Frosted (Frosted #1 | Jackunzel)

{ Prologue }

Liesa had heard all of the stories about Dame Gothel—had even seen some occur with her own two eyes. Still, she had trouble comprehending how anyone could possess such cruelty inside of their bones.

When she felt well enough to spur on, Liesa tried again. "I... I will be fine... without. You need not... risk a bargain, my love. Please."

But Zacharia would not give up so easily. "Not a bargain, then. I could climb into her yard and take one for myself. She need not know of anything."

All Liesa could do was shake her head no. She could not think of how harsh the consequences would be if he were caught. How doomed they would truly become if they lowered themselves down to something as horrible as theft.

"But let me try," Zacharia pleaded with saddened eyes. They were green as freshly cut grass, and so, so hopeful. "Let me try. It would be easy enough with the storm raging outside."

Somehow, a soft chuckle escaped the sickly woman's lips. "Gothel is as observant... as a hawk. Do you not think she'd notice if... if one of her flower's... were suddenly gone?"

"She'd blame it on the wind," Zacharia argued, only to be met with further disagreement. With a promise that he'd stay safely rooted under the safety of their roof, the broken-hearted man lay his head upon the sliver of mattress next to his wife's waist. He shut his eyes in defeat.

When Liesa's breathing slowed to the rhythm of sleep, the sudden faintness of her breaths nearly stilled Zacharia's heart. They had gotten much worse than before, so much so that a sinking premonition in the pit of his gut made Zacharia certain she would not wake come sunrise.

Zacharia lifted his head and gently unclasped their hands. He walked with light footsteps out of the room, down the stairs, and across the kitchen to the back entrance. With a deep inhale, he stepped out into the ruthless storm, warm wind fighting against his every movement and nearly taking his own breath away. But he loved his wife and unborn child much too strongly to simply let an illness take them both. Especially when he knew he might have been able to save them. Surely, there was a possibility that none of this would work out, that the flowers would be but normal plants. But Zacharia refused to believe that to be so. Dame Gothel was not the type to be so direly protective over an object simply for its mere beauty.

Carefully, Zacharia climbed over the tall fence, not even able to hear the creaking wood beneath his fingers, and dropped down into the neighbouring garden. Even through the blinding rain falling in sheets around him, it was easy to spot the golden rapunzel's glowing brightly along the edge of the house. Usually, they grew several shades of purple, and pink. Now, they seemed almost alive. Shimmering.

Magical.

With only a second's hesitation, the man rushed forward and fell to his knees beside the plant. He tugged one of the flowers off of its stem, expecting more than an underwhelming nothing to happen.

Moments after, he stood safely in his kitchen, heart racing, flower held carefully between aching fingertips.

After setting a pot of water to boil, petals neatly stirred in, Zacharia hurried to change into a fresh set of dried clothes. When all was done, he climbed back up to his wife's side, no longer bothering to walk lightly. Delicately, he shook the woman awake.

"I made you some tea," he whispered. Liesa, too far gone to think twice of his words, smiled as best she could through sleep-filled eyes. She let her husband tip the warm liquid between her chapped lips.

.·:* *:·.

To the village's relief, there was no sign of yesterday's storm come morning. To the couple's relief, Liesa's condition had also already significantly improved. By noon, she was on her feet, as if by some unbeknownst miracle. Later, even, the smell of sizzling apple pie swirled joyfully through the open windows.