• Snow clustered around my feet, crumbling where I stepped. The slight smell of wood smoke touched my nose. And although I listened hard, no sound reached my ears. So there I was walking through the thick swirling snow.

    As I walked I was listening. My vision was completely white -- disrupted by only a few pine branches. A faint sound reached my ears. It steadily grew louder as I walked on. The sound was some one singing a swirling melody, much like snow falling. Entranced, I walked forward, following my ears. I stepped carefully, not wanting the singing to stop. At last, I came upon a large clearing. Carefully, ever so carefully, I pushed back the branches. In the clearing, dancing like falling snow, was a beautiful Fairy -- yes, it must be a fairy because sticking out of her long white hair were two pointed ears. Maybe she was the Snow Queen, though Snow Princess seemed more likely since she looked so young.

    My head spun. All I wanted was to go dance with her, the snow Princess, but a part of my mind rebelled. “Dance with her?” the logical part of my mind said. It had a point; my snowsuit would look like a mess next to her gauzy white and silver gown. But no one would be watching, only her and me. My longing won and I leaped out of the bushes, amazing myself with my graceful movements. Her eyes, a shocking blue/silver, found me. She bounded over and I suddenly found myself dressed much like her. She reached out and took my hand. Her hand was as cold as the snow she danced in. She smiled at me and I forgot everything but that smile and that hand.
    I knew then that this was where I was meant to be forever. I would dance in the clearing forever with her, The Snow Princess, my Snow Princess, my Dancing Princess. I will dance all my life with her by my side in this clearing in the wood in the thick, drifting snow. Dancing forever in the endless calm of winter.

    Grace Alden