The HMS Delilah-One Day after the Great Thaw

The ships rocks against a torrent of waves, and even from down below, I can still hear the wind howling whipping the sails into a frenzy flapping and whistling. The whine of the wind sounds like ghosts moaning to be heard, moaning to be noticed, moaning to be recognized. The rain is like the beating of drums in the background each thump, thump, thump echoing like a footstep marching into battle. Every couple minutes, I hear a loud thump as something or someone falls on deck, and I always wonder if I care anymore if anyone ever gets hurt or dies.

It seems like death itself would be a reprieve from the misery of the world where one man can never be remembered. A man may be remembered momentarily written down in history, but even the greatest will be lost to the sands of time. In one million years, will anything be left? Will anything matter? I tried so hard to make a difference, to make the world a better place, but I failed. Sometimes you have to hurt the people to benefit the whole. I was willing to become a murderer to bring a lasting era of peace. I was willing to give up my soul for thousands of people, but she stopped me.

The little prat stepped in front of her sister without thinking, fueled by love. Love is like tinder. It burns brightly at first, flashing and blurring. It dances delightfully with a purity and joy that cannot be replicated, but slowly it flickers and blinks. It begins to die fueled only be weak, delicate wood. Finally, the flame vanishes leaving only an empty pit of darkness and emptiness. I have never loved a person, and I don't believe I ever will. My heart belongs to the people as a mass. A man once said, "Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon 'em." I believe that I can be great. I can feel it in my bones running through my blood in a burning throb.

I reach for greatness, but I fall. I tumble off of a cliff reaching forward and continue into the abyss grasping for anything. I never find it. I had it in my grasp before, and all I had to do was kill a monster. I had to kill the Snow Queen, a most monstrous woman. Only I could see past her fair skin, sweet eyes, and full mouth to the coldness within. Her frozen heart had only given her power to bend nature to her will. Only a monstrosity can cause an eternal winter and equally horrific creatures of snow. I have seen her almost kill men who were only trying to subdue her. I have seen her thrust pointed spikes towards her own sister.

Her weak little sister, Anna. Innocent and naive like a lamb bouncing around falling on her own feet. I pity poor Anna; her sister almost killed her. The Snow Queen thrust a blast of ice through her heart eating away at her energy and warmth. Sweet Anna saved the monster who had attempted to murder her. Anna, who asked me to save her with true love's kiss.

I could not because I never loved her. I wish that I could have saved her. I only asked her to marry me because I loved her country. I loved its great mountains topped in flurries of snow and ice. I loved its town square bustling with people gowned in bright reds, pinks, and oranges. I had finally found my own place. Now, I'm cast adrift back to the Southern Isles to meet my final judgement.