men fear. He is the beast that stalks the moonlit nights of winter. He is the Ice King. And he is my heart's desire.

He appears to me in a dream, calling me. I have never heard a more alluring voice. His promise of freedom, beauty, and love seeps through, and when I wake, all I crave is to be at his side. I leave the warmth of my home and go in search of him.

Whenever I think of myself lost, his voice sets me on the right path. Whenever I think I will die, he lifts me up and provides me with all I need to continue my journey. I do not feel cold, despite walking barefoot in the snow, with no more than a yellow winter gown and my auburn hair braided around my head like a crown. The Ice King's curse has already begun to take hold of my heart, and I come to desire nothing but the cold around me. His cold.

I finally rest at a frozen lake. The greens and blues of the winter lights above me are the most enchanting I had ever seen. I wish to be part of those lights, dancing with them in the skies. Then I hear something behind me—someone walking towards me, the snow crunching ever so lightly under his feet. I do not dare to turn around, for I know who it is. I admit that I am frightened to face him.

I sit quietly, holding my breath until the Ice King appears before me. I gasp at his beauty. Hair whiter than the whitest snow. A sharp yet kind-looking face with high cheekbones and perfect lips. Piercing blue eyes, with a bit of grey at the edges, draw me to him. Pale skin with a faint glow, like a bright diamond. Ice crystals grace his arms and chest like finely detailed drawings on paper. He wears nought but simple white linen. Any man would have frozen to death had he dared to walk about like that in the heart of winter. But not this man.

The Ice King holds out his hand for mine. He speaks no words, yet I know what he intends. I reach for him, and he pulls me closed. He holds me in his arms, and I believe – I know - I am safe. It no longer matters what becomes of me as long as I am with him. Even if it is just for a single moment longer.

The snow at our feet swirls and lifts us into the air. He keeps me pressed against his muscled body, taking away all my fears. We rise higher and higher until we soar amidst the winter lights. The colours play around us, their soft melody bringing peace and comfort to my soul.

From above, I perceive the blanket of snow below, covering all there is to see. The rivers and lakes are frozen, trapping their waters as it rushes beneath the surface. It is the most breathtaking sight. Magical, yet deadly.

The Ice King lifts my chin, and I meet his gaze. I cannot resist the enchantment he has placed upon my heart. Nor do I want to. Even if it means I am to die after giving in to my desire, after giving in to my fantasy. After giving in to him. The lights seem to fade around me as he draws me closer to him. His lips brush mine.

A vision appears to me. And suddenly, I remember. This is not the first time he calls me to him. This is not the first time we meet. I know the Ice King well. For I am the Queen of Summer. I am his enemy. I am his love.

When my King calls me to him, we make love in the realm of the winter lights he creates only for me. From our union, the land below flourishes and is reborn. The rays of sun I carry along with me banish his winter. He is cross with me for bringing summer to his winter.

When my King takes back the land to hold it in his icy grasp, I hate him for taking away all I have created from our love. I erase him from my memory, determined to love another. Anyone but him. But it is in vain.

The heart I share for the both of us beckons him to me. I am his, and he is mine. We cannot live together, yet we cannot live apart. So we play this game of ours, over and over again, until one will eventually triumph over the other. Until one will forever cast out the other. Until one becomes the lonesome ruler of the world we have fought over for so very long.