The Snow Queen, Part 2

“Han, can't you push this thing any faster?” Leia made a face, at least as much as she could when it was wrapped with heavy scarves against the blinding snow. “At this rate, we're never going to find the road, much less Luke!”

His bright hazel eyes managed to glare at her through the wrappings. “I'm doin' what I can in this mess, Your Worship. You think I ain't worried about the ki...Luke? He ain't like you n' me. He's never been in weather like this before.”

“We used to get snow in Alderaan, mostly up in the mountains, but nothing like this.” Her sigh was barely audible in the raging wind. “At this time of year in Alderaan, it would have been springtime. The fields would have been green and filled with wildflowers, and the redberry trees would be in bloom...”

Chewie growled. His best friend rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. How can you be freezing? You're the one with the fur!” He turned to Leia, a bit more concerned. “You really miss...well, I can't blame you, given what, well, happened. I guess that's somethin' I don't understand m'self. I left Corellia and never looked back.” Another deep growl rent the frigid air. “Qi'da doesn't count, buddy!”

She huddled into the blankets they'd brought for warmth. “I wish I could see one more garden like the one in that surrounded Aldra Castle. It was so beautiful. I used to run and play among the fountains and flowering fruit trees.”

Han shivered and wiped the gathering snow from his brow. “Wish we were there now. We'd be warmer, anyway.”

Chewie sniffed, howling. He pointed his big paw at a light in the snowy woods around them. “What is it, boy? What do you see?”

The snow barely obscured a narrow road that lead further into the woods. It seemed a little less heavy here. The path had been cleared of ice and debris. Tiny snowdrops bent in the wind, almost touching the frozen whiteness on the ground. “Han, turn that way.” She waved her gloved hand. “Even if we don't find someone who can give us directions, we'll at least be able to get out of the snow.”

“I like the 'getting out of the snow part.'” He tugged on the reigns, managing to get the tauntauns to turn around. “I'm not so sure I like the idea of turning off the main road. Something doesn't seem right here. Roads don't appear out of nowhere.”

“There is something strange about it.” The princess shivered and dug further into the furry blankets. “But what choice do we have? We either see if we can find a place to stop and ask about Luke on that path, or freeze to death.”

The further along they went, the less snow they saw. By the time they were deep in the woods, the blizzard had subsided. Indeed, it seemed to be summer in this part of the planet. A rainbow of flowers bloomed in soft green fields. Velvety green leaves shaded them overhead. Birds chirped in the branches. Leia got so warm, she was able to unwrap her scarf and headgear and remove her gloves. She and Han even took their coats off.

The path lead to a lovely little cottage in the center of the woods. It was a charming, old-fashioned place, with a straw thatched roof and bell-shaped pink and blue flowers twining around the stone walls. An iron gate and stone fence surrounded a beautiful garden that was filled with every flower Leia had ever seen. There were wooden benches and even a small fountain gurgling and splashing. A narrow river flowed just beyond the back gates.

Han was the last one in before the gate shut. “Hey!” He grabbed at the handles. “Chewie!” The Wookie on the other side shook the metal bars until they rattled and let out a growl that rumbled in the trees. “Buddy, see if you can get over the wall somewhere. I can't get this open.”

“Hello?” Leia was startled when a lovely woman with long golden ringlets strolled out. She wore a simple summer outfit with a frilly laced bodice and bright flowered skirt. The brim of her straw hat was laden with every type of flower in the garden, and she carried more in her basket. Her eyes were the same color pale blue as Queen Frostra's, but they were filled with warmth. “Who's there? May I help you?” The way her mouth crinkled when she smiled and the slight rings around her blue eyes indicated that she was perhaps a decade or so older than Leia.

The princess jumped and turned around. “Oh! Hello, miss. I'm sorry we trespassed, but we needed to get off the road and out of the snow. My name is Leia. My friend Han and Chewbacca and I are looking for a young man named Luke Skywalker. He ran off into the blizzard, and we're afraid he may have gotten lost, or worse.”

“I'm Zoma, the summer witch, and princess of Norweden.” She laughed at Leia's surprised expression. “You expected me to live in a palace. I was never comfortable with living in some cold, lonely castle like my sister Frostra. I'm happier outdoors, in my own little home. I gave up the throne voluntarily after our parents died and came to live here.”

“You're a witch?” Leia raised an eyebrow. “You don't look like any witch I've ever seen.”

“You expected a witch to be old and ugly, like they are on most planets. On Norweden, most witches are healers and wise women, not evil crones.” She cut a lovely scarlet rose like the one Gerda gave to Luke. “Here, my dear. For you.”

Leia smiled. “Thank you.” She took a deep sniff of the fragrant blossom. “It's lovely! So sweet. It smells like spring. It reminds me so much of my friend Luke. He was so excited when Lady Gerda showed us hers. He never saw flowers that weren't for crops before he joined the Rebellion.”

“We call them scarlet beauty roses, because of the color. They're only grown in hothouses here, and in my garden.” Zoma smiled. “Perhaps you could stay for a while.” She ran her finger through Leia's braid. “I could even brush your hair. You really do have very lovely hair, dear.”

She was going to say no, but something in the woman's eyes made her pause. “Yes,” she whispered. “I'd like that. No one has brushed my hair for me since my mother...well, for a long time.”

“Then I'll be your mother.” Zoma gently sat Leia down on a soft chair on one side of the main living room. “I get very lonely out here by myself. I haven't had a plaything for myself in a long time. Frostra always ends up with the better toys.”

“Plaything?” Leia frowned as Zoma unpinned her long brown tresses, letting them spill past her shoulders and nearly to her waist. “What do you mean?”

“Shh, dear.” The witch picked up a hair brush made of a soft polished amber wood and ran it slowly through Leia's long hair. “You'll make a fine companion for me. You don't need to find that young man of yours. You'll stay right here, and be my friend. You'll make a very pretty little doll.”

Han stomped across the garden and right up to the two women. “Lady, why did you shut Chewie out? He's my partner. I don't make a move without him.” He narrowed his eyes the moment he saw Leia. She perched on the chairs with her eyes closed and her face serene, as if she were in a trance.

“Oh, I'm sure he'll be fine.” Zoma continued to brush Leia's hair, as if he hadn't spoken. “I do need to figure out what to do with you. I don't need two dolls.”

“Lady, she is not a doll!” Han's growl was nearly as deep as Chewie's. “I don't know what they call us here, but where I'm from, we're called 'human bein's,' an' we ain't here for your amusement. We've gotta find Luke!”

“You're a mouthy young man, aren't you? And you growl worse than the actual animal outside.” She moved her brush from Leia to Han's hair. “You have lovely hair, too. I have no need for a young man, but I could use a nice pet. Something to cuddle in my lap and chase mice and moles away from my garden.” She ran her fingers over his throat. “Yes, you will make a handsome lap dog. You'll be the companion for my friend.”

Han tried to protest, but to his horror, his words came out as barks and whimpers. The more she ran the brush through his hair, the shorter and furrier he became...until he found himself running around on four legs on the ground and harrier than Chewie. “That's a good boy.” He tried to back away, but she swept him into her arms. “Yes, you're a very nice little dog.” As she continued to brush his fur, a heavy collar and a bright woven leash appeared around his neck. “There. That's a good pet. I far prefer you this way.”

The witch put the brush aside and went into the garden. “Now,” she said to the dog in her arms, “to get rid of these.” The moment she waved her hands, every single rose bush sank into the ground and vanished. “If there are no roses, she won't remember that silly young man she keeps talking about, and she'll never leave.” The dog whimpered and scratched at her. The witch only stroked his head. “And neither will you.”

She dropped Han on the ground and tied his leash to a table leg, then went to Leia to give her hair a few more strokes. “This should do it.” Her fingers stroked Leia's forehead. “You will awaken now, my little companion. Awaken.”

Her brown eyes fluttered open, but Han could see how empty they were. “Where am I?” They gazed around as if they'd never seen the room before. “Why am I here?”

“Why, to be my little child. I'll be your mother.” She handed Han to her. “I even have a little pet for you. This is your home, and it always will be. You'll like it here. It never snows, and only rains when the garden needs watering. I'll dress you and feed you, and you will help me with my flowers. I'll teach you what every single one is and how it can be used in herbs and dried bouquets.”

Leia only nodded absently, stroking Han between his ears. “Yes, Mother.” Han tried to whimper, but she only rubbed his belly.

For Leia, days passed blissfully. Mother Zoma taught her the name of every flower in the garden. She learned how to plant them, and when, and how they should be cut, and what was the best vase for them. Zoma did everything for her, brushed her hair and dressed her and washed her and read stories to her. Her little dog kept scratching at the gate, whining to be let out. Leia thought she sometimes saw a huge, hulking hairy creature skulking behind the gate, but then Mother Zoma would call her to help pick sweet hyat berries, and the creature would be gone again.

It didn't occur to her that anything was wrong until she was on her knees in the garden one day, planting lace tulips, when her dog trotted out with Mother Zoma's straw hat in its mouth. “What is it, boy?” The dog nudged one of the flowers on the crown. Leia had never seen anything like it. There were no flowers like it in the garden. It had velvety blood-red petals, and it smelled as sweet as a bowl of juju candy.

“These flowers...” she murmured, “they remind me of somebody.” The dog leaped on her knee and waggled his tail, barking in hope that she'd remember. “He was a friend...a handsome boy...” The clouds vanished from the deep brown eyes as suddenly as they'd came. “Oh gods! How could I have forgotten?”

“Leia?” Zoma came around the corner with a basket on her hip. “Have you seen my straw hat? I need to remove one of the flowers...”

Leia turned to her with the hat in her hand. Her dark eyes were now as hard as amber. “What did you do to the roses?”

“The roses?” Zoma gave her a sweet little laugh. “I don't know what you mean, my pet.”

“I'm not your pet!” She yanked the rose out of the hat's band. “This is the only rose I've seen in the garden. There used to be more. What did you do with them?”

“Made them vanish. I don't need them.” Zoma frowned sadly. “I do need you. Everyone thinks I'm a horrible witch. They avoid me like I have some kind of disease! Maybe I shouldn't have done it, but I get terribly lonely here. I wanted you and your friend to stay. If you remembered your young man, you'd leave me, and I'd have no one again. I thought, if I were good to you, and kind to you, I could keep you.”

The girl glared at her, while the dog growled by her side. “You don't make friends by taking their memories and forcing them to stay with you! Where's Han and Chewie? The man and Wookie who came in with me? What have you done with them?”

Zoma sighed. “The Wookie is outside. I had no need for him. I was hoping he'd go away. Your friend is by your side. I had more use for him as a dog than as a human.”

The dog pawed Leia's leg. “That's him, isn't it?” The fire in her eyes could have melted every bit of snow on the planet. “Change him back. Now.”

“Very well.” As soon as the summer witch's hand waved over the dog, he stood on two legs, and grew and grew until he was Han again. “There. Are you satisfied?”

“No!” Han yanked off the collar and leash, then whipped out his gun and aimed it at Zoma. “You'll be lucky if I don't shoot you in the heart for pulling that crap!”

Leia pushed his hand down. “I think us leaving her alone will be punishment enough.” She looked the woman straight in the eye. “Where is Luke?”

The witch frowned and rubbed her head, her own eyes now a bit clouded. “I...I don't know. I never saw him here. My younger sister Princess Herfa may know. She and her husband live in a castle at Tivoli, about forty leagues down the road from my cottage.”

Leia and Han went back into the bedroom to change into their winter clothes. When they came out, Zoma handed them a basket covered with a flowered cloth.

“Here.” She pushed the basket into Leia's arms. “If you're going to insist on going on a fool's errand, you can at least be fed in the cold. I have a bottle of hot tea, fruit, bread, and dried meat for your Wookie friend.”

“Thank you.” Leia's eyes were still a bit hard. “Next time, Zoma, if you want a friend, try being one yourself and coming out of your garden once in a while.”

“Yeah, lady.” Her male friend crossed his arms. “I really don't appreciate you shutting my co-pilot out, and I didn't like being fuzzy, either.”

Zoma still shook Leia's hand. “Good bye, dear, I still think you're crazy for doing this.”

“I know,” Leia told her. “But he's my friend.”

Han nodded. “Who knows where he's gotten to in the cold?”

Another wave of Zoma's hand opened the gate for them. They rushed out as fast as they could, Han with his fingers still laying on the trigger of his blaster. Chewie just barely managed to dodge the gate as it opened and nearly flattened him.

“All right boys.” Leia tossed the basket in the back of the repulsor-sleigh before jumping in herself. “Let's get out of here, before that lady changes her mind and decides she wants me to stay that badly.”

Han nodded. “Yeah. No offense, Chewie, but I never want to be as fuzzy as you ever again.” Chewie's bark sounded a bit questioning. “How long were we in there, anyway?” He raised his eyebrow as his co-pilot put up five fingers. “Five hours? It felt more like five weeks!”

“Probably part of her magic.” Leia leaned over and secured the basket under the sleigh's seat. “Time must flow differently in her garden than it does elsewhere on the planet.”

“Yeah, well, I'm not sticking around to find out more. I've had enough of magic gardens.” Han shook the reigns on the tauntauns. “Ok fellas, let's go!”

The tauntauns took off down the road, leaving the blooming garden and the open iron gate far behind.