Chapter 4
„Hey, come on, throw them down!", Merida shouts.
"What do we get?", one of her three brothers shout back.
"Nothing, give them!"
"We don't make one-sided deals!"
Merida is boiling on the inside. If only she had her hunting gear…suddenly Jack swoops up and grabs the boy holding her arrows and bow.
The others gasp and reach out to grab his hand, but Jack simply detaches her gear from the squirming little fellow and drops it down to Merida.
"Wow, he's cute, I must say.", he says and laughs.
"Oh, Jack, stop humiliating him!", she cackles.
"Whatever you say.", he replies and lets go of the boys leg.
"AAAAARRRRRGGGHHHHHHH!"
The second before the boy hits the ground, a large pile of snow appears that he dives in headfirst. Merida lies down, unable to stand from laughing too hard. Her brother pops his head out and starts panting. "THAT…WAS…BRILLIANT! AGAIN, AGAIN!"
Jack holds his stomach, roaring with laughter.
The other two identical boys gap in disbelief, which only makes Jack's guffaw louder. "You should see their faces!", he chuckles.
His smile nearly overthrew Merida. It was then that Merida realized he was going to leave. Sooner or later. And she would be alone. Tears were forced into her eyes by the lump in her throat. This…this affair…it would not last. And she knew this now. How to carry on without Jack in her life? How to live? Tears flooded her eyes, ran down her cheeks, dropped onto her dress…
He was going to leave her.
She watched as he circled around the tower roof, laughing and clapping, as the snow started falling. She swallowed. Winter had only just begun. She still had time.
Merida wiped away her tears as he floated softly down towards the ground.
"Haha, come along. Take your bow and lets go!", he smirked.
She nodded and smiled. He was right. She had to be brave. Just like he had said yesterday. He wasn't just talking about her mother…
She runs and he follows her. They race through the forest and she shoots an arrow, whenever she sees one of her wooden targets.
He applauds. "It's about time you showed me your talent!", he cackles.
"Absolutely!", she cries and turns around. She misses him on purpose and he grins.
"Wasn't scared in the least!", he laughs.
"Of course not!", she replies ironically. "Hey, let's build a snowman!"
Merida starts gathering a small snowball and rolls it around in the snow. It looks like fun and Jack joins in. Soon the bottom part is finished and Jack looks proudly at their finished work.
"Not bad…now we should – hey!" Jack picks her up and places her on top of the boulder.
"Just like a dream…", he whispers.
"Stop it, I'm blushing!", she sniggers and wants to jump down, when Jack kisses her from down below.
"I do love you, Merida."
"I do too."
After that they busily work on their project and when Jack is just about to slump down and stop, she grabs his arm and pulls him up.
"Carry on, slowpoke! We're nearly done." He simply chuckles at her eagerness.
When Merida has finally placed all the stones on his face, she frowns. "He needs a nose."
Jack floats up and pricks off an icicle. He sticks it right in the middle of the small snow boulder. Merida smiles happily. "It's perfect."
"We did a good job. Hey, let's make a wife tomorrow!"
"Oh yes!"
"Oh, but you know what we should really do? Go sledding!"
"Great idea! Let's go, let's go!" Merida starts running towards where she knows the hill lies. And it really is a sight for sore eyes. A soft, white blanket has covered the slopes and looks so peaceful and untouched. That is all about to change.
The way he sits behind her and howls against the wind and throws his arms in the air, one could almost forget he is not human. The hill is steep and high and Merida and Jack have as much fun as they possibly could.
"Watch out!"
"What - ahhh!" The icy sledge hits the tree stump and sends Jack and Merida flying.
Merida looks around. There's Jack, face down. Why didn't he fly? Merida hurries over and turns him around. "Jack? Are you alright? Jack?", she asks carefully and bends down to listen to his chest. There is no heartbeat.
Suddenly Jack grabs her by the shoulders and turns her onto her back. Towering above her, he grins down.
"You really scared me!"
"I know I did. But you are quite easily fooled.", he chuckles and bends down, but she turns her head.
"No, thank you, maybe later." Then she pushes him off and walks away.
"Oh, come on! Come back! We were having so much fun!"
He convinces her and they push their sledge up the hill again. And Merida really does forget everything else, just like he promised.
Later on, they start a tragic attempt to build an igloo. But the snow is too powdery and doesn't hold, so when Jack suddenly starts throwing the snow at her instead of building with it, it turns into a snowball fight instead. Soon, Merida's hair and clothes are completely soaked. She sneezes.
"We should head to the cabin.", Jack says, looking a little worried.
"Oh, but I'm –hachoo – fine!"
"Yeah, yeah and I am the Easter bunny!", Jack states, rolling his eyes. Then he picks her up. "Silly human, getting ill like that!"
"Hey!", the silly human protests.
He laughs.
"It's already getting dark.", Jack states, as he closes the door to the shack. "Maybe we should stay the night."
"But my parents would worry terribly!"
"And I'd worry terribly if you got a fever or something!", Jack ads. "And maybe it's good to leave your mother alone for a little. To think everything over."
"I suppose you are right…oh, I think I might actually be coming down with something…" She staggers and Jack is there in a split second. He picks her up and carries her upstairs to the witches' bedroom. "I wonder if she'll mind…", he sniggers and lies Merida down under the blanket. "But you should get some rest." He pulls off her shoes and kisses her forehead. It feels a little warm and Merida moans in satisfaction as his cold lips press against it.
"I'll be here when you wake up.", he smiles and leaves the room. Merida almost immediately falls fast asleep. Once again she dreams of Jack. And as he reaches out to touch the dandelion, everything around them freezes. He looks at her and it looks to her like he is mouthing. "Goodbye!" And then, as quick as a flash, he is gone.
She wakes up sweating. Jack is sitting at the end of her bed. "What were you dreaming?"
"I-I can't remember."
"You slept for almost a whole day.", he grins.
"Really? Wow." He feels her head.
"But at least your fever has gone down."
"I could use a bit of fresh air.", she says.
"Maybe you're right." He helps her pull herself up and puts on her shoes. Then he strokes her hair a little, so it flattens. "You know you have beautiful hair."
"And I adore your eyes.", she replies and kisses his cheek.
Together, they leave the bedroom and out the door.
"It's starting to get dark.", Merida notices as the hurls herself upon the roof of the cottage.
"I know. It's beautiful, isn't it?"
"Yes, I..." She turns to face him. "I've never seen you underneath the moonlight before."
"Let's stay a little longer."
'Let's stay forever.', Merida thinks.
Jack places his arm around her. He feels her shivering slightly, so he pulls off his cloak and wraps it around her shoulders. She smiles at him gratefully and he kisses her. Soon passion takes over, leaving them lying next to each other, naked and panting.
"I really wish I could keep you warm.", he sighs.
"But you do. Every single inch of me is burning up, in fact. Jack, you do more for me than anyone else ever could."
'You say that now, but what if you wake up one day and I am no interesting. What if you can't see me anymore?' He aches to ask her all this, but is so scared of the answer, that he simply takes her in his arms and tries his best to forget.
"HEY! What are you two doing on my house?!" They spin around and there is the witch, shouting and yelling. Merida jumps up, grabs her clothes and starts running, Jack's cloak still around her shoulders. Jack follows, giggling and shouting.
"Jack, how come she could see you?", Merida asks, as they start to slow down, panting.
"I'm not really sure myself, I suppose because she is a witch."
Merida is suddenly reminded of the question he asked her a few days ago. "Jack?"
"Yes?"
"If the grass was green, the trees bright and the forest beautiful – yes, I would. I am not easily fooled Jack. I know what I'm doing, know the risks. And if I still do it, that means I don't care."
Jack stares at her and then takes her in his arms, without a word.
"I love you, Merida.", he whispers. They stay that way for a while, until Merida breaks the silence.
"We should really get back to my home, my parents will be sick with worry!"
"Alright, but promise me to take it easy when you're back. No hunting or practising."
She frowns. "Oh, alright!"
Her mother rushes towards her with open arms. "Merida, my darling, we were so worried, where have you been?!"
"I was at the shack and I felt a little ill, so I stayed the night. I'm sorry for worrying you."
"Oh, never do this to us again!"
"I know, I'm so sorry."
A the supper table, her mother suddenly turns to Merida. "Merida, I have received letters from the kings and they have told me that their sons have all happily married. Meaning you will no longer be forced into anything you don't want. I'm sorry I overreacted the other day, I fell back into old patterns."
"I know. So did I. I didn't mean for it to happen, but I promise you, it was all..." She sighs. "...it was all just a silly trick. I'm sorry."
The next day Merida is talking to one of her favourite maidens, when suddenly she feels a cold embrace from behind. Jack has wrapped his arms around her chest and his head rests on her shoulder.
"So, who's she?"
"This is Rebecca.", she explains, without thinking.
"Who are you talking to, your highness?"
"Oh, no one, I'm sorry.", Merida ads, blushing.
Jack cackles behind her. "You're so silly, hahaha!"
"Indeed...I have to go, have a lot to do.", says Rebecca, looking confused.
When she has left, Merida joins in to Jack's laughing. "You are so evil!", she giggles. "And late!"
"Merida, come with me, I need to show you something..."
"Wait, let's ride today, Angus hasn't been getting enough attention lately. Peter!" A scrawny, but tall blond stable boy comes running.
"Yes?"
"Could you saddle Angus for me?"
"O-of course.", he mumbles, but doesn't move. "Princess..."
Jack twitches a little behind her. "Come on then, move it!", he says, frowning angrily.
Suddenly 'Peter' takes a careful step towards Merida, looking fascinated.
"Oh, no, you don't!", Jack protests and freezes the ground underneath Peter, making him slip. Then he pushes Merida forward. "Forget that moron, do it yourself!", he mutters, annoyed and Merida laughs at his jealousy.
"Never mind, Peter, I'll do it myself!", she calls over her shoulder and then adds: "See you tonight!", to tease Jack.
Soon after, they leave the castle ground in a fast gallop and Jack clings to her waist. Snow begins to fall as Jack rediscovers the thrill of riding on Angus, sitting behind Merida. She however, closes her eyes and feels the wind in her hair, her face; all around her the cold is taking its toll. Then she opens her mouth and catches the snowflakes with her tongue, laughing loudly.
Jack catches himself looking sadly at her smiling, ecstatic face and her red and fiery, flowing hair. But he pushes down the tears and forces a smile on his face. He must enjoy this time, he must. But winter in Scotland has arrived. It is here, all around them and there is nothing left to do.
"Close your eyes.", he whispers, as she lands in his arms after jumping down from Angus. She does as he commands and closes her eyes. "Do you know what day is tomorrow?", he asks.
"Christmas day.", she replies, looking irritated. "And?"
"Well, what do people do on Christmas day?"
"They...exchange presents...?"
"Correct.", he whispers and she can feel them floating through the air. "And you should not be left out."
She gasps and giggles. What could it possibly be?
"Okay...", he says and she feels him turning her towards something. "Open...your...eyes!"
The view overthrows her. How could she ever have known such things exist? She wonders how she could have never seen this before. Her heart stops at the mere sight of it. This is the most gracious gift anybody has ever given her for Christmas.
"Oh, Jack, it's...I can't even...it's so..." Her touched soul brings the tears into her eyes. "...beautiful."
"I knew that you would like it.", he chuckles.
"Oh, Jack, you did this for me?"
"I would do anything for you."
"Can I...touch it?"
"Sure, you've drank from it before, after all."
Merida reaches out and strokes across the ice from the waterfall that usually pours from the cliff. It is frozen now. She can see her and Jack's reflection in it. He wraps his arms around her once again and buries his head in her neck. Merida giggles when she sees how it looks as if they red locks were his. He looks at what she is laughing at and chuckles. "Don't you think it suits me?"
"Even better than me.", she cackles and turns around to give him a thank you kiss. "Jack, just know this is the best winter I have ever had."
"Mine too.", he replies and can't help tears flooding his eyes. He kneels down. Merida takes the tears as a symbol of this moving moment and kneels down next to him. She lifts up his chin and looks into his wet, blue eyes. "Because, Jack..." He looks into her soft, charming eyes. "This is the winter I fell in love with you." Jack's eyes dry and he simply pulls her close. No, he could never tell her. Never could he bring himself to break her heart like that, he was just neither strong, nor brave enough to do it.
"I will never ever forget you, Merida.", he says and breathes her in.
Right then and there, they make love. Sparks fly and cries echo into the cold, white hills. Every inch of the forest is looking down at the lovers, watching as they prove their undying to Scotland, the world, themselves.
Jack feels nothing but happiness as he breathes her in, hears her cries, feels her flesh against his – one last time.
The sun starts to set. Yes, winter has arrived. The sun's time of the day grows shorter and shorter and as of today, Jack knows, the clock will only be moving backwards. The snowstorms will be getting shorter and less intense, the snow will begin to melt and the ice will start to crack under human's feet. Just like winter, Merida and Jack's affair has now reached the climax. From now on, it will only be going down.
They ride back through the woods. They pass where they had built the snowman, but he is no longer. Jack's chest pains. 'I guess he was not fated to have a wife.', he thinks and tightens his grip on Merida. He tries to say his final goodbye on the inside, but it doesn't feel like a proper, relieving farewell to him at all. There is nothing but pain.
"Will we meet at the shack again, tomorrow?", Merida asks, as they reach the castle entrance. Jack jumps down from the horse and lands on his feet. Jack flinches as he realizes that from now on, he will have no further use for his feet. No further use for the little part of humanity remaining in him.
She lands next to him. "Jack?"
He looks right into her eyes and as he reaches out to touch her face, everything around them freezes. He looks at her and it looks to her like he is mouthing. "Goodbye!"
But then he smiles and says: "Sure, see you tomorrow!" And then, as quick as a flash, he is gone.