It was time.
The king and queen were frantic, the castle was in a frenzy.
The royal brass held their trumpets at the ready, prepared to announce the arrival.
The first princess of Arendelle was about to enter the world.
"All right, your majesty. Just like we practiced, breathing," the royal doctor stood at the foot of the bed, smiling calmly at the queen. Though, with her very pregnant belly and tousled hair, she looked just like any mother-to-be: scared and excited.
She controlled her breathing. She pushed and pushed, and felt her child leave her body. Just like the doctor had said she would. But something was off, even she could see it, through her messed up hair that half covered her face. The shallow creases in the doctor's face deepened as he realized what was wrong. He bent over the newborn, first cradling it, then moving it swiftly about the room.
"Doctor," the king interrupted. "What are you doing? What's wrong with her?"
"Do you know what is missing, your majesty?" the doctor replied, still worriedly looking at the motionless child. "Crying. Your daughter has not made a sound since she took her first breath. In fact," he held his ear close to the tiny chest, "she is not breathing at all."
Silence filled the royal chamber. The baby, a stillborn.
The queen burst into tears as her husband rushed to her side and held her. He kissed her head in resignation. There was nothing they could do.
"Elsa."
Jack looked on the scene through the window, invisible to all inside. He felt for the couple. He could normally prevent parents from losing their children in the winter. He could redirect sleds, be a beacon through snowstorms, but this? There was nothing he could do about this. This couple had lost their baby girl, not to winter weather, but to Miss Fortune.
And Jack had had enough of her shenanigans. As he looked through the room to the opposite window he saw her, Fortune, playing with the spirit of the baby. Peering into the room of broken hearts, smiling. He went to her.
"Miss Fortune, what do you think you're doing?" Jack demanded.
The baby hid behind Fortune's cloak in fear. Fortune took Elsa and wrapped her arms around her. "Just some honest fun, Mister Frost," she cooed, rocking Elsa. "I don't see any harm."
"You've robbed that couple of their child, Fortune. Give her back."
"Oh, I can't do that, Jack," Fortune fixed her eyes on his, studying his face just as he was studying hers. "We both know that. And besides, Old Fortune doesn't last forever. This girl will be able to handle my duty well, I can tell. She is strong."
"Fortune, this is the fifth child I've seen you take this month. Surely one of the others will suffice to do your job once you are unable," Jack said.
There must always be a Miss Fortune, and Jack knew that. Without evil forces, the good forces are out of business. Lost. Without purpose. And Jack knew that. But this baby was a princess. She should not be in the realm of good and evil spirits. She should be living in her castle, ordering her servants to fix her whatever food she wanted and sliding down the banister in her pretty, long dresses. Not being trained the dark ways of Miss Fortune.
"But Jack, I really like this one," Fortune pleaded. "I'll even give the other four back, just let me keep her."
"No, Fortune. She belongs with her family, in her castle." Jack looked into the room, and was again hit with a wave of empathy for her parents.
"Fine," Fortune smiled an eerie smile at Jack, and hoisted the baby onto her hip. "I'll give her back."
"Really?" Jack had never won an argument against Fortune, and he wanted to make sure he hadn't misheard her. "You're going to give her back?"
"On one condition," Fortune handed Elsa over to Jack, who clumsily took her in his arms.
"You have to give her your powers. Not all of them, of course. What would winter be without Jack Frost?" She looked deep into Jack's eyes. Jack's powers were his most prized possession, anyone could tell. Without his powers, he would be nothing. "Oh, and one more thing, Jack. If you save her…"
He thought for a moment. He looked down at the baby in his arms, comforting herself from being separated from her parents for all eternity. This was one thing he, Jack Frost, could do. He wouldn't have to watch helplessly this time. He could take action. And he would.
A tapping on the window broke the silence of the scene. Everyone looked to see a skinny, pale, barefooted boy in a blue hoodie. His hair was a bright white, and he held a wooden staff and what looked to be Elsa in the doctor's arms. Jack, having made himself visible, tapped again on the window, this time with more urgency, gesturing to Elsa held by both he and the doctor.
A maid opened the window and offered Jack a blanket, which he declined.
"No thank you. I'm not bothered by the cold," Jack said, brushing past her and walking straight to the bed.
"Who are-," the king started.
"Jack Frost. Of course," the queen's face lit up, but her eyes remained sad. "I remember you. I caught a glimpse of you when I was a little girl, looking out my castle window on the first day of winter." The queen looked closely at the Elsa cradled in Jack's arms. "Is she de-"
"No, ma'am. I've brought her back to you from-," Jack hesitated telling her the full story. "From the other side. She will be yours, perfectly healthy. Except for one, minor, thing."
"What is it?"
"Really, it's nothing to fuss over."
"Jack-"
"I assure you, you have nothing to worry about."
"Mr. Frost, what is happening to the child?" the doctor interrupted, aghast at what was happening.
Elsa's spirit and body reunited, and she began to breathe. Her breath was icy cold, as well as her skin. Her hair, previously an obvious brunette, was turning into a silky white, just like Jack's. Her skin turned from a rosy pink to white and her eyes, finally open, flashed bright blue, also like Jack's.
"Jack!" the queen gasped, fear striking her body. Fear for her daughter. Fear of Jack.
"No! No, it's okay!" Jack raised his hand to stop the king, who had taken a position of defense, ready to strike Jack when necessary. "She's fine. She's just-"
"Just what?" the king was impatient to find out why his daughter was as white as a sheet.
"She's just like me," Jack's eyes flashed the same playful blue that Elsa's eyes now were. "She'll be fine. She'll love the winter, and winter will love her."
He smiled his boyish smile, "She definitely won't freeze to death."
"What are you talking about?" the queen asked, puzzled, but joyous over the life of her daughter.
Jack sighed. "That was the deal I made. I gave Elsa some of my powers in order to bring her back. She feels cold because I replaced the blood in her veins with snow. That's really all it is." He shrugged, looking at his hands. "Just some snow. But she's fine. Her body has already adapted to it, look."
Elsa was alert and smiling. As she waved her hands, small flurries began to form above her, causing her to smile and coo more. No one in the room was happier than she.
"See? She's fine." Jack smiled. He had never done this before. He never knew how it looked from the outside, what he did.
"So, she will be able to bring winter, like you do?"
"Yes."
"And no harm will come to her, or us?"
"I've never hurt anyone, have I?"