Speaker 1: Hello, and welcome back to Sleepy Stories. I'm your host, Lucy,
Speaker 1: and my friends and I will be reading you a
Speaker 1: sleepy bedtime story every week to relax you and to
Speaker 1: help you to drift off into a RESTful sleep. From
Speaker 1: time to time, we will also read you a relaxing,
Speaker 1: peaceful meditation that will take you somewhere beautiful and calming.
Speaker 1: Once we have read the stories, we will then read
Speaker 1: them a second time, but this time they will be
Speaker 1: read read even slower. This will help you to relax
Speaker 1: even more. Before we begin, I would like you to
Speaker 1: close your eyes and breathe in and out nice and deeply.
Speaker 1: Take a few seconds to inhale, and then hold your
Speaker 1: breath for a few seconds more, and then release and
Speaker 1: breathe out. Do this a few times if you need to.
Speaker 1: While you listen to the music and you listen to
Speaker 1: my voice, give yourself time to let your body relax
Speaker 1: and your mind settle. It's important that we allow time
Speaker 1: for us to feel safe, cozy, and completely at ease.
Speaker 1: And now it's time for this week's story.
Speaker 2: Snow fell across the Kingdom of Silver Hollow in soft,
Speaker 2: swirling ribbons, as though the sky had decided to practice
Speaker 2: its handwriting. The rooftops glittered like sugar cakes, the trees
Speaker 2: sparkled with frost, and even the river wore a shimmering
Speaker 2: coat of ice. It was the night everyone in the
Speaker 2: land had been waiting for, and Winter Royal Ball. Every year,
Speaker 2: on the night of the longest winter moon, the royal
Speaker 2: family opened the palace gates. People from every village, town,
Speaker 2: and snowy valley came together. There were musicians from Frostmere,
Speaker 2: dancers from the misty reaches, lantern makers from the ice Downs,
Speaker 2: and bakers who crafted marzipan animals so delightful that no
Speaker 2: one wanted to eat them until they smelled the almond.
Speaker 2: At the heart of the excitement was Princess Elowen, whose
Speaker 2: dark hair contrasted beautifully with the winter white fur she wore.
Speaker 2: She was warm hearted, clever, and known for hosting the
Speaker 2: most magical balls in memory, but even she had a
Speaker 2: secret hope this year that the Winter Ball would restore
Speaker 2: something her kingdom had begun to lose, its sense of unity,
Speaker 2: For recent winters had felt colder, sharper, and less welcoming.
Speaker 2: Something unseen had settled on the land, dimming lanterns a
Speaker 2: little earlier and freezing rivers a little faster, Allowan had
Speaker 2: promised herself Tonight everyone will feel joy again, even winter
Speaker 2: itself will warm across the valley. Another figure watched the
Speaker 2: preparations with narrowed eyes, the Witch of Hollowglen long Ago, Margreetha,
Speaker 2: once a respected enchantress, had been cast into exile. She
Speaker 2: had twisted winter to magic, stealing warmth from others. Her
Speaker 2: wicked frost storms had nearly destroyed the royal city. In
Speaker 2: her fury, she swore never to let Silver Hollow forget
Speaker 2: her pain. Over time, she became a shadowy legend, the
Speaker 2: kind parents whispered about when children refused to wear scarves. Tonight,
Speaker 2: she was very real. From her crooked tower, deep in
Speaker 2: hollow gland woods, Margreethera peered into her crystal of dark ice.
Speaker 2: Through it, she saw crowds gathering, lanterns glowing, the palace
Speaker 2: glittering with thousands of snow lights. Laugh, dance, celebrate. She hissed,
Speaker 2: I shall remind you how cruel winter can be, and
Speaker 2: your precious ball will freeze before the first waltz. Her
Speaker 2: icy fingers curled around her staff, A twisted branch of
Speaker 2: black frost. She raised it dramatically, and nothing happened. The
Speaker 2: witch blinked. She shook the staff, coughed, smacked it on
Speaker 2: the floor a few times for good measure. Still nothing. Oh,
Speaker 2: for Frost's sake, she grumbled, These things used to be
Speaker 2: so reliable. She peered into her spell book and discovered
Speaker 2: with great annoyance that she needed something she had not
Speaker 2: had in years, a spark of living winter magic. Without it,
Speaker 2: her big dramatic curse would only produce disappointing puffs of snow.
Speaker 2: What nonsense, she muttered, But she knew the truth. Winter
Speaker 2: magic came from balance, cold and warmth living together, and
Speaker 2: Marcgreetha had rejected warmth so fiercely that no winter spell
Speaker 2: obeyed her fully anymore. Her eyes narrowed. Fine, she growled,
Speaker 2: I'll get living winter magic myself, and then then the
Speaker 2: ball will be frozen in its tracks. She wrapped herself
Speaker 2: in her tattered cloak, summoned a swirling cloud of dark frost,
Speaker 2: and flew toward the palace. Meanwhile, Princess Elwin hurried across
Speaker 2: the ballroom, checking last minute details. The palace was breathtaking tonight,
Speaker 2: crystal chandeliers glittered like frozen stars. Wreaths of silver pine
Speaker 2: hung from the balconies. The orchestra tuned their violins, a
Speaker 2: shimmering harmony filling the air. Elloen called her friend Caspian,
Speaker 2: the Royal Ice Keeper, a young, bright eyed magician whose
Speaker 2: responsibility was to maintain winter's balance. Everything is ready almost,
Speaker 2: he looked, sheepish, almost, Ellowen asked. Caspian rubbed the back
Speaker 2: of his neck. The winter heartstone dimmed earlier. Just a flicker,
Speaker 2: probably nothing, Allowan frowned Caspian. A flicker is never nothing,
Speaker 2: I know, he sighed. I'll keep an eye on it.
Speaker 2: But as guests began to arrive, twirling through the palace
Speaker 2: gates in furry cloaks, glittering gowns and boots dusted with
Speaker 2: fresh snow, the flicker was forgotten. Musicians struck their first
Speaker 2: triumphant notes, lanterns burst into golden blue life. Laughter echoed
Speaker 2: across the ballroom. Princess Elwin stepped onto the balcony and
Speaker 2: raised her hands. Welcome all of silver hollow, she called,
Speaker 2: her voice, warm as mulled cider. Tonight we celebrate winter,
Speaker 2: not for its cold, but for its beauty. Tonight we
Speaker 2: danced together to remind the world that frost and warmth
Speaker 2: can live in harmony. Let the winter ball begin. Cheers
Speaker 2: erupted like a snow storm of joy, and somewhere above
Speaker 2: the palace, the Witch of Hollow Glens scowled ugh harmony. Disgusting,
Speaker 2: she swooped low, invisible to most, searching down below, a
Speaker 2: small boy stood by the fountain holding a wooden toy fox.
Speaker 2: He looked overwhelmed, and a little lost Elooan crouched beside him. Hello,
Speaker 2: are you enjoying the ball? He shook his head. I'm cold.
Speaker 2: Everyone says winter is festive here, but it just feels
Speaker 2: lonely to me. Ellowen felt a pang. She removed her
Speaker 2: warm blue scarf and wrapped it around his shoulders. Better
Speaker 2: The boy nodded shyly above them. Unseen, a tiny shimmer
Speaker 2: of bright frost swirled from the boy's breath, living winter magic,
Speaker 2: borne from kindness. The witch saw it immediately there, she hissed.
Speaker 2: She swooped down, grabbed the sparkle mid air, and tucked
Speaker 2: it into her jar. With this, she whispered, I shall
Speaker 2: cast a curse the kingdom won't forget. But just as
Speaker 2: she flew upward. Whooshe She collided with a lantern. The
Speaker 2: lantern burst into sparks. The witch spun wildly. Her jar slipped. No, no, no,
Speaker 2: Caspian reacted instantly. He conjured a gust, slowing the jar
Speaker 2: just enough. He caught it barely. What on earth? He muttered.
Speaker 2: The witch landed above him, cloak tangled, hair full of soot. Oh,
Speaker 2: she said, flatly, Hello, margreether. Caspian blinked. Yes, she snapped,
Speaker 2: Now give me that jar. No, give me the jar.
Speaker 1: No.
Speaker 2: Their magic collided, gold and frost, bursting into glitter below.
Speaker 2: The dancers applauded, Oh dear. Caspian groaned, this is not
Speaker 2: part of the entertainment. Ellowen arrived, breathless. Caspian, what's happening? This,
Speaker 2: he said, was not on the schedule. Ellowen turned to
Speaker 2: the witch. Why would you destroy tonight of all nights?
Speaker 2: Margaretha snarled. The heartstone cracked, Frost raced across the ceiling.
Speaker 2: I didn't do that. The heartstone is failing, Caspian cried.
Speaker 2: Elloen grabbed Marguerita's hand. Help us. Margaretha looked at the
Speaker 2: frightened faces and felt something twist inside her what must
Speaker 2: I do, she whispered, Hold it, Caspian said, and give
Speaker 2: it back. They ran to the heartstone. Everyone Ellowen called,
Speaker 2: join hands. The ballroom obeyed, Warmth spread. I'm afraid, Margaretha whispered.
Speaker 2: Maybe something good will happen, Ellowen said softly. Margretha lifted
Speaker 2: the jar Winter. She whispered, I give you back your heart.
Speaker 2: The magic burst free, The palace glowed balanced perfect, lanterns reignited,
Speaker 2: music returned, The winter ball lived again, allow and embraced
Speaker 2: the witch. Why are you doing this, Margaretha asked, because
Speaker 2: you helped save us. The little boy stepped forward. You
Speaker 2: look cold, he said, and placed the scarf in her hands.
Speaker 2: For the first time in many years, Margreetha felt warm.
Speaker 2: The music began again, and Winter, for the first time
Speaker 2: in a long while, felt like a friend. Snow fell
Speaker 2: across the Kingdom of Silver Hollow in soft, swirling ribbons,
Speaker 2: as though the sky had decided to practice its handwriting.
Speaker 2: The rooftops glittered like sugared cakes, the trees sparkled with frost,
Speaker 2: and even the river wore a shimmering coat of ice.
Speaker 2: It was the night everyone in the land had been
Speaker 2: waiting for. The Grand Winter Royal Ball. Every year, on
Speaker 2: the night of the longest winter moon, the royal family
Speaker 2: opened the palace gates. People from every village, town, and
Speaker 2: snowy valley came together. There were musicians from Frostmere, dancers
Speaker 2: from the misty reaches, lantern makers from the ice Downs,
Speaker 2: and bakers who crafted marzipan animals so delightful that no
Speaker 2: one wanted to eat them until they smelled the almond.
Speaker 2: At the heart of the excitement was Princess Elowen, whose
Speaker 2: dark hair contrasted beautifully with the winter white fur she wore.
Speaker 2: She was warm hearted, clever, and known for hosting the
Speaker 2: most magical balls in memory. But even she had a
Speaker 2: secret hope this year that the winter would restore something
Speaker 2: her kingdom had begun to lose, its sense of unity,
Speaker 2: For recent winters had felt colder, sharper, and less welcoming.
Speaker 2: Something unseen had settled on the land, dimming lanterns a
Speaker 2: little earlier and freezing rivers a little faster. Allowan had
Speaker 2: promised herself tonight everyone will feel joy again. Even winter
Speaker 2: itself will warm across the valley. Another figure watched the
Speaker 2: preparations with narrowed eyes, The Witch of Hollowglen. Long ago, Margrietha,
Speaker 2: once a respected enchantress, had been cast into exile. She
Speaker 2: had twisted winter magic, stealing warmth from others. Her wicked
Speaker 2: frost storms had nearly destroyed the royal city. In her fury,
Speaker 2: she swore never to let Silver Hollow forget her pain.
Speaker 2: Over time, she became a shadowy legend, the kind parents
Speaker 2: whispered about when children refused to wear scarves. Tonight, she
Speaker 2: was very real. From her crooked tower deep in hollow
Speaker 2: Glen Woods, Margreethera peered into her crystal of dark ice.
Speaker 2: Through it, she saw crowds gathering, lanterns glowing, the palace
Speaker 2: glittering with thousands of snow lights. Laugh, dance, celebrate, She hissed,
Speaker 2: I shall remind you how cruel winter can be, and
Speaker 2: your precious ball will freeze before the first waltz. Her
Speaker 2: icy fingers curled around her staff, a twisted branch of
Speaker 2: black frost. She raised it dramatically, and nothing happened. The
Speaker 2: witch blinked. She shook the staff, coughed, smacked it on
Speaker 2: the floor a few times for good measure. Still nothing. Oh,
Speaker 2: for Frost's sake, she grumbled, These things used to be
Speaker 2: so reliable. She peered into her spell book and discovered
Speaker 2: with great annoyance that she needed something she had not
Speaker 2: had in years, a spark of living winter magic. Without it,
Speaker 2: her big dramatic curse would only produce disappointing puffs of snow.
Speaker 2: What nonsense, she might uttered, but she knew the truth.
Speaker 2: Winter magic came from balance, cold and warmth living together,
Speaker 2: and Markreetha had rejected warmth so fiercely that no winter
Speaker 2: spell obeyed her fully anymore. Her eyes narrowed fine, she growled,
Speaker 2: I'll get living winter magic myself, and then then the
Speaker 2: ball will be frozen in its tracks. She wrapped herself
Speaker 2: in her tattered cloak, summoned a swirling cloud of dark frost,
Speaker 2: and flew toward the palace. Meanwhile, Princess Elwin hurried across
Speaker 2: the ballroom, checking last minute details. The palace was breathtaking tonight,
Speaker 2: crystal chanderly glittered like frozen stars. Wreaths of silver pine
Speaker 2: hung from the balconies. The orchestra tuned their violins, a
Speaker 2: shimmering harmony filling the air. Elloen called her friend Caspian,
Speaker 2: the Royal Icekeeper, a young, bright eyed magician whose responsibility
Speaker 2: was to maintain Winter's balance. Everything is ready almost, he looked, sheepish,
Speaker 2: almost Eyllowen asked, Caspian rubbed the back of his neck.
Speaker 2: The winter heartstone dimmed earlier. Just a flicker, probably nothing,
Speaker 2: allowan frowned Caspian. A flicker is never nothing, I know,
Speaker 2: he sighed, I'll keep an eye on it. But as
Speaker 2: guests began to arrive, twirling through the palace gates in
Speaker 2: furry cloaks, glittering gowns and boots dusted with fresh snow,
Speaker 2: the flicker was forgotten. Musicians struck their first triumphant notes,
Speaker 2: lanterns burst into golden blue life. Laughter echoed across the ballroom.
Speaker 2: Princess Elwin stepped onto the balcony and raised her hands.
Speaker 2: Welcome all of silver Hollow, She called her voice, warm
Speaker 2: as mulled cider. Tonight we celebrate winter, not for its cold,
Speaker 2: but for its beauty. Tonight we danced together to remind
Speaker 2: the world that frost and warmth can live in harmony.
Speaker 2: Let the winter ball begin in cheers erupted like a
Speaker 2: snow storm of joy, and somewhere above the palace, the
Speaker 2: Witch of Hollow Glens scowled, ugh harmony disgusting, She swooped low,
Speaker 2: invisible to most, searching down below, a small boy stood
Speaker 2: by the fountain holding a wooden toy fox. He looked overwhelmed,
Speaker 2: and a little lost Elooan crouched beside him. Hello, are
Speaker 2: you enjoying the ball? He shook his head. I'm cold.
Speaker 2: Everyone says winter is festive here, but it just feels
Speaker 2: lonely to me. Ellowen felt a hang. She removed her
Speaker 2: warm blue scarf and wrapped it around his shoulders. Better.
Speaker 2: The boy nodded shyly above them. Unseen, A tiny shimmer
Speaker 2: of bright frost swirled from the boy's breath, living winter magic,
Speaker 2: borne from kindness. The witch saw it immediately there, she hissed.
Speaker 2: She swooped down, grabbed the sparkle mid air, and tucked
Speaker 2: it into her jar. With this, she whispered, I shall
Speaker 2: cast a curse the kingdom won't forget. But just as
Speaker 2: she flew upward, whoosh, she collided with a lantern. The
Speaker 2: lantern burst into sparks. The witch spun wildly. Her jar slipped. No, no, no.
Speaker 2: Caspian reacted instantly. He conjured a gust, slowing the jar
Speaker 2: just enough he caught it barely. What on earth? He muttered.
Speaker 2: The witch landed above him, cloak tangled, hair full of soot. Oh,
Speaker 2: she said, flatly, Hello, margreather. Caspian blinked. Yes, she snapped,
Speaker 2: Now give me that jar. No, give me the jar.
Speaker 1: No.
Speaker 2: Their magic collided, gold and frost, bursting into glitter below.
Speaker 2: The dancers applauded, Oh dear, Caspian groaned, this is not
Speaker 2: part of the entertainment. Ellowen arrived, breathless. Caspian, what's happening? This,
Speaker 2: he said, was not on the schedule. Ellowen turned to
Speaker 2: the witch. Why would you destroy tonight of all nights?
Speaker 2: Margrethera snarled. The heartstone cracked, Frost raced across the ceiling.
Speaker 2: I didn't do that. The heartstone is failing, Caspian cried.
Speaker 2: Elloen grabbed Margerita's hand. Help us. Margaretha looked at the
Speaker 2: frightened faces and felt something twist inside her. What must
Speaker 2: I do? She whispered, Hold it, Caspian said, and give
Speaker 2: it back. They ran to the heartstone. Everyone Ellowen called,
Speaker 2: join hands. The ballroom obeyed. Warmth spread. I'm afraid, Margaretha whispered.
Speaker 2: Maybe something good will happen, Ellowen said softly. Margaretha lifted
Speaker 2: the jar Winter. She whispered, I give you back your heart.
Speaker 2: The magic burst free, The palace glowed balanced perfect, lanterns reignited,
Speaker 2: music returned, The winter ball lived again, allow and embraced
Speaker 2: the witch. Why are you doing this, Margaretha asked, because
Speaker 2: you helped save us. The little boy stepped forward. You
Speaker 2: look cold, he said, and placed the scarf in her hands.
Speaker 2: For the first time in many years, Margreetha felt warm.
Speaker 2: The music began again, and Winter, for the first time
Speaker 2: in a long while, felt like a friend. Snow fell
Speaker 2: across the Kingdom of Silver Hollow in soft, swirling ribbons,
Speaker 2: as though the sky had decided to practice its handwriting.
Speaker 2: The rooftops glittered like sugar cakes, the trees sparkled with frost,
Speaker 2: and even the river wore a shimmering coat of ice.
Speaker 2: It was the night everyone in the land had been
Speaker 2: waiting for the Grand Winter Royal Ball. Every year, on
Speaker 2: the night of the longest winter moon, the royal family
Speaker 2: opened the palace gates. People from every village, town, and
Speaker 2: snowy valley came together. There were musicians from Frostmere, dancers
Speaker 2: from the misty reaches, lantern makers from the ice downs,
Speaker 2: and bakers who crafted marzipan animals so delightful that no
Speaker 2: one wanted to eat them until they smelled the almond.
Speaker 2: At the heart of the excitement was Princess Elowen, whose
Speaker 2: dark hair contrasted beautifully with the winter white fur she wore.
Speaker 2: She was warm hearted, clever, and known for hosting the
Speaker 2: most magical balls in memory. But even she had a
Speaker 2: secret hope this year that the Winter Ball would rest something.
Speaker 2: Her kingdom had begun to lose its sense of unity,
Speaker 2: for recent winters had felt colder, sharper, and less welcoming.
Speaker 2: Something unseen had settled on the land, dimming lanterns a
Speaker 2: little earlier, and freezing rivers a little faster. Allowan had
Speaker 2: promised herself Tonight everyone will feel joy again. Even winter
Speaker 2: itself will warm across the valley. Another figure watched the
Speaker 2: preparations with narrowed eyes, the Witch of Hollowglen. Long Ago, MARGRIETHA,
Speaker 2: once a respected enchantress, had been cast into exile. She
Speaker 2: had twisted winter magic, stealing warmth from others. Her wicked
Speaker 2: frost storms had nearly destroyed the royal city in her fury,
Speaker 2: she swore never to let Silver Hollow forget her pain.
Speaker 2: Over time, she became a shadowy legend, the kind parents
Speaker 2: whispered about when children refuse to wear scarves. Tonight, she
Speaker 2: was very real. From her crooked tower, deep in hollow
Speaker 2: glen woods, Margreethera peered into her crystal of dark ice.
Speaker 2: Through it, she saw crowds gathering, lanterns glowing, the palace
Speaker 2: glittering with thousands of snow lights. Laugh, dance, celebrate, She hissed,
Speaker 2: I shall remind you how cruel winter can be, and
Speaker 2: your precious ball will free. Before the first waltz, her
Speaker 2: icy fingers curled around her staff, a twisted branch of
Speaker 2: black frost. She raised it dramatically, and nothing happened. The
Speaker 2: witch blinked. She shook the staff, coughed, smacked it on
Speaker 2: the floor a few times for good measure. Still nothing. Oh,
Speaker 2: for Frost's sake, she grumbled, These things used to be
Speaker 2: so reliable. She peered into her spell book and discovered
Speaker 2: with great annoyance that she needed something she had not
Speaker 2: had in years, a spark of living winter magic. Without it,
Speaker 2: her big dramatic curse would only produce disappointing puffs of snow.
Speaker 2: What nonsense, she muttered. She knew the truth. Winter magic
Speaker 2: came from balance, cold and warmth living together, and Marcgreetha
Speaker 2: had rejected warmth so fiercely that no winter spell obeyed
Speaker 2: her fully anymore. Her eyes narrowed fine, she growled, I'll
Speaker 2: get living winter magic myself, and then then the ball
Speaker 2: will be frozen in its tracks. She wrapped herself in
Speaker 2: her tattered cloak, summoned a swirling cloud of dark frost,
Speaker 2: and flew toward the palace. Meanwhile, Princess Elwin hurried across
Speaker 2: the ballroom, checking last minute details. The palace was breathtaking tonight.
Speaker 2: Crystal chandeliers glittered life like frozen stars. Wreaths of silver
Speaker 2: pine hung from the balconies. The orchestra tuned their violins,
Speaker 2: a shimmering harmony filling the air. Elloen called her friend Caspian,
Speaker 2: the Royal Icekeeper, a young, bright eyed magician whose responsibility
Speaker 2: was to maintain Winter's balance. Everything is ready, almost, he looked, sheepish,
Speaker 2: almost Ellowen asked. Caspian rubbed the back of his neck.
Speaker 2: The winter heartstone dimmed earlier, just a flicker, Probably nothing,
Speaker 2: Allowan frowned Caspian. A flicker is never nothing, I know,
Speaker 2: he sighed, I'll keep an eye on it. But as
Speaker 2: guests began to arrive, twirling through the palace gates in
Speaker 2: furry cloaks, glittering gowns and boots dusted with fresh snow,
Speaker 2: the flicker was forgotten. Musicians struck their first triumphant notes,
Speaker 2: lanterns burst into golden blue life. Laughter echoed across the ballroom.
Speaker 2: Princess Elwin stepped onto the balcony and raised her hands.
Speaker 2: Welcome all of silver Hollow, she called her voice, warm
Speaker 2: as mulled cider. Tonight we celebrate winter, not for its cold,
Speaker 2: but for its beauty. Tonight we danced together to remind
Speaker 2: the world that frost and warmth can live in harmony.
Speaker 2: Let the winter ball begin. Cheers erupted like a snow
Speaker 2: storm of joy, and somewhere above the palace, the Witch
Speaker 2: of Hollow Glens scowled ugh harmony disgusting, She swooped low,
Speaker 2: invisible to most, Searching down below, a small boy stood
Speaker 2: by the fountain holding a wooden toy fox. He looked overwhelmed,
Speaker 2: and a little lost Elooan crouched beside him. Hello, are
Speaker 2: you enjoying the ball? He shook his head. I'm cold.
Speaker 2: Everyone says winter is festive here, but it just feels
Speaker 2: lonely to me. Ellowen felt a pang. She removed her
Speaker 2: warm blue scarf and wrapped it around his shoulders better.
Speaker 2: The boy nodded shyly above them. Unseen, a tiny shimmer
Speaker 2: of bright frost swirled from the boy's breath, living winter magic,
Speaker 2: borne from kindness. The witch saw it immediately there, she hissed.
Speaker 2: She swooped down, grabbed the sparkle mid air, and tucked
Speaker 2: it into her jar. With this, she whispered, I shall
Speaker 2: cast a curse the kingdom won't forget. But just as
Speaker 2: she flew upward, whoosh, she collided with a lantern. The
Speaker 2: lantern burst into sparks on wildly. Her jar slipped. No, no, no,
Speaker 2: Caspian reacted instantly. He conjured a gust, slowing the jar
Speaker 2: just enough. He caught it barely. What on earth? He muttered.
Speaker 2: The witch landed above him, cloak tangled, hair full of soot. Oh,
Speaker 2: she said, flatly, Hello, margreather. Caspian blinked, yes, she snapped,
Speaker 2: Now give me that jar, No, give me the jar.
Speaker 1: No.
Speaker 2: Their magic collided, gold and frost, bursting into glitter below.
Speaker 2: The dancers applauded, Oh oh, dear. Caspian groaned, this is
Speaker 2: not part of the entertainment. Ellowen arrived, breathless. Caspian, what's happening? This,
Speaker 2: he said, was not on the schedule. Ellowen turned to
Speaker 2: the witch. Why would you destroy tonight of all nights?
Speaker 2: Margaretha snarled. The heartstone cracked, Frost raced across the ceiling.
Speaker 2: I didn't do that. The heartstone is failing, Caspian cried.
Speaker 2: Elloen grabbed Marguerita's hand.
Speaker 1: Help us.
Speaker 2: Margaretha looked at the frightened faces and felt something twist
Speaker 2: inside her. What must I do? She whispered, Hold it,
Speaker 2: Caspian said, and give it back. They ran to the
Speaker 2: whole everyone Ellowen called, join hands. The ballroom obeyed, Warmth spread.
Speaker 2: I'm afraid, Margaretha whispered. Maybe something good will happen, Ellowen
Speaker 2: said softly. Margretha lifted the jar winter. She whispered, I
Speaker 2: give you back your heart. The magic burst free. The
Speaker 2: palace glowed balanced perfect, lanterns reignited, music returned. The winter
Speaker 2: ball lived again, allow and embraced the witch. Why are
Speaker 2: you doing this, Margaretha asked, because you helped save us.
Speaker 2: The little boy stepped forward. You look cold, he said,
Speaker 2: and placed the scar in her hands. For the first
Speaker 2: time in many years, Margreetha felt warm. The music began again,
Speaker 2: and Winter, for the first time in a long while,
Speaker 2: felt like a friend.
Speaker 1: The