When Emily had promised to help people believe in him, he hadn't even believed it himself that it could happen. And for the first few days that he stayed with Emily, it didn't even seem like Emily was doing anything. Whenever he would ask, poke, and prod; she would simply say that it was being taken care of, smile, and distract him by asking him about the places beyond the isles.

He told her of the snow capped mountains that he had crossed, of the small villages and temples that sat atop them far above the earth below. Jack told her of the great oceans he had crossed, watching the whales and dolphins travel across the world, and the ships that traveled between the continents. He described the great cities and humble villages that he had visited; of the first village he had seen, and the lake where he was born.

It wasn't that surprising when she asked him why he traveled so much, why he didn't just settle down.


"Well I have to spread Winter. I have to make sure places that are supposed to get Winter, get it. And…" Jack whispered conspiratorially, "to places that aren't supposed to get it."

He thought that would be the end of it.

"But you've been here for a while now Jack. Shouldn't you be spreading winter?" Emily's dark eyes were staring up at him, her eyebrows scrunching up like they always did when she was confused.

"I don't need to constantly be with a storm to make sure it happens. The weather goes on without me around the world. Besides, the other winter spirits can take care of it for a bit."

"Then why haven't you settled down before now, If you don't have to be there to control it?"

"Because, because the other spirits like to hurt the people that get caught in their storms, and I try to make sure that doesn't happen."

He really hoped that was the end of it. He really, really-

"You should just make them stop." Her eyes seemed to glow now, but that wasn't right. She may have been an empress, but she was still a mortal. And mortals did not glow.

It was gone now though, replaced by her usual smile. It was probably just a trick of the light. Yeah, probably from the whale oil.

"Emily, I can't just make them do something." And he smiled now too, because she was still a child. She couldn't really understand what she was talking about.

"Don't be silly Jack," her smile had grown to a grin now, "You just have to know how to do it."

Then she grabbed his hand and dragged him out with her to play in the spread quickly about the winter spirit name Jack Frost.


It didn't start where he thought it would, though.

Instead of the the nobles that Emily was surrounded by daily, the first whispers of Jack came from the underbelly of Dunwall. From the reports of witches proclaiming a new patron to the sudden snowflake etchings that appeared on, what seemed like, every building in Dunwall.

The Overseers were up in arms over the new mystical being that had such a sudden presence in the city. Many of the witches that had proclaimed Jack as their patron were soon arrested and brought to court to stand trial for heresy.

As they stood before the Empress, they were brutally questioned on the nature of this Jack Frost by the overseers:


Who is Jack Frost?

He is the King of Winter.

What does he do?

He protects us from the dangers of Winter.

Where did you learn of him?

The Outsider gave us dreams of Him.


Once the slightest mention of the Outsider was made, the Overseers would haul the woman away to Coldridge Prison.

This, however, did nothing to stop the belief of Jack Frost from spreading.

Soon all who believed in the Outsider, believed in him. And some who worshiped Him, soon started worshiping Jack.

He noticed that when Emily held court, that a few pairs of eyes would always stray to him. As soon as he would make eye contact with them, they would make an imperceptible bow, turn their attention back to Emily, and would only sneak glances at him for the rest of the day.

That was the greatest extent of contact he had with his followers. That was what they were, really. Yes they believed in him, but they also worshiped him, He didn't want that.

He didn't want people to dedicate their lives to him. He just wanted to be able to be seen, to talk to people and have them talk back.

He didn't want people to believe that he controlled the other Winter spirits-where did they even get that from?-he just wanted them to see him.


So he left.

He had to get away for a while. Away from the Isles and the worshipers that lived there.

When he told Emily he was leaving, she smiled sadly and told him that he was always welcome back in Dunwall.

Once he left the Isles, he noticed how he no longer had to stop the other spirits from attacking the humans, how the spirits seemed to respect him now instead of resent him. He noticed how his strength over Winter was growing.

And when the Winter Equinox came, the most powerful of the winter spirits came and asked him to form the Court of Winter. Asked him to become the King of the Court.

And he realized what had happened.