Heart of the Winterland Read online

  Cali was quiet for a moment, shifting anxiously as she waited for Voice to respond.

  "No girl should be caged in a palace, or anywhere else for that matter. I knew something was going on in that head of yours. You were beginning to worry me.” She continued, “I shall go with you . . . if you wish."

  Cali blinked. Not only was Voice accepting her leaving, but she wanted to come along. The hint of insecurity in Voice’s tone amazed her the most. Voice had always been so constant with few inflections in her speech. Why did we never take the time to get to know each other?

  Cali brushed aside her musings. "I couldn’t imagine going without you.”

  "When will we depart?"

  "Today," Cali declared. "No point in putting it off. I'm sure we can pack everything we need and be on our way by mid-day." Springing to her feet, Cali grinned and dashed out of the room.

  ❄❄❄

  Cali bundled up against the elements and harnessed two alabaster horses to the royal sleigh. Numb fingers fumbled at the silver harnesses as she hurried to finish the adjustments. She rushed inside to gather her belongings. Clothing, food, a small pouch of money, fur blankets, and various odds and ends were soon loaded into the sleigh.

  “Will the rest of the horses be okay?”

  “You need not worry on their account, Princess. If you had spent more time asking questions and less time reading, you would know they will be well taken care of.”

  Cali snapped her mouth shut. Why didn’t I ask more questions?

  Stowing yet another set of thoughts in the back of her mind, she double-checked the contents of the crystal-studded, white sleigh. Everything was packed and the horses pawed eagerly at the ground.

  "This is it, Voice. We're off to see the world." A slight note of nervousness tinged Cali's tone.

  "Do not fear, Princess. Whatever is out there cannot be as dreadful as staying in this castle for another two hundred years.”

  “Have you really felt that way all these years?”

  “Y—Yes. It is worse now, much worse,” Voice’s words trailed off in a whisper.

  "Then let us be going." Cali took a deep breath and swung into the sleigh. "Are you ready, Voice?"

  "Yes, now stop stalling."

  Cali stuck her tongue out at the teasing orb.

  With a flick of the reins, the sleigh was off, sliding through the snow with ease. The huge, iron gate loomed ahead.

  “Mohala!” Voice said. The gate slowly began to swing open of its own accord.

  Why can’t I use magic? Shaking her head before more of the random thoughts that had plagued her lately could settle in, Cali turned her focus back to driving.

  The horses high-stepped to clear the fresh powder. They seemed to have things well in hand and needed little guidance. Cali glanced back. The castle stood silent and pristine in the afternoon light.

  "It will await your return," Voice whispered. "Now is the time to look ahead."

  Cali smiled. "You’re right of course; there's a journey before us and a home when we get back. Now that we’re on our way, I thought we could talk.”

  Chapter 2

  Cali settled deep into the thick white furs and looked expectantly at Voice. “There’s so much I want to know. I can’t stand waiting anymore.”

  “Then I will prolong your agony no longer.” Voice laughed. “What is your first question?”

  Cali shifted the reins from one gloved hand to the other. “I’m curious about magic. Why can’t I use it? Or have you simply never taught me?”

  “One must be born with magic, Princess. It is called kakapuna, blood magic. So no, you could not have learned it.”

  “Oh.” Cali slumped against the seat, dropping the reins.

  “Lakana.” The reins lifted and began to guide the horses.

  Curiosity overtook disappointment. “But you don’t have blood, do you? So how come you can use magic?”

  The snow crunched under the runners as Cali waited for Voice’s answer. She shifted on the cushioned. This is going to be a long trip if we don’t talk. Why is it such a hard question?

  Voice said something. Cali wrenched herself from her thoughts and sat up. “What did you say?”

  “I said, ‘I was created by magic’.”

  “What kind of magic can do that?” I wish I could use magic. Imagine, creating a bunch of Voices!

  “I do not wish to speak of it. Let us talk of something else.”

  Maybe evil magic made her. Maybe she was the prisoner of a wicked and cruel master before she found me.

  Cali chewed on her lip as she tried to think of a question Voice might answer. “How does magic work?”

  “That is complicated, Princess.” Snow began to drift down and dust the sleigh. “There are . . . lines of power that connect everything. I can see and interact with them, using verbal and non-verbal spells.”

  Voice paused for a moment, letting her words sink in. “The thing to remember, Princess, is that all magic draws its power from somewhere. Those with magic draw it from themselves in an ever-replenishing store. A sorcerer, or sorceress, might overextend themselves if they’re not careful. Those with little or no magic pull power from those around them. Only the foolish, or desperate, tempt fate in such a way.”

  "Wait! You said that people have to be born with magic to use it.” Cali glared at the innocent-looking orb.

  “Very good. You are listening. I would have been more correct to say that one must be born with magic to create magic. A sorceress, or sorcerer, can place a spell inside an object which anyone who knows the trigger can use.” Voice said gravely, “That is magic at its most dangerous. Spelled objects pull power first from the caster and if there is not enough magic to fuel the spell . . . then it pulls what it needs from the strongest nearby life force.”

  Cali’s face puckered in concentration as they rode in silence. Voice sighed. “I know there is something bouncing around in that head of yours. It will drive both of us insane if you do not ask.”

  “Why would someone risk using magic if could drain them or hurt other people? What could be so important?”

  “Riches, fame, life, all things one might consider worth the risk. And of course love.” Voice paused, before continuing slowly, “Love tends to drive people to do crazy things. In a way, it is almost a magic in and of itself.”

  Cali rolled her eyes. “Love? Magical? I honestly don’t know where you got that idea, but I’m old enough to face reality.”

  “And what reality is that, oh wise Princess? Please impart your wisdom of a paltry two hundred years on me,” Voice snapped.

  Turning a fierce glare upon the shimmering ball of light, Cali exploded, “I may lack experience about the outside world, but I’m aware enough to know that love is a fantasy. A nice tale for storybook characters who always meet the ‘handsome prince’ or ‘rescue the fair maiden.’”

  The sleigh stopped with a jolt as Cali jumped to her feet and flung her arms wildly. “No one’s ever come to rescue me. There’s no prince in my future. I have no friends, no parents, no siblings. Tell me, Voice, who is it that loves me? There has never been anyone in my life except you.” Cali collapsed onto the seat.

  Weariness crept into her tone. “Come to think of it, you’ve never even said that you love me. Just that I am loved. So someone out there loves me, but I’ve never met them, and my only companion doesn’t love me. Can you truly expect me to believe in love?”

  An awkward hush fell over them. Painful seconds ticked by. Cali couldn’t stand it anymore and hopped out of the sleigh. “I’m going for a walk to clear my head.” She stomped off toward a row of pines.

  Only when she was past the evergreens, and the ground sloped downward, did she throw a quick glance over her shoulder. She could barely make out the sleigh and horses. White, just like everything else in this accursed kingdom. White snow, white castle, white horses, even this infernal dress is white.

  As if reading her mind, the hem of the dress caught under her boot. Cali
pitched forward, waving her arms to try and halt her forward momentum. Unable to stop, she ran down the slope to avoid tumbling head over heels.

  Cali reached the bottom and bent over, gasping for air. After what seemed like forever, her heart slowed and she could breathe regularly again. She looked up, and her heart squeezed. A desolate village stood before her. A village . . . in a land with no people? It doesn’t make sense.

  Cali wandered through the deserted streets. The wind howled between the rundown buildings. She shuddered at the eerie village. Doors gaped open and animal nests spilled from nooks and crannies. Beady eyes glinted from a few of the nests. The roofs were full of holes, and over everything lay a blanket of snow.

  She summoned up enough courage to approach one of the houses and cross the threshold. Snow had piled up inside the entrance where the door had once been. Cali let her eyes adjust, then took in the scene before her.

  A wooden table held pieces of pottery, a few shattered but most left intact. A single bed was tucked into the corner, bare of any mattress or blankets. Everything soft must’ve decayed or been taken by animals long ago. If I’d only traveled more than a short circle from the castle, I would’ve found this. She stepped back outside and tucked her hands under her arms.

  A door squeaked on its hinges as the wind blew, adding to the emptiness inside her. This is what I feel like. A home devoid of anything valuable. A life with no purpose. What’s a house for if not to hold people? What’s a princess for but to one day lead a kingdom?

  The place depressed her, taunted her with what could be. Yet she couldn’t bring herself to walk away.

  Why would a village be here, unless there were other humans at some point? Yes, this village was proof of human existence outside her own. But it also brought with it more questions. Where did they go? Why did they leave? And these questions she didn’t know where to find the answers to.

  ❄❄❄

  Alone, Voice was at a loss. She was not sure when it had happened, but she had stopped resenting the girl for her situation. No, I don’t love her, but I no longer blame her for my existence. It wasn’t easy being an orb stuck in a life that revolved around doing what was best for someone else. No one had asked her if this was what she wanted.

  Voice muttered, “I doubt I will ever love her. I am not even sure that I have the capacity to love.”

  She floated out of the sleigh and moved to the horses. “Hanai lin a jaawi wan.” A section of snow melted, forming a crystal clear pool of water. The horses nickered happily and bent their heads to drink. Off to the side of the water lay a small pile of golden hay. “Kulu cili.” The harnesses fell from the horses, freeing them to roam and rest. At least I can do something right. Horses are a lot less demanding than princesses.

  The sun hung low in the sky and ribbons of pink and blue colored the horizon when Cali returned to the sleigh. She clambered aboard and held her hands in front of her. “I’m sorry for snapping at you and storming off. I needed to say what I did, but I could’ve said it differently. You’ve always been there for me and . . .” Cali bit her lip as tears formed.

  “Do not let it trouble you, Princess. I fully comprehend your feelings, and they are nothing to be ashamed of. Let us agree to forget the matter and continue.” She hesitated. “I am sorry for your frustrations about love. I did not wish to upset you. I had no choice but to tell you that you are loved.” Voice stumbled over her last few words, surprised she was speaking them.

  How is it possible that I said that? I have never been able to tell her that I was compelled to greet her every morning with love. Something is happening. The magic binding me feels different, as if it is waning.

  Voice shook off the barrage of emotions that assaulted her. There would be time to think on this later. They should get moving, if they wanted to make it through the border forest by tomorrow evening.

  ❄❄❄

  Cali sat stoically as Voice retrieved the horses and settled them back into their harnesses with a whispered spell.

  Night fell before another word passed between them. Cali, though a bit shy after her earlier outburst, still had things on her mind. “Voice, is it all right if I ask you a few more questions?”

  “Go ahead, Princess. I had begun to think we would pass the rest of the journey in silence.”

  A barely perceptible smile touched Cali’s face. “I’ve always wondered about other humans–if they exist, or if I’m the only one, or perhaps they were once here but now are gone. I’ve prayed that I wasn’t the last human, or some oddity. But you speak of magic wielders as if you weren’t the only one. Then, while I was walking, I came across a village. Why would it be there unless . . .” Cali trailed off and stared intensely at the reins in her hands.

  “Unless other humans once lived here,” Voice concluded.

  Cali nodded, before quietly pouring out her thoughts. “The library is full of books I just assumed you created. But the village . . . I’ve never even been out of sight of the castle before, so why would you create it?”

  Now it was Voice who let the quietness settle around them. Finally, she answered, “No, I did not create the books, the castle, or the village. Magic could do that, mind you, but there was no need. People long before you and I created those things.” She bobbed up and down, as if unable to hold still while she spoke. “Raising a child with nothing but magic was difficult enough without having to provide all of that.”

  Looking at Voice, as if for the first time, Cali could see what she meant. There was no physical way to hold, feed, or soothe a baby. Over the years she’d worn out so many dresses, never thinking about the work that went into them. With so much Voice needed magic for, she must’ve felt like a workhorse. I can’t imagine what she went through to make sure I was cared for. I always assumed it was easy. A few words and my needs were met.

  Voice went on. “My magic has limits, but it was sufficient for your needs, and the horses. There were things, such as the stables, that required a minor enchantment to keep in order. Others, like your clothes, required a spell every time you needed new ones.”

  “Wasn’t all of that . . . taxing on your magic?”

  “The original enchantments took a decent amount of power, but the upkeep required little,” Voice said dismissively.

  Cali let out a long sigh. Not even a full day into their journey and exhaustion from all this new knowledge weighed her down. “So there were people living here at one point. I wonder why they didn’t leave any records. It’s as if an entire kingdom went missing and took its history along with it.”

  “I think we have ruminated long enough on heavy subjects for today. I will make sure the horses continue to travel in a southerly direction. It is time for you to sleep, Princess. Tomorrow you can resume your questions if you wish.”

  I wish she had a human form. Maybe then I could tell if she is being evasive or merely concerned for my well-being. Either way, Cali didn’t have the strength to argue. Climbing over the back of the seat, she nestled amongst the soft white furs. The gentle gliding of the sleigh soon lulled her to sleep.

  ❄❄❄

  Cali awoke to a brisk breeze brushing her cheek. She sat up, unsure where she was, until a blast of cold night air reminded her. Settling back into the luxurious warmth, Cali snuggled deeper into the nest of furs and gazed into the clear night sky at the stars that sparkled like glass. Each breath of the cold, crisp air shocked her lungs. She could hear puffs of breath coming from the horses. Snow crunched beneath the runners as they traveled along. The peaceful night and the motion of the sleigh sent Cali back into the depths of sleep.

  When she awoke again, the sun glinted blindingly off the snow, though it did little to warm her. The sleigh rushed past icicle-clad trees. Snow no longer fell, and cardinals flitted past.

  Forcing herself to leave her bed, Cali climbed into the seat next to Voice and wrapped herself in the lap fur. “Good morning, Voice.”

  “Good morning, Princess. I trust you slept well.”

>   “Considering it was the first night I’ve ever spent outside of the castle, I slept quite well.” Cali turned to grab a bundle from the back and pulled out a loaf of bread and some cheese. Settling against the velvet-cushioned seat, she munched happily as she studied her surroundings.

  The sun climbed overhead and the scenery started to change. The trees grew closer together as they entered the border forest and the branches blocked out the sunlight. Cali shivered as what little warmth it’d provided fled. The runners whispered across the snow, strangely loud in the vast forest. Hours passed, marked only by the angle of the light that dappled the ground.

  Cali reined the horses in and jumped out of the sleigh. “Voice, there’s something up ahead.” Without waiting for her companion, she darted forward and the line of color in the distance grew closer. She slid to a halt and gaped.

  It was like someone had drawn an invisible line that snow couldn’t cross. Snow, icicles, and a chill wind blew on her side of the line. But on the other side, green grass spread lush and thick. Bright patches of colorful flowers added vibrancy and depth to the scenery. Leaves clung to the branches of trees and rustled pleasantly in the breeze.

  ❄❄❄

  With Cali out of earshot, Voice deepened her sight.

  In the magical plane, putrid purple and faint red lines blazed against a serene landscape. They wove together to form a dome over Trabor. Visible to only those who possessed magic, it allowed no one in or out.

  “Hovakmo ia kana ma lojo.”

  Power and energy flowed from Voice. Gold lines laced with violet ran from Voice to the wall. They pushed aside the lines of red and purple, peeling back the barrier until an opening formed. Voice’s lines hummed as the barrier fought against them.

  Voice trembled with the effort. The magic creating the shield was strong and clearly did not want to be tampered with. Maintaining the opening was quickly draining her magic reserves. She had to get Cali across the border, and fast.