A Winter Rendezvous
It was cold and windy, just the way Jack liked it. The freshly fallen snow covered the land, looking pure and untouched. He smiled, thinking of how each snowflake drifted along the wind. He could stand there for hours watching the snow fall noiselessly. The only sound that distracted him was the crunching of compacting snow. The sound of someone running on the white blanket. He turned and a young girl crashed into him. She looked up at him with her emerald green eyes sparkling and chestnut brown hair slightly wind-blown.
"Sorry Mister," She smiled, speaking softly and angelic-like. Jack smiled and nodded to the young girl. She looked to be as young as nine or ten years of age.
"It's quite alright miss-" he started.
"Claire. My name's Claire." She grinned again, showing off her sparkling white smile. "What's your name?"
"It's Jack." He smiled. His eyes were an icy blue, but shown warmly to the young girl. "Well young Claire, I must be going now. It was a pleasure to meet you." With that he started off, walking across the snow, noiselessly and without making even a dent in the purity.
That was Jack Frost's first encounter with Claire.
Jack thought deeply about the first day he met her. How had she seen him in the first place? His thoughts were plagued by this thought. To the living, Jack Frost was a symbol of winter itself. Mere mortals weren't supposed to be able to touch him let alone see him. The whole strange meeting seemed so unrealistic. This girl, Claire, intrigued him deeply.
He sighed and sat down on a low tree branch, gently taking his hat off. The snowflake etched in the material seemed to glow. The silvery fur lining did almost the same. His mind suddenly filled itself with images of Claire and her sweet, sweet voice echoed evenly through his head, making his pointed ears ring. A gentle breeze picked up, sending wisps of his dark blue hair flying different ways. He decided he would keep watch over the girl every winter.
Each winter came and passed. Jack's growing curiosity turned to interest. Interest turned to like, and like turned to love. By the time Claire turned eighteen, he could no longer keep himself away from her beauty. Therefore the second encounter would be the start of something that should have never been.
Jack waited for the girl in the fields. He felt so impatient and couldn't stop pacing. Finally Claire showed, the cold kissing her cheeks to look like blush. Jack turned and smiled at her.
"Hello Claire. Do you remember me?" His heart almost tore right out of his chest when she screamed.
It took an hour to calm the girl down. Jack slowly explains their first meeting, trying hard to answer her frequent stream of questions. After he explained who he really was, Claire sat there quietly, unable to utter a single word. He sighed and clasped her hand within his.
"Can you feel my touch?" Jack asked. The girl nodded slowly. "This means something. You can see me. You can feel me. I have never met a person like you before."
"You are like ice." She finally said. "You really aren't human, are you?"
Jack shook his head and kissed her hand. The girl shivered from the touch of his cool lips to her bare hand.
"Are you like an elf? Your ears are pointed." Claire asked softly.
Again, Jack shook his head. "Nothing of the sort. I'm the prince of winter." He landed a kiss on her cheek. "And you've all but melted this icy heart, Claire."
"But you barely know me."
"I love you. I don't care if I've only known you for a few minutes or for a few years. I will still say the same words."
Claire stood up, shaking her head in disbelief. Jack stood up as well, grasping her hand again. He pulled her to his chest and hugged her tightly.
"I will make this work Claire. I swear I will."
Claire and Jack began seeing each other every day, if only for a few hours. Jack tried to keep her as warm as he could, keeping her wrapped in blankets and only stealing a kiss when it came to saying goodbye. After months of being out in the freezing cold, Claire began to fall ill. By late February, she was sick in bed with scarlet fever. Jack watched the girl sleep through her bedroom window, desperately praying for the girl to get better. It was weeks before Claire even began to walk around the house again. Winter was beginning to end and he would have to leave soon. One night, just as the last snowfall started, Claire ran out of the house and into the fields, waiting for Jack in the usual place.
"Jack! Jack Frost! Where are you?" Her voice was rough and she was starting to become dizzy again. Claire had already collapse in the snow when he showed.
"Claire, why are you out here?" His hand briefly touched her forehead. "You still have a fever. You're only making it worse."
"Please, don't leave me." She looked up at him, her emerald eyes sparkling with tears.
"Claire, you will die if things keep going as they are. Me being near only makes you suffer worse. I care for you too much to see that happen." He kissed her cheek. "This will be the last time you see me. I'm sorry."
Jack gentley moved a loose strand of hair from her face and bent down slightly to give her one last kiss. Then he picked her up and took her back home. Claire had lost consciousness when they arrived at her front door. He laid her down on the porch and rung the bell. Footsteps approached the wooden door and it opened. A middle-aged woman peeked her head out trying to see who it was, unable to see Jack standing before her, and then looked down at her precious daughter.
"Claire's back! I found her!" She called. Then she scooped the girl into her arms and shut the door behind her. Jack sighed and faded into the night. The last snowfall finally slowed to an end and the freshly fallen snow covered the land in a white blanket for the last time this season.