Jackson Overland let out a yawn as he blearily rose from the comfort of his large bed. Stumbling slightly, he made his way towards his private balcony and pushed open the doors. The warm morning sun hit him as he stepped outside. He let out a small yelp and recoiled when his bare feet came in contact with the hot cement of the balcony floor.
Blinking, he raised his hand to shade his eyes. He cast his eyes on the ground below where work had already begun in preparation for the night ahead. Everywhere he looked, there was someone scurrying around with a task to complete. The midsummer heat was glaring down on them, but they remained blissfully ignorant and simply continued with their job. After all, the approaching evening was being heralded as the social event of the year. Everyone, who was anyone, was attending. For the employee's, simply being involved in the event, even if behind the scenes, was an honour.
He let out a sigh and turned to retreat back into the welcomed coolness that was his bedroom. His eyes fell on the stiff, pretentious looking suit that his father had chosen for him to wear and he groaned. The outfit, with its pressed dark navy blue pants, white and navy blue military inspired tailcoat with gold trimming, light blue dress shirt and maroon neckerchief looked smart and sophisticated, but it wasn't him. It was simply an illusion, aimed to impress the invited dignitaries and nobles.
The fact that it was his 21st birthday, was just pure luck. Sure, the banners that hung from the streetlamps in town announced it to be his special day. It was true that invitations had been sent to important nobles and eligible townsfolk and claimed the event to be all about him, but it was a lie. Just like everything else in his life.
Jackson Overland, heir to the Burgess throne and beloved son of King Pitchiner Black, wasn't even royal. Jackson Overland, with his piercing blue eyes and unique silver-white hair, was really a young man who had once been known as Jack Frost.
Jack Frost had been an energetic 3-year-old who had fallen into a frozen lake on the edge of his penniless parent's rural home. It had been a sheer stroke of luck that his biological father had been there to witness the fall and had retrieved him from the lake.
Once out of the lake, his parents had wrapped a blanket around him and had climbed into their rickety cart and made the journey to the nearest hospital. By the time they had arrived, the frostbite had spread and he had been close to death. His body had already started to shut down and his skin had begun to change to the cold, pale appearance of death.
Despite their best efforts, he had fallen into a coma. Still, something about him had inspired the medical staff to not give up hope and they had kept him in the small hospital where they had kept a watchful eye on him. Unfortunately, the cost of his treatment had risen to a rather large sum. As a result, his poverty-stricken parents had packed up their few treasured possessions and had skipped town. An ineligible note had been left at the entrance to the hospital and had declared that the fate of their son was no longer their concern and they had relinquished all responsibility.
Fortunately, news had spread about a young, newly orphaned boy who had been abandoned after falling into a coma. His story had apparently touched the hearts of citizens around the kingdom and they had stepped forward to donate what little money they had to his treatment.
He had remained in a coma for just over a week. His recovery had stunned the doctors. Asides from the fact that his brown hair had changed to a silver- white colour while his skin had remained a pale tone, he had appeared to be in good health. The change in his appearance had done little to deter those who had offered him a new home. However, the doctors had refused all offers of accommodation due to one unique trait that had been discovered. A trait that they had deemed potentially dangerous and that they felt needed to be monitored closely.
A loud rapping at his bedroom door interrupted his thoughts. Sighing, he shook his head and moved to open the door.
"Good morning, Your Highness," his chief maid, Toothiana 'Tia' Bunnymund greeted as she curtseyed to show respect. "I trust you slept well?"
"Good morning to you, Tia," he replied and nodded his head. "I had a wonderful sleep, thank you."
"I'm glad to hear that, Your Highness," Tia chirped. "I would like to wish you Happy Birthday. I have also been sent by your father. He would like you to meet him in the dining room for breakfast so that you can go over preparations for your special night."
Rolling his eyes, he looked at her. "There is nothing special about tonight, Tia," he muttered. "You and I both know that."
A small frown appeared on Tia's face. "Your Highness," she began. "You don't really mean that. This day is incredi-"
"My name is Jack, Tia," he interrupted. "Please, I have asked you before to call me by my real name."
"Forgive me, Jackson...Jack," Tia apologised. "Old habits die hard. Still, I must urge you to hurry and dress so that you can meet your father. There is a lot that you have to get through."
He studied the stern expression on the older woman's face and sighed. Taking a step back, he closed the door and moved towards his closet. Flinging open the door, he pulled out a plain white dress shirt and a simple pair of dress pants and placed them over his arm. He then moved to the chest of drawers and pulled out a fresh pair of briefs.
Inwardly, he cursed himself for sounding so petulant in front of Tia. Over the years, she had become like a mother to him. His adoptive father had assigned her to be his personal maid upon his arrival at the castle. She had always had his best interest at heart and he knew that his tone had worried her.
He couldn't quite understand the reason behind his strange mood. In reality, he had a lot to be thankful for. After all, despite being abandoned in his time of need by his biological parents, he had pulled through. He had been lucky to have caught the attention of the king, who had been granted permission to adopt him. As such, he had spent the past eighteen years living a blessed life. His adoptive father doted on him. The castle staff all adored him. Even Aster "Bunny" Bunnymund, Tia's cantankerous husband and chief of security at the castle, had admitted that he didn't really mind him, regardless of the number of pranks that he'd fallen victim to over the years. His father's adviser, Nicholas "North" St North, had made no secret of the fact that he regarded him to be like a grandson. Prince Jackson Overland, only son of King Pitchiner Black, had no reason to feel miserable, but he did.
He felt selfish for feeling depressed. He was more than aware of how lucky he was and how much love surrounded him. However, luck did not prevent him from feeling like he didn't quite belong and it sure as hell did not mean that he didn't have his insecurities.
"Your Highness," Tia's soft voice called through the door. "Jack, is everything alright?"
Absent-mindedly, he pushed a hand through his hair before moving towards the door. Taking a deep breath, he forced a smile onto his face and leaned down to open the door. "Everything is fine, Tia," he lied.
Elsa gazed out the window and watched as her younger sister, Anna, ran out the front door of their stately manor to greet her boyfriend, Kristoff. A few short strides was all she had needed to reach her partner and his horse, Sven. Happily, she had flung herself into his waiting arms and had buried her head into the crook of his neck.
Sighing, she pushed herself away from the window to give the couple their privacy. After all, she had no interest in watching the public display of affection that was about to happen. The amorous behaviour, while no doubt enjoyable for the young couple, only served to remind her of a life of happiness that she could never know.
Still, she had no right to complain. After all, she had been fortunate to be born into one of the wealthiest homes on the outskirts of the village of Arendelle. Her father, Agdar, was a highly respected doctor and worked in nearby Burgess where he had provided care to noted citizens such as King Pitchiner, as well as his dearly departed wife, Queen Victoria.
It had been her family's wealth and social standing which had enabled her survival. Her mother had wasted no opportunity to let her know that had she been born to a poorer family, then she would have been killed the instant that her curse had first revealed itself. Fortunately, her father's wealth had meant that they had a home large enough for her to be contained in solitude and away from the main part of the manor.
The loneliness that she had experienced over the last 21 years had given her plenty of time to reflect on her curse and the way it had made life difficult for her family.
She had been only a few hours old when the first sign of snow and ice had escaped from her tiny hands .Within an instant, she had gone from being her parents pride and joy, to their dirty little secret. Luckily, her father's professional expertise had allowed for him to convince the hospital staff to allow him to whisk his wife and daughter home earlier than what was considered normal.
Once home, he had waited twenty-four hours before he had sent out correspondence to let their friends and family know that their beloved firstborn, had died suddenly in her sleep. The few maids that had been employed to work in the manor, had been let go with her mother reluctantly agreeing to take on the role of homemaker.
Fortunately, her parents had been blessed with a normal, healthy daughter a mere three years later. Anna's birth had seen her parents celebrating their beloved uncursed daughter and they had taken even more steps to ensure that she remained separated from her family.
Another lock had quickly found itself being added onto the door to her small bedroom, which had helped limit the chance of her escaping. Anna had also been forbidden from entering her section of the home without supervision. Over the course of her sister's eighteen years, she had spent a combined total of two hours in her presence. Her only knowledge of her sister had come from her observations from behind her window and from tidbits of information that her father had shared when he had let her out for toilet and bathing breaks.
A loud rap on the door caused her to snap out of her thoughts. The sound of keys rattling could be heard. Blinking, she turned to face the door.
"Elsa," her father's disembodied voice called from the other side. "I shall be opening your door so that you may use the restroom. Please ensure that your gloves are on."
Biting her lip, she glanced down at the turquoise gloves which she wore as a preventative measure. "You are safe to enter, Father," she called.
Less than a minute later and the door swung open to reveal her bored looking father. "Come along," he grunted. "Please be extra careful. Anna and Kristoff are down this end of the house. They are in the sewing room with your mother, trying on their outfits for the ball."
Nodding, she followed her father as he silently lead her through their house and towards the nearest bathroom. In the near distance, she could hear the sound of Anna as she happily chatted from within the sewing room. Judging from the tone of her sister's voice, she was happy with the dress that her mother had created for the ball. A small sigh escaped her lips as she forced herself to focus her attention on the back of her father's head.
Her family had been fortunate to be invited to celebrate the twenty-first birthday of Prince Jackson, the only son of King Pitchiner. The invitation had been delivered to her father's workplace and had asked that all eligible women over the age of eighteen attended. Naturally, she had not been included in the RSVP and her spot had been given to Kristoff.
As if reading her mind, her father spoke. "I am sure that you are aware that we shall be out tonight, Elsa," he murmured.
"I am aware, Father," she responded glumly.
Her father cleared his throat before he continued. "Right, well as a treat, your mother and I have decided that you may have free roam of the house while we are out. You shall also be allowed to come look at our outfits before we depart. Your mother is quite proud of her handiwork and would love to hear your thoughts," he stated. "Of course, you shall have to wear your gloves. We don't want to risk your curse presenting itself."
She felt her heart sink and lowered her eyes to look at the floor. "I shall wear my gloves, Father," she murmured. "Say, do you think that Mother will consider making me a new dress?"
A derisive giggle sounded from behind her. "There is no use asking for a new dress, Elsa," a loud voice taunted. "You're not even allowed to leave the house. You are a freak, remember? Mother and Father have done more than enough by simply allowing you to live."
Frowning, she turned on her heels to face her sister. "I am not asking for vanity reasons, Anna," she protested. "My current dress has a hole in it."
"Anna," her father snapped as he stepped forward to block her view of her sister. "Please go back inside the sewing room. It is not safe to taunt your sister, you know that."
"Okay, Father," Anna chirped. "I still hope to show Elsa my dress later though, I really want her to see how pretty I will look."
"You shall still get that chance, Anna," her father promised. "However, I do ask that you get out the way now."
To her relief, Anna let out a small huff before turning and darting back inside the sewing room. Blinking back a tear, she forced herself to push her sister's cruel words from her mind. Instead, she forced herself to go over the small mantra she had for controlling her powers.
Jack groaned as he accidentally stepped on Tia's smaller, more delicate foot once again. Blushing, he released his grip on her and watched as she shook her foot.
"My apologies, Tia," he murmured. "I fear that dancing is not one of my skills. Perhaps we should give up. I doubt that I will ever be able to dance."
"Nonsense, Your Highness," Tia scoffed. "If I could teach Bunny how to dance for our wedding, then I am certain that you will be no problem. Besides, you're not that bad. You just need a bit more faith in your ability."
Shaking his head, he looked at her. "What I need, is to take a break," he snapped.
He watched as Tia recoiled from his sharp tone and sighed. Ordinarily, he would apologise immediately for his rudeness, but not today. Instead, he turned on his heels and stormed out of the room.
He knew that his behaviour was childish and unbecoming of anyone, let alone the king's adopted son, but he didn't care. It was only a matter of hours before he would be expected to front up to an entire ballroom full of people for his birthday celebration. There, he would be expected to pretend that every single person was not out there, waiting to judge him or with a hidden agenda.
He could feel his frustration building as he strode through the castle and out the doors that led to the rear yard. The mid afternoon heat bore down on his shoulders, but he continued. Within minutes he reached a small bench which was overlooking an empty fish pond. Lowering himself on the bench, he buried his head in his arms.
A part of him wondered where it had all gone wrong. As a kid, he had eagerly anticipated his birthday and had never wanted the day to end. Now, as an adult, he was counting the hours until the day had ended. Birthday's just didn't seem as exciting anymore.
With each year that passed, he was only getting closer to the time when his adoptive father would pass. When his father passed, the throne would be his. The thought of being king terrified him. It wasn't just the fact that he would be responsible for an entire kingdom that worried him, it was also the knowledge that his every move would be watched by those who thought him to be unworthy of the throne. The same people who had claimed that the crown should only go to those who were related by blood and not adopted children.
"Jackson," a loud voice called.
Raising his head, he turned to find his father striding across the lawn.
"Is everything okay? Tia said that you left your dance lesson abruptly," his father asked as he settled down on the bench.
He nodded. "Everything is fine, Father," he murmured. "I needed a break, that's all."
Beside him, he heard his father draw in a breath before he exhaled slowly. "I wish that I could believe you, Jack," his father stated. "Except, I have noticed that you have appeared to be somewhat distant and moody all day. I'm concerned for you and I'm not the only one. Both Tia and North have expressed that they are concerned for you. You are not your normal cheery self. What happened to the little boy who used to run around shouting to the world that it was his birthday? "
He snorted derisively. "That little boy grew up and realised that there is nothing truly special about birthdays, at least not mine," he muttered.
"Excuse me? Says who?"
"It's not important, Father," he murmured. "Please don't waste your time on me."
"I disagree," his father said. "That is a lie. If something is affecting you, then it is important, at least to me it is."
Sighing, he stood to his feet. "Father, please," he protested. "It truly isn't important."
"Jackson Overland! As your king, I order you to sit down and tell your father what is on your mind," his father ordered.
Reluctantly, he plonked himself back on the bench. Experience had taught him to not go against his father's wishes when he pulled the king card on him. Biting his lip, he stared at the empty fishpond for a while. His father remained patiently by his side, waiting for him to speak. Carefully, he considered the best way to express himself. The last thing he wanted to do was to offend his father. Especially, given the sacrifices his father had made for him.
As the years had passed, he had realised just how big a risk his father had taken by adopting him. Not only had he promised to love and care for someone else's child, he had willingly adopted a child with powers. Over the years, he had been forced to defend his decision to adopt Jack from his detractors. Everything from the fact that Jack had been born into poverty, to the fact that they had a different surname, had been called into question and the adoption had been called nothing more than a political stunt.
"I'm still waiting, Jack," his father said quietly, snapping him from his thoughts. "What is on your mind?"
Cocking an eyebrow, he turned to face his father. "Honestly?" he remarked. "I was simply remembering how people claimed that you adopted me for a political stunt. That and the fact that people seemed to have major issue with our surnames being different."
His father furrowed his brow before running a hand through his thick black hair. "Well, my son, I wish that I could tell you that everyone you meet is intelligent, but that would be a lie," he chuckled. "I did make an issue to tell people that I had chosen to give you the surname of Overland out of respect for the doctor that saved your life. Besides, if you had my surname then you would rhyme. I didn't think you would appreciate being called Jackson "Jack" Black."
"Yet people still complained," he mused, kicking at a tuft of grass. "No matter what you or I do, they will always find something to complain about. If they aren't complaining, then they have an agenda and want something from you."
"What exactly do you mean by having an agenda, Jack?"
He sighed. "Everyone wants something from me tonight, Father," he admitted. "Either they are like you and want me to find a girl, fall in love and produce an heir," he paused briefly before continuing. "Or, they want to see me fail so that they can claim me to be unfit for the throne. You know, because I'm not really your son."
"Jackson," his father groaned. "You are my son. I love you more than anything, you know that. You were my angel. You came into my life at a time when I had thought it was over. I had lost my wife and thought I had nothing to live for. Then I heard about you and your situation and I just knew that it was a sign. As I said, your name was the name that my wife and I had hoped to name a child, if she had been able to conceive. So, when I learned about you, I took it to mean that you had been sent for me from heaven. You were meant to be my son and I couldn't be prouder of you. You will be a wonderful king, when the time comes."
"Yeah, but what about my...my...my-"
"Your powers?" his father guessed. "What about them? You have them under control. I can't see them being an issue."
"But how can I be expected to meet a girl? Isn't that what this party is really about? So that I can meet a girl to settle down with," he questioned. "How will I explain my powers to a potential bride? What if she thinks I'm a freak and gets scared that I could hurt her or our child?"
His father let out a deep sigh. "First of all, while I would be delighted if you were to meet a girl tonight, that is not the sole purpose of the ball," he began. "Secondly, if any girl thinks less of you for one minor difference, then she is not worthy of being in your life."
A loud knock on her bedroom door woke Elsa from her nap. Frowning, she shuffled into a seated position before reaching over to grab her gloves and pulling them on.
"Elsa," her father's voice called. "We shall be leaving shortly. I am about to unlock your door and let you out."
"I'm ready, Father," she called out.
Swinging her legs over the side of her bed, she slowly stood to her feet and moved to stand against the wall. She heard the sound of the keys being inserted into the lock before the door swung open to reveal her father standing tall in her doorway.
"Good Evening, Elsa," he greeted. "I would like you to go to the living room. Your sister is so excited for you to see her dress. I shall be leaving you so that I can go hitch the carriage to the horse. Please be extra careful while in the presence of your mother, sister and Kristoff."
"I'll be careful, Father, I promise," she murmured.
Biting her lip, she watched as her father furrowed his brows before he turned and fled the room. Taking a deep breath, she made her way through the house and towards the living room. The sound of voices could be heard chatting as she got closer.
"Elsa," her mother's clipped voice called. "How lovely to see you. Come on in and tell us what you think about our outfits. Are they suitable enough for royalty?"
Blushing, she raised her head and glanced over the red dress that her mother had opted to wear. "Your dress looks lovely, Mother," she said with a smile. "I also like the way you've styled your hair."
"What about me, Elsa?" Anna asked. "Mother made me a really pretty dress. She did say that if you are lucky, that she may make you a dress with the leftover material. It may not be as pretty as mine though. Kristoff said that I shall be the prettiest girl at the ball."
Rolling her eyes, she turned to glance at her sister. Anna was right, their mother had done a lovely job on the new green dress. The colour seemed to perfectly compliment her sister's strawberry-blonde hair and brought out the colour of her eyes.
"You do look lovely, Anna," she agreed. "So does Kristoff. I hope that you have a nice evening tonight."
"Thank you, El-" Kristoff began.
"Oh Elsa, I am so sorry that you can't come," Anna interrupted. "It really is awful that you are cursed and can't enjoy normal things. Still, look on the positive side- you get the house to yourself, but then again, you are used to being alone."
She gasped slightly at her sister's tone. Cocking her head, she caught sight of the sly smile on her sister's face as she stepped back into Kristoff's open arms. A part of her wanted to defend herself against her sister's cruel jab at her, but it was useless. Her sister was the golden child of the family, the normal one, while she was their shameful secret.
"Anna," her mother stated calmly. "Please be careful. Elsa's curse seems to respond to her emotions. I do not wish for her to get upset and risk harming you or Kristoff. Please leave the room now."
She swallowed the lump that had formed in her throat and watched as her sister turned to flash their mother a wide smile before gripping Kristoff's hand and leading him from the room.
"Elsa," her mother continued. "I am sure that you are aware that it was your father's idea to allow you to roam the house while we are out. He believes that you deserve this little treat. I expect that you shall be in your room and ready to be locked in by one am. The ball ends at one am and I have decided to stay until the end. There is a rumour that the prince shall be looking for his bride tonight and I want to be there to catch a glimpse of our future queen. It shall only take us fifteen minutes to arrive home, so please make sure you are out of the way."
"I understand, Mother," she murmured. "I shall be in my room by the time you arrive home."
"I knew that I could count on you, Elsa," her mother stated. "I have already decided that if you can behave tonight, then I shall consider making you the new dress that you are after."
"Thank you, Mother, she replied, lifting her head to meet her mother's stern gaze. "Thank you for your trust in me."
Wringing her hands, she watched as her mother studied her face for a few seconds while she considered her response.
"Alright," her mother sighed as she brushed past her. "We shall leave you now, Elsa. Don't forget, whether you get this new dress or not is entirely up to you. You are already being granted a special treat. Do not disappoint me."
The sound of a dog barking in the distance, caused Elsa to jump. Frowning, she pulled her cloak tighter and glanced around warily. The streets of her small village were eerily quiet despite the fact that the midsummer evening meant that it was still light out. Still, she didn't mind the emptiness. She was happy simply having the chance to explore further than the edge of her driveway.
A part of her still could not believe that she had dared leave the confines of her property. It was both the most daring and stupidest thing that she had ever done. Furthermore, it was completely and utterly out of character for her.
Her entire life, she had remained polite and had accepted the things that her family had said about her. When they had told her that she was cursed and that they had saved her life by allowing her to live, she had thanked them. When her mother had reminded her that she had done nothing to deserve a daughter like her, she had apologised to her for her Anna had flaunted the fact that she had been born normal, she had congratulated her for being perfect. Over the course of her life, she had come to believe that she had to apologise for who she was.
In order to try and appease her family and to earn their love, she had strived to excel elsewhere. She had always been polite and had never questioned their judgement. Her time had been spent reading, writing and studying the books and papers that her father had lent her. All her life, she had remained well behaved and had tried to show respect to the very people who had never failed to treat her like a monster.
However, something had snapped inside of her while she had watched the carriage pull away. She didn't know whether it had been the parting smirk from Anna, or the way her mother had shouted yet another warning to her. All she had known was that she had found herself muttering about how she deserved to be treated like a human while she had retreated into her room and had pulled a brush through her hair.
By the time she had come to her senses, she had been at the end of her street with a spare set of house keys in the pocket of her cloak. The panic that she had felt at being away from the familiarity of her home had soon disappeared, only to be replaced by a sense of adrenaline and peace upon realising that she was free, if only for a few hours.
"Excuse me," a soft voice called, causing her to jump.
Frowning, she turned around to find herself face to face with a petite middle-aged woman
with dark hair and a kind smile.
"Excuse me, the woman continued. "My husband and I couldn't help noticing that you have walked up and down this street three times already. Are you lost, dear?"
"Uh.." she stammered. Her eyes scanned the environment and she sighed upon realising that the woman was correct and she had been retracing the same path.
"Are you a local?" the woman asked, cocking her head as she continued to stare at her. "Is there somewhere that you are meant to be?"
'My home,' she thought. 'That is where I'm meant to be.'
Blushing slightly, she nodded. "Yes, I am a local," she admitted. "I'm just not familiar with this street. My family are at the ball, so I decided to go for a walk."
The woman looked at her and pursed her lips as she considered her reply. "Forgive me for asking, but why are you not at the ball?" she asked. "You look to be of age. If your family were invited, then you would have been included on the invitation."
Biting her lip, she contemplated her response for the friendly, but inquisitive lady. "I...I...forgot and I missed the carriage," she lied.
"Well, if it isn't your lucky day," the woman exclaimed, smiling widely. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Tia Bunnymund. My husband, Aster, and I both work at the castle. We came home to change our clothes and will be heading back to the castle in a few minutes. We can give you a lift."
Her eyes widened in horror as she turned to face the woman. "No, that is okay, Tia," she protested. "I appreciate your kindness, but I am not dressed for the ball."
"Lucky for you, you look to be the same height and size as me. I am certain that we can find something to fit you," Tia continued, smiling widely. "What do you say? I'm sorry, I don't know your name, but you should know that I won't take no for an answer."
Shaking her head, she turned to smile at Tia. "Elsa," she whispered. "My name is Elsa."
Jack sat perched on the throne and watched as the couples danced around him. Every inch of him yearned to flee from the boring event that was masquerading as his birthday, but he couldn't. To do so would not only be rude, but it would also guarantee him the scorn of those who served to discredit him.
A little under two hours had passed since he had been formally announced and had claimed his spot on the throne beside his father. In that time, he had shaken many hands and had been subjected to several dance requests from eager females. Initially, he had obliged their request, but had soon found himself disheartened and had excused himself to rest.
It had become apparent early on that any hopes his father had for him to meet a girl, had been dashed. Every single girl that he had danced with had left him bored. Sure, they had been beautiful, but the spark that he had hoped to find with a potential partner had not been present. Instead, it had become obvious to him that their interest in him was simply because of his title and as such, their conversations had centred around subtle bragging and over-the-top compliments.
Shaking his head, he let out a sigh and shifted his position. He reached for the glass of drink beside him and frowned upon noticing that it was empty. Raising his head, he scanned the room for the nearest butler. His eyes fell on the familiar sight of Bunny, who had returned to work, dressed in the smart uniform that the guards wore for special occasions. A sly smile crossed his face as he contemplated calling the long-suffering guard to him so that he could engage him in some good-humoured banter. However, all thoughts of having fun at Bunny's expense disappeared when he saw the young woman standing nervously beside him.
There, standing deep in conversation with Bunny's wife, Tia, was a girl dressed in a long purple dress with a jewelled mask which covered her eyes and part of her nose. Her light coloured hair had been pinned back in a bun with only a few strands left out to frame her pale face. While he couldn't deny that she was undeniably beautiful, it wasn't her beauty that had caught his eye.
Contrary to a lot of women, who had not failed to continue to shoot flirtatious glances in his direction, or had tried to approach him with false praise, she had not bothered to even look his way. In the past few minutes that he had spent gazing at her, she had not once turned to look at him. Instead, she had wrapped her arms around her waist and had continued to engage in conversation with Tia. In a room full of people who had provided him with insincere compliments, she stood out- and that intrigued him.
Nervously, Elsa glanced around the large ballroom. Her fingers pinched at the skin on her arm in the hopes that she would wake up to find it was all a dream, but it wasn't. In the ever-growing list of bad mistakes that she had made in the past three hours, agreeing to attend the ball was undoubtedly the worst.
She had tried her hardest to deny Tia when she had suggested that she accompanied her back to the castle. She had argued that it was a bad idea and that she needed to return home. However, her protests had been futile and Tia had insisted that she agreed. Numbly, she had relented to the request and had followed her into her home where she had been presented with a beautiful purple dress to try it on.
With the dress on, she had been left with even less grounds to refuse. She had attempted to point out that her shoes were not suited, but Tia had simply pointed out that the length of the dress covered her feet anyway. It had been at that point when Tia's husband, Bunny, had intervened to tell her that nothing could change his wife's mind when she had set it on something and that she was destined to attend the ball with them.
Arriving at the castle, she had felt slightly overwhelmed at the sight of the grand building. Everything about the royal residence had looked amazing and no expense had been spared in decorating it for the prince's birthday. She had excused herself momentarily to use the restroom where she had daringly used her powers to embellish her black flats with an iced detail that had remained hidden by the skirt of her dress. From there, she had followed her new friends into the ballroom.
She had felt her heart-rate escalating upon catching sight of her family. Nervously, she had tugged at the jewelled mask that she had worn as a disguise. Fortunately, Tia had opted to stand in a corner of the room on the opposite side to her parents. All she had to do, was keep a watchful eye on her family and pray that they would not recognise her with the subtle changes she had made to her appearance and the fact that they believed her to be at home.
Jack waited with baited breath as his father's adviser, North, approached Tia and called her away from her mysterious guest. Taking a deep breath, he stood up from his throne and made his approach.
He could feel the eyes of a few guests following him as he drew closer to the girl, but ignored them. Clearing his throat, he reached out his hand and lightly tapped her on the shoulder. He felt the girl stiffen slightly and inwardly cursed himself for daring to touch her instead of simply calling for her attention.
"I...I'm sorry," he apologised, watching as the girl whirled around to face him with a startled expression on her face.
"I...I…" stammered the girl, a light blush dotted her cheeks before she lowered herself into a curtsy. "Your Highness."
Nervously, he ran a hand over the back of his hand. Standing in front of the girl, he couldn't help finding himself at a loss of words. He had thought her to be attractive from a distance and he hadn't been wrong. Standing in front of her, he could see that she was even more beautiful up close with her pale skin, vibrant blue eyes and a light dusting of freckles over her nose and cheeks.
"Hi," he greeted, smiling shyly at her. "Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jack and I would love it if you would grant me the honour of a dance."
Biting his lip, he watched as the girl's eyes widened before she lowered her gaze. "I...I don't dance," she murmured, shaking her head. "I'm sorry."
Frowning, he looked at her. A small part of him had felt slightly taken aback at her refusal, but he ignored it. "Neither do I," he admitted, chuckling slightly. "Would you consider granting me the honour of 'not dancing' with me then?"
The girl's head jerked up as she turned to study his face as if confused by his persistence. "Why?" she whispered. "Why me? There are many more girls who are more worthy of your time."
Frowning, he cocked his head as he considered his response. The mysterious girl was definitely different to the rest of the girls that he had been introduced to. Not only had she completely ignored him upon entering the ballroom, but she had displayed a modesty when she had denied his request that stood out from the other girls, who had been only too quick to list off their qualifications and praising him.
"Why not?" he countered, gazing at her from behind a stray strand of hair. "It is true that there are many more women in this ballroom, but you are the only one who I wish to get to know. Whether we dance or not, at least allow me the chance to be in your presence for a while."
Elsa let out a small sigh as she allowed herself to be swept around the floor by the prince of Burgess once again.
Every single aspect of her night had been an experience in either out of character rebellion, or stupidity- she wasn't sure which one was more dominant. Just like she had failed to stop herself from leaving her home and accepting Tia's offer, she had also been unable to deny Jack.
She had tried to refuse him, she really had. Upon catching a glimpse at him, she had diverted her eyes in the hopes that she would not be swayed by the lopsided grin that he had worn, or the way that his steely blue eyes appeared to twinkle when he gazed at her from behind his silver-white hair.
However, Jack had worn her down with the sincerity in his tone and the pleading look on his handsome face. After a few minutes of pleasant small-talk, she had ended up allowing him to twirl her around the dance floor. It had only been when the attention that they had received had caused her to become unsettled and fearing that she would be recognised, that she had requested to stop
To her relief, Jack had agreed and had led her out of the ballroom and toward a small fountain where they had continued their earlier conversation. It had only been when an older man with a thick white beard had come to request Jack return to the ballroom, that they had returned indoors. Still, despite the change of scenery and the fact that the eyes of the guests had once again been on them, Jack's attention had remained solely on her.
"Would it be too bold of me to say that I don't wish this night to end," Jack murmured.
"Jack," she whispered. Her eyes caught his and she noted the sincerity in his expression. Sighing, she allowed a small smile to cross her face. If she were honest, then she would tell him that she would love nothing more than to have the chance to get to know him more, but she couldn't. Shaking her head, she looked over his shoulder to where the large clock stood. "I...I...I-"
"You what?" Jack probed as he stopped moving to look at her.
"I have to go," she croaked. "It is nearly midnight and I must leave."
Jack frowned as he watched the mystery girl weave her way through the gathered guests and towards the large doors. Pursing his lips, he wondered if he had done something to offend her. He had thought that they had been having fun and her abrupt departure confused him.
For the last few hours, she had remained in his arms or by his side and they had enjoyed their time dancing and talking. Her surprise arrival at the party had turned his night around and he had found himself wishing that it didn't have to end. Suddenly, he had found himself questioning his views on love at first sight and while he wouldn't say that he had fallen in love with her, she had left him smitten with her beauty, modesty, intellect and kindness. It had become apparent to him that he wanted to know more about her.
'What are you doing, Jack,' he muttered.
Shaking his head, he forced himself out of his dazed stupor and took off after her. Moving through the crowd, he noticed the puzzled expression on the faces of his guests and employees, but shrugged them off. They could think what they wanted, he didn't care anymore. He was on a mission to find the woman that had challenged his thoughts on romance and courtship and he was not about to let her go.
"Wait," a loud voice called.
Panicking, Elsa turned on her heels to face the owner of the voice. She let out a small sigh of relief upon realising that it was only Jack as he raced down the stairs towards her.
"Where are you going?" he asked as he crossed the divide to stand in front of her. "Did I offend you somehow?"
Shaking her head, she looked at him. "No," she whispered. "You...you were perfect. You were a perfect gentleman and it has been an honour to get to know you."
"I feel the same," Jack admitted, grinning at her. "I've loved getting to know you. I was so bored before you came in, but you...you changed that. I'd really like the chance to get to you know you some more, maybe even court you if you would agree to it."
Sighing, she lowered her head and blinked back the tear that had threatened to fall. She couldn't face him. Never, in her life, had she thought that she would get the chance to leave the confines of her property. Yet she had and somehow, things had fallen into place to allow her to enjoy one perfect evening. However, like all good things, it had to come to an end. Jack was a prince and she was simply a cursed girl who had done something bold and unexpected.
"Please," Jack continued. "Don't leave me like this. Is it because of who I am? Is that why you wish to leave me with only the memory of a perfect evening spent with an angel?"
"No," she cried, lifting her head to face him. "Please, believe me when I tell you that you really are perfect and I have had the best night of my life with you. I just, I have to go."
She watched as Jack's lips curled into a frown. Confusion was etched onto his face. She felt the tears threatening to fall from her face. Turning around, she forced herself to continue moving. Her eyes fell on the Bunnymund's carriage where she had left her dress, cloak and keys and she raced towards it.
"I don't even know your name," Jack called as he raced to follow her. "Please, at least give me a name."
"Elsa," she called, tossing her l clothes over her arm. "My name is Elsa."
Jack let out a loud curse as he watched Elsa pick up the speed and race out the front gates. For someone who was wearing a long dress, she was surprisingly fast and had easily managed to escape him.
Shaking his head, he slowed his pace and moved towards the gate.
"She's a strange one," Bunny remarked, moving from his spot at the gate. "Tia found her wandering down our street a few times. She lives in the area. Though she said that she doesn't get out much."
"She's perfect," he muttered, turning to glare at the burly guard. "Absolutely perfect and now she's gone, leaving me with only her name and the memory of tonight."
"And her shoe," Bunny pointed out. "Look in front of you, Your Highness. She lost her shoe."
Blinking, he looked to where Bunny was pointing and noticed that he was right, a ladies shoe had been left on the ground. Sniffing back a tear, he bent down to retrieve it. A small gasp escaped his lips as his hand came in contact with the familiar sensation of ice. Frowning, he stepped under the gaslamp to study the shoe.
On the surface, it appeared to be an ordinary black flat. However, on closer inspection he noticed the undeniable trace of an ice pattern as it slowly began to melt. Frowning, he glanced at his hands. His father had been right. He had good control over his powers. This ice had not come from him which could only mean one thing.
"I'm not the only one," he murmured under his breath.
"Your Highness?" Bunny's voice called out. "Are you alright?"
Grinning, he turned to face Bunny. "I've never been better," he chuckled. "Bunny, I need to request a favour from you and Tia."
"Sure thing, Your Highness," Bunny replied. "How can we help?"
"I need you to help me find Elsa," he stated, staring the guard in the eyes. "We will start first thing tomorrow morning. I can't let her go."
Elsa yawned as the hint of morning sun peeked through the gaps on her drapes and woke her from her slumber. She shuffled into a seated position and pulled her gloves over her hands before rubbing the sleep from her eyes. Looking around her room, her eyes fell on the mask that she had worn the night before and she sighed.
Somehow, she had managed to find her way back home with only the streetlamps to guide her. She had no idea how long it had taken her to walk back to her manor. All she had known was that she had walked in with only five minutes to spare before her family had returned. She had only just managed to hide the dress that she had worn when her father had approached her room to lock her in.
Despite the exhaustion that she had felt from her long walk, she had been unable to sleep and had taken her time falling asleep. Her mind had constantly replayed the time she had spent away from her home. Contrary to what she had always believed, she had been able to be around people without her curse presenting herself. Furthermore, she had actually interacted with people. Tia, Bunny and Jack had all shown her a kindness that she had not ever known and had made her feel like she was so much more than a freak. They had made her feel valued.
However, it had been a lie. No matter how much she had enjoyed her night out. It had to end and she had realised that. Still, she had not anticipated how hard saying goodbye to Jack would be.
Despite her sensibilities and her better judgement, the handsome prince had fallen under her skin. He had charmed her with his intellect, kindness and she had been surprised with how easy it had been to develop some affectionate feelings for him. Turning her back on his sad face as he had begged her to reconsider, had been the hardest thing that she had ever done. Every inch of her had wanted to turn around and to accept his offer to stay longer, but she had known better. She had been lucky with her curse so far, but there was no guarantee and it had been in Jack's best interest that had seen her deny him.
Jack felt his heart sink as the door to the last house in the village of Arendelle closed in front of him.
After returning to the ballroom the night before, he had approached his father and had requested that he called for all staff to remain behind following the guests departure. Once the last guest had been waved off, he had taken charge of the gathered staff members and had announced that he had found the girl of his dreams and that he needed their help to track her down.
He had risen early, not wanting to waste any time, and had sorted through the guest list with the names and addresses of all who had attended from the village of Arendelle. Sadly, he had soon discovered that of the six Arendelle families that had celebrated with him, not one of them had listed an Elsa on their RSVP.
Still, he had held onto hope. Tia had been quick to point out that Elsa had claimed to have slept late and had missed the carriage to the castle. She had also mentioned that Elsa had appeared seemingly reluctant to attend. Therefore, she had reasoned that it was likely that she had not been listed on the RSVP.
With that in mind, he had climbed into the carriage with Tia, Bunny and his father's adviser, North and had made the journey to the quaint village. His excitement had turned to dismay, however, when all six of the guests had claimed to not have an Elsa in their family. He had found himself wondering if they had all been played for fools.
"Jackson," a loud voice boomed. "We will find her. Don't you worry, we will find this girl of yours."
Frowning, he turned his head to face North. "How?" he questioned, pulling open the door to the carriage. "We have already gone to the homes of all who attended from Arendelle. No one knows her.
"Actually, about that," Bunny said, chuckling nervously. "I think that I made a mistake."
"What?!" he gasped, turning to face the blushing guard.
"Hear me out," Bunny begged before pulling out a piece of paper and handing it to him. "One of the guests was the doctor that your father has used, Doctor Agdar Andersen. I read his address this morning and thought that it said Amendelle, which is a village to the east of the castle. However, I showed the RSVP slip to Tia and she claims that it says Arendelle. She believes that it could be the large manor that is located on the outskirts of town. You see, when we sent the invite to the doctor, we just delivered it to the clinic instead of his home."
"What do you say, Jackson?" Tia asked.
Furrowing his brows, he studied the messy scrawl on the paper in his hands. He had to agree with Bunny, it did read like Amendelle, but he wasn't willing to give up hope of finding Elsa yet and would knock on the door of every home if he had to. Glancing up, he faced the small group and smiled. "I think," he began. "That it's time we visit this manor."
Elsa glanced at the clock in her room and frowned as the sound of a carriage pulling up out the front of her home could be heard. She had been due to be released for her scheduled bathroom break, but the arrival of guests meant that she would be forced to remain hidden in her room for the entire duration of their visit.
She let out a soft sigh and made her way to her window. Biting her lip, she looked out and fixed her gaze in the direction of the offending visitors. She felt her eyes widening as she caught sight of Jack as he climbed out of the carriage.
A million questions raced through her head. She found herself wondering if he had come looking for her, or if it was simply a coincidence that he had arrived on her property only hours after she had fled from him. Suddenly, she frowned as the realisation that if he had come looking for her, it meant that she would have to come clean about her venture outside of the property and that would mean trouble.
Nervously, Jack ran a hand over the back of his head while he waited for the door to the manor open. He could hear the sound of voices inside and knew that someone was home. However, it didn't necessarily mean that he would find her.
"Hello," a voice said as the door swung open.
Looking up, he found himself staring into the face of a middle-aged man.
"Your Highness," the man exclaimed, bowing his head. "What can I do for you?"
"Doctor Andersen," North greeted, stepping forward and extending his hand to the doctor to shake. "Forgive us for our intrusion. We are trying to locate a young woman that captured the prince's heart last night. I don't suppose that you have a daughter called Elsa, do you?"
"She has lost this shoe," Tia said, holding out the black flat to show the doctor.
Jack watched as the doctor's eyes widened as he looked at the shoe before meeting their gaze. Opening his mouth, he was about to say something only to be cut off by a harsh voice.
"There is no one by the name of Elsa here," a stern looking lady said, stepping out from behind the door. "Is there, Agdar?"
Frowning, Jack shifted his attention between the doctor and the lady. He noticed the way they appeared to be in some kind of non-verbal debate, with the lady shaking her head slightly and crossing her arms before turning to flash him an insincere smile.
"No," murmured the doctor, diverting his gaze. "There is no one by that name in this home. I'm sorry."
"Are you sure?" Bunny quipped, folding his arms over his chest. "You don't want to go lying to royalty, Doctor."
The doctor nodded. "I'm sorry," he whispered, glumly. "I can't help you."
"It was nice to meet you. Thank you for the birthday invite, Your Highness. We had a lovely time," the woman stated before reaching over to swing the front door shut.
"Well," Tia stated. "She was rude."
"Something's going on here," North grumbled. "I think we were just lied to. I can feel it, in my belly."
"I agree, North," Bunny muttered. "Something is going on and I, for one, am not leaving here until we get to the bottom of it. I say we explore the property."
Jerking his head around, he turned to look at the guard. "What? How?" he sputtered.
"Simple," Bunny smirked. "Tia, can knock on the door and try and get the Doctor and his wife talking. You, North and I shall explore the property"
Elsa watched as Bunny stormed past her window with a determined look on his face . She longed to know what the purpose of their visit was and how long they would be on her property, but knew better than to attempt to talk to one of her parents while guests were nearby.
Suddenly, she found herself gazing upon Jack as he followed closely behind his guard. She longed to reach out to him, to speak to him and to thank him once again for the happiest night of her life, but she couldn't. Instead, she stepped back from the window and returned to her spot on her bed.
Jack let out a loud sigh as the piece of paper with the doctor's address fell from his hands. Bending down, he picked it up and slipped it into his pocket. Slowly, he made his way back in the direction of the carriage.
Despite their best efforts, the search of the doctor's yard and the nearby stables had proven useless, with no sign of Elsa.
"Jackson," Tia called. "Are you doing that?"
Furrowing his brows, he looked at her. "Doing what?" he asked, frowning slightly as he saw the puzzled expression on her face.
"Jackson!" North called. "Behind you."
Confused, he turned around and studied the house. His eyes zeroed in on a window on the lower level that was slowly, but surely, being covered with a small trail of ice.
"Elsa," he gasped, racing towards the window.
Narrowing his eyes, he peered through the gaps in the drapes to see Elsa curled up on a bed with her head buried in her arms. Raising his hand, he tapped on the window. He watched as she jerked her head up and turned to face him. She appeared to hesitate slightly before climbing off the bed and heading to the window.
"Found you," he teased. "Open the window, please. We need to talk."
Elsa frowned and shook her head. "I can't," she called. "The doors and window to my room are locked. Please, you have to go, it's not safe."
Shaking his head, he cast a look back in the direction of Bunny, Tia and North. "North," he called. "Please tell the good doctor and his wife that it is not nice to lie to royalty. Also, let them know that we will owe them a replacement window."
To his relief, North nodded in agreement and moved towards the front door, followed closely by a furious looking Bunny. Turning his attention back to Elsa, he smiled at her. "Stand back," he called.
He waited patiently for Elsa to take a step back. Raising his hand, he made sure that he had her attention before forming a snowball in his hand. He chuckled slightly as her eyes widened in surprise. Carefully, he swung his arm and sent the snowball flying through the window.
"Jack!" Elsa gasped.
"Told you we needed to talk," he chuckled. "Bunny and my father's adviser, North, have just entered your house. Your parents should really know better than to lie to royalty. I'd say that it's only a matter of seconds before that door is unlocked. Please, will you do me the honour of talking to me then?"
Nervously, he ran a finger through his hair as he studied Elsa's face. Her blue eyes were wet with tears. However, a small smile played on her face as she lifted her head to meet his gaze. "I will," she agreed.
~Epilogue~
Elsa felt the tears streaming down her face as she stood in front of the small crowd in the chapel. Looking up, she found herself staring into the beautiful blue eyes of her new husband and smiled. Behind him, she could see Jack's best man, Aster "Bunny" Bunnymund, as he struggled to hold back his own tears. Her gaze shifted back to Jack and she choked back a sob.
To this day, it still felt surreal the way her life had changed in only a year.
After Jack had sent a snowball into her room in the middle of summer, she had found herself being released from her room by her trembling father. She had then followed Bunny and her father into the living room where she had met up with Jack, Tia and North. There, they had sat down while Bunny had barely managed to contain his anger at her parents for lying about her existence to them. Her parents had tried to scold her for sneaking out, only to be shot down by Tia who had pointed out that they had told a far worse lie, for a lot longer and as such, were in no position to judge.
Jack had pulled her aside and had come clean about his own past and how it had come to be that he had been left with similar powers to her own. Overcome with emotion, she had flung her arms around him before she had pulled back to apologise for her rash behaviour. Fortunately, Jack had not minded and had simply asked her if he could court her. She had accepted without hesitation and had allowed herself to be led from her house and to the castle.
At the castle, she had quickly found herself spilling the secrets of her upbringing to the king, Jack, North and the Bunnymunds, who had looked at her with horror and sadness in their eyes. After much consideration, she had agreed to the suggestion that she moved from the confines of her parents' home to a place where she would have more freedom. With that in mind, she had returned to her family home with Jack and his father and had packed up her few belongings while the king had informed her family of the change in living situation.
The following six months had been spent living in the small spare room at the Bunnymund's home where she had enjoyed her newfound freedom and friends. It had only been after Jack had proposed that she had decided to move out of the Bunnymund home and into the castle with Jack and his father.
"Elsa," Jack's voice hissed.
Shaking her head, she felt herself blushing slightly upon realising that she had been lost in thought.
"Elsa," Jack continued. "It's over. You're officially my wife, we can kiss now."
Blushing, she nodded and stepped forward. She felt Jack's arms move to wrap around her waist before pulling her closer to him. Raising her eyes, she caught his gaze as she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love you," she whispered.
"I love you too," Jack murmured. "Always and forever."
A/N- Okay, so this is totally inspired by Cinderella, the new live action which I can't wait to see because of Frozen Fever. It's slightly OOC for some dear characters- namely because I wanted to try and make a Jelsa- Cinderella AU.