Snow covered the entire kingdom of Corona, giving the castle towers crowns glittered like an ice dress that reached the shores of the lake. This reflected the light of the moon, becoming a perfect mirror blank waiting reflect the warmth of the floating lights.

Every Winter Solstice, the kings sent to heaven thousands of paper lanterns, thousands of small bright suns radiating the warmth of summer, the Corona Princess. The tradition dating back to the origins of the kingdom, sun drop that fell on a small child who would become king, who founded the kingdom. The lanterns representing star drop, the gratitude of the kingdom, how they wanted to restore the strength and power to which they owed their origin. And so in the shortest day of the year, wanted to help the sun to come out again, to return to grow and heat. The kingdom of Corona was the sun .Was no accident that this flutter on its flag, on background of a violet penetrating. And maybe that's why it was the solstice princess birthday, made everyone should say that she was destined to something big, resurgent light from darkness.

In ballroom, thousands of fabrics followed the laps of their owners, revolving around the great Sun drawn on the ground, circling, simply spreading happiness that throbbed within them. If you looked more closely, it seemed that would follow the rhythm of the falling snowflakes outside the walls. A brown haired boy was hiding behind a column, watching the lights of a world that had never belonged, which never belong but envied in the depths of his being, but never came to admit. The party was nothing unusual in his eyes, was how all the others that were held in the castle, which he played to prepare for days. Almost none of that infinite spinning in circle knew what that was. He directed a curious glance to the room, enjoying the colors inside, dreaming of being able to join the dancers, flick if only in dreams that world out of the darkness. I was about to leave when a figure made him to stay still, hypnotizing blue eyes to let there every single move of that girl.

She had brown hair, long down her back as she danced, her little feet were the chords of the melody that filled the room. When the song ended she was the only one who seemed keep dancing, emitting a light that became more apparent when the king took her by the shoulders, spinning in the air as her sweet laughter echoed throughout the room. The girl jumped down, pushing his father after a beautiful tiara conform herself between her brown locks which began to float when she started to run dodging the crowd until the arms of the queen took her to flight, holding her while putting straight the crooked crown falling on the face of that little, princess of Corona. The boy put his hands to his face, understanding that that child was farther away than anyone in this room, which ...

'Not that you had not ever seen her-he reproached himself. Although he had to admit that he had never seen, did not care, that was not the point-AGGG, you're stupid.

-Why are you stupid?-a voice asked, barely able to hold the laughter that wanted out of his mouth.

-I am because ...-began as he lifted his head, stopping to discover who stood before him, who had asked that question, of who he was answering.

It was a girl with rounded features, with pink cheeks, with small freckles peppering her small nose and a wavy brown hair framing everything. But what was wonderful, almost magical were those eyes, eyes of the colour of forests, fresh grass, a sparkling green that seemed to contain all the light of the Sun. A violet dress clung to her waist with a small loop, hanging down below the knees with a yellow border, doing the same in the neck, where the dress showed off a white tank top with a ribbon pinned violet. A shining crown on his head, flashing accompanying movements she was doing in the semi-darkness.

-I don't think you're stupid-laughed as she knelt beside him, shortening distances between them as she studied him with those emerald eyes. When she seemed satisfied she shook her head and smiled, extending his hand-My name Rapunzel, what's yours?

-Jack

The boy could not avoid smile imitating Rapunzel, noting how those green eyes shone brighter than the lights of the room. The sound of trumpets made them both shake, turning to understand that they would soon see the floating lights flood the sky. Jack felt his companion shudder, rising from an energetic leap as her eyes seemed unable to shine more.

-The lanterns! the lanterns!-she cried while Jack stood up, giving her a funny look as she raised an eyebrow-What?

-You want to see them from a site that nobody knows?-he asked, looking worried to see that his eyes darted between him and the place where the kings' were-Come on, it'll be fun.

-But ... Dad and Mom ...

-We will be back here faster than a rabbit-he smiled while making an arm movement that-I promise, just believe in me-Before they were able to realize they were running around the grounds of the castle, leaving their footprints in the snow, watching the world ruled by the Moon as their laughs broke the silence of that perfect silver world. They stopped at a small balcony, laughing, with their breath turning into puffs of vapour that mimicked with snow. The princess clutched the arm of his companion, excited; smiling as Jack placed the crown back, ruffling his hair until his eyes fell on the snow beneath his feet. He bent down to grab a handful, starting a snowball fight that got both look like figures of ice until Rapunzel froze, running to the balcony while Jack shrugged. The magic had begun.

The princess could not avoid gasp at the sight of that little light reflected from the ice, a light which was followed by thousands of lanterns light that plunged the sky into thousands of little suns able to forget that the Moon still owned the sky. Jack stood behind her, watching her own show reflected in those huge eyes. Rapunzel turned, smiling as she approached him, clinging to his arm as she noticed how his body went up to stay suspended over shoulders that were not going to drop. The girl held out her arms to the sky, imagining that she could touch every one of those lanterns, every drop of sun from his kingdom. She watched as they began to approach the castle, how Jack took her down as he indicated that cling to his hand, with a silent smile as he led her to the empty ballroom doors to large balcony, where the kings were holding a small lantern.

-It's mine-the young princess smiled as he looked at Jack-They didn't released it.

-Then your majesty should go and do it, right?- the child smiled while those warm fingers let go of his own, running to the kings, laughing hugging her father's neck as his hands threw that point of light to the sky. And more it rose, more light seemed to flood the world but soon all were aware that that was not but an illusion.

The kings were watching the dance floor as the princess slept on the breast of his mother, smiling, unable to foresee what would happen when she will open her eyes. Everything was light when the doors flew open, taking the flames of the candles, plunging the room into an inferno of ice and darkness. All eyes turned to the entrance, containing moans, letting out cries, turning the air of fear more atrocious. A man with black hair, black robe and a terrific smile on his lips profiled becoming walked through the crowd, who retreated to his step. Unconsciously, their souls knew the shadow was hovering over the palace. He stopped in front of kings, smiling, seeing that even a shadow of fear was shaping up in the monarch's eyes.

-What are you doing here, Pitch?-shouted the king, advancing to him, staying at a height greater than him-I told you that you were not welcome here, you no longer have place in the kingdom of Corona.

'But I am your confidant-said with feigned surprise that bordered it.

-Hah! Confident-the king had anger in her face painted-You're a out of here!

-Is your majesty so ingenuous to proscribe me? Do not think so my dear King, I do not think that it will be convenient-his voice was able to be more icy than pure ice, and bringing with it a mortality outweighed it into impossible limits-Oh, but who we have here.

Jack could not avoid turn their eyes towards the place where the black eyes how the hell were digging. His pupils contracted to see a frightened Rapunzel, small, fragile, unable to contain more fear in her eyes. She was curled against her mother, screaming sounds that anyone will hear never, trying to escape the man's eyes. The king had done the same to him, outlining in his eyes the deepest fear, because there he not only saw his daughter, if not his wife, the two lights of his world.

-Mommy, I'm scared-Rapunzel's voice reflected all the fear they all felt, but the fear that paralysed the queen's face trying to protect his daughter was beyond everything.

-Get out of here!

-Get out of here ... well,-his smile turned into the most terrifying face that no one had seen, turning to the crowd, extending his arms as a materialized shadow figures, spreading terror, causing chaos-But I will not rest until there is nothing, until you and your family be not more than a distant memory. Because within fifteen days, all of you will die and I will not rest until the last of your family disappears, forever.

He directed one of his shadows and into the lamp, knocking it, causing the spark of that chaos catch on fire to burn the foundation of sanity.

Everyone was running, collapsing the corridors in a stream of one-way outward to the snow against the windows moaning thought the glasses. Jack was about to start running when a voice called out his name, directing his gaze to a tangle of brown hair running toward him wrapped in a coat, clinging to his hand, staining it with some tears.

-Rapunzel, what are you doing here?-asked almost screaming amid the chaos, kneeling to run into the face of a frightened child-Rapunzel...

A second voice called her name, making both turn to see how the queen paused a moment before pulling them into a room, blocking the main door while shouts and footsteps made their hearts beat so rampant. The queen turned to them, fear etched in her eyes as she knelt to embrace his daughter, cradling her against his back as her eyes studied the boy who stayed away, with his eyes down, hiding them on a few strands of brown hair. A simple eye contact made something changed in the expression of the queen. This broke the barrier that princess of his arms, making her to pulling out a neck chain to pass it on to her by her head, letting stand a pendant on the chest of her scared daughter.

-Never forget who you are-she said as her hands guided hers to that pendant-No matter what happens; never forget who your family is.

-Mommy ... -hesitated Rapunzel, sipping tears, looking into the eyes of his mother before nodding sharply, snatching the queen the world's saddest smile. Jack realized.

-Take her away-command a silent prayer from the woman who had been over and now looked just like him-Run, whatever happens do not come back, do not let her come back, do not let him have her.

-I...

-Promise, promise me that-plead the queen wrapped up in tears, shaking hands with her scared, her only light, the only one that was left-Please...

Jack bits his lip before nodding, watching the queen deposited a kiss on the forehead of her daughter before the boy opened a passageway in the wall, grabbing the hands of a princess who refused to let go of the fingers of her mother. She screamed her name twice, crying, turning in Jack's arms before hollow sound silence to all, a sound that made the wall closed _ to never be opened again. The boy looked at the girl who trembled in his arms, shaking his head in anger before running for those corridors he knew so well. When they were at a safe distance he left Rapunzel on the floor, clutching her hand how the most precious thing in this world, running until their feet were found in the snow. The fire was reflected in it how in a macabre mirror. The ashes fell how corrupted flakes, staining grey streets, the alleys by the two children ran to a place not even they knew. Their steps finished a secondary bridge, on fire, burning. Both went down the slope to the icy lake bed, hesitating before an explosion would make them run around on the snow-covered ice and ash. They were half across when something stopped in front of them, making Jack bring his body among Rapunzel and the newcomer, moaning to recognize between the flashes of fire the features of Pitch Black. This made a hand movement, throwing him on the ice, leaving the princess with her name in the throat before he could express his own cry. A shaft was doing wrapped her and writhe in pain, the yellow colour of the flames, macabre. Jack stood up, grabbing his knife to jump with all his might between Pitch and Rapunzel, sinking the blade with all his strength on the ice. A loud crack made the girl fell on the icy water, moaning, crawling toward the child while he was waiting to start running and they would have done if a hand had not emerged from the ice and had grabbed Jack's ankle, dragging him into the depths of the frozen lake.

-Rapunzel, run!-the boy begged as he sank, smiling when she started running before she changed direction and clinging to his hand, pulling it, struggling against the man who had given her so much fear. Jack was unable to find any trace of that girl in those eyes focused only on winning that battle. He felt like that dark soul pulled from his body, how his eyes were fixed on him but he could not win, soon the boy came out and the man began to see how he sank.

Rapunzel grabbed his hand, pulling him, running almost two, dragging him through that frozen surface until their feet touched the ground again. There, all the strength of the princess collapsed, turning to become the six year old girl who was, a frightened, innocent girl who could be very brave.

-Jack-whispered as they watched the kingdom of Corona, their home, be ablaze. In the war between fire and snow in which the second one could not win. He could see in his eyes the silent cries of her soul, he could to see how two words, clear and as old as time loomed in her mutilated eyes. She refuges them against his chest, seeking protection, an antidote against a pain that even she could not contain. Jack only put his arms around her, stroking her hair as she stood with her, holding her body far from the ground. Rapunzel-I will protect you, I promise-he smiled to himself before devoting one last look at the place who had been his home, running to the station to the train that would take them far away. The station was a swarm of people, snow, fire, terror. He focused on finding a train, running toward the one beginning to move, extending his arm to catch it when he noticed how the girl's body began to slip from his arms, feeling she was trying to get away from someone who was holding her legs. Jack pulled her back, struggling, feeling his hands slipped to just be able to grab the hands of the princess. Two blue depths and two green lights were congealed by tears, struggling to not be separated, shouting their names, asking the world to not leave alone. The train broke their connection, pulling the girl down the tracks, leaving her unconscious in the snow.

- Rapunzel! Rapunzel!-cried Jack desperate while men grabbed him, prevented him from committing the folly of jumping off the train. To him alone was forcing him to break his promise. He tried to wriggle out of them, fought till the tears, the anger, the fear eventually consume all his forces, leaving him only the opportunity to extend the arm as the train pulled away.