Whiter Than Snow
Chapter 1Jack Frost, Guardian of children's spontaneity and all things fun, sat atop a ledge of the highest building in the town, looking down at humanity's busy activity. It was the middle of the summer, without a trace of snow on the ground. Jack didn't mind. He too remembered what summers were like for him, when he was still human. Over 300 years of being a Guardian, and yet he never thought being human would be a feeling he'd miss so much. Watching the kids play, eyeing the mischievous among the law abiders, remembering the tricks, the tactics, all the nasty plots he would come up with when he was a kid, a human child. His soul was unclean, impure.
And now he sat, white as a ghost, watching from his perch at the top of the clock tower. Strange, he thought. He couldn't remember dying. He remembered sinking, reflecting, freezing. And then, in the midst of the darkness, a voice.
"Let it go."
His awakening brought him to the light of the moon, calling him, granting him the gift that those of political power crave oh so dearly. Immortality. To him, the voice was the moon, the persona of the Earth, the First Guardian since the beginning of time. But for 300 years; 300 long, thoughtful years brought him to where he sat today. 'What if it wasn't the moon?' the question rang through his ears.
A glint of green shined through a ray of sunlight, catching his attention. It flew towards him with incredible speed, alarming him at first.
The mysterious green object made itself known in front of him. A tiny humming bird-like creature happily smiled in front of him.
"Baby Tooth? What're you doing here?"
A variety of chirps and squeaks erupted from the tiny mouth of the mini fairy.
"North? He wants to see me?"
Baby Tooth nodded sporadically before flying off into the horizon. As he watched the little fairy fly away, a sudden jolt struck his heart. He gripped his chest, cringing in agony as if he were hit with a spear. The pain was sharper than winter itself. Then the worst hit his mind.
"Pitch!"
Not thinking twice, he grabbed his staff and drew a line of ice towards his destination. Using the ice as a skate pole, he jumped onto it and started to grind along the line towards the North Pole. Another pain struck him in the chest, making him anxious as he made his way. He quickened his pace.
"I'm not going to like this."
The Guardians were chatting amongst themselves in the dining hall, discussing the various activities they've been doing to prepare for their individual holidays. Sandy opened his mouth to speak, only to be interrupted by Jack plowing into the dining hall through a window, crashing into a nearby table with a sudden inflow of snow.
Bunnymund, the Easter Bunny, gradually wiped the snow from his face, replaced by a sarcastic look from the anthro rabbit.
"Oye, can we start countin' how many times this guy's done this already?"
"Knock it off, Bugs," Tooth retorted. "Let him have his fun."
"Bugs?" Bunny said, shaking off the last bit of snow, "Oh, that's a funny one."
"Wait, wait, wait," Jack said, still laying upside down from his collision with the wall, "You mean Pitch isn't back?"
All the Guardians turned their gaze to Bunny, who was still trying to get traces of snow out of his ear. He perked up.
"The hell ya lookin' at me for?"
North walking into the room, "Listen Jack. I need to talk to you about something. You're probably not going to like it."
Jack got up, "I knew it."
"Come with me."
North and Jack made it towards the Observatory, the room where the moon shined all the time, no matter what time of day. The two walked the halls quietly, each step echoing louder than the last. Frost heard a light fluttering from far behind him, ignoring it.
"So what's this about?" Jack asked.
North kept his gaze on the hallway, continuing forward.
"North?"
"You have been summoned," North said, deeply.
Jack was confused, "By the moon?" he asked.
North nodded. He stopped and turned to Jack, hands behind his back. Jack stood motionless, thinking, guessing, calculating. North took in a deep breath.
"You are needed elsewhere. You're deeds against Pitch Black have made this world a safer place."
"Why me?" Jack asked.
North continued walking down the hallway. "You've been feeling pain, yes?"
Jack placed his hand on his chest. The center glowed dimly with the faint symbol of a snowflake. "How did you know?"
"The Guardian of the Universe, the one who created all of us, including the moon, told me about your quest."
"So what do you need me to do?"
"That's for the moon to decide."
The two of them enter the Observatory. The light from the moon beamed in through the hole facing it. Jack watched it, waiting for something to happen.
"Jack."
Jack turned to North, who was standing at the edge of the dome.
"Stand in the center and listen to the moon."
Jack nodded, took a deep breath, and walking into the beam of light. He let out a deep sigh, relaxing and taking in the light of the moon. He felt the fibers of his being slowly melted away, as if he were becoming nothing in an instant. When he opened his eyes, he was standing on an endless mirrored floor, reflecting the blue skies above him.
He looked with awe all around him, like he was standing in a dream. A feeling of excitement entered within him.
"It's good to see you, Frost."
Jack turned around to look behind him. A woman stood a few feet in front of him, wearing a long cream colored dress that seemed to spread throughout the floor beneath her. Her hands were cupped together in front of her in a very modest fashion. Her hair glittered like that of the stars.
"Who are you?" Jack asked.
She lowered her gaze in a light bow and looked back, "I am the moon."
When Jack made the connection, the snowflake symbol appeared across his chest again, and Jack fell to the floor in pain. The woman held her hand out towards him, and the symbol glowed brighter. Jack paused for a moment. The pain eased almost immediately, but the symbol remained, crystal clear on the fabric of his hoodie. He slowly got up.
"Interesting," the woman said.
"What?" Jack said, looking at the symbol.
"You're…missing something."
"Missing…what exactly?" Jack said, getting impatient.
"I…can't say. The Ancient Guardian gave you these powers, but it seems your time here has caused a gap to form in your heart. Now I understand why He wants me to send you there."
"There? Where? You're not making sense here!" Jack said, frustrated.
"A world parallel to this one. He wants you to find the missing piece of your heart. He says you can…become human again."
Jack's eyes slowly widened. 'Human? I can become human again?' he thought. "What about my powers?"
"You're powers will remain. Your job as a Guardian in this world is no longer needed, but the new world needs more like you," she said.
"Why me? Why not someone else?"
"Someone else isn't missing a giant hole in their heart."
"And what if I refuse?"
"The gap will slowly tear your soul apart, and then your spirit will be broken. You will no longer exist, as a Guardian or a human being. The pain you're feeling is only a fraction of what will happen to you."
Jack chuckled, "So, search for cure or die."
"Basically."
"Great. What do you want me to do?"
The woman turned her back to him, looking beyond the expanse of sky that surrounded them. "I will send you to the new world immediately. But first, I'll send you back to your friends to say your final goodbyes. Once you go, there's no coming back. It's not that I don't want to, I physically can't."
"I see," Jack looked down.
The woman turned back to him, "Are you ready?"
Jack took a moment to think. He knew nothing about this new world. All he knew, he could die in this new world. But at the same time, if he remained he would also die just the same. No longer existing sounded a lot like death to him. He thought of all his friends back in the North Pole, all the kids and families he saw that morning in the village. He took a deep breath. Three. Two. One.
"I'm ready."
The woman nodded and lifted her hands. "Close your eyes and breath." He obeyed. The last thing he heard was, "Farewell Jack Frost," before suddenly regaining consciousness in the Observatory.
North stood silently against the wall, waiting. Jack opened his eyes and looked at him.
"How long was I gone?" Jack asked.
"About five seconds," North replied.
"Five sec… It felt like hours!"
"What did the moon say?" North questioned.
Jack sighed, "Bring everyone to the Observatory. I need to tell them something."
Chapter 2"What?! You're leaving?" Tooth asked, surprised and upset.
"Oye mate, that's not cool to leave in the middle of a job like that," Bunny replied.
"Guys, listen. If I don't do this, I'll disappear. I won't lie. I haven't been feeling myself lately. The moon told me I was missing something, something I have to find elsewhere, by myself." Jack was feeling a heavy weight in the pit of his chest. This was easier said than done.
"But why you?" Tooth asked.
"I asked the same question. It's only happened to me, so in turn I have to go alone. I'm sorry."
Tooth's wings lowered as she gently placed herself on the floor, tears forming in her eyes. The Easter Bunny placed an arm around her shoulders. Sandy turned around slowly and started fiddling with something to himself. North came up behind Jack and placed a hand on his back.
"It's not an easy thing. You have to go where your heart takes you," North reassured him.
Jack smiled. Sandy soon approached him with something in his hand. It was a symbol, a badge of sorts, with a golden cloud surrounded by a helix of the Dreamsand Whip. Bunny soon after approached with his own badge, an egg with a snowflake painted on the front and light blue lines on the top and bottom, placing it in Jack's hand.
"You know, so you don't forget us mate."
Jack nodded, "I promise."
Bunny hugged him before returning to the circle. Tooth approached slowly, trembling. Before she could hand Jack her own badge, he stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked at him, smiling at her, and he hugged her. All the emotion she tried to hide came flooding out as she cried into his shoulder.
"Take care of Baby Tooth for me," he said.
She made a sound of approval and whipped her tears, handing him her badge of a single tooth. Jack looked at all the badges in his hand. A single tear fell onto them. North came up behind him.
"May I see those?"
Jack looked at him and handed him the badges. North went to a workbench and started hammering something together quickly. He soon returned with a leather belt, with each badge stuck to the side in a row, North's own badge being a green Christmas present with a red bow. He handed it to Jack, who in turn placed it around himself and tightened it across his chest. North joined the others in the semi-circle on one side of the Observatory.
"Guess this is it," Jack said, trying not to sound choked up.
"Good luck out there, mate," Bunny said.
"Don't forget to floss," Tooth added.
"We'll all be waiting for you if you manage to make it back," North said solemnly.
Jack nodded, and with his goodbyes, slowly walked backwards into the moonlight shining in the center of the room. As he waited, the members of the Guardians placed their fists against their chests, gesturing a fond farewell to their comrade, their companion, and their friend. And in a split instant, a portal opened up behind Jack, and he soon was sucked into the dark abyss, before the portal closed before them, and he was gone.
Wintertime in Arendelle had come once again, with no outside effort from Elsa, the Ice Queen as she has been most recently dubbed. Her sister, Anna, had been married to Kristoff for 2 months and has started living outside of the kingdom's walls. Although she married a commoner, Anna still remains the princess of Arendelle. Elsa on the other hand has spent most of her time tending to the kingdom affairs and political debates with the neighboring countries.
Elsa had been bored lately. The duties of a Queen had its own form of anxiety that couldn't exactly be compared to most other feelings. She wanted something more, something not boring. She wanted snowball fights with the kids in the town and ice-skating tournaments in the courtyard. She wanted to build a snowman. She wanted an adventure.
Elsa made her way out into the courtyard after asking her advisor to take over for her. "Royal affairs often cause migraines," she told him, giving herself a leave of absence. She chuckled from remembering his facial expression of utter disbelief. She walked through the front gate of the kingdom, looking around at all the townsfolk going about their daily business. Some of the children playing in the streets stopped to bow respectfully to her as she passed by, and she playfully ruffled one of the boys' bed hairs, making them laugh. She always enjoyed watching kids, the future of Arendelle's finest folks around. Although it was cold once again, the people were smiling at her. They had a Queen to believe in, a Queen to stand behind. But even a Queen needs a day off once in awhile.
Elsa arrived in front of an old cottage-looking house of Victorian styled design and wood furnishing. A stable was connected to the side where a single white mare was stored. A sign hung just above the doorway reading "General Goods and Appliances," a name Elsa thought should have been more creative. She shook her head at the sign and opened the door to walk inside.
A stairway leading to the second floor was on the right side of the entrance. A countertop stretched its way from the left to the center, with a variety of items on display. A few tables were set up near the windows as a type of lounge for those who wanted to relax. Elsa took a good look around the room. It was surprisingly quieter than she suspected. Behind the counter, someone was shifting items back and forth from their usually storage places.
"Welcome to General Goods! Would you like to make a purchase, or is there an order we can fill for you?" the voice said.
Elsa laughed, "Oh, I don't think my order can be filled as easily."
A head popped up from its hiding place behind the counter. Beautiful red hair with a strand of white down the side made up for what Elsa usually recognized. But what met her gaze were the cool blue eyes of her younger sister staring back at her.
"Elsa?"
"It's good to see you Anna."
"Oh Elsa!" Anna came running around the counter to greet her sister.
The two embraced each other, holding each other tightly as if they haven't seen each other in years. Elsa breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a great burden lifted off of her. She gently stroked her sister's hair.
"How've you been?"
"Busy," Anna replied. "Kristoff's been gone more times than usual, with the winter and all."
"Yeah. I'm sure he'll be fine. He's got that brand new slay, the finest in the kingdom," Elsa smiled at her.
The two of them took a moment, both of them proud at the other's position in life. It felt like yesterday that they'd quelled the endless winter and stopped Hans from taking over the kingdom.
"That reminds me," Anna spoke up, crossing her arms.
"Hm?"
"What's the word about that Hans fellow? Rumor has it you had a thing for him while I had gone looking for you."
Elsa blushed, reaching for her ponytail, "Oh, that. I don't know, I figured you had good taste, in looks I mean."
Anna pointed a finger at Elsa's face, "So it was true!"
"Hey, hey, it's over now, remember? Hans is currently being replaced by another, more worthy prince. Besides, after what that man tried to do to you, I could never forgive him."
"I guess you're right," Anna said. "So then, I guess your chances with love are over then?"
"Anna, why should I need a man to run a kingdom? I'm a very capable woman, you know."
Anna placed her hands on her hips, "A woman who stares at children playing in her courtyard all day long."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"Oh, don't act like you don't know."
"Know what?"
Anna turned around, "I'm pretty sure you have a good idea."
"I didn't…that's not…that's what adopt… That's not why I'm here."
Anna sighed before turning back around, "Okay fine." She gracefully bowed towards her sister, "What brings you to my humble shop, Your Highness?"
"Alright, if you want to play that way." Elsa cleared her throat and straightened herself out, "By order of the Queen, you are here by requested a day off to spend time with her. No ifs, ands, or buts."
Anna gasped, "Like a girls' night out?"
Elsa smiled, "All day."
Anna quickly hugged her sister; "I knew you were bored up in that castle of yours!"
"Hey, even a Queen needs her breaks."
Elsa and Anna trekked through the snow-covered forest surrounding Arendelle. The forest reminded each of them the two months before when Elsa ran away from her kingdom to live in isolation. The wind blew a gentle breeze through the trees as they made their way through the small hills.
"So where's Olaf?" Elsa asked.
"He's setting up a play with the townsfolk and children to perform next week. It's his own idea he's been thinking."
"Sounds like fun. Maybe I'll join in if there are any openings left."
"I never took you as the acting type," Anna replied.
"And I never took you as the store clerk type."
"Ouch. Touché Elsa."
The sisters shared a laugh. It had been a long time since they've talked like this. So open, so free. It was as if time didn't exist between them.
"So where exactly are we going?" Anna asked.
"I don't know," Elsa replied. "I just wanted to get away for awhile. Clear my head."
"Why not spend some time in Arendelle? I told you that castle would make you go insane."
"That's a lovely offer little sis, but I have to stay focused on-" Elsa noticed off in the distance a mound of cloth lying on the ground, with a hint of hair and pale skin. Pale skin?
"Hey!" Elsa yelled at the top of her lungs, running towards the foreign object.
"Elsa?" Anna yelled. "Elsa!" she ran after her.
As Elsa made her way through the snow, her heart rate increased when the mass gained shape and recognizable features of a human being. From first glance, the blue hoodie was ripped in a few places, and the body wasn't wearing any shoes. A wooden staff lay at the person's side.
"Oh no…" Elsa said, shaking as she fell to her knees nearby.
Anna came running up behind her, startled by what she saw, "It's a boy!"
The man lay on his back, arms outstretched to either side, his head facing his left side. The wooden staff was buried a couple centimeters into the snow near his left hand. His pants were torn, and it looked like he had fallen from a great height. Elsa leaned in and placed her head against his chest. Closing her eyes, she focused for any sign of life.
Ba-thump, Ba-thump, Ba-thump.
She could hear the steady heartbeat underneath his sweater. Another sigh of relief filled her every being. She slowly raised herself to a kneeling position.
"He's just unconscious."
Anna placed a hand on her chest, "Thank goodness."
Elsa noticed the belt across his chest with different badges placed on it. She reached for it slowly and brushed her fingers across the cold material, feeling the designs on each one. The cloud shaped badge felt scratchy to the touch, as if it was made of sand. The egg felt fragile, but sturdy. She gave a puzzled look at the tooth, wondering why anyone would award a tooth badge. The last badge she saw was that of a gift box, the prettiest of all the rest with an elegant combination of green and red. These weren't town symbols, were they? There was a great mystery about this man. His clothes showed that he clearly wasn't from around here, and the fact that he had no shoes was another odd fact. The badges would confuse anyone who would've seen them.
"Perhaps he's a shepherd boy," Anna said, pointing to the staff.
She could've been right. A shepherd boy who got lost in the wilderness, only to end up collapsing in the middle of the night, in the middle of nowhere. Even if that were the case, he would've been dead by now. The fact that he's still alive means that he recently got here from somewhere. But where?
"We should get him to the castle," Elsa said, standing to her feet. "Help me get him up."
"Right."
Elsa took the staff and placed it on her belt as if it were a blade before picking the boy up by one arm. Anna took the other arm, and the two made their way back to Arendelle.
"You think he'll make it?" Anna asked.
"I'd rather find out at the castle."
Chapter 3Elsa paced back and forth through the hallway, passing by the fireplace room where the shepherd boy was placed. Anna leaned against the open doorway to the room, watching Elsa nervously. They had decided to put him close to the fire on the couch, hoping he'd be able to wake up after warming up first.
"Can you stop?" Anna said.
"I can't. I'm too nervous."
"You're making me nervous with your nervous…ness!"
Elsa faced her sister, "We've got an unconscious man laying on a couch in the middle of Arendelle. We have no idea who he is or where he's from. That's not exactly something I can be calm about."
"You saved him though. You wouldn't have just left him there."
Elsa sighed, "You're right, I wouldn't have. It's just, you get what I'm feeling, right? Like the safety of Arendelle might be in jeopardy."
Anna placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, "Thinking of the kingdom's safety above your own is part of being a Queen, Elsa."
Elsa gave her a funny look, "Sometimes you surprise me."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
Elsa chuckled, "Nothing. You sounded like dad is all."
"Oh. Yeah, well, we are his children after all."
Elsa laughed, "Indeed." She briefly looked at the boy on the couch. Without a second thought, she walked into the room, being as quiet and discreet as she could be. She stood by the couch, looking down on him, analyzing him. A pang of guilt welled up inside of her, bringing back the terrible memories of the past, when her powers almost destroyed the world she now lives in. She started to blame herself for the situation this boy was in, thinking her powers were the cause, and this was the result. A tear started to form around her eye, slowly making its way down her cheek.
"Elsa?"
The call of her sister snapped her back to reality. She turned to Anna who stood somewhat inside the room. She was smiling, but her eyes showed concern.
"He'll be all right, don't worry," she said, reassuring the Queen.
Elsa sniffled and wiped the tear away before leaving the room and closing the door behind her. The crackling of the fire became the prominent sound of the room, with the sunbeams shining in through the window onto the lone couch seat in the center. The boy lay silently, unaware of his surroundings. But almost in response to his rescuers, his finger twitched.
Elsa woke up the next morning with a start. She breathed heavily from the night fright that overtook her from her slumber. But as if it never existed, the dream vanished from her memory. Tried as she must, the realistic nightmare never returned, but it frightened her still. Outside, the sky shone a dark shade of blue, with a hint of orange signaling the rising sun. Elsa sighed once more, calming herself down before slowly climbing out of bed. She slipped her feet into some slippers that were made with Olaf's face on it.
A sweet smell of spices and sugar filled the castle as she got herself dressed. The cooks must have been hard at work preparing breakfast, even if it was just for one Queen. She slowly braided her hair into the usual style she preferred it in. It made her look more like an individual than a noble. The memory of the boy the previous day suddenly came flooding into her mind, reminding her that he was still on the couch in her castle.
Finishing up the last of her morning routine, she walked out into the hallway and hurried to the living room. The guards stationed there stood at attention as she approached. Gesturing them to move, she slowly opened the old, newly painted wooden doors.
There he lay, very still, and yet unaware of anything that happened around him. She noticed his chest slowly rising and falling, relieved that he had recovered quite a bit since last she saw him. Slowly, she approached the sleeping boy and sat in the seat beside him. He looked so peaceful, like he was in the middle of a dream made into reality. The sun began to shine on him, giving his hair a glistening silver shine that seemed to sparkle whiter than snow. Something about him seemed unnatural, as mysterious as she suspected him to be since yesterday. She wondered if he'd ever wake up at all.
"Your Highness."
Elsa looked towards the door. Her advisor stood at attention, quickly fixing his glasses as he stood. He wore his usual attire as he always did. The straight black suit, the white button down dress shirt, red tie. He looked more like a butler than an advisor, but Elsa didn't complain. It's how he normally did things.
"A telegram arrived late yesterday from a neighboring kingdom. Rapunzel wishes to have an audience with you for the weekend."
"The princess of the neighboring kingdom?" she asked.
"She is Queen Rapunzel now. Her husband is King Eugene. They both came to your coronation 2 months ago."
"Oh right, I remember now. Send the message back. Tell her Arendelle will be thrilled to have her."
Her advisor bowed, "As you wish, m'lady."
He left the room with haste, leaving her to look after the boy. She looked back at the motionless figure on the couch. So helpless, yet so strong. Lord knows what would've happened if he stayed out in the forest. She noticed something on his cheek, a glistening speck that appeared when the sun reached his face. She reached over and brushed her fingers across it, wiping it off of him.
"Frost bite?" she whispered. "Guard!" she called.
One of the guards appeared in the doorway instantly.
"Fetch me a bucket of hot water and a towel," she ordered.
"Right away ma'am," he said, disappearing into the hallway.
He appeared seconds later with the items she requested. Placing them at her feet, he stood at attention again.
"Is there anything else I can get you ma'am?"
Elsa shook her head, "No, this is fine. Thank you."
The guard bowed, "My pleasure, m'lady."
Elsa took the towel in her hand and soaked it, ignoring the searing heat of the water against her cold skin. She twisted the fabric and quickly placed the towel over the boy's forehead, taking care to place it gently. She moved her hand to his cheek. His skin was warm to her touch, almost surprising her. It wasn't warm enough to be a fever, but it was warmer than her cold, ice-covered blood. It was almost pleasing, comforting, inviting.
She took her hand away, shaking her head. What was she thinking? She can't develop an interest with a man who isn't even aware of where he is. What if he even knew who he was? She barely knows this being in front of her, and yet all these thoughts began to fill her mind. She sat there silently, hands clasped together on her lap, watching, waiting, eyeing his rising chest as he breathed. She reached over and flipped the towel over, placing it back on his head. Her heart stirred. Isn't this what her mother did when she was sick? The memory of her parents came back, wishing they were there, advising her through this tough situation. Listening to her mother's council, her father's advice, and her sister's opinion, eventually making her own decision.
But here she was, alone in this room with a crackling fire behind her, tending to an unconscious individual in her own castle. Was this fear she felt, or anxiety?
'Let him pass away. He's suffered enough already,' her mind told her. 'You'd be doing him a kindness.'
"The moment I found him, his life became my burden," she responded.
'All the reason to let it go. Let it go.'
"I won't!"
'Let him go.'
"I WON'T!"
A sharp ice spire formed in the room near the window, startling the Queen where she sat. Her breath quickened its pace. Was this a panic attack? Or was it simply her emotions toying with her? Her heart felt as if it would leap out of her chest.
"What's wrong with me?" she whispered to the boy.
With an outstretched hand, she slowly melted the spire away, removing the trace of her power from the room. Over the course of the 2 months, she had taken the time to hone her skills, making sure to never freeze her kingdom again. In her solemn training, she learned how to better utilize her abilities. She didn't know why she had it, but it wasn't new.
Her mother told her that's how she met her father. Before they met, her mother lived in a small town of snow makers on a mountaintop. Every winter, they would gather in a circle at the mountain peak and cast their powers into the air, creating the snowy environment to those who lived below. It was then that a boy had climbed the mountain, catching a glimpse of a girl who had accidentally showed herself. It was when he collapsed in front of the village that they first met.
Elsa looked at the staff leaning against the couch. A light blue line seemed to be engraved along the wood. For a shepherd boy, he certainly had a peculiar taste in tools. The belt with his badges lay folded up on a stool next to the staff. She gazed at him again. Reaching over, she took the towel and soaked it in the water again, repeating the process she started before, placing it back on his head. With a sigh, she got up and headed for the door. She needed some time to think.
She closed the doors behind her. "Let me know if he wakes up, or leaves the room," she told the guards.
"Understood," they both said.
She nodded and walked towards the dining hall. She needed to check up on him later.
Chapter 4Jack stood alone within the dark expanse of his mind. An endless room of darkness made up his conscience. All he could remember was going through the portal, but he didn't remember ever leaving it. Was this the new world the moon spoke of? There was nothing here.
"Hello?" he called out.
His voice echoed through the endless blackness, disappearing into the void in front of him. He sighed.
"Well this is stupid."
"What's wrong with me?" a feminine voice filled the chamber he stood in.
Alarmed, he looked around, determined to find the source. "Who's there?" he called out.
No response.
"Anybody?"
No response.
The voice he heard echoed in his mind, repeating constantly as if it were a broken record. Was it the moon?
"Say it again, please!" he called out.
As if the voice heard him, a tiny light appeared far off into the void. A light? Was he dying?
"Don't go towards the light, Jack. The light is bad, don't go towards it," he told himself.
After staring at it for a while, he noticed it seemed to have an animation to it. It lightly pulsed wider and smaller, almost calling him. He resisted the urge, but his curiosity grew with each passing thought. He needed to get out of here, wherever he was. If it meant getting out of this darkness, the light was the closest hint to his escape. Taking his first step, he walked towards the light. It gradually grew larger as he approached. Slowly, he reached his hand forward, breaking out into a run. Just as he reached it, the light enveloped his world, taking over his vision and sense of self-image.
Slowly, his eyelids fluttered open. His vision, blurred and unclear, came into focus as he gathered his surroundings. He first saw the fireplace, alive with fresh flames from burning wood. Red bricks made up the small structure, with a few tools lying around it. A chair was propped up next to him, very close, almost too close. He felt something wet on his forehead, reaching up and removing a white towel off of him. The wet apparatus had grown cold, and as he looked over the edge of his makeshift bed, he saw a bucket filled with water. A blanket was covering him, and after removing it, he noticed his belt was gone. He felt around for it nervously, looking all around for it before spotting it on the stool next to his staff.
"Where the hell am I?" he whispered.
A chilling realization struck his mind. Wherever he was, if how he got here was correct, that would mean someone saw him. Someone. Can people see him? Was he exposed to human interaction? He needed to get out of here. His mind raced, conjuring up all the possible scenarios of what his rescuers might do to him. He jumped off the couch, placed his belt around him and grabbed his staff. He thought of leaving through one of the doors, but he soon realized that they both might be guarded. He had to think quickly.
A whistling sound came from behind him. He looked at the window.
"Bingo."
He flew towards it and looked for the lock. The latch was simple. A hook placed within a brass loop kept the window shut. He flipped the latch open with his staff and pushed the glass open. The world was finally revealed to him. He appeared to be in a kingdom of sorts, like those he had read in his history books.
"Did she send me back in time?" he thought.
Without thinking twice, he jumped off the windowsill into the cold winter air, heading towards the town.
"No one must see me."
Elsa calmly sipped her coffee at the dining table. The odd imported beverage gave her pleasant warmth inside, as if her sorrows were being washed away. But nothing compared to the warmth she felt from that boy's cheek. She blushed brightly when she thought about it. It was an odd sensation she had never felt before, something she wanted to feel again. Almost like a craving she needed in the pit of her soul. But something felt odd.
She wasn't sure what it was, but it felt as if her heart had developed a hole in the last five minutes, like something inside her had left and never came back. It worried her, occupying her mind with an increasing curiosity. Something was telling her to check on the boy again. Gently, she placed the cup on its saucer and got up.
"Will you be needing anything else?" one of the maids said.
"No, I'm all right. Thank you."
"As you wish, m'lady."
Elsa quickly hurried towards the living room where the boy was. The guards remained at their post, unmoved. A small pang of fear slowly built up inside her.
"Anything?" she asked.
"Not a peep," replied the guard.
The two soldiers stepped aside to allow her entrance. Again, she slowly opened the double doors. She noticed the towel on the edge of the bucket, increasing her heart rate dramatically. As the couch came into view, her heart stood still. No boy, no staff, and no belt. He was gone.
She quickly rushed into the room, frantically looking around to see if he had crawled off the couch and collapsed somewhere else. No sign of him remained. The guards looked at her and also realized the boy was gone.
"Where could he have…" she wondered furiously, until she looked up at the open window.
Quickly making her way towards it, she leaned out to gaze over the courtyard. Scanning the area, she saw the boy making his way towards the front gate.
"Wait!" she yelled, startling him as he ran.
She quickly jumped onto the windowsill. The guards rushed into the room.
"Your Highness!"
Without a second thought, she formed a ramp from the window to the ground and slid down, running as fast as she could towards the boy. She watched in horror as he ran through the townsfolk, becoming ever more scared as they noticed him running. He jumped from side to side; frightened at the stares they gave him.
"Stay away!" he yelled at the crowds.
Elsa's heart had almost completely stopped. She couldn't take seeing someone like this, alone and frightened. She knew all to well what that was like. As the boy ran, Elsa kept the pursuit, the townspeople watching the chase unfold as she made her way through the city streets. The boy was running towards the exit, obviously trying to escape his unsuspected confinement.
Elsa saw Kristoff making his way inside, pulling the sled with Sven at his side. He watched the boy pass by him and noticed Elsa coming up behind.
"Elsa, hey-"
"Not now Kristoff," she interrupted, blasting passed him.
The man and reindeer looked at each other, both confused as to what had happened. The townspeople started passing by them, following the commotion that Elsa and her escapee had created.
The boy was now running towards the lake. He looked behind him and noticed that only one girl was following him, and gaining. Afraid he was going to get caught, he had one last resort, something he didn't want to do. He jumped into the air and spun around, enough to face the girl.
"I said STAY BACK!" he yelled, swinging his staff in an upward arc, creating a wall of ice between them.
Elsa skidded to a halt before the ice. Her heart stopped. This ice. He commanded it as if it were his own. Was he…just like her?
The two looked at each other through the frozen glass, not making a single move. The boy took a moment to catch his breath. If she tried to run around the wall, he would fly away and disappear into the trees. But if she remains where she stands, maybe he could ask her a few questions. Time was running out. He needed to make a decision fast.
Elsa lifted her hands in front of her, and in a swift motion, she spread her arms left and right, splitting the ice in two and brought her hands to the ground, forcing the wall back into the Earth.
Jack couldn't believe what he just witnessed. Someone other than himself manipulated his own ice and eliminated it in an instant. Was she…just like him?
Elsa was shaking. Her nerves were giving her goose bumps all over. With a solemn sigh, she worked up the courage to walk towards him.
"I said stay back!" Jack struck the floor, creating a flurry of spikes that lunged at the girl.
Elsa looked at him with fear in her eyes. The spikes formed all around her, preventing her from moving. She felt a drop of warm liquid form from her left ear, landing on one of the spikes with a dark crimson shade.
"I don't want to hurt you," Jack said.
"Neither do I," Elsa responded.
The townspeople showed up behind her, all of them stopping at once as they watched the scene unfold before them. A chorus of whispers and chatter rose from the masses.
Jack held his staff towards her, holding his ground. "How can you see me?" he asked.
"What are you talking about?"
"You. These people. You're all not supposed to see me."
"And why not? We don't even know who you are."
"Go figure! I don't even know who you are or where this place is!"
"Elsa. My name is Elsa. This is Arendelle, and I am their Queen," she replied.
Jack chuckled, "You're a little young to be a Queen."
"That's awfully rude coming from a shepherd boy!" she snapped.
Jack was taken aback, "Shepherd boy?! Are you making fun of my staff?"
"Who said I was making fun?"
Furious, Jack jumped into the air. At the same time, Elsa dispelled the ice around her and threw her power at him. He used his staff to deflect the shots somewhere else and came back to the ground, circling around her. Elsa followed him, keeping in step with his speed as he ran around her.
"Show me what you've got, Ice Queen!"
"Bring it, shepherd boy!"
Jack jumped high into the air above her, flinging a barrage of icicles towards her. In a sweeping motion, Elsa shielded herself with an arc of ice around her. Jack landed on the opposite side, holding out his hand to send a chilling wind towards her. She brought up a wall to block the cold, completing a shelter of ice around her for protection.
Anna pushed her way through the crowds, "What's going on? What's all the commotion?"
One of the townsfolk turned to her and whispered, "You're sister's in a heated battle with a foreigner. Or should I say chilled battle," he chuckled.
A wave of "oohs" and "aahs" swept over the crowds as they watched the two super humans fight it out in front of Arendelle. While under cover, Elsa forged a stiletto sword of pure, sharp ice. Jack was currently throwing a constant flurry of snowballs at her shelter, with no luck. The moment he ran out of his supply, Elsa let down her ice barrier and ran towards him with her blade. He too dashed forward, sweeping the ground in front of him to create a dust cloud of snow, enveloping both of them as they locked in close courter combat. A symphony of chimes and thuds filled the cloud, even though it obscured the vision of the onlookers nearby.
In a time limit of twenty seconds, the sounds came to a sudden halt, and the dust slowly began to settle. As the crowd waited in anticipation, two figures began to appear. Elsa was holding her sword to the boy's chin, and Jack held the tip of his staff towards her forehead. The result ended in a stalemate. The two of them breathed heavily, both of which were exhausted from the endeavor. As they fully came into view, the crowds cheered and clapped with excitement. To them, the performance of battle was merely a show, when in reality they were testing each other's endurance.
Jack gazed into the girl's eyes, a deep pleasing blue appearing as if they were made of glass. He sensed fear in her gaze, and with it, relaxed a little. Perhaps he overdid it.
She noticed his harsh stare change, and suddenly she felt that warmth she felt when she touched him. What was it about this boy?
"How about we call this a draw?" Elsa asked confidently.
"Looks that way."
She lowered her sword, and in turn, he lowered his staff.
"Perhaps after things calm down, we can talk. We got off on the wrong foot," Elsa explained.
Jack nodded, "Agreed. Talking is better than fighting."
She smirked at him, "I'll forgive you later about what you said to me." She started to walk away from him.
"What?! After all that? Not until you ask me for forgiveness first."
She raised her hand, focusing her power into it, "You really want to start this again?"
He sighed angrily, pouting.
"I thought so. Come, you must be hungry."
As if his body heard her, his stomach growled loudly. Who is this girl?
Jack sat at the table, scarfing down his food as if he hadn't eaten in ages. The maids were all chuckling to themselves as they watching him, with Elsa joining in on their laughter. Anna sat near her with Kristoff, who in turn was doing the same with his food.
"What is it with men and food?" Elsa joked.
"Hey, you offered. Let me eat in peace," Jack shot back.
Elsa placed her elbows on the table, resting her head on her hands. He finished his plate quickly before sliding the plate aside respectfully.
"So what's your name?" Anna asked, curiously.
Jack wiped his mouth with a napkin. "Jack. Jack Frost."
Elsa almost laughed, "Jack Frost? As in 'Jack Frost nipping at your nose' Jack Frost?"
"Is there any other Jack Frosts you know around here?"
Elsa chuckled, "Charming, really."
"What's that suppose to mean?"
"Nothing. Nothing at all."
A moment of silence filled the room. One of the butlers coughed lightly.
"Are you feeling all right?"
Jack raised an eyebrow, "What do you mean?"
"You were unconscious for two days. Elsa and I brought you here to the castle," Anna added.
"What happened to you?" Elsa asked.
"Why aren't you wearing any shoes?" Anna asked.
"Anna!" Elsa shouted.
Jack laughed, causing the sisters to look at him, "Honestly I don't mind. I don't wear shoes mainly because I feel like they slow me down. I like to be free, like the wind."
"And so you jump off a second story building to escape your rescuers," Elsa said sarcastically.
"Hey, try waking up in a place that's not familiar to you at all."
"He's got you there, El," Anna said.
Elsa shifted in her seat, feeling bad about her remark. She should've known better.
"More importantly."
The two sisters looked at him.
"How'd a pretty thing such as yourself become Queen?" Jack asked playfully.
"Excuse me?"
"Come on, I want to hear it. Did you win a bet with a rich fellow and gain untold royalties? Or maybe you married an old king who passed his expiration date?"
Elsa stood up, "Stop talking," she said quietly.
"Is it one of those, or something else entirely?" Jack pressed. He really wanted to know.
"Both my parents died, okay?!" Elsa shouted, silencing the room.
A flood of guilt hit Jack harder than a speeding 16 wheeler on the turnpike. He couldn't believe what he just did, and ever ounce of regret filled his soul. A faint glow filled the center of his hoodie.
"I need some fresh air," Elsa said, walking quickly out of the dining hall.
"Elsa, wait!" Anna went after her.
"Leave me alone, Anna," Elsa said, closing the door behind her.
"Elsa!"
The maids hurried back into the kitchen, and Kristoff bid himself leave from the room, telling Anna he was heading back home. Anna stood there, and Jack sat there, both very silent.
"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked," Jack said.
Anna turned to him, "I think she needs to hear that more than me."
Jack sighed, "You're right. Where would she have gone?"
Anna looked at the door, "Whenever she's feeling down, she heads for the balcony overlooking the courtyard on the third floor, just over the living room where you woke up."
"Balcony, third floor, got it." He got up from his seat and headed towards the exit. He looked back at the younger sibling, "Thank you."
Anna nodded, understanding that the boy meant no harm. She could feel that he was here for a reason, and something was telling her that she could trust him.
Chapter 5The moon shined full in the evening sky. Elsa had her hands on the balcony's guardrail, looking over the town in front of her kingdom. The dim lights of lanterns in people's houses flickered in the distance. She turned her teary gaze towards the moon, trying hard to hold in her anger and sadness.
"Why father? Why was I born into this kingdom? Why was I born with these powers mother? Did I deserve this from a previous life? Is it a curse meant to be brought upon our family for generations to come? Why me?"
She remembered singing her troubles away before, using the gift of song to calm her nerves. But no song came, and no notes formed. Only water and hiccups came from within her. Was it Jack that upset her, or was it the failure of her expectations towards him? She didn't know.
'Let him go,' her mind told her.
"It's a beautiful view."
Elsa leapt in fright. Jack was floating upside down next to her, watching the town from her point of view. Well, sort of.
Elsa sniffed, "What are you doing here?"
Jack flipped around and crouched on the railing, "I came to apologize. I'm the new one here, and yet I stuck my nose into a place I should've have."
She turned her back towards him, "Well, go on. I won't stop you."
He flew over her and appeared in front of her again, upside down, "I'm sorry."
She squeaked and jumped back, "Stop doing that!"
"Doing what?" he asked, still upside down.
"That! You! Floating."
"Flying?"
"Yes, flying."
"You can't fly?"
Elsa crossed her arms and turned to the railing again, "Would I be standing here if I could fly?"
Jack appeared next to her, resting his arms on the railing, "I thought you had similar powers to mine. I didn't think anyone else had them."
Elsa did the same and rested her arms next to his; "You must be one of the lucky ones then. I'm human, bound by the Earth to do her bidding."
"Well, that's a sad way of seeing it."
"It's here that I stand, and here I'll stay. There's nowhere else I could go."
Jack looked at the courtyard for a moment, "You're wrong."
"Hm?" she looked at him, his crisp dark eyes. She almost melted looking at them.
"No one can force you where to go or what to do. The decision remains with you only. Giving up is not an option if every other option is open to you."
"So you think you can teach me to fly?"
"You have your own way of flying."
With that, he lifted himself into the air, hovering just a few feet off the balcony. Elsa watched him, studying him, and with all of her might, jumped as high as she could. No dice. She came back onto her feet, managing only to hop from the balcony's floor. Jack started to crack up hysterically.
"Stop laughing at me!" she yelled.
"I'm sorry. It's just, I didn't think jumping would help in any way."
"Alright genius, care to tell me the law of physiques that I'm not understanding here?"
"All right, all right, hang on." He lowered himself onto the platform.
With a click of his staff, he froze the balcony enough to be slippery.
"Do me a favor and stand on one side of the balcony," he told her. She obeyed. "All right, now in the opposite direction, focus your power on a gust of frozen air."
Elsa didn't exactly understand, but she listened to him anyway. He walked away from her to the other side and waited. Putting her hands in front of her, she sent out a blast of cold air, sending her sliding towards the boy, bumping straight into him.
"Whoa there," he said, holding her steady.
Elsa's face lit up like a Christmas tree as she quickly pulled away from him, holding onto the railing.
"I didn't think that'd work," he said.
"What do you mean? You told me to do it, you perverted jerk!" she shot back.
"Perverted jer-, okay, if you want me to be perverted." He quickly flew behind her and scooped her up from the ledge.
"Hey, put me down!"
"Nope!"
"I said let go!"
"You'll die if I do that."
"Put. Me. Down!"
"Not until you trust me."
She shrieked as he carried her higher into the night sky. When he made it a good ways above the castle, he stopped and looked at her. She was shaking from fright at this point.
"You afraid of heights or something?"
"I hate you," she said to him with squinted eyes.
"You won't be saying that for long."
"What are you talking about?"
"You're going to fly!" he said with glee.
"If you let me go from up here…"
"Just remember what you did on the balcony. Blow the air below you, with both hands this time."
"Wait, wait, wait!"
"Here we go!"
Jack let her go, but quickly placed his hands under her armpits, holding her up as she screamed in fright. The air shot from her hands, blowing a cold mist that whistled in the night. Her eyes were closed. Jack slowly let her go and flew in front of her.
"You are a natural," he said.
Elsa opened her eyes slowly. She saw that he wasn't holding onto her anymore, and noticed that she too was flying next to him.
"I can't believe you let go of me up here."
"I can't believe you are a natural flyer."
"Ha ha. You really are something, you know that?"
Jack pretended like he was laying on his back, "I'm Jack Frost, remember? Guardian of fun, keeper of mischief. How could you forget?"
The two of them laughed at each other. Out of everything that had happened since she found him in the woods, she was actually having fun. All her worries, her burdens, seemed to melt away at this very moment. She felt alive for the first time.
"Maybe we should head back," Jack suggested.
Elsa chuckled, "For once, I agree with you."