Kingdom of Ice

Princess Khione craves her vain and heartless mother's love. After her beloved father dies, she despairs at ever finding love and happiness again. The only comfort she finds is in her nursemaid and her nursemaid's daughter. Years later, Khione's jealous mother orchestrates an event that nearly ends her life. Forced to flee into the Forsaken Forest, the home of the Fae, Khione finds something she could have never imagined. Banished from the lands of Turia, Agnes and Gerda try to start a new life in the nearby Kingdom of Agraunia. They share a small garret room with Agnes's widowed mother, Matilda. There, Gerda befriends her neighbour's son, Kai, who is an apprentice to a Blacksmith. Their close friendship eventually blossoms into love. Their short-lived happiness comes to a halt with Kai's cold, distance demeanour. After he disappears after being seen with a strange woman in white, rumours persist that he is dead. Only Gerda knows he is still alive. The place he touched deepest in her heart makes it hard for her to accept any other truth but her instincts scream at her that he is in danger. With no one willing to help, Gerda sets out alone to rescue him, unaware of the dangers outside of her sheltered life as the nursemaid's daughter. Kingdom of Ice, book 1 of A Dark Faerie Tale, is a blended retelling of Snow White, the Snow Queen and other fairy tales, with action/adventure and a magical touch of romance.