Disclaimer: This story uses characters from Rise of the Guardians and Frozen, which are owned by DreamWorks and Disney. The story itself belongs to the author, which doesn't across any timeline in the original films. The story is made for entertainment purpose only.
Prelude of the Postlude
First time he kissed me, he but only kissed
The fingers of this hand wherewith I write…
The second passed in height
The first, and sought the forehead, and half missed,
Half falling on the hair…
The third upon my lips was folded down
In perfect, purple state; since when, indeed,
I have been proud and said, 'My love, my own.'*
"You said you loved me at first sight?"
The voice broke him out of his catnap. He drew his eyes to the woman snuggling next to him in the bed. She was in her usual nightgown and had her platinum blonde hair braid into a loose plait, letting it lay gracefully down from her left shoulder onto her chest. She was so regal, elegant and genteel as she always was, a way that fitted her royal status so perfectly well, even when she was supposed to be in a relaxed state like most people were before they went to bed. But in fact, she did look like she postured herself with the same amount of ease. She was born a Queen in every aspect.
He was amused to see her still reading while tossing the question, not even bothered to give him a glance. He could feel the corner of his mouth tugging up into a smile, which he'd always found so easy to do simply with her presence. He huddled himself closer, his right arm sliding around her waist.
"Well," he started amusingly, discerning the book title on the cover of the book she had in hands, "I suppose it is necessary for us to pick up your next bedtime reading together."
Soft giggles skipped off through her lips, now in a beautiful smile, filling the room with delight. "Anna gave me this. She insisted on me reading it, for some reasons of hers."
"I surely want to know the reasons then," he said, trying to hold back a laugh but failing anyway.
"Well, none of those seemed sensible to me," she tilted her head to the side and looked up to him, with that same beautiful smile of hers on her delicate features, "but here's one might amuse you, she wished to find the romantic in me."
And it sure did, for him breaking into laughter, leaning a tad forwards because of the hard laugh.
She scowled before cracking up with him, with the book now lay page-side down on the bedclothes beside her.
"So how's then," she found her breath first and asked again, arms folded across her chest, "love at first sight?"
He leaned back against the headboard, grinning at her, sheer mirth lighting up his icy blue eyes, so much warmness radiated from a color so similar to frigid ice. "At least we know you are detective, don't we?"
She managed to pull down the corner of her mouth for feigned seriousness with her chin tilting up a little. "And you sure know how to answer the Queen properly, don't you, Sir Frost?"
"Indeed yes, Your Majesty," he said and winked, placing his left hand on his right shoulder for a joking bow, "but I'd rather share my love affairs with my loved one if you allowed me."
"Jack..." she glared at him pointedly, but her eyes betrayed her with their twinkling merriment.
"Okay, okay," he laughed and gathered her up into his arms, "what's the question again?"
She gave him another stare before stating, sheer statement instead of question this time. "You said you loved me at first sight."
"Did I?" he faked to ask in surprise with a raised brow and a rising tone.
"Well, you can defend yourself now then," she said and poked him in the chest, pushing him slightly away for a better look into his eyes. She could see the familiar mischief dancing in that azure she'd fallen for, which soon shifted into a fond and genuine gaze.
He held her poking hand up to his lip and pressed a soft kiss on the knuckles before smiling down at the woman he'd loved for all these years. "There's no need to defend, for you, my Queen, had had my heart at the very first sight of you."
She chuckled, faint crimson blossomed across her cheeks. "And you are the one accused me of reading too much romance?"
"Born with it, I supposed," he winked and grinned.
"Even supposing me to buy that?" she asked and began to chuckle again.
His face softened as he watched her filled with joy and happiness. He leaned down for another kiss on her temper, lip lingered to her ear, arms tightened, and whispered, almost like the humming of an old sacred chant,
"I ne'er was struck before that hour
With love so sudden and so sweet.
Your face it boomed like a sweet flower
And stole my heart away complete.
I could not see a single thing,
Words from my eyes did start.
They spoke as chords do from the string,
And blood burnt round my heart.
Are flowers the winter's choice
Is love's bed always snow
You seemed to hear my silent voice
Not love appeals to know.
I never saw so sweet a face
As that I stood before.
My heart has left its dwelling place
And can return no more.*"
He pulled back a tad and saw her eyes, overflowed with so many emotions, of affection, awe, amusement, and all her love to him.
"I don't know you read poetry."
"To impress you is my lifelong job," he smiled down at her and said, "or you may say, being able to travel around unseen, it's not hard for me to just pick up some free lessons of poetry when I got the chance."
"I guess I don't need this anymore then," she waved the book in her hand and smiled before placing it on the nightstand next to their bed.
"Since you have me," he beamed.
"Yes, since I have you," she smiled back, "and I believe that's all I would ever ask for."
She leaned up to press a soft kiss on his lip before backing away to remove her hair band. He let out a soft sigh as she pulled herself away, which led a faint laugh out of her lip.
"It's been really late, Jack," she said, the light in her eyes faded slightly as she continued, "I am no longer young to stay up late all night and wait for you to come with the first snow you bring."
"You look no different to me," he offered, voice so low it almost sounded like a whisper. He didn't lie for she sure did. Time seemed to lose its power over her through the years. Her appearance stayed as young and fresh as she was since her mid-twenty. Sometimes he was even convinced that time would consume her no more and leave her be, with him, forever. But it almost hurt to hold up such a frail hope, for him knew that there were things that could never be asked for.
"I might not age on the outside, but assuredly it did age somehow...," she hesitated, her eyes laced with concern as she saw the break in his eyes, "...inside."
"Elsa...," he started, tracing his hand through her fringes against her cheek, tucking them behind her ear, and down to her neck, "are you feeling well?"
"Yes, yes I am, Jack," she smiled and leaned against his hand. "Hey, don't worry. I've got way more rest than I really need under you and Anna's demand, haven't I?"
He stared a bit longer before broke out a weak laugh. "Yes, you have, you surprised me to death when you did what we asked."
"Then I guess surprising you would be my lifelong task then," she said.
He placed his hand back down to his side before letting her lay him down on the side of the bed. He fluttered his eyes closed as she leaned down to him for a kiss on his eyelid, he could breathe her familiar scent, a scent mixed with the savour of new parchment and bittersweet chocolate, and exhaled a more relieved sigh.
He opened his eyes to see hers just inches away from his, reflecting his half worried half content expression. He smiled to her as he saw the he in her eyes, who was so lucky to have this woman in his life, with all her heart and love.
Again she pulled herself back up. He watched her undo her loose braid into a wave of soft glimmering white curling down her back, he stared at her in sheer adoration of her existence, with a smile so delicate on his face. For all these years, every year that had gone too fast, not once had he not been stunned by her beauty, nor a single time could he stop smiling at her, and he doubted if he could ever stop.
She raised an eyebrow at him, asking mutely of his stare.
"You are so beautiful, Elsa," he stated.
She cackled at the statement, looking down at her beloved one. "Now you are acting like a gentleman. Not too late for a try."
"I can always be one if you like," he offered, "though I reckon you love me more than that."
"I suppose the word you are looking for is without that," she teased and smiled as she saw the old genuine grin back on his face.
Settled and ready, she swirled one of her hand, summoning her power into a blast of cold sleet to put out all the lit candles in the room before she laid down next to him. He leaned forward to pull her closer, with his arms wrapped around her midriff from her back and his head laid softly on her head.
"I love you, Elsa," he whispered, placing one last kiss on her soft platinum-blonde hair.
She gripped his hand and responded as always, "and I, too, Jack."
Pillow'd upon my fair love's ripening breast,
To feel for ever its soft fall and swell,
Awake for ever in a sweet unrest,
Still, still to hear her tender-taken breath,
And so live ever-
or else swoon to death.*
*Opening Sonnet, lines from Sonnet 38, by Elizabeth Barrett Browning (1806-1861).
*Mid poem, selected stanza from First Love, by John Clare (1793-1864), who was believed to be sent to the asylum due to mental illness during the timeline in this story.
*Ending poem, latter part from Bright Star, by John Keats (1795-1821).
Author's Note: Hello to everyone who made this far! I am so so so grateful that you've finished the story. This is a one-shot based on a larger story of mine upon Jack and Elsa. And it is actually my first fanfic, or I would say, my first fic ever! So, sorry to those who find the story hard to understand or ill-constructed. I've tried my best.
Initially, I aimed to keep the story light and easy all the way through, but sometimes story itself has other plans. And so it is, it ended a little more depressing. I hope no one mind :P
I did wish to write the whole story out since I got all the plot in my head. But I am a slow writer, I mean, a veeeeeeery slow one. Also English is not my native language, (you might figure it out through the story already) which makes it even harder to compose a larger fiction work.
Still, I would love to try other one-shots if possible, so please feel free to leave a comment or so. Constructive criticism is welcome too.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy the story :)
~LuAnn