Kindred Spirits
Epilogue: The Birthday Present
There was a light knock on the door, and Anna looked up from the book she was reading.
"Who is it?"
"It's me," came the answer, and Anna was surprised to recognize Jack's voice instead of Kristoff's.
"Come on in," she said, and the door opened to reveal Jack Frost standing there, looking unusually preoccupied.
A few moments of awkward silence passed between them, until Jack finally cleared his throat and spoke.
"Do you have a minute?"
"I have more than one, actually," Anna answered with a smile, hoping to put Jack at ease. "What's on your mind?"
"Well, Elsa's birthday is tomorrow."
"Yes."
"And I've gotten her something."
"Okay…" Anna said, arching a suspicious eyebrow. "So what's gotten you all worked up?"
Jack hesitated for a few more moments, and then finally gave up.
"It's a ring," he said, holding out a small jewel box.
It took a moment for the words to sink in, but when they did Anna's eyes went wide and her mouth opened slightly in surprise.
"Oh," she said at last, when she'd gotten over her shock. "Oh, wow. Can… can I see it?"
Jack nodded, popping the lid open with his index finger. A ring was resting on a small pillow of velvet, a band of transparent, silvery ice featuring a single gem set into it. Or at least, it looked like a gem at first. Upon closer inspection, the 'gem' was revealed to be an impossibly clear, gleaming, intricately-carved piece of ice.
"Ooooo," Anna breathed out, her eyes wide all over again. "It's gorgeous. Did you make it yourself, Jack?"
"Yeah," he answered, looking suddenly nervous. "You sure it looks good?"
"Of course!" Anna assured him, smiling wide. "So, this'll make it official, then?"
"Well, if she says 'yes'," Jack said, and Anna shook her head.
"You don't have to worry about that," she said. "Trust me."
"I know," Jack replied, "but I can't help it. This is big. Like, really, really big."
"Yeah, I know," Anna echoed, holding up her right hand and proudly displaying the ring on her ring finger. "I've been through it. But what's she gonna do, say 'no'? After all this? Not a chance."
"Maybe," Jack said, closing the box with a soft click, "but I still need to figure out how to give her the thing. How did you and Kristoff do it?"
Anna paused for a moment, remembering, before she just shrugged.
"I guess I just… asked him," she said. "After you've been through a couple of near-death experiences together, it gets a lot harder to make a big deal out of something. So I just waited until after we'd finished climbing this one mountain, Bear's Peak, and then I asked him while we were watching the sunrise."
Jack paused, unsure how to respond.
"Wait a minute," he said at last. "You proposed to him on top of a mountain you'd just climbed, watching the sunrise, and that's 'not a big deal' for you?"
"Well, it is kind of relative, I suppose. We climb mountains all the time. But hey," Anna added, "if you want a second opinion, why not just go ask Eugene? I'm sure he'd have some tips for you."
Jack slipped the ring back into his pocket and nodded his thanks.
"I'll see if I can find him," he said. "And please," Jack added seriously, "don't tell anyone about this."
"Of course not," Anna replied, looking almost taken aback by the question. "Your secret's safe with me, Jack."
Jack nodded one more time before turning and walking out of the room, leaving Anna standing there as her smile turned into a grin.
It took Jack a few minutes' worth of searching before he found Eugene, who was sitting in a small common room chatting with Olaf, Elsa's sentient snowman.
"Wait," Olaf said, "you really got into a swordfight with a horse? I mean, how does that even work?"
"Strangely, my friend," Eugene said, shaking his head slightly at the memory. "Very strangely. But Max helped me out of a really tight spot a while after that, and now we get along great. But there really isn't any swordfight quite like a swordfight against a horse… while using a frying pan."
"That sounds like a crazy time," Olaf said. "The best I've got is saving Anna from getting her heart frozen solid and dying," he finished, his voice deadpan.
"Hey, that's still a big deal," Eugene said. "Reminds me of the time I got stabbed by an evil witch trying to save Rapunzel from being kidnapped forever. Close thing; almost killed me. But Rapunzel saved my life, so it worked out fine in the end."
"Man," Jack broke in at last, walking over to the table, "what is it with you guys and near-death experiences?"
"Occupational hazard when you hang around important people, I guess," Eugene answered, shrugging like the topic of conversation was perfectly normal. "What's up, Jack?"
Jack and Elsa had been quick to explain to the various important guests for the week what had happened between them after the night Elsa had dismissed all the other suitors, and Jack had become a common sight in the castle outside of the kitchens. He still felt a little out of place around 'normal' humans, but it was a work in progress.
"I need your advice with something," Jack said, taking a seat at the table. "I made something for Elsa, for her birthday tomorrow. I just need to figure out how to give it to her. I tried asking Anna, but her advice was a little… particular," Jack finished.
"Sure thing," Eugene said, smiling. "This sort of stuff is my expertise. What's the gift?"
"This," Jack said, pulling out the ring and popping the box open.
"Pretty," Olaf said, admiring the craftsmanship. "Did you make that yourself?"
"Yup."
"You work fast, kid," Eugene said. "I like your style."
"I've known Elsa since we were kids."
"That's the kind of compliment you just take and move on, Jack."
"Okay…?" Jack said, beginning to wonder what he'd gotten himself in to.
"Right, so," Eugene pressed on, undaunted. "This is a big deal."
"Yeah, Anna mentioned that."
"You don't want to make too big a deal out of it," Eugene said, "but if you make too small a thing of it, it might go horribly wrong. Like, terribly horribly. You'd never live it down, even if she said yes."
"You sound like you have a lot of experience with that, Eugene."
"What? No. No, I don't. I just know people, y'know? These things go around."
"Okay…"
"So, you want to make it a quiet thing. Romantic, and all that good stuff. Unless you want to surprise her out in public with a crowd watching. I've heard that also works well. Depends on the girl."
"I don't think Elsa does crowds."
"Right, so that's obvious," Eugene said. "Small's the way to go. Maybe do it at the end of dinner?"
"But then what if she's got indigestion?" Olaf broke in. "That wouldn't go over well."
"Good point," Eugene said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Tricky."
"Could you just tell me how you did it?" Jack asked, trying not to sound desperate. "That might be easier."
"Well," Eugene replied, leaning back, "we were just out on the balcony one morning, looking out over the Kingdom. I had the ring on me, and I got down on one knee and asked her to marry me. Pretty standard stuff," he admitted, "but at that point it was basically a sure thing. You know how it goes."
"Well, no, not really," Jack said, now even more confused than he had been before coming into the room. "So, I can just ask her the question whenever, if I think it's a 'sure thing'?"
"Well, that's still risky," Eugene said. "I knew I could pull it off, because, well… I'm me," he finished, flashing Jack a winning smile. "But you're not me."
"No, I'm not," Jack said, taking the ring and slipping its box back into his pocket. "Thanks for the help, guys. I'll see you around."
"You're welcome," Olaf called after him as Jack left the room. "Just be yourself, and I'm sure it'll all turn out fine!"
Jack was ten steps down the hall before he realized he hadn't told Olaf not to tell Elsa about what he was planning. He turned around and made to go back, only to catch the sight of someone wearing a light, turquoise-blue dress coming down the other end of the hall.
Jack turned back around and beat a hasty retreat down the hall, looking for one last person to ask for advice.
Jack hesitated for a moment in front of the door to Rapunzel's room, taking a calming breath before knocking. If this didn't work, he was just going to have to improvise and hope for the best. He raised his hand and knocked twice, getting his fidgeting out of the way now before the actual conversation started.
"Come in, it's open," Rapunzel said from within the room, and Jack opened the door.
"Hey," he began, "can I ask you someth—?"
The rest of his sentence got caught in Jack's throat when he saw that Rapunzel wasn't alone. Elsa was sitting at the table across from her, thinking over a play in a game of cards.
Crap.
By the time Jack pieced together that he'd mistakenly identified the approaching young woman from earlier, he must have looked like he was about to throw himself out a nearby window judging by the looks on Rapunzel and Elsa's faces.
"Jack?" Elsa asked, frowning. "Is something wrong?"
"I… maybe?" he said at last, feeling like he was about to melt into the floor in embarrassment. "Can I… ask you something?" he said, fighting not to blush as he hazarded a glance over at Rapunzel. "In private," he added, and the Princess got the message at once. Rapunzel rose to her feet and put down her hand of cards, curtseying to Elsa before making her way over towards the door. As she walked by Jack on her way out, she leaned in to whisper in his ear.
"Good luck," she said, and Jack could hear the smile in her voice.
He tried to catch his breath without making it obvious, certain that he failed.
"Jack?" Elsa asked again when they were alone, "are you okay?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," he answered, reaching into his pocket and letting his hand rest over the box. "I just… wasn't expecting you to be here. I thought I saw you in the hall earlier, and then…" Jack sighed, slumping forward slightly. "Great," he said, "I'm already messing it up."
"Messing what up?" Elsa asked, moving over to near where Jack was standing. "You sure nothing's wrong?"
Jack paused, taking in a deep breath and exhaling slowly, willing the tension out of his muscles. He lifted his head back up, closed his eyes for a moment, and opened them again. Elsa's slightly troubled expression was waiting for him, and just looking into her eyes Jack felt all his misgivings vanishing away.
"Absolutely," he said, smiling as his voice ceased shaking. "I made you something. It's for your birthday, but… I wanted to give it to you earlier. Since I figured tomorrow would be really busy, and all."
"Well, that's very thoughtful of you," Elsa said, her frown turning into a smile. "Thank you, Jack. What is it?"
Jack took his hand out of his pocket, closed into a fist around the ring's box. He held it out and opened his fingers up slowly, remembering too late that he'd forgotten to get down on one knee. Oh well.
Elsa's face went through several expressions in the span of the next few seconds: from the initial confusion, to dawning understanding, to surprise, to raw emotion and finally to almost hesitant, unsure happiness, as if she was worried she was about to wake up from some dream.
"Jack," she said at last, "is that…?"
"Why don't you open up the box and see?" he said. "I'm not gonna spoil the surprise."
Elsa reached out with slightly-trembling hands and took the box, holding it for a few moments before opening it. When she saw the ring, the Queen gasped in surprise.
"It's beautiful," she breathed, reaching in and delicately removing the ring from its pillow. She put it on and held it up to the light to admire it, taking a few moments before she suddenly remembered there was something else they needed to say to each other.
"Sorry," she apologized, smiling in embarrassment. "Is this what I think it is, Jack?"
He smiled.
"If you want it to be, it is," he answered. "What do you say, Elsa?"
The Queen grinned, her eyes bright with happiness.
"Yes," she said, "I do."
Jack's smile bloomed into a laugh, and he drew Elsa into a hug. A moment later she leaned back just far enough to kiss him instead, and the two of them lost themselves in their happiness.
Until they heard a muffled sound on the other side of the door that sounded like a squeal of glee, at least.
The pair broke apart again and shared a knowing smile, shaking their heads before turning to face the door.
"Get in here, you guys," Elsa called out.
Anna opened the door a moment later, and she, Eugene, Rapunzel, Kristoff and Olaf all spilled into the room.
"Sorry," Rapunzel apologized a few moments later, not looking at all sorry. "I just couldn't resist."
Congratulations, cheers and well-wishes filled the room for minutes afterward, and only intensified once Eugene had left and returned with a few bottles of champagne.
"Not bad, buddy," he said as he raised a glass to Jack. "I knew you could do it."
The rest of the group answered the toast with a round of cheers, and Jack smiled in relief.
"Did you think I was going to say no?" Elsa asked him, while everyone else was busy talking amongst themselves for the moment.
"No, not really," Jack answered. "I just wanted to make sure I did it right."
"You were great," Elsa assured him. "And since you're not asleep this time, I'll say it right: I love you, Jack."
Jack smiled.
"I love you too, Elsa."
The sun was beginning to set by the time the impromptu party died down, and the now-official couple laid down to a blissful night's sleep.
Elsa already knew that the morning would bring the best birthday she'd ever had.
…
…
A/N: I was originally going to leave this story done at three chapters, but the more I thought about it the more I thought it could benefit from a little extra, fluffy closure. So here we are!
Hope you enjoyed it, and thanks as always for reading!
- JP
