Ch. 04

The next day Elsa woke up to the smell of something. She sat up in bed, just when the door opened up.

Jack walked in with a plate full of pancakes and a glass of orange juice!

"Good morning." He smiled.

"Good morning." Elsa watched as he sat down next to her and put the plate onto her lap.

Jack saw that she was confusedly staring at the pancakes.

"What are those?" Whispered Elsa.

"Uhm...pancakes?" Said Jack.

"Pan...cakes..." Elsa grabbed one from the plate and wobbled it in front of her noise.

"You never had pancakes?"

"Not really...I mostly lived on the mountain and even when I was under Nick's care, I've never tasted them...Nick never baked them."

"Well, try them." Said Jack.

"Okay."

Elsa opened her mouth up and carefully took a bite. Jack laughed a little as she clumsily held the pancake.

"What?" Mumbled Elsa with a blush.

"Nothing." Said Jack, averting her gaze.

He whistled while Elsa stared at him with a death glare. His eyes glanced at her. She had let her plate be and looked angry at him. Her hair was loose and messy and she had an old night gown on from Anna. Snow fell down from above her head, but that was always happening.

"How long are you going to keep staring?" Said Jack.

Elsa folded her arms and sighed. "Stupid. Just what are we going to do today?"

Jack sighed too. He saw Elsa raise her eyebrow at him out of annoyance.

"We are going to look around town."

"Huh?" Elsa blushed. "B-but...the people will be scared!"

"You're under my care, remember?" Said Jack. "I'll just tell people that I forbid you to use your powers on them."

Elsa sweat dropped. "I seriously would not believe that if I was a civilian."

Jack stood up again. "Well,if you're ready, meet me by the gates."

He walked out. Elsa grabbed another pancake and ate some more. It was delicious!
She frowned. She was afraid to go out. What if she lost her control over her powers?


Jack was leaning against a wall. He was waiting for Elsa together with Anna.

"I'm so exited!" Exclaimed Anna.

Jack smiled. "Yes...where is Kristoff?"

"He had work to do."

Jack noticed how her voice went down.

"Dissapointed?" He asked.

Anna grabbed her face and blushed. "What? N-no! I don't care what that loser does! If he wants to cut ice rather than to hang out..."

She stopped talking and her eyes went wide. Anna grabbed Jack's arm and waved at a direction.

"Elsa!"

Elsa had put on her usual ice dress and braid. She nervously stopped in front of them.

"S-so, where are we going?"

Jack and Anna smiled. They both started to walk and Elsa ran after them. She saw them shooting glances at each other. Those two were up to something!

They arrived at a little bakery. A woman with green hair raised her eyebrows when she saw them walk in.

"Jack, Anna!" said Tooth. "And..."

"This is Elsa." Said Jack.

"Oh, the ice queen!" Said Sandy. He just finished off a cake and

Elsa nervously tried to grasp his arm, but Jack stepped away from her. Aster now also walked towards her. The man said nothing for a few seconds.

"Is something wrong?" Said Elsa.

"So you are the ice queen." Aster folded his arms. Elsa stayed her ground. "Why did you freeze the land?"

"Accident."

"Hm."

Elsa her eyes narrowed. She kept staring back. If this guy thought she would break down or be scared...she wasn't scared of him.
Aster suddenly started to laugh.

"Well, Jack, I like her!"

"Huh?" Said Elsa.

"She is fit to be your girlfriend!" Said Aster. "You know, first I thought that she was just some whiny girl, but she is awesome!"

Elsa tucked her hair behind her ear and giggled.

"Well, this is Aster." Jack pointed to the man. "That there is Sandy and that is Tooth."

"Call me Toothiana, not Tooth."

Elsa bowed down. "My name is Elsa."

"Cool." Said Sandy. "So, when is the marriage?"

Elsa and Jack both went red.

"Aww, you're blushing!" Giggled Anna.

"He/she is not my boy/girlfriend!" Yelled Jack and Elsa at the same time.

Everyone laughed at the two. Elsa and Jack quickly look away with a blush on their faces. They both peeked a second at each other. Jack grinned at her and rubbed his head. Elsa still looked away blushing.

Suddenly the door of the store went open. Elsa's eyes went wide...it was Nick!

"Hey, Toothiana, can I..." He stopped mid-sentence as he saw his daughter. "..."

"..."

Elsa and Nick both stared at each other, not looking away.

"Elsa..." Whispered Nick.

"Nick...Nick!"

Elsa ran into his arms and started to cry. Nick wrapped his big arms around her. After all these years they finally saw each other again.

"Oh my! you've grown! " Nick pulled away from her. He looked at her up and down. "And that dress!"

"I made it with my ice powers." Said Elsa.

"Really?"

"Yeah!"

Anna gave Jack a little stomp. "Looks like our plan worked."

"Yes."

Jack and Anna worked out a plan to let Elsa meet her father again. They made sure that a few guards would go up there and tell Nick to come down in town since the bakery sold out cookies. (Nick loved cookies)

"How sweet..." Said Toothiana.

Aster raised his eyebrows and looked strangely at her.

"What?"

"Nothing." Said Aster. "Just heard you say 'sweet' for the first time ever."

"Pfft." Said Tooth. She hated it that Aster was always looking out for her.

After Elsa and Nick had a long talk they sat down on a bench outside with a bunch of cookies.

Elsa just wanted to grab one when Anna took him from her and jumped up.

"Sorry, but you this is mine!" Yelled Anna playfully.

"It isn't!" Yelled Elsa. She jumped and attempted to grab her cookie back. But Anna skipped a few meters back.

"Try to catch me, Elsa!"

Elsa groaned and ran after Anna.

While the girls were playing Jack looked at Nick, who was smiling brightly.

"You know..." Nick spoke up. "I'm thankful for what you did today. I really am. But I'm thinking about leaving soon."

"Huh?"

"I belong in my old little house, not a busy city."

Jack scratched his head again. "But what about Elsa?"

"She is in good hands with you, Jack." Said Nick.

Jack looked at the two girls.

"She is, really." Nick gave him a little poke. "Just take good of her."

"But what if I screw up?"

"You won't. Believe me."


Later that evening Jack had a meeting with the dukes and various kings and queens of other countries.

They all sat around a big round table.

"Arendelle is in big debt, my king." Said the duke of Wesselton. "We need to find a way to get some business with other kingdoms."

"I already found a way." Said Jack. "Ice. The other lands don't have ice."

The duke sighed. "My king, Ice can't save us. Sure, we can make some money with it, but Arendelle needs something that will make business!"

"What about our supply of armory?"

"Arendelle doesn't have enough to sell." Said Queen Rapunzel of Corona.

Jack sighed and groaned. What now? Arendelle really needed some money...

"King Jack." Pitch stood up. "My kingdom is ready to give you some."

"Huh?"

"Money and armor."

"Thank you!" Said Jack. "How can I ever repay you, Pitch?"

Pitch snickered. "Someday you will pay me back. Or Elsa will."

"Huh?"

The meeting was over. Jack walked into the hallway , thinking. Why was Pitch helping him?

"King Jack."

Pitch walked up to him. Jack raised his eyebrows.

"About the repayment..."

"Look, Pitch." Said Jack. "I do anything, when the supplies are here. Till then..."

"I already know a way to pay me back, Jack."

"Really?" Jack crossed his arms.

Pitch smiled happily. "Yes! You see, my kingdom isn't always going to be safe, I get contestant threats from other kingdoms. Now when another kingdom attacks mine...I could use some kind of weapon."

"Like a canon."

"Elsa. She has magic powers. I'm sure that she could fight enemies off in a blink."

"No, no way!" Said Jack waving his hand. "She is not a weapon."

"Is she?" Said Pitch. "Think about it."

"No, just no."

"Well, it's the only you can repay me...plus, what would you do when another kingdom attacked you? She could protect so many people."

With that Pitch walked away, leaving Jack with a guilty feeling.

Jack looked down. Would he also use Elsa as a weapon? He never wanted to do that, but when his kingdom would be attacked...he had seen what she could do. She was very powerful...but she was his friend...
All of a sudden two arms grabbed him from behind.

"Jack!" Yelled Elsa. "Gotcha!"

She noticed Jack's worried face.

"Is something wrong?"

Jack smiled. "No...just had a meeting."

"Oh...how did it go?"

"It went well..."

Elsa noticed his sigh. She quickly let go of him and walked around to face him.

"Jack...is everything...okay?"

He looked away. He couldn't tell her. It would break her heart. Instead of telling her, he just shook his head. "No, nothing's wrong."

Elsa nodded slowly. Jack walked away from her. Elsa could sense that something was up his mind...was he planning or something? Or was she just paranoid?


A few days went by. The people of Arendelle were still not sure about Elsa, but they were growing closer to her. Elsa even once helped an old lady in her store. She also played a lot with Anna and Kristoff, who were almost like her best friends. Nick already went back home, but he told Elsa that he would visit. The bakery sold pretty good and supplies came in from the Darkened Forest kingdom.

But Jack was all cooked up in his office. Preparing papers and everything. Being a king wasn't all fun. He had to send letters to other kingdoms to keep a good relation. He also had to set up a training program for the soldiers. It had been years since they had training, which was needed.

Jack groaned and rubbed his temples. All this work was exhausting!

He stepped away from his desk and walked to the window. He saw Anna and Kristoff talking about something.

Jack frowned. He liked Kristoff, but not the idea of his little sister falling in love so quickly. He had always protected Anna with his life...

He shook his head and took place behind his desk again. Jack looked through some papers but couldn't concentrate. He then noticed a paper sticking out. He grabbed it...it was the contract of the darkened forest...he still had to sign it. But as soon as he grabbed his pencil the thought of Elsa crossed his mind.

What would you do when another kingdom attacked you?

The voice of Pitch echoed through his mind.

Jack bit his lip. This all felt so wrong. Selling out a friend. That was what it was. But...he also had to think of Arendelle...

A knock on the door released him from his thoughts.

"Come in."

"Hey..." Elsa walked in. Her hair was now loose. It looked nice on her.

"Elsa." Jack stood up. "Is there something?"

"No..."

"Then leave, I'm busy."

Elsa her eyes narrowed. "Jack, you've been here all day...you need to get out."

"Why?" Said Jack. "I'm busy."

"Then take a break."

"I can't. I'm the king here..."

Elsa sighed. "Well then. I'm going to look around the castle."

Jack sat back down and began to look through the papers again. Elsa shook her head and walked out, silently closing the door behind her. She sighed again and started to just walk around in the hallway.

She stopped at a beautiful painting. It was a painting of a red rose. It was very detailed...Elsa carefully touched it. She never really saw paintings, until now. She smiled nervously. A little ice emerged from her finger onto the painting. Elsa immediately retracted her hand. It had a little ice on it.

"Just let it go."

Elsa immediately turned around to see Pitch Black standing there in a corner.

"Mister Black!" Said Elsa. "I didn't notice you there!"

Pitch began to walk closer. "Please, call me Pitch, ice queen."

"Don't call me that."

"Ah, sorry, sorry!" Said Pitch. "Or like they say in Norse; Jeg beklager så mye."

"I will call you whatever I want, Pitch." Elsa kept her ground. Pitch was standing right in front of her. He smirked when he saw her legs shaking.

"You don't have to be scared, Elsa, I just want the best for you."

"S-sure."

"And for our king. He is pretty serious about the whole king-part, huh?"

Elsa raised her eyebrow. Where was he going with this?

"He asked me about giving Arendelle supplies and of course I gave them...in exchange for you."

"Excuse me?"

"He signed a contract in which he will give you to me..." Pitch put his hand against her cheek. "He betrayed you."

"LIAR!"

Ice shot out of her hand, hitting another painting on the wall. Elsa covered her mouth. Oh no...

"Liar?" Pitch remained calm. "If you don't believe me, then look on his desk. The contract is right there."

Elsa held her hands close to her chest. "I can't. Jack is in there."

"Is he?"

Elsa turned around and saw Jack walking out of his office with a bunch of papers in his arms. He cursed a little, became smaller and smaller and was gone.

She didn't hesitate and ran into his office. Elsa immediately went up to his desk. It was entirely empty. He apparently took everything with him.

"And?"

"Nothing!" Yelled Elsa back. She stepped out of the office. "You were lying."

"I wasn't." Said Pitch. "I would never lie to you."

Elsa stiffened up again when she could feel his hand rubbing up her arm. Her heart stopped for a second...she couldn't move!

"Plus, how well do you know King Jack?"

Elsa was about to say something when someone jerked her away by her arm.

It was Jack. He looked confused at Pitch.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Said Jack. "Elsa is not someone to be suddenly touched, she could freeze you!"

"Oh, sorry." Pitch made a little bow. "I was just being friendly."

"Alright, King Pitch. I accept your apology. Now make your way."

"Yes, your majesty." Pitch stood up again. He locked eyes with Elsa for a second. He then turned around and walked away.

Elsa sighed. Somehow Jack came just in time. Somehow she was really scared of Pitch. He was nice, but everything he did felt wrong to her.

"You okay?" Asked Jack, a little worried.

"Yes." Said Elsa.

Jack saw her legs shaking. This was the second time that she was scared. He also saw the painting, totally destroyed by ice.

"I'm sorry about before. I was just a little stressed."

Elsa nodded. She then noticed how he was still holding her. Jack saw it too and quickly released her, extremely blushing.

"Well, I destroyed the painting." Said Elsa.

Jack grinned. "Doesn't matter. We can always buy a new one."

"I thought Arendelle didn't have anything."

Jack looked at her. Elsa quickly covered her mouth.

"Sorry!" She yelled, while waving her arms up and down. "I just heard Pitch tell me...and...I know that he is giving Arendelle supplies...I didn't mean it! Sorry!"

Jack smiled at her. "Don't worry about it. But we still have money. But since the big thaw...other kingdoms kinda stopped doing business with us. Kingdoms like the Southern Isles stayed friendly, but...we only offered ice...that was good in summer , but in the winter..."

"It was all because of the eternal snow, right?"

Jack grabbed her hands. "The curse also gave us good things."

"Like what?"

"Well...I've met you."

"How is that a good thing?" Elsa looked away. "I only bring pain, Jack...and I'm evil. I'm the ice queen. A woman without a heart-"

Jack suddenly pulled her into a hug. Elsa's eyes went wide. Jack put his other hand against her chest. Elsa shrieked and was about to complain, when...

"You still have a heart." Whispered Jack. "I can hear it beating."

Elsa carefully put her hands against his chest. She laid her head against his chest. "Can you?" She whispered.

Jack smiled. "Yes, Elsa, I can."

"Good."

"And like I said; I will protect you like a dragon."

Elsa sighed. "I might be a danger to you, you know that, right?"

"Yes, I know."

"Then why take the effort?" Elsa looked up at him. "Why not kill me?"

Jack held her even tighter. "Because we are friends."

"Friends..." Elsa felt a tear escape her eyes. Jack saw it too. He put his thumb onto her cheek, catching the tear. Jack kept staring at her...Elsa was way too beautiful...He moved closer and so did Elsa. Elsa blushed.

Is he...?

"Hey, you guys!"

Elsa shrieked and pushed Jack away.

"Anna!" The strawberry-blond girl looked at Elsa with a grin. She was raising one eyebrow at them.

"W-where did you come from?" Said Jack.

"Oh, you know...walking around...while...I saw you two kissing!" Anna yelped.

"We were not kissing!" Said Jack.

"Yes, you were! Tell me, Elsa, is he good in it?"

"Anna!" Elsa was entirely red. "Why would I..."

"Oh, I need to tell Kristoff!"

"No, you won't!"

Elsa walked over to her. She grabbed Anna. Anna struggled almost free, but that only made them fall down on the floor. Elsa held Anna under her, she was trying to held her back. Anna tried to crawl away from her, but with no avail.

Jack laughed at the two.

"Help me, Jack!" Yelled Elsa. "Don't just stand there! Grab her legs!"

"What no! Which side are you on, Jack?!" Yelled Anna back.

Jack rolled his eyes.

Elsa was his friend.

Definitely no weapon.

TO BE CONTINUED