Chapter Twenty Three
Hello beautiful people! I hope I didn't take too long this time. I am very proud of this chapter, because guess what? Wedding Time! Not mine, of course, and if you can't guess then I won't say. You'll have to read it. Also, the deadline for the contest has long passed, and I got so tangled up with things in life that I didn't have time and I didn't want to rush it, as many of you were kind of enough to point out. However, it doesn't matter, there will be other contests. I thank you all for your support and your willingness to help me, and I hope that if I ever write an original, that you'll also like it as much as this. Oh, and because of the contest I asked a friend to beta read the fanfiction, so maybe later I'll be reposting previous chapters already edited and corrected. Without further ado, I'll leave you to the fanfic.
After the lovely day they spent together, Jack took the important mission of dinner on his hands. He actually went to the kitchens that night and asked the head cook to allow him the use of everything in the pantry and the kitchen. Needless to say that the cook wasn't at all amused. When dinner was ready, Jack put a small table for two in the balcony where they'd danced and lighted a couple of candles on it and they ate a full meal course, including desert. The queen was thoroughly impressed, who would have thought that this spoiled brat of a prince could actually make something decent to eat? Later he confessed that he had a little help from North, mainly in not burning the food to a crisp and in handing him recipes, because he had none. The rest was all him and fairly easy. Much to her amusement, the desert was chocolate ice cream.
They parted late at night, when the moon was high in the sky, and each went to their chambers. They tried to sleep, but for some reason they couldn't; their minds kept simultaneously going back to that one moment of close proximity and something foreign settled in their stomachs, making the sleeping process a whole lot harder than it should have been.
In short, they didn't sleep much, and when they woke up on Saturday morning, something akin to dread felt like a heavy stone in their stomachs. In a week's time they would be getting married, joined together forever as one, and also in a week's time they'd have one of the most dangerous battles and they weren't sure they would live through it. That was the real cause of their dreadful feelings, which mixed unhealthily with the excitement and anxiousness that comes naturally before a wedding.
When they arrived at the ice castle to continue their training, Seraphina was already there and waiting for them. She scowled when she looked at them. "I gave you the day off so you could rest," she said disapprovingly, "But apparently you did everything but."
"We did rest," Elsa clarified, "But we're just a little nervous, that's all."
"Oh, dear, and why is that?" Mother Nature mocked, "Maybe because the fate of the world lies on your shoulders? No pressure."
She gave them a dry, fake smile that had Jack glaring at her while Elsa gave a dry, fake laugh to show how amused she felt. Then North entered the room and the training began for the couple, this time focusing on Elsa learning to use her spear as a combat weapon instead of the flat sword she used before. Many things were the same, but others were different; she had to recalculate the length between her and her opponent, she needed to learn proper spear combinations for attack and defense and because her weapon was of long range, North taught her how to launch it towards a target. He advised, however, that she didn't use that very often because it was her conduit and she needed it with her.
At the end of the training session, they once more had friendly sparring, but this time the big jolly man who turned into a beast when serious didn't get involved. The matches were entirely between Jack and Elsa, trying to ease them into the concept of fighting against each other, of controlling their strength and their attacks, of stopping when needed. And even when they found it slightly awkward, they found that it was actually working. For example, Jack now noticed that despite North's insistent reminders, Elsa still opened her elbow before she thrusted the spear forward, giving her a very weak stance and a chance of being disarmed. He now knew where he needed to put himself if she needed cover. Elsa as well discovered that Jack jumped around a lot when he fought, never staying in one place too long, and so when she figured out the pattern he used fired some ice towards his landing he fell loudly and painfully. He scowled towards her while she chuckled, clearly having fun.
Later that day as they both took a break to eat something, Seraphina reminded them for the umpteenth time that they had to focus on those weak points when they trained together. It was also important that they don't forget their individual parts of their training, being them technical, or magical, or both. The queen and the prince rolled their eyes amused, trying not to think about it too much; sometimes the best way to cope with a stressful situation is letting it unfold. It's not like they wouldn't do anything about it, but they would lose their hair like Mother Nature if they kept worrying over it.
Jack then decided to tell them that he had to leave early. Before any of the girls could complain, or even ask about it, he told them that he'd been awfully negligent with his duties as the Winter Prince and that he should go make some rounds to make sure that everything was in order around the world. Seraphina couldn't help but agree with his reasoning, although it was only partly true. The other half of the truth was that he needed to get away for a little bit, for he'd been too coped up inside four walls, inside a routine, for too long. That wasn't something he'd said often, and it had really been a while since he felt this restless to do something else; during his stay in the Winter Court with Old Man Winter watching his every move and tormenting him in every way he could, he'd manage to stop feeling. And that went for anything, even boredom or annoyance; he'd simply buried all his feelings because that was easy. Now that they'd been reawakened in the most unexpected way, he needed to get out, breathe a little.
The only one who didn't look so happy about it was Elsa. Much to Jack's amusement, she was pouting, even if she didn't notice, and he used every second he could to remind her of that cute little pout she did when upset that until the queen got fed up. Her solution was simple, really; she took Jack's staff when he was unaware and she held it many meters above the abyss they could see from the balcony. Jack shut up after that.
It was that moment that Bunnymund chose to arrive, and he broke their banter with instructions meant to torture them. They had another session of excessively intense cardiovascular training. When they felt they couldn't do it anymore or that they were going to throw up, he supplied them with more of that green beverage that increased their resistance in order to exploit them some more. Seraphina all the while smiled at their suffering. Before he left, Bunny taught them again about medical practices in the field, something quick in case of an emergency that would hopefully buy them the necessary time to save their lives. He also handed them a list of the most likely items they would need, reminding them that they should always carry a small stash with the provisions when they headed into battle. The overgrown rabbit also kept flirting with Elsa, much to the prince's annoyance who was glaring the whole time.
His perfect payback was, as you could imagine, a prank. So, when Bunny was leaving very pleased with himself, Jack froze his cotton tail. The rabbit, surprised at the sudden temperature, jumped high a few couple of meters causing everyone to laugh. And, because Seraphina also enjoyed it, she dismissed him before he could retaliate against the prince.
At that Elsa frowned softly; looking at the sky, she realized that there were still a couple of hours until sunset, which meant they were finishing earlier. Not that she would complain about it, but it was still weird, especially under the circumstances.
"I'll take my leave now," Jack said walking towards her, his eyes playful and relaxed with mirth from their previous bout of laughing, "I'll be back by morning."
Elsa met him halfway and kissed him softly on the lips before he left. "I'll see you then," she smiled, then biting her lip nervously, "Be careful, okay?"
Jack smiled back, feeling giddy all of the sudden, and extremely happy. The kind of happy he hadn't been since being with his family more than a century ago. Feeling bold, he grabbed her chin and held her gaze in a very seductive manner. "I will, if just to come back and steal a kiss from you."
Elsa blushed, surprised. Where had this flirty person come from? "Who are you and what have you done with my fiancé?" she joked, earning a soft laugh from the prince, who just waved and left through the balcony.
The queen stayed there, staring at the retreating from of Jack as he flew away, meditating on their encounter. She believed it was the friendliest, most normal interaction they had since meeting each other, in which they were just a couple having fun instead of two very troubled people who kept hiding things from one another. She realized that she liked this new side of Jack, and that she wanted to see it more often.
A clear throat behind her cut brought her off her musings, succeeding in making her blush.
"Seeing as we are alone and is still early, you will be training with me the rest of the afternoon," Seraphina declared as Elsa approached. The queen opened her mouth to ask something, but Mother Nature beat her to it, "We can spare an hour on your magical training, the rest will be all about the wedding."
Again, the dread that had gradually vanished throughout the day came back full force, knocking the air out of Elsa's lungs. "Okay," she stuttered, and Seraphina looked at her sympathetically but didn't comment on it.
And so, true to her word, Seraphina taught her a little more on magical auras and ordinary auras. Turns out that everyone has one, and if she can recognize enemy from foe through them in the middle of a battle, she'll have a great advantage. Much to Mother Earth pleasure, the girl was a natural with magic and it was fairly easy to teach her. So, as an exercise, Nature made Elsa look for her sister's aura from where they were. It took more than just a few attempts, but by the end of the hour, Elsa had found the small point of light that was her sister. Her excitement didn't last her very long, though, when she remembered what they would do next.
Nature seemed to catch on her mood and her worries, and gave her a comforting smile, her eyes softening. "Don't be so scared," she told Elsa, earning from her an odd look, "I'm here to walk you through the ceremony, and I'll make sure you know everything there is to know."
The queen sighed. "I just can't help it, you know?" she said, "There is so much at stake, and even with my training, I don't have the experience of actual combat."
Seraphina gave her a sympathetic look, "That's why we're here. We'll come up with something." Nature clapped her hands and sat down, motioning for Elsa to do so as well, "Now, on to the lesson. First thing you need to know is that the timing has to be perfect. The Winter Solstice is the shortest and the longest day of the year for you. You will wake up before sunrise and go through the preparations you need before the wedding that will last well into the afternoon. You aren't allowed to eat, though I don't think you'll have much of an appetite anyway. Then, the ceremony will begin; I warn you now, it is long and meticulous. By sunset, both of you must have exchanged rings already."
"Has this been done before?" Elsa then asked.
Seraphina gave a puzzled look. "What?"
"The marriage between a human and… one like you?" the queen elaborated.
Seraphina furrowed her brow, thinking back. Elsa thought that this was the first time she's ever seen Mother Nature look troubled. "It's not very common, but it has happened before, but that's a story for another time."
Elsa wanted to ask more, however she understood that her responsibilities were first to her training and so she didn't ask anymore. For now she decided to settle with listening to the explanations of different things she'd have to do as well as the preparations for the wedding ceremony, which would be mostly done by Nature herself and Toothiana. Or at least, she tried.
"This is just too much information," Elsa complained suddenly, interrupting Nature and feeling the building of a headache, "How am I supposed to learn all of this in a week's time?"
Seraphina raised an eyebrow, unamused, "It's not like you have much of a choice."
"There must be an easier way to learn this, though," Elsa replied, giving an idea to the mother of all nature.
Seraphina stood up, "Come with me." The queen did as told and followed Mother Earth to the center of the room. "The wedding will be done here, seeing as is the safest place, so help me redecorate it a bit for the ceremony. I'll explain as we go along. First, we'll need a dais here; make it two palms of your hand high."
Seraphina pointed to the exact spot below where the two staircases met and Elsa did as the Nature asked as she got on explaining. "Keep in mind that you, Jack and I will be standing on top of it so you have to make it big enough for all of us to fit. It also shouldn't be completely round, but more enlarged towards the sides. It would also be convenient to make some steps to help you climb onto it for we must remember that we are still ladies and must be graceful and sophisticated."
Elsa had never had to make something so specific with her powers, so to say. When she built the palace, she was inspired and fed up and had a lot of contained energy that wanted to escape her; it wasn't like she made plans to build it. She just imagined it in her mind and it happened to build itself with her magic. However, now she was receiving measurements and she needed to be much more focused on the task and the nerves she still felt weren't helping her any.
"Now, come stand on it with me," Seraphina said and again Elsa followed, the steps sturdy and dais firm beneath their feet. Nature came to a stop near the center of the dais, but nearer to the front and to the steps than to the back. "In this spot you will make a shallow dent, but it was to be deep enough to hold a small pool of water. Inside the pool you will make yet another dais, and that's the exact spot where you and Jack will stand to make your vows. I will bring the water from The Source, where my home is, because it has magical properties that are needed for the ceremony to be successful, so you do need to have enough space so that enough water goes into the pool and so that the both of you can stand."
Elsa scratched her head, slightly puzzled. "But that means I have to make the pool nearly half the size of the dais."
"Precisely; and remember how it's elongated towards the sides? Well, use that space to make the pool wide enough so we do not waste the space. Besides, I need to be standing here," Seraphina walked to the back of the dais, maybe a foot or so from the edge, and so Elsa saw more clearly what Nature pictured in her mind.
"I'll try," the queen said nervously and got to work. She took a step backwards, falling back onto the steps, and lowered her hands softly. With them, as if the ice had been cut smoothly with a knife, it started to sink as well. The ending size of the pool was, as Elsa said, nearly half the size of the biggest oval but oriented much more to the front. Then, in the middle of the pool, Elsa made sure to raise the ice once more at least three palms from the outer border of the pool and to place it a little higher than the original dais. Seraphina hummed appreciatively and circled the pool; Elsa made sure that there was also slightly more than a foot between the pool and the steps, which meant there was place to walk around it.
"You are quite skilled at this," Nature said, and Elsa blushed slightly, "Now you have to make a bridge or else you won't be able to get into the dais, even if the distance is small. Again, the bridge must be wide enough for the two of you to walk without falling; if you do fall, you wouldn't be breaking any rule of importance, but it would be such an embarrassment."
Elsa didn't need to be reminded of that and soon she got to sculpt the bridge that would be her way to marriage. And yes, it was wide enough.
Seraphina walked through it and stepped in the middle, "After the rituals previous to the ceremony, you will stand here with Jack in front of you. The water below you will be in part responsible of the transformation you'll have to endure to become Jack's wife, but more importantly, future Queen of the Winter Court. You need to understand what some of these changes will be. You won't age anymore; as long as Jack is king and you are queen, neither of you will age because you will become the sole support of Winter and the magic of Nature will become part of your life force. For the first few months, though, nothing will change much because Winter is still holding onto the crown for himself, so until the vow he made has come to pass, you will age at the same pace Jack has been aging since becoming prince. You'll still be half human, just like him. But just like Jack, anyone of you could be killed in battle; even I can be killed in battle. The reason I haven't is because I am very good at what I do, let it be fighting or making people fear me enough not to try, which is one of the reasons I gave you the bracelet. It will give you extra protection when the time comes, and as a plus it will act as an enhancer of your powers."
Elsa frowned, coming down the steps and leaning against the staircase. "So you're saying that if we actually win this thing, I will become immortal, like you?" Seraphina nodded, "But… what about my sister and my subjects here? And… what about the…" the queen blushed prettily and stuttered, "The baby I'm supposed to have… how will this affect… it?" Elsa was more than a little overwhelmed by this sudden information, so she didn't exactly feel remorse for calling a nonexistent –yet –baby as an object, because so far she couldn't picture it as anything but a thing, a fantasy, some faraway project that still hadn't come to pass. And to be honest, she felt like it might not come to pass if they did not survive the wedding first.
Seraphina appeared next to her and placed her hands on the queen's shoulders, causing Elsa to look up. She hadn't realized she was trembling until she stopped, and her nerves were making her nauseous. "You need to calm down," Mother Nature ordered, making the queen sit down where she was, "You will have time to be with your sister, and maybe your subjects if you like, but they will not be granted this gift. If you think about it, this gift won't come for free for you either, because now you will have a whole new set of responsibilities to take care of. You also shouldn't worry about the baby; we'll cross that bridge when we get to it. For now, calm down."
Elsa brought her hands to her chest and buried her head in them, embracing herself tight, wanting to disappear if just a moment, to stop thinking altogether and just forget about the whole issue. "I'm trying so hard," she said in a whimper, "But what if I still fail? What if this doesn't work? What if I'm not suited for this?"
Seraphina regarded her with sympathy, even if the queen couldn't see it in her panic, "It's okay to be scared and nervous. It's a big change you're going through and it's all going too fast. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but if Jack fell in love with you then you must have something that will make everything worth it. I mean, the kid has been an insensible brat for the most part of this century, and in such a short period of time you managed to break through the walls he built around himself. If that doesn't tell you anything, I don't know what will."
Elsa found it in herself to laugh, and she finally dared to raise her head. "I'm going to be honest with you. I wish we didn't have to marry like this. I wish he wasn't the Prince of the Winter Court and that our marriage hadn't been arranged like this. I wish we could've met like two normal people, and fall in love, and marry out of love and lead a simple life."
"I know," Seraphina smiled ruefully, "I've wondered more than once what would've happened if Jack hadn't awakened his powers, or maybe if I had intervened sooner. I've also wondered more than once if I could've maybe taken his powers away from him, to fully turn him human so that he could be normal, but even for me there are some things that are impossible."
Elsa frowned, remembering something from a while ago; back when she'd first met the prince and couldn't stand the sight of him. "Wait, something isn't adding up," she said, "Back when I first met Bunnymund, he told me that immortals couldn't die, so their punishment was to be turned into humans so that they could end their lives in misery or something like that."
Seraphina sighed and rubbed her temples. "Well, Bunny was right about something. The council did create a law to protect humans and the punishment is, indeed, to turn them into humans. However, the real reason for the creation of the law was because I needed something to protect Jack from the wrath of his father. Winter would've killed Jack eons ago if not for this particular rule that would make him human. The punishment was also sort of designed for him, because it is rare the case in which a human is killed on deliberate premeditation; and so because Winter despises humans so much, he would turn to one if he killed his half-human son. For him they're just not worth it, something not even to be bothered with, until Jack turned up. However, the term turning into is wrong; what the punishment does is to strip him of his powers. As I said before, the powers of Winter are directly linked to the powers of nature, and as long as nature is part of your life force, you can't die of natural causes. Unless nature itself died, of course, and this would ultimately result in the dead of everything and everyone."
Elsa nodded thoughtfully. "I think I get it now," she said, "You are immortal, or better said, you have an incredibly long lifespan, because your life is connected to an immortal source. That is the reason you can be killed in battle, as the bond would be severed and the Earth wouldn't be able to provide life anymore. Is that it?"
Seraphina smiled softly, "More or less. If you want to study more about it, when this thing blows over maybe we can have a few private classes of theoretical magic. How does that sound?"
"I'd love to," Elsa replied, and slowly stood up from her crouched position. Outside it was already dark, so it meant she should be heading over to the castle for dinner and a good night's sleep. "But for now I just want to go home."
Seraphina agreed, "Good idea. Just remember that we need space to train tomorrow, I'm sure you can build this again right before the wedding."
And in lack of a better escort, Mother Nature made sure Elsa got safely back to her palace back on the mainland.
When Elsa arrived at the palace, she had this nice idea of eating supper, taking a warm bath and tucking herself into bed. She did not expect, nor did she want, to be greeted by her sister shifting from foot to foot nervously in the dining room because that always meant that Anna had something in her mind. Something that would probably not sit well with her, as usual…
"Good evening Elsa," Anna greeted her formally, too formally, which rang bell number two in the queen's head. She raised an eyebrow unimpressed, knowing that Anna had eaten some time ago, perhaps when the sun had just set and she had just started her track back to the castle.
"What's the matter Anna? Is everything okay?" the most motherly side of the queen took over, and she tried her best to push down the slowly building dread in her stomach. Perhaps she was just overreacting.
Anna's head snapped towards her. "No, nothing's wrong, it's just…" she trailed off, hesitating, "You're getting married next Saturday." Before the queen could mask her surprise, Anna explained, "I've been keeping count."
Elsa sighed. She'd put off this topic for one, very simple reason: Anna could not attend the ceremony. As much as she'd like the support of her sister, that was the most vulnerable moment for everyone; it was almost certain they would get attacked then, and if the slightest thing went wrong, someone could die. Anyone could die. "I'm sorry Anna, but you can't attend the ceremony."
Anna looked down sadly, "I had a feeling you'd say that."
Elsa blinked, surprised. "What? You aren't going to fight me on this?"
"I'm not as thick as everyone thinks, you know?" the princess replied, feigning offense, "I've been doing my own research and asking around. I know that is a very complicated ritual, for example, but what I don't understand is why everyone is being so secretive about it. The location of your training and the wedding is being kept a secret from everyone, and I hadn't seen it before with my own eyes, I wouldn't know where to start looking."
Elsa started playing with her braid, not looking at her sister in the eye. "I love you Anna," she said softly, "Even after everything I've done to you, I've always had your best interest in mind. Don't think for a second this isn't hard for me, because in the absence of our parents you are the only family I have left and I wish so much for you to be there." The queen wiped away a stray tear that had managed to escape her eye and continued, "But it's going to be so dangerous, and if I put you in that situation and something happened… I won't risk it, Anna, and that's the reason you can't come. The people we are dealing with have the strength of storms and hurricanes at the tip of their fingers and even more, so the best thing we can do to keep you and the kingdom protected is to hide that world from you." And then, something clicked in Elsa's mind that she hadn't understood before, when she felt that she'd been managed like a puppet by someone stronger than her and without any control over her life and her decisions. She finally understood why Seraphina tried so hard to keep her secluded and at bay, because at the moment, she was going to do the same thing to her sister. And she hoped that for once, Anna would understand; she hoped that Anna wouldn't be as reckless as she'd had been in her conclusions and that she wouldn't get herself into this mess the same way she'd done. "The less you know, the safer you will be."
Anna looked like she had tears in her eyes as well, the moment being too emotional, but she nodded softly. Then, she raised her head to look at her sister in the eye with the same determination she'd always had, the one that could only mean trouble, "What can I do?"
"What do you mean?" Elsa was confused.
"I can't go to the ceremony, I understand that, but there must be something that I can do. My only sister is getting married and I am not going to sit still without doing anything," Anna answered.
Once more, Elsa sighed, but the exhaustion of the day made her finally go to a chair where she promptly plopped down and sagged, supporting her head on top of her hand tiredly. "I don't know Anna," she exhaled, "Have you spoken to Toothiana? I don't think we have a reception yet to celebrate our marriage. Besides, it could be a nice incentive to help us win the battle that is coming. Does that seem okay?"
Immediately, the princess brightened up. And like always when she was excited, she started her rambling as she paced the floor, practically jumping up and down. "That's brilliant! I will be the planner of the greatest wedding reception ever! We'll do it right here in the palace, there will be a great ball, and food, and I'll send invitations to the surrounding kingdoms, except for the Southern Isles and Weasel Town of course," as Anna chattered away, Elsa had to look away because she was getting dizzy.
That and her headache had increased.
"Anna," the princess stopped and eagerly turned to look at her, "Why don't you go looking for Tooth? She'll be glad to help you, I'm sure."
That was enough to send the excited princess on her way, even when Elsa wasn't sure if the Tooth Fairy was in the palace at all. Wearily, she stood up and went to her chambers; on her way up she flagged a servant and asked him to deliver her supper to her chambers. That wasn't usually the way she liked to do things, but she feared she'd end up sleeping on the dining room.
By the time she was changed into her night robes, her dinner had already been consumed and her eyelids were heavy with sleep. The last thing she thought of before succumbing to the exhaustion were the beautiful blue eyes of her prince, who would soon be her husband, and the way they looked at her with such devotion and love.
She could get used to that.
Jack was unusually happy as he made his way back towards Arendelle in the dead of the night. The sun had long since set, the winter had delivered its first snow in the places where it was cold enough, other places got a chill, the smaller sprites which responded to him had everything in control and one blonde beauty kept appearing behind his eyelids when he blinked. She must have gone to sleep a while back, he mused, so he wouldn't be able to wish her goodnight. Still, a peak through her window wouldn't hurt, right?
And so, when he arrived at the palace, instead of going to the window of his assigned room in this palace, he went to hers. This wouldn't be the first time he watched her sleep, content, through the window. Even when he'd never dare enter without her permission, he would some nights when he couldn't sleep just sit there and watch her a few minutes, if only to reassure himself that she was okay.
However, this time he knew she was okay. For the first time in a very long while he was certain that there wasn't anything lurking in the shadows without having to go around the perimeter because for the first time in a very long while he wasn't afraid. He wasn't scared of what might happen, he wasn't uncertain of his surroundings. Some part of him told him that he shouldn't let his guard down, but he was just so happy and so full of love for the queen who slumbered peacefully on her bed.
After blowing her a small kiss, one she wasn't aware of, he left towards his own chambers and prepared to go to bed. He was tired, exhausted even, but his head was in overdrive. It had been such a long time since he felt anything other than despair and self-loathing, sadness, rage and regrets. Because now he believed he could start over, now he had the chance at a better and happier life, and he would cherish it. He would protect his wife, he would love her and go out of his way to make her happy, because she'd given him back the hope he'd been missing for years. The hope that there still was something worth fighting for.
Time was going way faster than everyone would have liked.
It was now Wednesday evening, their training for combat had been cut short for the sake of learning matters of court and the technicalities of the wedding ceremony for Elsa as Sandy worked more on Jack's mental defenses. As the days progressed, the anxiety, excitement, nerves and fear overlapped together in an impossibly overwhelming mixture of emotions that was bound to explode any second. Seraphina was trying to be patient, but as the stress took its toll on her she grew irritable. North and Toothiana had grown very jumpy, lashing out at anything they considered the minimum threat, which in one occasion turned out to be a slowly falling snowflake that had seemed to be 'out of place'. Bunny was the most relaxed of them, although the way he played with his boomerangs and how he was constantly touching his belt to make sure his supplies and weapons were in place were a dead giveaway of how he was really feeling inside, despite his cool exterior. Sandy was constantly checking the magical barriers of the place, consulting with his contacts over the world and just trying to get anything he could on Old Man Winter or Pitch Black. Apparently, they were as hidden and silent as Seraphina and her team, each preparing their own strategy before the showdown that would occur in just three days.
Then there were the bride and groom.
Jack Frost was hyperactively jumping all around the walls, more than he usually did. His stomach was constantly doing flips and his excitement was taken over any rational thought he could've possessed at some point. At least, when they weren't in training, the sole moment of the day when he focused himself to be better and to get stronger in order to protect the family he would soon have. And, surprisingly for everyone, the same energy that kept him constantly distracted during his free moments was the one thing keeping him pushing his limits and making him better each time during training. In the short period of time they had, he had recovered most of the muscle mass he lost when the incident with Pitch occurred, his stamina had increased overnight and his overall optimism and motivation kept everyone in high hopes about the battle. That was an event altogether, because the Jack Frost they knew was gloomy and dark and closed around himself so much that he could get to the point of cruelty.
Elsa, on her part, was having a hard time looking at Jack in the eye or being with him at all. Not because her feelings had changed, if anything, because of the opposite. She felt drawn to him like a magnet, with a strong force that was so foreign to her and so strong it frightened her. She wanted to be by his side and just don't let go. She went to sleep thinking about him and her dreams showed her things most her mother would've been embarrassed about. But she couldn't help it. As the day of the wedding came closer and closer, her excitement over being a bride overpowered her senses; but also the thought of the wedding night that followed brought her a new sense of anticipation she'd never experienced before. She realized with a start more than once that she was eager about it, while at the same time she was so nervous and so scared and so guilty for thinking about it that, and so worried about things going wrong, and just so excited about her wedding, that overall she was a walking disaster. She was having trouble focusing on the lessons, except when they were about physical exertion because in those she had no time to daydream, which in a way was a relief, and even when she was paying attention she would doze off. She would catch Jack watching her, staring at her lovingly or caringly or more heatedly than he'd ever done and she would just blush and turn away, unable to look at him for the rest of the hour or so.
Seraphina was obviously not pleased, as she'd let her know by a slight cough for the umpteenth time that afternoon as she focused on her magical training. It was then, just as the sun set, that Elsa had been caught staring yet again at her prince on the other side of the room as he worked with Sandy that Mother Nature had enough. She stood up swiftly, abruptly cutting off the queen's musings.
"Jack, come here please," Seraphina called, and the prince was quick to obey albeit a little surprised. "Elsa, stand up." The queen did so. Nature guided them towards the center of the room where they had space in the position previous to a controlled combat. "Now because it seems you are having such a hard time focusing on the lesson," Elsa looked away as a bright red blush covered her cheeks, "We will finish today's session with a friendly sparring of the two of you. I'll count this as a final examination of sorts, and you can use any available resource to you aside from armed or hand to hand combat. Meaning you can use your conduits as well as your magic. I expect that you will use at least one thing you learned these past couple of weeks. Now, begin."
The queen and the prince started by softly circling each other, measuring their distances and evaluating their opponent. Each time they had a combat like this, they grew more familiar with the other's moves and the other's preferential tactics, and they slowly lost the fear of hurting themselves or the other. Turns out, this was what Elsa really needed. Her excitement made her eager to fight, to win, and it was good way of letting some energy out of her system. Apparently, Jack had similar thought, because for the first time ever since they started training he was the one to attack first.
It started with a simple move, a step forward as he swung his staff right where Elsa's feet were with the purpose of tripping her; the queen, obviously, saw right through him. She jumped, landing in a crouch and crossing her spear in front of her in a defensive position. Then, quickly, she jutted her right leg out in a circular movement aiming for the same thing the prince had mere seconds before: tripping him. He, however, was also quick in his reflexes and moved out of the way. Or maybe it would be better said that he jumped and never landed, using the wind to stay afloat.
Elsa took this chance to stand up, without losing her defense, and she brought the spear down onto the floor, using her magic to pulse through the ice and to rise as arrows, shooting themselves at the prince. Jack shielded himself, making a wide arc with his staff and breaking the fragile ice arrows in half with the aid of the wind. He moved then, in the air, and shot icicles at the queen. Elsa, to defend herself, raised a thick wall of ice where the icicles embedded themselves.
This was just what Jack had been expecting though, because when Elsa looked again, the prince was already crouched down with his head on the ice. That wasn't going to be good. Just as she feared, the ice beneath her started to move. It curved upwards, making her slip and lose her concentration, and she vaguely noticed the ice bubble slowly forming around herself. She had to get out of there because she couldn't afford to be trapped for that would be her end, both in this training combat and in real life, so she tried to roll away. The concave, slippery floor made it almost impossible for her, so she decided to do something else. Placing both hands on the ice, she pushed her magic through to fight directly against Jack's. For a few moments, the magical combat went unseen for everyone and there appeared to be a calm moment as the movement stopped slightly, but then right in the middle of them, the magic exploded like a geyser, climbing all the way to the ceiling and freezing in an intricate braided pattern.
When it ended, both were panting. When the mist created by the explosion of ice receded, all the presents were astonished to see what lay now in the center of the room. As if created by a gigantic artisan, from the floor raised a tall pillar of ice; no, there were two pillars of ice. Each one had a different tone of blue on it, one resembling the water of a still lake while the other resembled the color of the sky when there were no storms in sight. The pillars were separated, each sprouting from its source, and slowly as they went up, they intertwined, turning around themselves and thinning out only to open wide at the top, as if the exact point where the energy had been too much and exploded had been recorded in the ice. There, the two pillars fused together, merging into one, open like a giant flower with its petals to the sky as they bashed in the sunlight.
For a moment, all was silent. Softly, awed, Jack floated up towards it and examined it closely. He could see the exact places where his magic had been stronger, as well as the places where Elsa's magic had been winning the battle; the time and momentum of their magic had frozen, literally, in this pillar into a physical representation of what they could do when they worked together. He flew up higher, because the pillar almost touched the vaulted ceiling of the ice palace Elsa had built, and he studied the way the ice opened up at the top. It was too rough and hard to be really a flower; it looked more as if the geyser had stopped in time, forever paralyzed in his position. There he could not realize whose magic had the upper hand; it seemed as if they had reached the exact point in which their magic had had the same power and intensity, as if they had been in the exact same level.
"This is beautiful," Jack whispered, and as if his voice had broken an enchantment, all the witnesses broke into different expressions of awe and amazement.
Seraphina, on her part, looked an awful lot pleased with herself. Sandy kept flying around it, examining it from close and far, admiring the work of art, and Elsa had just dropped on her knees from the exertion. Fortunately, Jack arrived just in time to catch her.
"That was amazing," he told her softly, with such wonder in his voice that she found herself tearing up, "You are amazing."
"We both are Jack," she replied instead, "We did this together."
"Yeah, that we did," and then he kissed her, softly at first and then more passionately, the energy they had been trying to keep locked away resurging with the strength of a volcano. They were forced to separate, though, by Mother Nature's persistent coughing.
"I don't think you can keep training together," Seraphina told them cautiously, "There is just too much tension in the air for you to control yourselves. From tomorrow and until the wedding, you are forbidden from seeing each other."
Elsa gaped at her, opening her mouth and then closing it again. "I thought you said that we only did that the day before the wedding."
"The thing is, your majesty, that I doubt you can control yourselves at this point," as if to prove her point she gestured to their intimately liked hands and too close together bodies, the result of their passionate make out, "And I'm not taking any chances. We're too close. With what you just did, we can defeat Old Man Winter and Pitch on the same day, the day of the wedding, but for that we need to work together. And so, here's the plan Sandy and I came up with; we discuss it tonight and tomorrow we each go to do our assignments. Separately. Understood?"
Elsa and Jack nodded, albeit reluctantly, both wishing that their moment hadn't had to end so soon.
Mother Nature continued when Sandy joined them. "Elsa, you have to rearrange this place for the ceremony, just like we did on Saturday evening, remember?" The queen nodded.
"Can we keep the pillar?" she asked, bluntly, before Seraphina could continue. Nature sighed in exasperation.
"Yes, you can keep the pillar but put it where it won't get in the way," Nature countered and then proceeded, "This plan has many phases, Elsa you will receive the plans of the place tomorrow. I want you to follow them thoroughly, and now pay attention everyone because I will only say this once."
True to her promise, the next couple of days until the wedding Elsa and Jack didn't see each other at all. As busy as they were organizing the ceremony, the reception, the preparations and the plan they had to set in motion, they barely had to breathe, let alone find time to sneak around. Besides, when Seraphina gave to each their tasks, she made sure that Elsa and Jack would not under any circumstance cross paths.
It was now Friday evening, and Elsa was making sure that the place was ready for tomorrow. The plan was complicated, and everyone had a specific role to play; even North and Tooth and Bunny were in it. If everything went the way it should, after the ceremony and the inevitable battle they would go back to the palace in Arendelle to celebrate. Even Anna had some part to play in all of this, and that was making sure Elsa had her dress ready as well as the necessary accessories. Revealing more would have put her in danger, but for now she had her hands full and was perfectly content. At least, content enough so that she wouldn't do anything reckless, or so Elsa hoped.
The queen's nerves were killing her, and she was a total emotional mess. All the emotions she previously felt had only increased, and to that she must add the frustration and want to see her fiancé, the worries and fears that it could go wrong, and just the overall stress of planning a wedding and a major battle that could decide the fate of the world. Yeah, just as if they didn't have enough to lose already.
Seraphina had also been gone the entire day, saying that she needed to prepare something on her own for the ceremony that would take place the next day, which didn't help ease her nerves.
And so, as she stared at the carefully constructed structure where the ceremony would take place, with the double dais on the front, and the pool and the steps and the bridge, she measured and rechecked every inch of it to make sure that it was solid and perfect. Then she checked the second part of the structure, the hidden part below the floor, which was crucial for their plan to work. Good, it was very good. Finally, as she was leaving for the palace to try and get some rest even when she knew she would probably not sleep, she stopped and stared at the beautiful creation she and Jack had made. She'd moved it so that it stood next to a wall, between the doors and the stairs, so that the people who entered could see it in all its magnificence. The sight of it immediately made her relax. She'd identified her magic fused together with Jack's, as in she could feel the magical signatures of both of them, and she was happy to find that they matched well together, that they got along. She thought that the pillar represented their story, starting as two separate entities to be united into one at the end of the Winter Solstice. The thought made her blush… and smile.
She left the ice palace feeling optimistic that everything would turn out fine. It had too. Her hope and future depended on it.
To say Jack was nervous would be the understatement of the century. The prince was pacing his chambers back and forth, like a pendulum, as he played with his hands in an annoying patter to anyone who watched him. That, on itself, was rare. The prince of the Winter Court never got nervous, or jittery, or anxious. Those were emotions reserved for everybody else but him, who was always sure of himself and of his decisions. Or at least, that was he was trying to make himself believe.
But even when he was nervous, who could blame him? Out of everyone, he had most to lose. Not only would he lose his bride, the recently found love of his life, but with it he would lose also the hope he'd recovered after more than a hundred years drowning in hopelessness. He would also lose, on the sideways, the possibility of winning against Winter and becoming King of the Winter Court, as well as the possibility of being free from his father's tyranny. Not succeeding this day also meant that Seraphina's efforts would most likely be for naught, as there would take a long time for Mother Nature to reaffirm her authority over Winter, but most importantly, over the others who followed him and praised him as a leader. The world would, most likely, fall into chaos for the next few centuries, and Jack would be responsible for all of it.
He was scared.
However, they had a plan. Two days before Seraphina, Sandy, Elsa and him had sat down to discuss how things were going to happen today. First of all, they would start earlier than the custom. So if they had to wake up at sunrise, now they had to do it before, and get all the pre-wedding preparations ready in time so that when the sunset hit, signifying the end of the day, they would also end the ceremony. It was most likely that Old Man Winter and Pitch Black were familiar with the ritual, and Seraphina had to think ahead; if they thought that by sunset the ceremony would just be starting to end, they had to end it before the sunset. It had to be timed perfectly or else they would all fail, because once Winter and Pitch realized they'd arrived late and that Jack and Elsa were already married, there would be a battle. And it would be fierce, for Winter was a very sore loser. This is the reason why he woke up after roughly three hours of sleep determined to protect his wife and their future together.
At this precise moment in time, he was waiting for North to arrive so they could get started. It was customary to have someone help them, someone who in the best of cases was a relative of the bride or the groom. However, given the circumstances, another person close to them could take their place, just like North and Toothiana had so kindly offered to do.
The pre-wedding preparations were meticulous and different for each of them. North explained him that it was in part because men and women were different, not only in body, but in essence, emotion and psychology. And thus, the type of preparation they had to undergo would be adapted to each of their needs.
What Jack needed to do was fairly simple, with air quotes. He would have to go to a clearing in the forest where there was a waterfall, the same one she would go to later, and submerge in the violent waters upstream. As opposed to the lady, who entered through the shore below, he had to battle against the waters above in order to get to the place where he would leave a token. Something undeniably his, something that would be painful to leave behind; something that the prince already had in mind. He'd been told as far, but when he questioned North about it, the big jolly man only told him he had to get out as soon as the token was there. Jack figured it was going to be some sort of gift to one of the deities, maybe of water or winter as they were related, but he could not be sure because he had never been married before. If he had there would have been another type of complications.
Afterwards, he needed to seek around the world the materials needed for his third, last and probably most complicated task he'd have to do before the wedding: forging the rings.
According to the tradition, the rings needed to be forged on the very same day the ceremony would take place and by the groom who would marry because that meant he took the main responsibility of sustaining and protecting his wife. And, to make things a little harder on him –or maybe even easier –he needed to find a material that meant something to the two of them in equal measure. It couldn't be of gold, for example, if the metal wasn't emotionally meaningful for them. Everyone could have golden rings around their fingers, but that didn't exactly make them special. What made a marriage ring different from the rest they would own later in life? How would they recognize their rings under every circumstance and situation? What would be the reminder of the special ceremony in which they joined their lives together?
Apparently, the prince had a whole lot of work to do. He could only hope to get everything done in time to get back, take a shower and get ready for his wedding. It wouldn't sit well with anyone if he was late on the most important day of his life and when so much was hanging on the line.
Elsa was rarely wrong, something that sometimes could come in handy. This time, it didn't. Just as she thought, she couldn't sleep much; maybe two hours at most before she'd been woken up by a very annoying… sorry, eager Toothiana. For some reason, though, she felt numb. All of the emotions that had been wreaking havoc in her head for the last two weeks seemed to have gone dormant all of the sudden, leaving her strangely peaceful, but also, disturbingly hollow.
She had no trouble getting up, dressing up with a suitable attire, and she did so quickly. She wasn't going to eat breakfast as was something Nature had forbidden her from doing on the day of the wedding, but she realized sooner rather than later that Nature had been right about her lack of appetite. Just like the emotional turmoil was gone, so was her appetite, and so she followed the Tooth Fairy out of the palace and into the woods.
If she wasn't forgetting something, she had to go to this waterfall where she'd have to submerge. That wasn't a problem, she knew how to swim. The problem was that she couldn't have any clothes on her. According to an explanation she couldn't remember very well, it was a time of introspection and mystical connection with the right energies that were revolving around her that day. The reason she had to shed her clothes was because just like a baby has to break through the water to be born into the world, Elsa would have to do the same, shedding her previous life as Queen Elsa of Arendelle to become the Queen of the Winter Court. It was to symbolize the change a marriage would bring into her life, how she'd have to use her past experiences to form something new, while not letting her ghosts haunt her in this new life.
And so, slowly, when she got to the shore of a lake in a clearing where there was a magnificent waterfall, she started to undress. First, she took off the cloak she'd been wearing to protect herself from the weather and she placed it on a big boulder next to her. Next, she undid the lace of her dress; a simple, princess cut, baby blue dress that fell just above her ankles, staying only in her underwear and corset, which for her was mandatory to wear. Tooth then helped her undo the corset and handed her a thin cloak, which the queen gratefully took before stripping what was left of her clothes so that she wouldn't have to be so exposed. Then, she unbraided her hair, which had been simply done just to keep it out of her face.
When she was ready, she walked towards the center of the lake, getting the robe wet in the process. It didn't matter much, because that was its purpose. The water was cold; for any normal human, probably deadly cold, but for her it wasn't that much different from the usual temperatures she handled. The only difference was that she was used to the more solid state of the water, instead of the liquid one. To be true, there wasn't that much of an occasion in which they could swim. They lived too high in the north to enjoy more than a few weeks of heat during the summer, in which the water barely raised one or two degrees. Growing up in these parts of the world, though, gets them used to the cold waters and so when they wanted to swim as kids, they swam; as Elsa grew up and fearful of her powers, she stopped swimming altogether because she didn't want the water turning even colder and risk hurting someone else.
Soon, the queen reached the necessary depth in which the water covered her intimate parts and shed the cloak. She looked one last time at Toothiana, who'd gone to pick the soaking cloak off the surface of the water, before taking a deep breath and submerging entirely. Slowly, it dawned on her what Seraphina had meant by 'connection'. There, with the water drowning every sound, with her soft movements in synch with the flowing fluidity of the water, it was as if the whole world had stopped turning. Suddenly, she was all alone and no one else existed. There wasn't a wedding, there wasn't a plan, there wasn't a prince; there weren't friends or family. There was only silence and her floating in it; it was a precious moment in which she had the total opportunity of being with someone who rarely got out, who rarely had her wishes heard and her will respected: Herself. The most intimate, and deep part of herself that was constantly pushed aside in order to benefit others, in order to worry about others, in order to love others. In this moment, she felt deep in love with herself and everything that made her, her past and her present, the good and the bad, the flaws and the virtues.
Elsa emerged behind the waterfall and into a small, hidden place that wasn't big enough to be called a cave. She hadn't been told what to do once she went below the waterfall or behind it, but her instinct guided her to the rocks that formed some sort of muddled steps. Using the very soft light that filtered through the water, she realized that there were footprints there, and Elsa felt slightly marveled when she realized that Jack had probably already been there, doing what she was doing. She decided to follow them, following her gut. Slowly and carefully as to not slip, she climbed the four to five pseudo steps that led to what appeared to be an alcove of some sort. There, placed in the muddy rock, laid a necklace. Or at least, it appeared to be a necklace, for there wasn't much light to discern. She grabbed it and it felt right in her hand, as if it belonged there, before going back to the lake and swimming back.
She made it to the same place where she'd shed the cloak, and there Tooth floated towards her and handed it back to her so that she could get out of the water while protecting her intimacy. The necklace was tightly clutched in her hand and she put it on to have her hands free. She shivered when the cold of it came in contact with her skin.
Once on shore, Tooth helped Elsa dry and dress up before heading back to the palace where the beautifying process –not that Elsa needed one –would commence before the ceremony. The dress was all ready and waiting for her, just as the maids who would help her bathe in warm, perfumed water, who would help her do her hair, dress up and put some make up on.
After her little submarine trip, the queen had to say that she felt much more relaxed, calm even… ready and happy.
"So, what was the token?" Tooth suddenly asked, snapping Elsa out of her thoughts.
The queen frowned, "The what?"
"The token Jack left for you," the fairy explained, "Before you went into the waterfall, so did Jack. He had to leave a Token there, one that you surely picked up."
Elsa's frown deepened. "I did find something there, but I didn't know it was a token. Why didn't anybody tell me about this before?"
The Tooth Fairy laughed softly, "Because none of you could know. Jack didn't know you were going to find it, and you didn't know there was something waiting for you either. And yet, he left it and you grabbed it, meaning that you have trust in one another, but more importantly, in yourselves."
"How does that mean we trust each other? We didn't even know what we had to do. And what does it say about trusting ourselves? I could've grabbed a rock from that place and you'd say that's his token," Elsa countered, growing more confused by the second.
"Well, when you put it like that you sure make it hard to explain," The fairy said, hovering a few feet above the ground, "You can call it intuition if you like, or magic, or instinct even. But no one told you to walk inside the cave, the instruction was to submerge. No one told you to find something there, and yet you did, and it didn't feel wrong when you had it in your hands, did it?"
Elsa shook her head, "No, it didn't."
Tooth shrugged then, "You see, it was the right thing to do. Maybe you could even call it fate, it shows that you are meant for one another, that you truly belong with each other. It's like a test of sorts."
"What would have happened if I had failed?" the queen fearfully asked, honestly wondering.
"Nothing good, I assure you," Tooth answered, "So it's great you didn't fail, isn't it?" Elsa nodded, falling into silent. "What is it then?"
The queen frowned, "I honestly don't know, I couldn't get a good look at it." She made to grab the chain hanging from her neck, stopping only a few centimeters from the object itself, "Isn't this supposed to be a private thing between the bride and groom?"
Tooth blushed scarlet and looked away. "I was hoping you would tell me anyway."
And she would. Elsa would honestly grab the token and show the fairy, but it somehow felt wrong. This token had to be special, judging by the fact that it was included in one of the pre-wedding preparations. It was something that probably belonged to Jack, and she didn't want to just reveal it to anyone. Not even her friend, not even her sister. Still, she had yet to see it, so she took a peak of it beneath the traveling cloak she'd worn before in a way Tooth wouldn't be able to see it.
The queen was surprised to find a key, very old and rusted. For a minute Elsa wondered its meaning, and when she realized that it probably dated more than a hundred years ago, it dawned on her that the key was probably part of Jack's past, more than enough reason not to share this gift with anyone else.
"I'm sorry Tooth, but not this time," the fairy looked disappointed but didn't press further.
Gripping the key tightly in her hand, Elsa smiled softly to herself, kind of understanding where was the trust in all this weird mystic matter.
Seraphina entered the ice palace Elsa built carrying the necessary items for the ceremony that would begin very soon. She observed the queen's handiwork with admiration, remembering with a little tiny bit of regret how she'd underestimated her. In front of her, right in the central hall that greeted the guests, the fountain that had been there before had been temporarily removed to make place for a long aisle. In front of the double stairwell Elsa had built a dais just like that day on her demonstration, with the exact same measures. It looked like a stage of sorts. There, another dais had been built, just enough to fit a couple. Around this smaller dais was a deep circumference, a pool where Seraphina would put the water from her realm. With a flick of her wrist she produced a jar and poured the water onto the pool, filling it to the brim with the water, which was as transparent and clear as a mirror.
Mother Nature smiled softly; perhaps they did have a chance after all. To be able to walk towards the smaller dais, Elsa had made a beautiful bridge, with detailed decorations of snowflakes and beautiful winter motifs. What Seraphina hadn't included in the plans, or predicted for that matter, was the beautiful four poles around the dais that had white fabric hanging from one pole to the next as decoration. It framed the dais giving it an air of sanctity and sanctuary.
In order to avoid boycotts aside from the one Winter was obviously going to cause, they hadn't invited many people other than the strictly necessary. The witnesses would be, in this case, North and Toothiana, and Sandy together with Bunnymund would also be present to increase their chances of winning. The four of them were competent witnesses and could give testimony if asked by anyone, so Seraphina wasn't worried about that. What worried her was the timing. By the time Winter arrived the ceremony had to be already over, and Jack and Elsa already married. Their backup plan was to stick Bunny and Sandy close to the doors, and they would be the ones to keep them entertained as the ceremony was finished if needed be.
She checked outside to see the sun just beginning its descent, which meant they still had time. As if summoned by her thoughts, the prince chose that moment to arrive at the Ice Palace. Seraphina had to bite her cheeks as to not laugh because of the expression on Jack's face. He looked paler than usual, and even when he'd taken a shower to try and look presentable, his hair was still disheveled. He was panting slightly, as if he'd run to get there, which he probably did. Behind him, North was also running to catch up.
"Jack you didn't need to run so fast, we've made it in time," the big man told to the prince like he'd been reminding him of that for a while now.
Seraphina couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at him. "You're ready?" she asked him, and Jack nodded just a tad too fast which betrayed his nerves, "You have the rings ready?"
"Yes, ma'am," the prince answered, and showed her a small box with his handy work inside.
"Are you sure that's the right material for this?" she asked, somewhat skeptical.
"I know is unorthodox," Jack claimed, "But I am certain is the right one. But even if I wasn't, there isn't time to redo them."
"I guess you're right. You know the plan?" she asked him, and the prince gave one tense nod, "Don't worry, it will be alright if we stick to the plan."
"I hope you're right," the prince said, really expecting everything to go down smoothly. Then Seraphina started ordering them around, finishing the last details of the plan, and just when they thought someone fetching the queen, Tooth arrived and told them that she was already in the antechamber waiting for the signal. A few minutes later, Sandy and Bunnymund arrived as well all prepared as they'd been instructed.
Just like that, they were ready; at the very least, as ready as they could be.
Elsa was visibly shaking. Whatever peace of mind she'd found that afternoon flew out the window the moment she started getting ready for her wedding. More precisely, the moment she saw herself in the mirror wearing the dress her sister had had made. It was pristine and white, shimmering like freshly fallen snow, in part because it was incrusted with diamonds. It fitted her torso well, accentuating her curves, and just below the hips it opened into a wide skirt that reached the floor. She had long, lace sleeves that reached all the way to her hand until her middle finger, and the lace extended so that it formed a high neck that opened just enough to let a beautiful necklace show. The lace also covered the top all the way until the low waste line, right before the skirt opened. Her hair was tied up, but instead of wearing her usual braid, it was in a neat bun on the base of her neck. Some of her curls had been taken out of the bun and they hung around her face, framing it. On top of her head she had a beautiful tiara, where a white veil hung behind her head and over her shoulders. For the ceremony, she'd have to have her face covered.
Suddenly, in a split second, everything became real. It wasn't a dream anymore, or a fantasy, or a very likely possibility; it was real. It was happening, and it was happening now.
Now she was even more aware of that fact as they'd just arrived at her Ice Palace and Tooth had gone to the front to wait for the signal. Millions of scenarios appeared behind her eyes, reminding her that everything could go wrong, and she suddenly felt faint. That's how Toothiana found her when she came back, gripping a wall to make sure she didn't fall as her breathing came out in ragged, quick gasps.
"Elsa," the fairy was quick to act, going to her side and putting both hands around her face, "Elsa look at me." The queen did so, turning her wide panicked eyes towards the fairy, "Everything will be fine. Jack loves you and he's waiting for you outside. I know you have the token with you; forget about everything else for a moment, just think that this is a normal day, a very happy day, in which you are going to have a normal wedding with your normal fiancé."
At that, the queen laughed, "You know we're anything but normal." She was still shaking, but her breathing had evened out and she looked steadier on her feet, "Let's go before it's too late."
With that, Tooth gripped her hand and the two of them went towards the front part of the castle, where they were already waiting for her. She softly took her veil and lowered it over her face, making sure it wasn't visible for the groom. Then, still gripping the fairy's hand tightly, they made their way through the aisle.
Much to the surprise of the queen, a soft melody was playing on the background. She couldn't see where it came from or who was playing, because she was too scared that if she looked up from the floor she'd fall on her face. However, with a nudge of the fairy, something, or rather someone, else caught her attention entirely. Standing in front of her right at the base of the steps, the Prince of the Winter Court, Jack Frost, was standing there looking as handsome as ever. He was dressed the same way as the first time she'd seen him, with the blue cloak around his shoulders and the stash across his chest. He was standing tall and proud, a wide smile, like a child who's eagerly waiting, and with his eyes shining in mirth.
Elsa forgot her worries, and even how to breathe. The only thing keeping her walking was the Tooth's hand firmly clasped in her own. She was going to get married to Jack Frost. She was getting married!
When she got to the front, where her groom was waiting, he took her hand and guided her to stand right in front of him before the steps. There he, ever so gently, took the veil between two hesitating fingers and lifted it from her face. Oh, how his eyes widened! In front of him was standing the most beautiful woman to ever grace the Earth, and she would soon become his wife. If possible, his smile grew wider, and Elsa vowed to herself to keep that smile on his face for as long she lived. She smiled back, almost forgetting why she was worried in the first place.
Together, they rose up the two daises and stood in the middle of the smaller dais surrounded by water that looked so pure and clean, anyone would've wanted to drink from it. Once they were up, they turned towards each other, with Toothiana, North, Bunnymund and Sandy acting as witnesses, as Mother Earth started the ceremony.
"We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage between these two people, who will be joined together for as long as they may live," her voice, strong, firm and harmonious, resonated through the castle. "Has anyone here opposes these union?" They waited without breathing, nothing happened; they sighed in relief, Winter hadn't yet arrived. "Let us proceed then."
Then, as they'd been taught, Elsa and Jack placed their hands palm to palm, his right to her left, right in the middle of them. Nature next produced a white, silk ribbon that she wrapped around their arms all the way up to the beginning of the elbow. "With this I join your hands, which are the perfect tools to build a loving home. Remember that from now on you don't act on your own; one hand supports the other the same way you have to support each other. With your right hand, Jack Frost, Prince of the Winter Court you will protect your family and you will build your home. With the same fierceness with which you wield your sword, with the same confidence with which you wield your staff, you will hold your wife and be loyal to her and only her. Do you swear, Jack Frost, to love her, protect her, guard her and provide for her, in war and in peace, in darkness and in light?"
"I do," Jack replies, a little breathlessly, knowing that Elsa has become from this moment own his purpose of living.
Seraphina turned to Elsa. "You, Queen Elsa of Arendelle, are about to surrender your mortality, willing to leave behind the life you've led until now. By taking this man as your husband, you agree to support him on his decision and to help him on his work. By taking this man as your husband, you are assuming the position of Princess of the Winter Court, her royal highness, and with it all the responsibilities that come with the title. With your left hand, you will build the deepest and strongest foundations of a home with your presence and impeccable attitude. You will be equal to your husband in rights and status as the right hand needs the left to work well. Do you swear, Elsa of Arendelle, to love him, protect him, guard him and shield him, in war and in peace, in darkness and in light?"
Elsa looked into the prince's eyes, which were expectantly waiting for her answer. She could see the brief uncertainty and panic in his eyes, for which she laughed softly before answering, "I do."
As she said those words, the silk ribbon started to glow and brink on their arms. Elsa and Jack felt a tingling sensation on their arms as they were engulfed by the glow, and when it receded, they saw a beautiful, white design tattooed in their skin by magic, in a bond that could only be broken by death itself. It was almost invisible, especially for outsiders, but for them it would always be clear.
Next, Mother Nature produced a chalice. "With this water, Elsa of Arendelle will be forever linked to the fabric of winter, the foundations of her magic, which will provide for her life and energy as long as the bond isn't severed. Do you accept these terms, your highness?"
Elsa nodded, slightly nervous, "I do." She then proceeded to grab the chalice with both hands and raise it above her head. "When I drink from this chalice, I relinquish my immortality and accept my responsibilities as Elsa, the Princess of the Winter Court, forever bonded to Jack Frost, Prince of the Winter Court," afterwards she drank from the cup the water that came from Mother Nature's realm. It was light and fresh, invigorating her immediately as she felt the shift in her magic take place, joining her with the ancient powers of the Earth itself.
Seraphina looked very pleased. "Now the groom will present the bride with the rings he forged himself to show he accepts his responsibilities as her husband."
Jack nodded eagerly and took from an inside pocket a small box which she presented to his bride-to-be. "I, Jack Frost, forged this rings with the coldest ice from the highest mountain, where the sun constantly warms it and yet it never melts. I offer them to you, my lady, because we met through a thick, cold wall of ice. It is a constant in our lives; it is part of who we are, and only by embracing who we are will we be able to create the home we deserve."
Tears sprung to her eyes because of his words, which reminded her of a confession. In them, he admitted he'd been wrong and that he was willing to change for the sake of them and the home they wanted to build. For a moment, she almost forgot to voice her reply. "I, Elsa of Arendelle, accept the ring you've forged, as you've shown me what it means to you and what it symbolizes."
Jack's smile was blinding. He grabbed the thinner, most exquisite ring of the two, and softly placed it on her finger. Even though it was ice and he was obviously handy with it, she realized that this work alone must have taken him hours to complete. From getting the ice, to making the ring, to decorating it; besides, he'd done something else, because despite being made of ice, the ring wasn't cold at all. "What I said before wasn't just pretty words," he whispered softly, "This ice cannot melt. It comes from the highest peak of the highest mountain, which is located in the coldest place and where the magic is strongest for me. As long as our magic feeds it, the ring will not melt, ever."
The queen's smile widened at those words, and she too grabbed the ring that belonged to her soon to be husband and placed it on his finger. She whispered endearingly, "Thank you."
When the rings were in place, they glowed white, sealing the marital contract and getting one step closer to finishing the ceremony. "With the power invested in me as the regent over Earth," Seraphina said, "I declare this ceremony lawful. What do the witnesses declare?"
North and Tooth stepped forward. "We declare this ceremony lawful."
And then, as a bonus, Aster also stepped forward. "I declare this ceremony lawful."
Sadly, this declaration required to be said out loud, and seeing as Sandy didn't speak he couldn't testify as witness, even though he wanted to.
"If everything's in order we may proceed, in this Winter Solstice in which these two souls are joined by their magic and their love. In doing so, the deal Old Man Winter made with me renews its validity as marriage is part of the agreement. The other part will be fulfilled when this newly married couple has a child." Jack and Elsa blushed deeply at that, but they were just too happy to let it get to them much. The declaration had to be done out loud and with witnesses so that the magic behind the vow could start taking effect immediately, and so with this, they were officially married. They'd made it through.
Seraphina looked at them fondly, relieved and happy. "You may kiss your bride, Jack Frost."
More eagerly than what was proper, Jack leaned in and swiftly captured Elsa's lips in his. The queen was more than pleased to reciprocate, relishing in the new sensation of kissing not just the man she loved, but the man who was now her husband. Their moment was cut short, though, when Bunny cleared his throat.
"I'm sorry to ruin the moment, mate, but we've got company," he said somberly, immediately reminding them of the threat Winter posed and which wasn't over. "Winter has just crossed over the defense perimeter."
Mother Nature's eyes had hardened and she looked outside, where the sun was just about to set in the horizon. "We finished just in time, which means Winter won't be happy. Everybody to your places, this isn't over yet."
I hope you enjoyed this chapter. I tried to be detailed about the ceremony and to give a little insight about the nature of Elsa's powers and how she will get to live as long as Jack and I hope it makes sense how I solved the immoratlity issue of this fanfic. But hey, they are still half humans; I mean, with the ceremony, Elsa became like Jack, so until he becomes King she will get the full powers as Queen as well. At the moment they are of equal status. Please ask me anything that wasn't clear and I'll try to explain in the best that I can. Also, I apologize for any grammar mistakes you might have found along the way, I did my best reviewing but I am still human, unlike our lovebirds on the fanfic. Please, leave a comment telling me your opinion, or send me a PM.
Thanks again to all my followers who keep coming back with each chapter, welcome to the new ones, for I keep marveling that after a month or two or three people still find this story and still follow it. I really hope to hear from you soon.
Until we meet again.
ClearEyes