Sunday rolled around and with it Molly's obligations to have dinner with the Hamiltons. Molly could think of several things that she would rather do than spend time with Mayor Hamilton. She did not trust him nor his obnoxious, pompous son. The week had felt like an eternity. The reflection in the mirror looked the same, but Molly had felt as if something about her had changed. She had fallen into an enchanted pit, almost been turned to stone, and she had seen the Harvest Goddess. She had decided to skip Sunday service at the church again. She was certain that Perry in all his knowledge could not possibly be able to help her with what she needed to know. She had been reading her father's Journal, and learning about his mishaps in trying to find the Red Bell. Apparently he had not encountered any enchanted pits, but maybe he had listened to the instructions of the Wizard.
She wasn't sure if she liked him or hated him. What she did know was that regardless of what she felt for him, he was there to protect her. He had saved her life. He had saved her from turning into stone. Her hand came up to tenderly touch the crystal around her neck. When he had first placed it around her neck he had informed her that it would let her know when she was in danger. It had proved to be true. He had rushed to her aid and had not let her die.
In all her life, Molly had depended solely on herself. She had been careful to keep her distance from anyone. She had felt abandoned by her father and had thought if her father had been able to leave her, then anyone could. She had become independent when it came to her emotions and her survival. It terrified Molly that she was starting to rely on the Wizard being there to save her. She did not want to depend on anyone.
As she stepped onto the path leading into Harmonica Town, she saw Chase ambling towards town. Molly felt a fear grip her as she recalled the last time she had seen him, on the path to the Goddess Spring. She could feel a tingling sensation in her legs, a reminder of the excruciating pain she had endured just a few nights earlier. He looked up at her, the familiar violet tones back in his eyes. She breathed a quiet sigh of relief. Her muscles started to slowly un-tense. She saw no visible signs of the Frost King.
"Hello," Molly greeted with slight reluctance. Chase's gaze swept her small form.
"Where are you going all dolled up?" He asked, the familiar sarcasm and cynicism back in his voice. There was also a trace of sadness that Molly picked up.
"Mayor Hamilton invited me to dinner," she stated.
"That didn't take long," Chase mused.
"What do you mean by that?" Molly asked.
"Hamilton. He is constantly trying to get Gill married off," Chase explained.
"Ugh." The word escaped Molly's lips before she could stop. When had she become so expressive? "I mean..." Chase chuckled.
"Heh, don't worry, there is no love loss between Gill Hamilton and I," Chase stated. Molly smirked. Both men were abrasive and blunt, she imagined they would probably either get along really well or hate each other. Clearly it was the latter.
"Yeah well he's just kind of..."
"An asshole?" Chase finished for her. Molly could not help but giggle at the statement. They slowly turned around the bend to Harmonica Town.
"So does Hamilton creep you out at all?" Molly asked.
"Hamilton creeps everyone out," Chase replied.
"What are you doing in town on a Sunday, I don't see you as a church goer," Molly stated.
"Hayden asked me to do inventory," Chase replied.
"Oh," Molly said. There was an awkward silence between them. She finally came to the point where she had to turn north to the Hamiltons' house. "Well have fun, see ya around."
"Yeah," Chase answered back. She felt a little more comfortable around Chase after that short exchange. That night on the path had haunted her, and caused terrifying nightmares. These dreams disturbed her more than the ones she had been having about Wizard. Molly was exhausted, and she really did not want to spend the next few hours with the creepy mayor and his arrogant son.
"Molly so good to see you!" Hamilton greeted when he opened the door. He grabbed both of her hands. "Come in, Come in." He pulled her inside the door.
"Thanks," Molly muttered trying to stay upright as he practically dragged her across the floor.
"Gill where are you manners, say hello to the lovely young lady!" Hamilton chastised.
"Hi," Gill greeted grumpily. Fantastic, Molly thought. This is going to be just fantastic. Hamilton ignored Gill's grumpy mood and smiled at Molly.
"Thanks for inviting me here Mayor," Molly stated.
"Please call me Hamilton, everyone does. We're just about done with dinner preparations, Gill here made dinner, he's a wonderful cook if I do say so myself. And he's quite handsome, don't you think he's handsome my dear?" Molly coughed, unsure how to answer the question.
"Father stop!" Gill commanded, he turned his gaze to Molly apologetically. "You don't have to answer that." Molly breathed a sigh of relief. While Gill Hamilton was certainly not ugly, that was a question Molly preferred not to answer.
"What my dear boy, I was just asking the girl a question." Hamilton winked at Molly, which once again caused chills to go down Molly's spine. He really gave her a large dose of the creeps. Molly sat down at the table hesitantly.
"So what made you decide to come back?" Gill asked Molly as she slowly took a bite of the Tomato Risotto she'd been served. Molly had only bad experiences when it came to men and cooking. It was surprisingly tasty, with just enough firmness to the rice.
"Sense of duty I guess," Molly stated.
"Is there any of the men on the island that have caught your fancy?" Hamilton asked.
"Father!" Gill argued. "Seriously Molly, you don't have to answer that question." Gill glared at his father. Hamilton simply beamed at his son.
"Well I am just saying there are plenty of single men on the island who she can chose from," Hamilton stated. Gill threw another embarrassed apologetic look at Molly.
"I'm so sorry for my father," Gill replied. "He tends to not have any tact."
"I am simply just stating a fact," Hamilton stated jovially. Molly concentrated on her food, hoping to be able to leave as quickly as possible.
She was able to make her excuses with the help of Gill by seven. Gill had become her unlikely ally during dinner. He had thwarted all of his father's attempts to ask Molly awkward and weird questions. Molly did not imagine that she would ever be so grateful that Gill was there. She was anxious to get home to read some more of her father's journal. She had learned so much about the Red Bell. Wizard had informed her that her father had found it. He had managed to find it on the roof of an old abandoned house above the blacksmith's. Her father's perseverance to find the bells amazed her. She was nearing the end of his entries, and she had savored every one.
Reading the journal was Molly's connection to her father. She felt closer to him even though he was gone. She settled onto the bench by the window where she had found the journal. This had become her favorite reading spot.
Yesterday I encountered the Frost King for the first time. I was walking past the Goddess Path, and I felt a chill go throughout my body. It was then that I saw standing in the entryway of the path a mysterious transparent figure. He was a frightening sight, with his pale, almost white eyes, and his long blue hair. He left icicles hanging from the trees he touched.
"Come closer Jack," he called out.
I of course did not listen to him. Wizard had warned me he was devious. I am not quite sure what happened next, but all I know is that these small sprites dressed in black and gray were flying around my head, attacking my neck, and my face. I ran forward to get away from them, but they were all around me blocking, so instead of running away from the Frost King, I ran towards him. When I reached him, I felt an icy chill go through my body. I felt vines wrap around my wrist keeping me in place. The horrid little sprites finally stopped attacking me, and bowed humbly before their master. He looked at me and his eyes turned to a deeper shade of blue, he chanted something that I could not understand. I was struggling against the vines, unable to free myself. Finally he stopped chanting.
"Do not fight it Jack." The Frost King whispered to me. I felt the cold breath go against my skin. He approached me and his translucent hand brushed over my entire body, leaving a trail of icicles and finished the last words of whatever he had been chanting. An evil smile had come over his face. I had never seen anything that evil in my life before. It was then that I finally heard the footsteps of the Wizard running up to me. The Frost King looked at the Wizard and told him it was too late, and then disappeared. The Wizard slowly untied my hands.
He told me to go home, take a lukewarm shower and to make sure it was not too hot. He also said that I needed to wear the warmest clothes I had.
Since yesterday I have been freezing. I am not quite sure what to do. Wizard said he needed to do some research, and he would come for me when he had completed it. I am freezing and it is the middle of summer. I am not sure what the Frost King has done to me, but I am cold, and it is hard for me to keep warm. I hope that Wizard comes up with the solution soon.
Jack
Molly stared at the words she had just read. It was the second to last entry in the journal. Dr. Jin had informed her that her father had appeared to be freezing to death, and there was no way to be able to save him. He had kept his father warm in all possible medical ways he had known how. Everyone had begged her father to go to the city hospitals, but her father had insisted that he knew he was dying and had wanted to stay on Castanet for his final days. She trembled as she turned the page to the very last entry. It was dated for a year later. The handwriting was shaky. She slowly continued to read.
I am dying. I have been dying slowly for a year. Dr. Jin is in hysterics that he doesn't know how to fix it. Little does Dr. Jin know that he cannot fix this. The Frost King has won this battle, but I hope for the sake of this island that he has not won this war. I have asked the Wizard who came to visit me today if he could retrieve this journal. I will have him bring it back and hide it. I hope one day Molly will read this.
I was careless, I should have listened to the heeding of the Wizard. I should have listened when he told me to stay away from the Goddess Spring Path at night. What was my irresistible draw to it. I should have paid more attention to what it was that I was doing. I was so eager to find the next bell. I should not have done what I have done. I am angry with myself that I will not be able to continue to save Castanet.
I have so many regrets in my life. My biggest regret is not being able to see my precious Molly one more time. I should have just gone to the city. I should have just demanded to see her. I wonder if she would have accepted me? I wonder if she would have been able to ignore me after seeing me. I wonder what she would look like today. I wonder if she still looks like me.
I wonder what she will think when I am gone. I wonder if she will miss me. There are so many what ifs and unfinished thoughts in my head at the moment. I hope that my beautiful baby girl knows how much I have loved her over all these years, and I hope that one day she will find it in her heart to forgive her old man. Even after I am gone.
There are so many things I had hoped to do in life, and now I am no longer going to be able to them. I hope above all that my Molly will be able to accomplish all the things she wants in life before her time comes to an end. I hope she finds happiness, and love.
Jack.
The offending words bit at Molly's aching heart. The Frost King had killed her father! She felt the anger growing inside of her. Surely the Wizard must have known this. Why had he never told her this? Why did she find out this way? She hastily put the journal in her rucksack and left for the Wizards house.
Wizard sat back in his chair reading his book. The clouds had started to form ominously overhead, and the storm would come any minute. This was how it was on Castanet; the storms would come in suddenly without a warning and they would be violent. He was anxiously awaiting the storm.
The first flash of lightning filled the sky and illuminated his house; at the same time the door flew open and an angry, soaked Molly stormed into his house.
"Why didn't you tell me the Frost King killed my father?!" She demanded. She rummaged around in her rucksack and pulled out Jack's journal. Wizard's eyes widened as he remembered that Jack had written about his death in the journal. In fact he had hidden the journal for Molly to one day find. At that time he had not expected that Molly would be the one to replace her father in saving the island.
"I.." He trailed off, not quite knowing what to say to the girl who was starting to form tears in her large eyes.
"He's dead because of the Island? He's dead because he..." Molly could no longer continue as tears streamed down her face. Wizard felt the sharp pain in his heart as it coursed through the crystal around her neck, then the one around his. He walked up to her to put his arms around her, but she shoved him away.
"Mol-"
"No! Don't touch me!" She shouted backing away from him. Tears were streaming down her face. "You stay away from me! I don't want your protection anymore!" She took the crystal from around her neck. "I don't want your help anymore!"
"Molly if I don't protect you, y-"
"Look what good your protection did my father," she said her voice calmer. She threw the crystal back at him. "I hate you." She turned and looked at him with anger in her eyes. She then abruptly ran out of the house.
Wizard stood with the crystal in his hands. He wasn't sure of what to do. She had stormed out of his house an hour ago, and into the storm. He only hoped she had the sense to go home. He was not going to push her into saving the island. If she chose to quit, then that was her choice. The storm outside waged as deeply as the storm inside of him. He knew that if she refused to help that it was only a matter of time before the Goddess Tree died. Then the Goddess would be banished. If both the Goddess and the Harvest King were banished, Ozari would regain power again. He was unwilling to allow his personal feelings to get in the way of what Molly needed at this point.
He heard a soft knocking on the door. Finn flew in immediately as he opened it.
"She's heading for the Goddess Spring!" Finn shouted. Wizard's head snapped up. He was angry this time. This human was frustratingly disobedient, and it could get her killed! He ran out of the his house, knowing the mortal danger she would be in if she entered onto the Path to the Goddess Spring.
