Hey guys! My last preview chapter I think, if this doesn't get any reviews then I'm going to the delete the story...
Elisa- Read somewhere that it's the name of Jack Frost's first love in the original myth...don't quote me on that.
Ages- typical marriage time 300 years ago was 15 to 17 for boys (or older) and 12 to 15 for girls.
Evening primrose (sundrops)- native to north america, only bloom at night
And thank you Dark Inu Fan for being such a loyal reviewer! You seriously ROCK.
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Frozen
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Jack couldn't breathe.
He knew this was just a memory, but his heart skipped a beat as he watched.
Long, flowing golden hair. Twinkling eyes like a clear lake. Spotless sun-kissed skin, covered by a thin paper dress. Her face was small, but her frame was sturdy, not frail like it would seem. Some might think she looked a little plain, but Jack found her breathless. Thick eyelashes framed her hazel eyes as they concentrated at the task at hand; creating a small crown of flowers. After she finished, she smiled and turned to the little girl beside her, which Jack recognized as his sister.
"Here you go, Pippa."
So that's my sister's name.
"Thanks, Elisa!"
The blonde stood and placed the crown on the young child's head. Pippa, excited, ran off to the other younger children in the distance, who were all huddled around a lanky brunette. Jack soon recognized the boy as himself.
"Glad to see we got the final member of our crew! So, are you guys ready to hunt some Easter Eggs?"
A chorus of yes's and elated squeals followed his question. The Jack in the memory raised his arms up, paused, then dropped them. Then, all the children unceremoniously scattered, leaving the two teenagers in the valley together.
"What's the matter, Jack? You usually follow your sister."
Jack smiled at the blonde girl next to him.
"Yea usually, but- oh hey, look!" Jack grabbed Elisa by her arms, bringing her much closer to him, staring straight into her eyes. "I grew! I have to look down to see you now." He smirked at her obvious discomfort. "Hey, you look a little red, you ok-"
Elisa gave him a flat look and elbowed him in the ribs, making him release her, and started walking away. Jack followed after her, laughing.
"Stupid trickster. You know, I've been taller than you all 15 years of your life, just because you've been taller lately shouldn't count for anything." Jack rolled his eyes at her.
"Sure, Elisa. I'm not going to shrink, you know." The lady stopped walking and pointed to something high in a tree. Jack squinted up to see what it was.
"An egg?" Elisa nodded.
"That's not a very safe place for it. Why would the Easter bunny put it there?"
Jack smirked. He had placed the egg there earlier himself. He looked over to his companion.
"I'll race you to it?"
"Oh please, that's ridiculous and dangerous. You know I wouldn't-Hey Jack, what's that behind you?"
Jack turned around behind him to see what she was looking at, only to hear a piercing laughter. Unexpectedly, Elisa had started climbing the tree, laughing at Jack's dumbfounded expression.
"And you call me the trickster?"
The pair laughed as they raced up the tree. It was not an altogether dangerous climb for the pair, they had apparently done this many times before. Finally, as Jack was about to pluck the egg from it's perch, a delicate hand swept in and cinched the egg before he could. He sat down dejectedly, looking across the branch at the pair of eyes that danced with amusement.
Jack smiled back. It had been a lot of fun.
"Alright, you win. Of course, it's easy to win with a head start."
"I was leveling the playing field. I'm wearing a dress."
Elisa, who had been sitting at the thin end of the branch, suddenly jumped as a cracking noise split the pairs' ears. Looking down at the branch, the two the branch breaking in between them. Wordlessly, Jack held out his hand, which Elisa grabbed, as he pulled her closer to him and thus closer to the trunk and thick base of the branch.
"Wow, you're heavy."
"Am not!"
Elisa suddenly colored as she realized how close she was to Jack again. Jack smiled.
"You're turning all red again."
Elisa sighed.
"You're clueless, Jack."
Jack stared at her face, before a gentle smile graced his features. He had a feeling he had been waiting for this for a very long time. Cupping her face lightly, Jack shut his eyes and closed the space between their lips. Elisa's shock was apparent, but it melted away into happiness as she kissed Jack back happily.
Covered by the foliage, with only the light watching as it peaked through the leaves, Jack had his first kiss. The kiss was short, sweet and innocent. Jack sat back, now also having his face slightly colored red.
"See? I'm not that clueless."
"No," Elisa pecked his lips again, smiling at him, "I guess not."
Screams of terror and disgust erupted, and Jack and Elisa looked down to see the mess of children below.
"Were they just kissing?"
"Yuck, gross!"
"Elisa and Jack sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!"
Jack looked over at Elisa smirking, who was once again bright red.
"You know, that rhyme's kinda catchy."
The next thing that swept over his eyes was more of a montage of images. So many memories, all with her, flew by his eyes.
A young brunette boy was running around in an open valley. He shut his eyes as he continued running around, care-free and limitless. However, that ended as he suddenly hit something large and tumbled onto the soft grass. Jack took a moment to gain his bearings. Finally, he looked back and saw a little girl with blonde pigtails sprawled out on the ground. Jack quickly got up and ran over to her side.
"Sorry about that."
The girl lifted her face, and Jack was met with shining green eyes and thousands of freckles. She slight glare on her face.
"Yea, maybe next time you should run with your eyes open."
Jack's face scrunched up.
"Who are you?"
She blinked, surprised.
"Elisa."
"Elisa, huh? I'm Jack."
Jack smiled at her widely, which made her face grow in suspicion.
He stared at her. She stared back.
"What?" Elisa asked.
"There's a bug on your face."
Jack laughed loudly as Elisa screamed and tried to remove the imaginary bug off of her face.
Jack sat perched in a tree, watching Elisa walking peacefully below, cradling a basket of apples. Once she was almost completely below the tree, Jack hooked his legs under the branch and dropped right in front of her face.
"Whatcha doing?"
Elisa inhaled sharply, screamed, and dropped the basket. Realizing what happened, she glared at the upside down face smirking at her.
"Why do you have to do that?"
Jack laughed.
"Because it's fun."
Elisa smiled, started picking up the apples below and putting them in the basket. Jack flipped off the branch to help her.
"Damned trickster."
"Goody two shoes."
"Jack, we'll get in trouble."
Elisa let Jack hold her hand as he guided her through the trees of the forest.
"No, we won't. Trust me."
Elisa frowned, but followed his lead anyway. After falling over some tree roots, the pair finally made it to a clearing. It was a warm summer night, and the grassy valley they would normally visit during the day was now overrun with small, yellow flowers. The blonde girl gasped and kneeled down, now surrounded by the pale yellow. Jack just watched before he sat down next to her. He plucked some of the delicate flowers and distractedly started stringing some together.
"They only bloom at night. I saw them when I went out a couple nights ago and thought you might like them."
Elisa looked at Jack, grinning. The moonlight had further softened her features, and the flowers surrounded her like a picture frame.
"They're beautiful."
Jack looked down at the crown he had made, not really listening to what she was saying. He gently placed the crown on her head.
"Hmm? The flowers?" He sat back to admire his handiwork. His eyes met her eyes. "They're alright."
There was an unspoken message between them. Elisa blushed.
The flurry of images quickened pace. Jack and Elisa playing some games with the children under the summer sun. Jack and Elisa collecting the autumn leaves to jump in. Jack and Elisa making snow figures in the winter. And finally, Jack and Elisa sitting in their tree in the spring, hidden by the cover of the leaves.
After this, the next scene focused with a sense of clarity. It also, however, pierced him with a sense of finality.
"You're leaving?"
Jack looked at Elisa with worry. He clutched his shepherd's hook closer to him. She glanced back at the carriage behind her before taking Jack's other hand in her own.
"I'll be back in the spring. Were just going down south to visit some family and we have to leave before winter falls."
Jack smiled; he was glad she would be back in the spring. He loved her most in the spring and summer. She squeezed his hand comfortingly. Jack looked over at his shepherd's hook. An idea formed in his head, and he suddenly shot past Elisa to the older couple behind her. He screamed behind himself.
"Wait here a second!"
Elisa stood there dumbfounded as Jack spoke to her parents, specifically her father, excitedly, who seemed to match his own enthusiasm. After a couple minutes and a few hugs, Jack ran back over to Elisa, who stared at him in confusion. He stood in front of her, slightly out of breath, before a huge grin spread across his face.
"Elisa."
"Yes? What did you just talk about with-"
"Don't worry about that." Jack grabbed Elisa's hand. "I've been thinking."
"That's dangerous."
Jack looked at her flatly as she giggled. She motioned for him to continue.
"Anyway, I've been thinking. I've known you since I was 7, and I'm 17 now. We've been good friends for a very long time, and, uh, even a little more than friends. And now I have a job, a livelihood, maybe not the best..."
"Please, Jack. I think you'll make a perfect shepherd."
Jack had been rambling. He cleared his throat.
"Yea, well." Jack got down on one knee. Elisa's eyes widened. "I think you'll make a perfect wife."
He wanted to slap himself but he did his best to keep his face straight. There. He said it.
"Jack...are you...?"
"Will you marry me?" Jack's own conviction surprised him. He thought he'd stutter or mumble but his words rolled out clearly. The whole world seemed to stop as the pair held their breathe. He looked straight into her eyes, unwavering in his conviction.
"Will you marry me?"
"Jack, if this is a trick, I swear-"
"It's not a trick." Jack's hand reached out to clasp her's. "Will you marry me?"
Elisa's shock melted as soon as he touched her hand, and she grinned at the boy kneeling below her.
"Yes."
Jack scooped her up in his arms and twirled her in a circle. She laughed but was interrupted by Jack's lips crashing onto hers. The pair didn't notice the slight crowd that had gathered, and kissing her like that had probably not been the most proper thing. Jack set Elisa down, not really caring who was watching, and she wrapped her arms around his neck.
"I still have to leave now, though."
Jack sighed.
"I know."
"But I'll be back in the spring."
"I know."
"And we will be married."
"I know."
Their eyes twinkled and portrayed their delight. Elisa untangled herself from his grasp and headed over to the wagon. She edged away from him slowly.
"I love you, Jack."
Jack smiled back, tempted to run after her.
"I know."
I love you, too. Why couldn't I say it?
Her smile faltered a little, before it renewed itself over her features. She hopped into the carriage and waved at him.
"You better not change your mind!"
"I won't!"
It didn't really matter anyway.
Jack wouldn't be alive in the spring.
The light faded slowly and the scenery shifted back to the dimly lit workshop of Santaclaussen. It was dark, and it was cold. Jack's body was frozen, the tiny treasure box he had previously clutched so tightly slipped from his hand and fell to the floor.
It shattered. The only distinguishable piece left was the tooth.
Jack still didn't move, he stared at some point beyond any of them. The other guardians were deeply concerned and Tooth fluttered in front of Jack. The silence was thick and heavy.
"Jack? You ok?"
Jack finally snapped out of his shock and looked at Tooth. Then, he looked down at the broken pieces of his memory at his feet. Jack dropped his staff and fell to his knees, looking at the golden shards on the floor, and the tooth lying quietly among them. His eyes could not move away from the shining ivory bone. The other guardians edged forward cautiously, and Tooth floated down and placed her hand on Jack's shoulder.
"Jack? Please, tell us what happened." No response. "We can help you."
Jack blinked a couple times. His vision had been fuzzing up because of something building up in his eyes...
Then he realized he was crying. And once he realized that, the tears came out in a downpour. They would freeze almost instantly on his cheeks, making his face just look more frosty than normal, but his shaking shoulders and ragged breathing clued the others in on what was happening. The other guardians rushed over and huddled around him like Toothianna.
"Jack, what is wrong?"
"Ay, Frosty. C'mon."
"#$%^& !?"
Jack tried to stop his shivering, but he couldn't. His body was out of his control. He looked out the dark window he had flown in and the empty night sky behind it. His shaking increased ten fold, and in a exhausted whisper, he tried to explain the one thing that put him in so much pain.
"Elisa."
BAM. THERE.
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If I don't get very much feedback again, I probably won't continue. So please, let me know.