Title: I couldn't come up with anything, tbh. So I just stuck with the prompt
author: AsheliaHime
note: Thanks to chocolafied for beta-reading this! I know this isn't much, but after Elisa got me in this fandom, I just had to write something, anything. So this happened in the first week of May and got me inspired by the many beautiful entries and gifsets (like really, how talented are some people). And now I found the time to translate it (yep, I'm lazy). These two really grew on me somehow and I'd like to write more about them.
Comments are always appreciated.
People were creative when it came to blame their misfortunes on others. Jack had never seen more creative minds share their ideas, when the result only ended in imbecility and nonsense. Didn't people had something better to do? Probably not, because there was peace and the kingdom where he was out of curiosity, lived in prosperity like no other. The folk were boring and this place wouldn't be of interest to him, were it not for the rumor that the moon would have made the Queen incurably ill.
By now, Jack knew that the moon had his mysterious ways. But knowing didn't mean that he liked or accepted it. The moon had brought him back to life, filled his lungs with air once again. Even if one could argue about whether you really could call it life, when no one could hear or see the lightest trace of your being.
It was different with the queen. Everyone's eyes rested on her. They cared about her well being, wanted to help if there was a way. Many people went on a search for something that was called "tear of the sun". How ironic that they blamed the moon, but hoped for the sun's help.
If he was honest, he thought their efforts were in vain. Tragedies occurred, people died every day - as it even happened to himself. Of course he didn't wish it to anyone, but they eventually had to accept it sooner or later. But he was wrong. Contrary to his expectations, they found the flower, which contained the sun's magic. The village celebrated for several days over the victory of the disease, but there was this one day that Jack would remember forever. The day the night was turned into day. The birthday of the princess with the golden hair, who enchanted an entire nation with her smile.
A year later the wind carried him back to this place. Actually, he had expected to see the happy faces of the people, when the princess' first birthday was approaching. Wasn't that a reason to celebrate? Instead, he discovered only now and then a sad look towards the castle.
Without really understanding what was going on, he didn't stay any longer. Why should he? He was not there to make people happy. Children, yes maybe, but not a whole kingdom.
In the light of the evening sun, the crying of a child was all that he noticed as he slid through the air without destination. Curiosity attracted the winter spirit to one of the highest towers he had seen in his last 120 years. The tower had neither an entrance nor many windows except one, which seemed to belong to the highest room. Forward as he was - and honestly, how high were the chances that someone actually noticed him? - he landed on the window ledge. Light as a feather, he leaped into the empty room and appeared almost bare with a few shelves without content. Only a crib stood there, which seemed to be the origin of weeping. After looking around, that no one tried to look after the child, he peered cautiously into it. There was a girl with long blonde hair similar to the villager's description of the princess.
She was so busy sharing her grief with the world, she didn't noticed the stranger first until she glanced at him between tears and choked her sobs slowly. Now two large green eyes were directed to the person above her while she stretched out her arms to him. In disbelief his eyes widened and rounded once the child's crib just to check if her gaze followed him. It did, still displeased, but knowing she wasn't alone, she was calmer than before.
"You can see me?" He finally asked, holding out his hand to her carefully. After all, she didn't seem to be overly talkative (she was still a baby), but her fingers brushed against his. Surprised, he first drew back. For such a long time he couldn't touch anyone anymore, but this child seemed to believe in him. It could see him, even touch him. How was that possible?
One more time he reached his hand out to her smaller one, just so that her hand could be wrapped around one of his fingers. The gentle pressure she exerted, made him laugh. It was so hard for him to believe he was finally able to feel someone else. It seemed like a miracle.
The child's voice soon joined his laughter. "Oh, you wouldn't believe how relieved I am. I thought no one would be able to see me," he spoke happily and stroked her head. "How old are you exactly? What is your name? I would like to ask you so much, you know!" How was it possible that she could believe in him when no one else did?
She only chuckled. It was an enchanting tone that warmed the spirit of the cold itself.
But something distracted him. "I'll be right back," he whispered, freed himself from her grip and walked to the window. On the horizon thousands of lights rose that illuminated the darkness. Fascinated as on that day a year ago, he watched the spectacle of lights and unconsciously climbed on the window sill. Before he could repel from the stone, a renewed whimper that threatened to grow louder brought him back to reality.
"Hey, shhht. Everything's okay," he reassured the girl, who had tried to pull herself up at one side of her crib and looked at him with wide eyes as he would leave and never come back. „I'm still here. No reason to cry," he comforted her and patted her gently on the hair. But he knew if she hadn't gained his attention, he would have simply flown away. If he'd come back? He hadn't thought this far.
"I'll show you something, okay?" he grinned and lifted her in his arms. As they walked to the window, he told the simplified events that had occurred a year ago. "The Queen had a daughter and in honor of her birthday they lit lanterns that seemed to illuminate the whole sky - at least the villagers think so since the sky is a lot bigger than they think. Apparently they do it again this year." Though it hadn't looked like a celebration when he visited the village.
But the girl on his arm barely listened to him. She was too captivated of the dark that gave away to the lantern's light, while Jack went on and looked at the night sky with her.
"The princess would have to be about your age, blonde like you" he grinned and ruffled his fingers through her hair while she made some protesting sounds "and certainly loved."
That evening Jack Frost didn't know that he spent the first birthday together with said princess. This knowledge came to him a year later. And every year on that day they would watch the lanterns in the sky together. The lanterns which were able to push back the worst fears and the deepest darkness in their hearts.
