Title: Of The Moon
Summary: If you had asked Toothiana yesterday how she would have imagined a bear's voice to sound, it would not be like this one's. It would be deep, and gravelly, and rough. It would sound like a roar between words. This bear's voice sounds like laughter./ / Or, Jack Frost is a bear. Toothiana is a princess bound to him for a year. East of the Sun, West of the Moon retelling.
Notes: So, I said I wasn't going to name anymore sisters. I lied. In the real story, the bear tells the girl not to tell her mother of the man in her bed, but I forgot to add that last chapter, so... (in my defense my wifi was out...yeah, lets go with that.). Also, this is a pretty long chapter. Yay! Finally: Sunday is my birthday! So, technically tomorrow now. You know what would be a great present? *cough*reviews*cough*.
Pia leads her through Punjam Hy Loo, and all around her she can hear the citizens remarking on her sudden appearance. Several people even came over to the two sisters, saying to Tooth, "You're back!"
As they continue their walk, Toothiana's spirits grow, until by the time they reach the castle her excitement is bubbling over.
Someone must have run ahead and told the castle of her arrival, because when she and Pia arrive there, her parents, sisters, and many others are waiting.
Her eyes well up for a second time as she sees them standing there, and for a minute they all stand in silence.
It is broken by Tiya, who shrieks and runs toward Tooth, wrapping her up in a hug. In a matter of seconds, her entire family is hugging her, even Pia.
When they finally draw apart, there are no dry eyes, not even the courtiers who are watching the spectacle.
"You're home." Her mother says, cradling Toothiana in her arms.
"I missed you so much." Tooth replies, and as she looks at all the familiar faces her heart swells.
"It hasn't been a year." Radha says, and everyone turns to Tooth, expectant.
She knows what they want her to say. She knows that they want her to tell them that she's here to stay, that the bear was letting her out five months earlier than he had said. And she wants to tell them that. As much as she loves her time with Jack, now that she was home she didn't want to leave.
"I will see you in a week." He'd told her. She had thought he was just talking, that it was his way of saying good-bye. But now, standing here, with her doubts about wanting to leave her home again, she knows that he saw this coming. It wasn't a good-bye. It was a reminder.
"I'm here for a visit." She forces out, her heart growing heavier at their falling faces. "For Tiya's birthday."
"How long?" Tiya asked her.
Tooth opens her mouth, then closes it once more before answering. "A week."
She nearly cringes at their disappointment. They stand there in silence, and Toothiana feels like her heart breaks more and more with every second.
"A whole week." Pia finally says. "Did you hear that? We get Tooth back for a whole week!"
With her words she seems to have broken the silence, and soon they are surrounding her, leading her into the castle, with Tiya telling Tooth all about her birthday celebration in two days.
And Toothiana can feel the warmth and happiness of being surrounded by her family spread through her body.
The next day settles into such a familiar routine – she has helped prepare so many birthdays for her sisters and parents and even herself - that Tooth can barely believe she has been gone for over six months.
The only difference she can fathom is the way her sisters react to her entering a room – as if they had forgotten she was there.
They are all busy that day. The birthday of a princess is no small thing, and so it is obvious that the day before it would be nothing less than hectic. But during her busy day of greeting people she has not seen in so long and helping to prepare for the party, she manages to glean out some information from the past months from her family.
Radha was engaged to a man from a neighboring kingdom. Pragnya had begun her study at the college – years early. And, most importantly, after the death of the Hunter, Punjam Hy Loo's trade with other kingdoms had once again opened up.
The last bit made Tooth feel even happier. Going to live with Jack was not a burden, or a curse. But she knows it could have been. Still, she would have gladly gone with Jack, whether he was a monster or not, if only so she could hear those words.
Her family was safe. Her country was safe.
All was well.
Tiya's birthday comes and goes.
("The dress is beautiful!" Tiya exclaims to Tooth, holding up the slightly too big dress in front of her.)
As does the next day, and the next, and the next. Tooth never spends a minute of those days alone. Her sisters stay with her every minute of them, and they all sleep in the biggest of their bedrooms – Radha's – as they once did when they were children.
She does not see her parents much, at least not alone, one on one. With trade routes re-opened, they are very busy, and every time she is with them she is surrounded by her sisters.
Every time one of her parents approaches her while she's alone, her sisters are there the next second.
That is, until today. Today, she is in her room, getting ready for her departure from the kingdom the next day, when her mother nocked on her door.
"Mother! Come in!" Tooth says, turning to face her mother.
Her mother nods, gliding into the room and sitting down on Toothiana's bed.
"I can't believe you are leaving tomorrow. I feel like I haven't seen you at all this week." Her mother sighs.
"Yes, but…It was amazing being able to come here, and just see you." Tooth says, trying to reassure her mother.
But instead of being reassured, she just sighs once more and says, "I worry about you, Toothiana. Every day you've been gone, and even more since you've gotten here."
Toothiana starts to open her mouth to tell her mother that she doesn't need to worry, but her mother begins to speak again.
"Tooth, tell me about it. About wherever it is you've been staying. And not just what you've been telling everyone else – are you safe? Is there anything – anything bad – you're not sharing with us?" Her mother's eyes implore Toothiana, and Tooth squirms under her stare.
"It's fine, I promise!" Tooth tells her mother. "Jack is a sweetheart, and everything's provided for me!"
Her mother doesn't look appeased. "Are you sure? Has the bear ever even tried to hurt you? How's the food? Are you sleeping okay?"
Tooth laughs. "I told you, he's a sweetheart! And the foods delicious, even if the way I get it is a little…odd. And you should see the bed! It's bigger than even the ones we have here."
Toothiana's smile slips off her face. Her bed was giant, yes, but it needed to be. But there was no doubt in her mind that she couldn't tell her mother about her nightly visitor – it would only cause the woman more worry and strife.
Still, though Tooth quickly plastered on another smile, her mother's keen eyes caught the few seconds of grimness on her daughters face.
And as she began to ask Toothiana what the look was for, what was wrong, Tooth could feel her resilience waning.
What could it hurt to tell her mother? Though she wracked her brain, the only negative to revealing her secret was more worry for her mother – and if the woman wanted to know, then even that was not so bad, surely?
"Well…There is one thing." she starts, and at her mother's nodding she continues. "Every night a…man, or something man-like, lays in my bed." Her mother's features contort in surprise, but Toothiana bites back the regret at saying what she has and continues. "I – I don't know who or what he is, because all the candles and matches in the room are gone when I go for them. But – but he never hurts me! He just lies there, and then is gone in the morning."
Her mother has stood up and has been pacing the room whileTooth told her of her nightly visitor, but now she once again sits down next to Tooth.
"Why didn't you tell us of this! A man, in your bed? And what if he isn't even a man? What is he's – " her voice drops low at this part, "a nightmare?"
Toothiana gasps and shakes her head. "No! Whoever it is, he has never so much as laid a finger on me!"
"Nightmares don't have to! They can suck out your life force just by being near you!" her mother wails, tears streaming down her face. "Why did we ever let you go! We could have stopped the Hunter ourselves. I can't let you go back!"
"I have to. I promised Jack." Tooth says, and as her mother goes to argue she continues with, "No matter what the thing in my bed is, Jack has been nothing less than kind to me. I can't break this promise."
Her mother must see the resolve in Toothiana's eyes, because she nods, tears still streaming down her face.
"Fine." She chokes out, before regaining composure. "But if you must go-" a quick look at Toothiana follows, to which Tooth nods profusely, "then at least take these."
She walks over to Tooth's drawer and pulls out a candle and a box of matches. "Hide them, and promise to me – promise you will look at the creature in your bed. Promise you will leave if it is something that can harm you."
Tooth shakes her head, but as the minutes pass her resolve weakens and weakons until she finally gives in.
The next morning, she waves good bye to her family and walks off to meet Jack.
But as she climbs on his back, laughing and telling him off her time at the city, she can't help but feel the weight of the candle in her pocket.
