PROLOGUE.
Tiredness over took the small girl, as she lifted a small pudgy hand to rub her eyes. The rosiness of her cheeks was yet to fade and her long black hair had been tied into two french braids now slightly worn from her excited play. The little girls name was Evangeline Nott and she was just five years old but already brimming with magical potential. Her laced white nightgown trailed down past her feet causing her to trip upon her own little feet. Every time she did so a small stream of laughter would tumble out of her mouth, as if it would never stop to amuse her. Her tiny hands reached her bed as she pulled herself up onto it to reach the covers as Jack Frost's icy air pursued her. Once she was under the warm quilt she wriggled around trying to find the right place to maximise her warmth.
"Can you tell me a story before I go to bed Grandma?" she asked looking up at the older women with big shiny eyes desperate to stay awake.
Her Grandmother chuckled adding even more crinkles to her wizened face. Her own frizzy black hair was full of white streaks now and in a messy plait similar to Evangeline's. But unlike her Grandmother's deft fingers Evangeline hadn't been able to recreate the master piece that was her french braid leaving her Grandmother with a small messy thing resembling a plait. The old women took her glasses off and placed the poetry book she was reading on the small coffee table. She glanced out at the window watching the sparkly show that layered the ground as her hand went up to touch the gold chain that hang around her neck. The large snowflakes rested against the window creating different patterns as the Grandmother thought.
"You want to hear a story?" She asked looking back at the excited child in front of her who was nodding frantically. She was well aware of the ruse this child was playing but having done them so many times herself let it slide.
"A proper one too," Evangeline crossed her arms her cheeks puffing up, "No Tale of the Three Brothers anymore,"
"But that's your favourite,"
"Not anymore," She puffed out her chest, "I'm five now,"
"Ahhh," the old woman tilted her head a small playing against her lips, "Well... if you insist I'll tell you a different story, a brand new story," she whispered in a hushed breathe as the child leant forward intrigued.