During this era, witches were seen as worshippers of the Devil and were executed by the public in horrifying ways. Regardless if they were young or old a grim fate awaited them if society knew they could perform magic. Knowing this, Esther made sure to keep her magic powers a secret, not even her own family knew of her powers.

Esther had the ability to fix things that were broken and change the temperature in any area she was in. Once she summoned a thunderstorm to Gringerfield to make it rain in the hot summer to help the crops and she also brought down snow so that the kids could play in it. The little girl had the thrill of being a secret witch and making her town more lively with magic. However, unforeseen bad luck would fall upon the Qrow family which would cause the little witch to get out of hiding.

Esther’s mother fell ill and none of the doctors had the medical skills to save her. Not wanting her mother to die Esther exposed herself and used her magic to cure her mother from the disease.

“I love you, Mother!” She said in a pleading voice. “So, please! Do not tell anyone about my powers or they will take me away!”

Her mother embraced her…

“I promise…no one will know.”

But that was a lie.

The next morning after Esther’s mother was healed she relayed the truth of her daughter’s powers to the Mayor of Gringerfield and they immediately seized her from the house. Without even a trial, they beat her and sentenced Esther to death. They tied the poor girl to a wooden pole surrounded with hay that was drenched in alcohol, she was to be burned at the stake.

As the little witch was burning alive she looked down upon the townspeople who once cared for now despise her and call her a devilspawn. In her heart was fear, sadness, and anger. The witch used what remaining power she had to cast one final spell. A curse.

“In years' time, I shall return with an army from the frozen world! I will bring misery upon you and your descendants! The world shall know my hatred and Gringerfield will forever be lost to time!”

As the girl turned to ash, the townspeople laughed in mockery, not taking her words seriously. They saw it as the last and pathetic screams of a child.

But then…it started to snow. It snowed in the middle of Spring.