Three Twisted Knots

From Friðrós:

They didn’t have to speak to me like that. They didn’t have to laugh at me. Wulfrich and Brán are sort of naturally mean, and even Queen Gwyneth laughed. It was just a mistake. I thought the water must be shallow because it felt like I could see the bottom, and then my gown was soaked and my shoes were full of dirt, and I even slipped and got my hair wet, and did they help? No. Did they offer encouragement? No. They laughed at me.

Fine. I didn’t have to stay with them. So I went to the nearest portal, and the portal golem said, ‘Where to, Miss’? so I said, ‘As far away from here as I can get’. He nodded and said ‘Frostweald, then’.

So that’s where I went. And when I got there, I discovered the most beautiful and peaceful winter landscape. Of course, I wasn’t feeling up to beautiful and peaceful at the time, so I’d venture to say I didn’t even notice it: it’s only in retrospect that I say I discovered it right then. No, what I was looking for, immediately upon arrival, was the best way to piss Gwyneth off.

After three years, I’m pretty good at knowing what pisses Gwyneth off, you see. We’ve been around this path before. I just really don’t understand why nobody in the Throng wants to treat me like an adult. I was willing to bet, as I made a beeline to Moth & Moon, that they would all be there, still in Glimmering Meadows, waiting for me to return. Maybe, I thought, I should stay here a couple of days; see how that fit in Her Majesty’s Dainty Little What-Have-You. Now, it’s true that Gwyneth and Moth Evergarden are acquainted; she’s practically friends with every skin painter in the Known Universe, but I happen to know that Moth, like me, has a rebellious streak a mile wide, so I had a little chat with her.

‘I want you’, I said, ‘to paint me a colour that Gwyneth will absolutely hate‘. I smirked. ‘And then, I’m going to come back tomorrow and ask you for another colour Gwyneth will absolutely hate’. I admit, there was giggling.

Moth, who’s no stranger to painting for shock value, came up with this gorgeous purple paint. She called this one Astral, and I have to admit I love it so much! I added a little bit of crystal body shimmer from rainnn, and I think it captures the light gloriously! I popped over to Fungalmire and asked Queue Marlowe (another acquaintance of Her Foofyheadedness) to paint my hair purple, too! That plus a super-revealing outfit from SK should put her right in her place. I can’t wait for the argument when she sees me!

Once all that was taken care of, I took the time to take some deep breaths and look up into the sky of Frostweald. And I felt better, calmer, more settled. Something about a snowy landscape, the quietness of it, just makes me feel happy and at home. Now, if you know me, you are probably thinking, doh, Friðrós; you’re from Iceland. Of course you like it when it’s snowy and cold. And you’d be right, but only up to a point.

There are rumours of witches in Frostweald whose job it is to ease the transitions of the living, whether it be from one place to another, from life into death, from pre-birth into birth. They are liminal creatures, and this landscape is a space that softens and eases blows and burdens of all kinds.

And I admit, the satisfaction of a job well done—knowing how angry Gwyneth would be with my new look, was part of what lifted my mood. That and the environment itself. The calmness of a world in white, the silence of the snow, all those things.

The glowing plants felt like little lights, even if they weren’t guiding me on the main path. I enjoyed more walking away from the shops, if I’m honest. I love quiet places, and one does not often find them at the Great Faire.

And I love how long the shadows are here. So beautiful. I felt ringed in comfort.

Here is a longer view of the woodland. You can see the arch that leads down into the town itself from here, but in this place, it’s easy to imagine that no such town exists, that you are just walking through an endless snow-covered woodland. And it’s beautiful.

Finally, after several hours wandering the woodlands and getting used to my new look, I was ready to go back to Glimmering Meadows and face the music, or at least enjoy Her Majesty’s disapproval.

I think I’ll be…. hm, teal tomorrow. Yes.

Notes & Credits:

Items available at Fantasy Faire:

• Skin: Moth & Moon, Aria, Fantasy Tone Astral (freckled). Available at the Moth & Moon Fairelands Store in Frostweald.
• Dress: SK, Corvina. Available at the SK Fairelands Store in The Winding Valley.
• Shoes: Raven Bell, Lorien Flats. Available at the Raven Bell Fairelands Store in Szystrum Synod.
• Body Shine: rainnn, Kiari Crystal Shine, opal. Available at the rainnn Fairelands Store in Nysaris.
• Hair: Analog Dog (natch!), Colada. Available at the Analog Dog Fairelands Store in Fungalmire.

Other Fancy Stuff:

• Eyes: Song, Seela Eyes
• Eyeshadow: Hexumbra, India Eye Makeup
• Bindi: Badwolf, Valknut Bindi. Not from this Faire cycle, but it may be available at the Badwolf Fairelands Store in Szystrum Synod.
• Ears: Andore, Pixie [L.E.X.]
• Earrings, Andore, Akhel Pixie

About the Region:

Frostweald is one of 22 regions at the 2023 Relay For Life of Second Life Fantasy Faire, sponsored by Roawenwood and designed by Searlait Nitschke.