When Autumn Met Frost

Chapter 1

When the Earth was new the Maiden of the Sun and the Man in the Moon watched over all the Earth but of course as more and more beings were born even they couldn't keep their eyes on all. The beings, which were humans and animals and all creatures big and small alike, needed balance in their world. Something to balance the nature growing around them; to rule it and control it. So Sun and Moon created the spirits of Summer and Winter. Twin brothers but they were exact opposites.

Summer brought warm weather and sunshine, which brought the humans out and helped them work to better themselves like growing food and having fun.

Winter brought the cold and snow, which made the plants rest and brought the humans indoors where they spent time with their families.

This arrangement worked well for quite some time but soon a problem arose. Summer sometimes couldn't help but be too hot. Crops died from drought and humans had to retreat indoors again. And Winter was far too cold at times. It came too suddenly and the humans often lost some food or themselves to these harsh seasons. This made Summer and Winter terribly sad. They never wanted to hurt the humans and so begged the sun and the moon for a solution. Sun and Moon were aware of the problem for some time but they had a plan. There needed to be a middle ground between Winter to Summer and Sumer to Winter. This was how Spring and Autumn came to be. Twin girls, their little sisters. Spring came after Winter and helped the weather gradually get warmer to wake up the plants and animals from their winter sleep. She melted the snow, and brought the rain for the trees and crops. Autumn came after Summer and marked a great change across the land. The humans nick named it The Fall. The leaves turned gold, reds and browns of every shade. Yellows so bright they looked like gold. Reds so red they set the trees on fire. The weather got colder in fall telling the humans it was time to prepare for winter and for the animals to gather food and hibernate. This seasonal family was just what the Earth needed. Not all of the Earth needed every season; and some parts had more of one season than the others but as a hole this kept the Earth in a great balance. With better conditions for living for living the humans thrived but with more humans grew fear and doubt. It was a natural balance and so Sun and Moon created year round mile stones to give wonder, hopes, dreams and memories to the humans.

Santa Claus was born a man. Sun and Moon saw great things in this man. He brought great joy and wonder to the people he met with the toys he made and so he became known across the land as Santa Claus. But his tale is long and one most everyone knows…

Next came the Easter Bunny who symbolizes hope and rebirth, kicking off the beauty of Spring with a bang. As centuries went on more were born as humanity created some of their own legends. But this was not about Myths, Legends or Fairy Tales. This part of the story was how Autum met Frost. Jack Frost that is.

The Man in the Moon created Jack for a special purpose but he wouldn't figure it out for a few hundred years. Jack was still young. As eternal beings go that is. In winter Jack helped spread snow and frost across the land. As much fun as Jack had with his frost and snow he was lonely. No one knew of him or believed in him as they did with Santa or the Easter Bunny. He didn't mingle much with the other spirits either. Not that he'd seen very many. He knew of Winter of course and enjoyed his company though found him dull at times. And Winter's brother Summer. Though Jack hated Summer, well not really, just that he was a hot head. One fateful day Jack stumbled upon Autum in the middle of her changing the green leaves to the spectacle most people enjoyed seeing year after year. Jack was so fascinated by the colors he had never seen before. He was so fascinated that he actually slowed down from his fun of frosting everything to look. He walked around a forest surrounded by the beautiful colors and that's when he saw her. Autum was distracted coming up with another beautiful color combination for the tree she was standing by. Jack watched her in wonder. He'd never seen anything so beautiful… yup even Spring. Sure jack had seen Spring and her flowers but Spring was so shy. She ran from Jack every time she saw him. Jack discovered why when his frost had hurt one of her flowers. She cried and he never wanted to do that again, though sometimes his frost at the end of winter got out of hand. He just had too much fun. At first he was worried about seeing Autum. He didn't want her to be afraid of him too, though the weather was colder than in spring and she didn't seem fazed at all. Autum reminded Jack of himself. Her long wavy brown hair was windblown with leaves of various colors stuck in it and eyes as green as spring grass but there were flecks of shimmering gold coming from the center like a changing leaf. They were full of fun and a little mischief. She enjoyed blowing up the leaves around people and seeing them laugh or stare in awe. Her clothing consisted of a dress that look renaissance era. Empire waist and hugging sleeves made of a material that looked like velvety moss in a lighter green than her eyes and trailed down to almost her feet and faded to a brown like the earth's dirt. When her hair blew in the wind Jack could see a lace pattern on the back that looked like the veins of a decayed leaf.

Jack wanted to meet her but he was afraid and so he watched from afar for awhile but without realizing he was getting closer and closer. It wasn't until he stepped on a twig when he realized how close he had gotten. Closer than ten feet to her. Utterly surprised she spun around at the sound, locking her eyes on his ice blue ones. On instinct she ran from him, as fast as the fall winds.

"No wait! Please don't go! I won't hurt you!" Jack called but Autum was nowhere in sight.

He knew she hadn't gone far though. He sensed she was up in the trees watching him and so he decided to show her what he could do. He saw a low hanging branch of leaves and touched the end of his staff to a leaf. From that contact point his frost traveled over every leaf. Autum was indeed watching him from up in the tree tops. She stared in awe at his frost. It mesmerized her at how it sparkled in the light, throwing colors she had never seen. Absentmindedly she went back to the ground level to get a better look but still keeping a cautious eye on Jack.

"What is that? What did you do?" She asked in wonder.

"It's frost. Just something that I do." He told her.

"Did you hurt it?" She asked a little sternly.

"No it's fine. See for yourself." He said and she walked up to the tree branch.

Since it was still day the air was cool but the sun was warm. It was melting the frost. Autum reached up and touched a leaf with her fingers. The frost slid off in a slushy clump. Autum was amazed.

"Oh… it's like a protective blanket!" Autum said as she looked at Jack with a bright smile.

Jack smiled back unable to form words. Autum then turned back to the tree, touching all the leaves Jack had frosted making it fall off like snow. Autum had never gotten to see snow. Jack was pleased by her reaction and made it flurry over her a little. Autum giggled and twirled around.
"I'm sorry I scared you." Jack said.

Autum stopped dancing and smiled softly.

"It's alright. You just startled me…" Autum dodged, she didn't want to concern him with her worries.

"But how can you be here? Don't you help my brother Winter? Isn't it too warm for you?" Autum asked.

"Nah I make my own cold. Bring the chill to the air. I can go just about any where." Jack said, "And you… The cold doesn't bother you?" Jack asked.

"If it's too cold it could hurt me but I'm quite comfortable in chilly weather." Autum said and Jack was pleased.

"So… What's your name?" Autum asked as she absent mindedly changed some leaves.

"Jack Frost." He said.

Autum paused as if the name was familiar but the memory wouldn't come to her so she shook it off.

"I'm Autum… heh… of course." Autum said with a giggle.

"It's a pleasure." Jack said with a slight bow as he reached for her right hand, placing a cold kiss upon her fingers.

Autum ducked her head shyly with a big grin. There was a moment of silence but Autum got excited with an idea.

"Hey! Can you show me more frosted things!?" She asked with a big grin.

Jack smirked and nodded.

"Sure, but can you show me more leaf changing?" He asked and she nodded excitedly.

She then grabbed his hand, pulling him along a little before taking off.
"Come on let's go! There are a few more trees to change and then we get to blow them all off!" She said with excitement and a big smile as she turned to him in mid air while they flew.

He was happy to see her so excited, he couldn't explain why.

She took him to some trees in the forest that hadn't been fully changed. They stood on a tree branch and Autum touched her right hand to the tree. Jack noticed a ring on her middle finger. It was a copper ring shaped like a maple leaf wrapped around her finger. Like his staff her ring helped hold her power over changing the leaves and wind. Most of the spirits had some special artifact like these. Jack watched with a gapping mouth as the leaves around them exploded in shades of red, gold and browns. The sun was setting and the whole forest looked like fire.

"Wow." Was all Jack could say.

Autum smirked. After all the leaves were changed Jack looked and her and took her hand again, entwining his fingers with hers.

"Now it's my turn." He said and they took off into the forest as evening set in.

Jack covered everything in his frost. Every tree, every leaf, every blade of hibernating grass. The moon rose and it's light was so bright the forest looked like it was solid crystal. Autum was speechless, but Jack wasn't done there. He took her to a little pond. With the tip of his staff he dipped it into the water for just a second. From that point the top of the water froze solid. When the whole pond was frozen Jack slid out to the center of it and spun around holding out a hand to her.

"Come on. Come here, and no flying." He said and she raised an eyebrow at him.

"You mean walk out there on that?" She asked a little fearfully.

"It's just ice, it won't bite." He said.

She pouted at him.

"I know that." She replied and he challenged her with a smirk.

She stepped onto the ice feeling confident. He motioned for her to step forward and her confidence faded. She took a few steps forward but it was far too slippery. She had never really walked on ice before. She slipped a few times but Jack caught her before she could fall.

"I've got you." He said as he wrapped an arm around her waist.

She smiled shyly, being so close to him but he started to let her go and she panicked.

"Don't let go!"

He laughed.

"Relax, I won't." He said as he held onto her hands, standing in front of her.

He started gliding backwards on the ice, pulling her with him as if ice skating. They glided around the pond, laughing and having a great time. Jack started spinning them in a circle and after a few turns he pulled her close and they spun faster. Jack lifted off into the air to stop them and they laughed with delight. Jack set them back on the ground. Autum began walking around through the crystal like forest, it was a quiet night. The sky was clear, filled with thousands of stars and a bright moon.

"So, how come I've never met you before?" Autum asked.

"Well, I've not been here very long. Last winter I woke up in a frozen pond, the moon shinning over me. He told me my name and that was it. I met Winter, though he's a little stuck up and serious… No offence." He said and Autum shook her head.

"Older brothers, so serious." Autum joked, Jack laughed.

"I've met Spring, but she cried." Jack said with a nervous grin.

"Did you freeze some of her flowers?"

"Maybe…"

"Don't take it personally. She's very delicate."

"Yeah… and Summer… Don't like him much. A real hot head. But how come I didn't see you?" He asked and she paused as if trying to remember something she couldn't.

All she remembered was waking up at spring and returning to the spirit realm in her Autumn Woods.

"Winter came early last year. I slept and at Spring, returned to the Autumn woods. I don't remember why." She said and Jack looked concerned, but she smiled.

"But it happens to restore balance."She added and he relaxed.

They walked and talked for a while, enjoying the chilly night.

"So, how long have you been here?" Jack asked her.

"Oh… more years than I can count. It's very…"

"Lonely…?" Jack finished.

"Yeah…" She replied with a nod.

"We could stay together. I mean through the fall at least." Jack suggested.

He could tell she longed to be seen as much as he did.

"I'd like that a lot." Autum replied with a big smile.

The sun was rising then and Jack's frost was melting. Autum got an excited smile on her face.

"Now we can make the leaves fall. Wanna help?" She asked.
"You bet!" Jack said and they took off, the wind tailing behind them showering leaves upon the ground.

"Hey Autum, I'll race ya." Jack challenged.

Autum's eyes glimmered in mischievous excitement.

"You think you can do better than I, master of the fall winds?"

"Yup! I've got winds on my side to don't forget." He replied.

"We shall see." Autum said and the game was on.

They zipped through tree tops. It was obvious Autum was faster and far better skilled at the task but after a little while they forgot about the race and just had fun. Jack started jumping on tree branches then launching to the next tree. Autum saw how fun that looked and tried it herself. She never thought she could have so much fun. Their fun went on for days. Jack would frost everything at night and they'd skate or slide down tree branches. During the day they would make more leaves fall. And a few nights they didn't feel like doing anything but lay in a frost covered meadow watching the stars. Jack enjoyed Autum's company more and more, finally feeling like he wasn't alone.

One morning they meant to start more fun but it started snowing. They had lost track of time. It was quickly getting too cold for Autum.

"Fun's over. Time for me to go." She said as she shivered.

Jack looked sad but nodded.

"I'll see you next fall right?" Autum asked.

"Of course. I'll be there."

"Promise?"

"I promise." He said and with a last look Autum disappeared into the sky; returning to the spirits realm.