The Land of the Golden Apples

A Silver Skate Festival story:

A terrible curse has befallen "The Land of the Golden Apples" when its Queen suddenly dies during the birth of the Princess Summer. Unbearable grief turns the King's heart to ice, and Princess Summer and her nursemaid, Magda, are locked away in the highest tower of the castle. The people of the kingdom most loyal to the King and Queen are transformed into ferocious White Wolves. Soon everyone's heart grows as cold as that of the King. The magical orchard of warmth emitting golden apples, for which the kingdom is named, begins to wither and the curse grows stronger. Every living thing turns into a statue of ice and snow patrolled by the White Wolves.

In a nearby kingdom, Prince Gerald hears of the beautiful, intelligent princess trapped in the tower of the cursed kingdom and sets out on a quest to save her. News of the Prince's quest reaches Princess Summer and she escapes the tower in search of Gerald. Magda is sent out to find Summer and the King soon follows.

During a blinding blizzard, Gerald and Summer stumble into the icy lair of the White Wolf People and quickly fall in love, and as they do the ice lair begins to melt. Magda, then the King, notices the melting lair and discovers Summer and Gerald together. As the King stares upon Princess Summer he is reminded of his beautiful Queen.

Slowly, Summer steps toward him, puts her hand to his cheek and whispers, "Papa?"

Tears fall from the King's eyes as the ice surrounding his broken heart melts away and a golden apple tree begins to grow in the very spot the King's tears have fallen. The King proclaims that everyone in the kingdom write down any thoughts that make them sad or any fear or regret that chases love from their hearts, and burn them. As the fires burn, so does any chance of the curse returning to the kingdom, and each golden apple in the land shines a little brighter. The curse is lifted and the good people of the kingdom, once wolf people, return to their human form and the land of the golden apples returns to its former glory.

Everyone lives happily ever after.

Source credit: www.silverskatefestival.org