Cold.
So fucking cold.
My fingers. I can't move or feel them. Numbness is creeping up my arms like ice water in my veins.
The snow. Endless white. Blinding. Where's the trail? Where's anyone?
"Help!" The word comes out cracked. Weak. Like my voice is freezing too.
God, I hate winter. Always have. Stupid ski trip. Stupid friends who insisted I come. "You'll love it, Maylynn! Fresh air! Exercise! It's going to be so much fun!"
Fresh air my ass. I'm going to die out here.
Everything seems to be in slow motion. The moment I stumble and fall. Snow burns my face. It hurts. Oh holy- it hurts so fucking much.
Get up. Have to get up.
Legs won't work. Shaking so hard my teeth feel like they're going to shatter.
The trees blur. Vision going weird. Fuzzy edges. Like someone's turning down the contrast on the world.
Is this hypothermia? The drowsiness they warned us about?
No. No no no. Not like this.
My phone. Dead. Of course it's dead. Dropped it somewhere in the snow. Useless piece of shit.
Crawling now. Don't even know which direction. Just forward. Forward.
Remember what they said in survival class? Stay awake. Keep moving. Find shelter.
But I'm so tired. So tired.
The snow looks soft. Inviting. Like a bed with fresh white sheets.
No. Don't lie down. That's how you die.
But my body's giving up. Collapsing into the powder. Can't stop it.
Staring at the sky. Gray clouds swirling. Like a cosmic washing machine.
My heart's slowing down. I can feel it. Thudding weird against my ribs.
Fuck.
This is it, isn't it?
26 years old. Dead in a fucking blizzard.
Should've finished House of the Dragon. Never got to see how it ends. Stupid, but that's what I'm thinking about. The storyline. The dragons. All those loose threads.
If there's a next life—
God, what a stupid thought. But if there is—
I wish I had Elsa's powers. Ice and snow. Make this snow and cold my bitch instead of letting it kill me.
I'd never be cold again. Never feel this helpless. Never feel my body betraying me like this.
My chest hurts. Each breath costs more effort.
Please. If someone's listening. If there's something out there.
I don't want to die.
I want those powers. Want to control ice and snow. Want to finish watching my show. Want to do so many things I haven't done yet.
The world's fading. Sound muffled. Like being underwater.
Mama's going to be devastated. Pa too. They'll blame themselves. My brother would probably rejoice and steal all my manga. Fuck. That asshole would totally do it. Should've insisted I stay home. Who's going to beat some sense into him, if not me?
I'm so angry. Scared. Helpless. I want to cry but I don't even have the strength for it.
So cold. So tired.
But still. If there's a chance. Any chance at all.
Elsa's powers. Ice magic. Please. Please.
Let me control the cold. Let me—
Everything goes white.
Brighter than the snow. Warmer somehow.
Like being wrapped in light.
Thoughts scattering. Mind drifting.
Backwards. Or forwards. Can't tell.
Floating.
Weightless.
The cold... it's gone.
I'm...
What am I?
Where am I?
Voices. Distant. Speaking something I should understand but don't.
"She breathes still. Praise the Seven."
Seven? What's seven?
My eyes. Heavy. Like they're made of iron. I force them open.
Face above me. Woman. Pale hair. Tear-stained cheeks. Crown on her head.
Crown?
My mouth tries to move. Nothing comes out but a small sound. Baby sound.
Baby?
What the fuck?
I'm a—
No. Impossible.
The woman. She's crying and smiling. Holding me close.
"My sweet Gael. You came back to us."
Gael? What a strange name. But it sounds familiar….
Ah- it's a name I remember reading from a page—
A book- what was it called again?
Black cover. 3-headed dragon. Fire—
Fire and Blood—
Oh my god.
Oh my fucking god.
Gael mother-fucking Targaryen.