Her Ice

Chapter One

Ice. The world of Glacies was covered in ice. Ice was an everyday occurrence on Glacies and the people living in this land found out the only way to control their environment was using the magic that flowed through their veins. The Glaciens were a powerful group of people and they grew and grew until they decided that a higher power was needed to control the ever-growing magical people and their power. The first King and Queen were placed on thrones in the capital city, Adamantes, and there they stayed.

The strong and pure iced blood was passed down from generation to generation, until twin girls were born into the world five hundred years after the first king and queen. One girl had silver hair, mauve-colored eyes, and pale skin. A perfect ice princess like the ones before. Her parents gave her the name Elisheva. Her sister, who was named Greta, had striking dark red eyes, snow white hair, and pale skin.

Their parents were concerned about Greta's dark red eyes. No relative before had the dark red eye color she had. But they stopped their worrying when they noticed that their daughter was still the same as any other child; sweet, innocent, playful, kind, and full of magic. What kind of magic, they didn't figure out. Greta's magic hadn't come to it's full power and won't until she comes of age. Although, Elisheva showed signs of strong ice magic before her sister.

So, for years Elisheva and Greta played, trained, and loved each other. The people of Glacies said that the two princesses were inseparable, traveling everywhere together. The people loved the royal family and thought that nothing bad could ever come to pass. The kingdom lived in harmony. Until the day that a dark, looming presence began to move throughout the kingdom.
The darkness continued to grow and grow, causing the King and Queen to worry about their mortality. People slowly began to cause riots and crimes throughout the city. More than once, assassination attempts were taken on the royal family. The King and Queen decided that it was time to call their daughters into the throne room. The throne room was a huge room with ice-stoned walls, ice chandeliers, and two tall ice thrones. The king and queen sat tall on their thrones and smiled at their daughters standing before them.

"My dears," the Queen started. "We asked you here today so we can explain what will happen if something happened to us." She grabbed her husband's hand and smiled, although that smile never reached her eyes. They were filled with worry and sorrow. "We have been putting this off for too long."

"That's right," the King continued slowly. "We know that you both are twins, but the firstborn is the one that will ascend to the throne. Elisheva, since you were born first, you will be sitting on the throne if anything should happen to us." His eyes darted over to Greta, who was standing as still as stone, her eyes unwavering from her father.

Elisheva smiled wide and bowed before her parents. "Thank you, Father. Thank you, Mother. I will make you proud whenever I sit upon your thrones."

"I know you will, Elisheva," the King said smiling. "That's all for now. You may go."

Elisheva and Greta bowed and walked out of the throne room. Once the doors were closed behind them, Elisheva squealed and clapped her hands. "Isn't that amazing, Greta? Someday I will lead Glacies." She looked up to see Greta walking away from her. "Greta? Greta wait up, what's wrong?" She ran to catch up to her sister. She grabbed her elbow and made Greta stop. "Sister, what's wrong?"

Greta looked at her with her dark red eyes. "I should have gotten the throne! Not you!"

Elisheva stepped back from Greta's retort. "Greta, I thought you would be happy for me. I would have been happy for you!" She was hurt by her sister's anger. She would have been happy for her if Greta she had gotten the throne.

"Well, apparently you were wrong. I should have gotten the throne. I'm much stronger and more powerful than you! I have more power than you would believe!" Greta turned to walk away.

"Wait," she reached out for Greta. "What do you mean you have more power than me? We can both control ice like everyone else."

Greta didn't turn around but answered over her shoulder, "Oh Eli, you wouldn't understand. My magic is different. Anyone who has it should be exiled from its dangers." She sighed. "Don't follow, alright? Forget what you've heard." She didn't turn to wave when she left.
Elisheva stared after her and stood in the same spot for what seemed like forever until she decided to walk. She didn't know where her feet took her until she stood in front of her parents' room doors. She knocked on the door and waited for her parents to answer, her hands rubbing together anxiously.

One of the doors opened and her mother's servant, Elpis, appeared from behind the door. Elpis smiled as she bowed, "Hello, your highness."

"Hi," Elisheva said back. "Is my mother in?"

Elpis nodded. "Yes, your highness. Come in." She stepped aside so Elisheva can walk through and then closed the door behind her. She led her over to a chair and motioned for her to sit down. "Wait here. Let me go get her." Elpis disappeared into another room and five minutes later, the Queen walked into the room with Elpis trailing behind her.

"Hello, my dear," the Queen cheerfully greeted Elisheva. She sat down on the sofa across from her. "What do I owe the pleasure of having you visit me?" She waved Elpis away.

"Are we completely alone, Mother?" Elisheva asked.

"Yes, my dear. We are." Her eyebrows furrowed.
Elisheva rubbed her hands on her dress and looked down. "Mother, I'm worried about Greta."

"Why would you say that?" The Queen asked her.

"When we got out of the throne room, she expressed her anger about me getting the throne." She looked up and locked eyes with her mother. "She said that she should have gotten the throne, not me." She took a deep breath and placed her hands on her dress to keep them from shaking. "Mother, she mentioned something about being more powerful than I can ever imagine."

The Queen leaned back on the sofa and sighed. She ran a hand through her hair and closed her eyes. "I knew this would happen once I gave birth to twins." She sighed again, "Eli, Greta is jealous and confused. Just give her some space for a few days and let her anger boil down." She reached out and grabbed Elisheva's hand and squeezed it. "It's going to be okay my dear, alright?"

Elisheva looked at her mother and smiled. "Yes, Mother." She stood up to leave, curtsied, and walked out of the room and down the hallway.
When she neared her room, she saw Greta standing outside her room. Elisheva took a few deep breaths to calm herself until she stood right in front of her. She smiled kindly, "Hi, Greta. Can you excuse me? I have to get into my room." She kept her smile the same throughout and kept her voice soft and kind trying to make Greta go away.
Greta just stood there with a smirk on her face. She leaned up against the door and crossed her arms. "Why? So you can go and grow that big head of yours?"

Elisheva was stunned. She didn't understand why her sister was acting like a child. "Greta?" She worked up her courage and asked her sister, "What have I ever done to you? Is it because I came out first, which - the last time I recall - I didn't have any say on whether I wanted to be first or second."

Greta sighed, held up her hands, and shook her head. "I don't blame you for coming out first. I'm just upset that our parents would have to choose between their children - who are twins - who is going to rule."

"Either way, Greta, if I was still the oldest. Which means I would still get the throne."

Greta's eyes darkened as she came closer to Elisheva. "I would watch your tongue, sister, or something might happen to you." With that, Greta left her staring after the back of her head.