It's been a decade, give or take a few years, since Jack first discovered the set of isles between America and Europe. Well discovered isn't exactly the right word for it. He could always see them at a distance. He could see the ships leave and come back with far less men than when they had gone. Ships from other countries just seemed to go around the isles, keeping them just out of sight.
A surprising amount of whales traveled there as well, but maybe that same magic that kept the isles hidden kept them safe from whalers, too?
Jack had always wanted to see the isles closer, to see the cities and the people, but the Wind had kept him away. No matter how much he pushed and pushed, he could never get close to them.
Which is why it was such a surprise when he found himself drifting closer to one of the isles than he ever had before.
Surprise might have been a bit of an understatement. Especially considering that the last time he had looked down it was to the sight of hundreds of penguins in Antarctica.
Yeah, probably an understatement.
But, he wasn't going to question why he could get closer all of a sudden, no he was not. It would probably be just as useful as trying to get the Moon to speak to him again.
He still questioned and (surprise!) no answer.
As he flew over the isles, Jack was drawn to one city in particular. It was by far the largest and brightest of the cities he had glimpsed. Despite its size, there wasn't as many people as Jack expected.
Jack was in the city for a day before he learned about the recently cured Rat Plague.
He couldn't stand to be in the city after he found rats still feasting on both the dead and living in the Flooded District.
That doesn't mean he won't come back, though. He just knows to stay away from the places the Plague hit particularly hard now.
"What are you doing up there?"
Dark, wide eyes were staring in his direction. Jack looked around to see who she was talking to. Hmm, that's weird. Why is-
"Hello~! Can you hear me?" the girl was done up in white; her clothes seemed to be like the fashion that the noble boys in England favored, but with far more frills and bows.
Jack jumped down from the gazebo, walking towards the girl as she continued to stare in his direction.
"I don't think whoever you're looking for is here, kiddo," Jack gave her a sad smile. He knew she couldn't hear or see him, but it was always nice to- Why was her face like that?
Her nose had scrunched up and she was stepping forward; and Jack could swear that the kid was looking right at him. But that was impossible right? Only a believer could see him, and he had never seen this kid before, so how could she-
"Hey, are you okay?" she asked as she peered up at him, "What were you doing up there?"
She was talking to him. She was definitely talking to him.
"What?" All Jack could do was blink, "You're-you're talking to me?"
"Well, yeah. Who else would I be talking to?" A smile. She was smiling at him. He made a child smile! Just the thought made him giddy. He grinned back at her, unable and unwilling to hide how happy this made him.
He eventually toned it down though, she had asked him a question after all.
"Well, its kinda hard to explain, but most of the time a person isn't able to see or hear me. I didn't know you were talking to me."
"But why? Why can't anyone see you?"
"That's just the way it is. Its been that way ever since I can remember."
"Oh," she looked down at her hands, "There's nothing you can do to change that?"
He shook his head.
"So you don't have any friends?"
He replied with a soft no.
Her lips thinned then said, "Then I'll be your friend and I'll make sure others can see you, too."
He gives a soft laugh before he says, "It doesn't work like that, kid. I've been trying for a long time to get people to see me and it hasn't ever worked before. You're the first one to talk to me in a long time."
The girl's eyebrows dipped together, a fire burning in her eyes, her cheeks red in determination. "Then I'll just have to try extra hard. But you have to promise that you won't leave if someone doesn't see you, you won't leave."
"Don't worry, I promise." He hadn't smiled this much since-
He realized he had never smiled this much.
"Pinky promise?"
"Yeah, pinky promise."
Jack then realized that he had been very rude. Just because no one had talked to him didn't mean he could forget his manners. Even if he didn't remember learning them.
He held out his hand to the small child and said, "My name is Jack Frost and I would like to be your friend."
"Nice to meet you Jack," she said as she grinned. "My name is Emily Kaldwin and I would very much like to be your friend as well."
After shaking his hand, she dragged him into the large mansion. Almost as soon as they entered they went to the doors under the grand staircase that lead to the empty kitchens.
Jack and Emily talked throughout the night until Emily's caretakers found them and ushered Emily to bed, not seeming to notice Jack the entire time.
It was his seventeenth night in Dunwall that Jack met the Empress of the Isles.
He was glad that he kept coming back after that first day.
