A beautiful aurora shone in the sky above a small city nestled within a deep fjord. All was quiet, no footstep or voice disturbing the peaceful slumber of the citizens. The city, dominated by a lovely palace, was set on an out-thrust bit of land and protected by high cliffs on every side. Only one channel connected it to the sea, and this was manned by soldiers, on guard even during the latest hours of the night.

In the castle, the crystal light shone through a triangular window, illuminating a small blonde-haired girl.

"Ella!" said a voice. "Ella!" it said again, louder this time, and Ella heard. She looked up from her cozy bed to see her five-year-old sister, Emma, standing impatiently beside her.

"Go back to sleep, Emma," said Ella drowsily, turning back to the welcoming warmth of the blankets. Her sister climbed onto the bed and flopped down on her.

"I can't. I just can't!" she said dramatically. "The sky's awake, and I'm awake, so that means we have t' play!" Ella, paying no attention to her sister's pleas, pushed her gently off the bed and replied,

"Oh, play by yourself!" Then she closed her eyes and tried to fall asleep again, but to no avail. A second later, Emma was back on the bed. Ella was about to be angry when her sister said,

"Wanna play with fire?" At this, Ella looked slyly at her sister. This always worked. She jumped out of bed, and, still dressed in her nightie, followed her excited sister down the grand stairs of the palace.

"Hurry up hurry up hurry up!" said Emma, pulling her sister along. Ella shook her head, smiling at her sister's enthusiasm.

"Shhh!" she said, barely containing her own mirth. "They'll hear you!" Her sister took no notice. They reached the bottom of the staircase and tip-toed to the massive ballroom, carefully closing the doors behind them.

They looked at each other and began giggling. "Common!" said Emma, still laughing, "do the magic!"

Ella looked at her sister and said, "You ready?"

Emma nodded vigorously, and Ella began.

Bringing her hands together, she twisted them around each other, then opened them and motioned as if she were throwing something toward the ceiling. From her hands came a surge of blazing fire, surrounding them, though not burning or hurting them. Emma giggled and laughed happily, watching the flames dance and swirl. Ella increased her concentration, causing them to turn blue, moving faster and faster around the two children. Soon they were playing tag, and Ella was it.

"Can't catch me!" laughed Emma, darting in and out of Ella's view, dodging her careful attempts to "tag" her. "Missed! Try again!" she called wickedly, and Ella tried, failing for the hundredth time.

At this, Ella's temper snapped. Without thinking, she shot a bolt of fire at her sister. And hit her head.

Emma skidded and lay still. Ella was breathing hard, her sudden rush of emotion draining as she saw her sister's limp figure on the ground before her.

"Oh no!" she gasped, and rushed over to her. Emma was very warm, and in her honey-blonde hair there was now a streak of orange. Ella's eyes filled with tears. Fear clawed at her, and she called out desperately for help. "Mama, Papa!" she yelled, then crouched over her sister, as if to protect her.

"I'm sorry, Emma," she sobbed, tears running freely down her cheeks. "I'm so sorry!"

Seconds later, her parents broke into the room, at once taking in the raging fires everywhere and the intense heat permeating the air.

"Ella! What happened?" her father demanded, running to her and Emma.

"It- it was an accident!" she sobbed haltingly. Her mother touched Emma's brow, and drew back almost at once.

"She's burning up!" her mother said fearfully. Her father narrowed his eyes.

"I know where we need to go."

In less than a minute, they were galloping along dim forest paths, Ella sitting safely behind her mother and Emma held in her father's arms.

When they reached their destination, a shallow valley littered with boulders of varying sizes, they dismounted.

"Hello?" called her father hesitantly. "Please, help us. My daughter . . " he trailed off as the ground began trembling, and the stones around them rolled, seemingly of their own accord. Ella took her mother's hand, silenced by surprise and alarm. Suddenly, all the rocks came to a stop, each popping open like a jack-in-the-box, staring at the royals with awe, mumbling surprised greetings, and Ella recognized them from her story books. Trolls! She was about to say this to her parents when up came a stone - or troll, as she now realized - and opened to reveal a stout, ancient-looking troll, clothed in a cloak of moss. He held out his hand to the king, who crouched down and held out the small child asleep in his arms. The old troll laid his hand on her forehead, then looked at the king, then at Ella, who was standing, nervously clutching her mother's skirts. He looked back at the king and asked,

"Born with the powers? Or cursed?" The king faltered for a moment, the replied,

"Uh, born, and they're getting stronger." The troll nodded, then , concentrating on Emma, squeezed his eyes shut for a moment. Everyone held their breath.

Then the troll drew his hand away, and said, "You are very lucky it was her head, not her heart, that was hit. Now, I believe we should remove all magic, even the memories of it." As he spoke, he showed them things, Ella and Emma playing fire man, Ella making a fire castle for her sister, and the sister's playing together. Ella shivered. Was he really going to destroy all that time? All those memories?

He brought his hand back to Emma's forehead, sighed, and said, "She will be all right."

"But," said Ella, "she'll forget everything! She -" The troll cut her off.

"Ella, listen to me. Your power will only grow, and you must learn to control it, or you will put all in grave danger." Ella cowered at this, but he wasn't finished. "There is beauty in it, so much beauty, but without understanding it, that beauty is lost, and only danger and sorrow will take it's place."

"No," said the king, "We'll teach her to control it, I'm sure she can learn. But until then, we keep it secret, we'll reduce the staff, and keep her hidden from everyone. Even Emma."

- - -

Thirteen years passed, and Ella stayed locked away in her room. Emma sang to her every day, begging her to come out, to be with her again. But Ella was scared, and the sisters, once so close, drifted apart.

One day, their parents announced they were going to visit their cousins, to attend the wedding of their daughter. Emma was overjoyed for her parents, bidding them a fond farewell, but Ella was nervous. "Do you have to go?" she asked them as they were leaving. "You'll be fine, Ella," they said.

But days passed, and finally, the terrible news came. Windows were closed, the people dressed in black, and Ella and Emma, alone in the great castle, sorrowed and wept for their lost parents, and for their own loneliness.