Author: Sorry these chapters are so short. I push myself to at least hit a 2,000-word goal, but sometimes it ends up dragging needlessly and I just wind up with a bunch of filler crap. I'm sure as the story progresses, the chapters will lengthen but until then, enjoy these little summaries.

Agnarr placed a pair of brown boots in front of Jack, "Try these on." He instructed and Jack took a seat. "They're the oldest pair I own. They might feel a bit big."

Jack slid them on, trying to tie them as snug as they would go. His toes didn't quite reach the front, but it would do. Better than nothing.

"Well?"

"They're nice. Thank you."

"Can't have you doing all this work barefoot." Agnarr joked before leading him outside.

Jack was shown around the manor grounds; Agnarr explained to him all the work he was expected to do and that it must be done efficiently. Jack was naturally outdoorsy and would spend up to ten hours working in the fields of the commune he grew up on. He'd been put to work from the moment he stopped crawling.

Jack was already familiar with everything that was shown to him, so he did not need an adjustment period.

"A family of rabbits lives over there," Agnarr pointed to a patch of land filled with red clovers, "but they haven't been showing up lately. We hope a bird didn't snatch them; maybe it's just gotten too hot for them to be out here long."

"I had all kinds of animals growing up." Jack replied, trying to go along with the conversation. "Most of them were for food, though..." He figured that wasn't the best response and he bowed his head bashfully.

"Your Norwegian is very good," Agnarr commented, changing the subject, "you've still got quite the accent." He remarked, noting his Danish lilt.

"Thank you," he cleared his throat. "I also know some Swedish."

"Oh?" Agnarr grinned. "Hur länge har du pratat svenska?"

Jack had to think for a moment before responding, "Bara några år."

Agnarr noted, "I'm telling you, soon enough, Norway will be independent, and we won't have to speak anyone else's language anymore. But I'm sure politics don't concern someone like yourself."

"Erm– Well... no..."

"Right then." Agnarr decided that the conversation was finished. Instead, he showed Jack where the toolshed was, how he liked everything to be kept organized.

In the middle of the tour, however, Jack found himself unable to hold back in asking, "If I may ask, what's your daughter like?"

"Nothing to be intimidated by, I assure you. My Elsa's a quiet young lady, always into her books. Of course, she enjoys walking, but only when Gerda can accompany her."

Jack quirked a brow, "Why can't she go alone?"

Agnarr sagged his shoulders, "She's threatened to run away so many times; she's tried to twice now. It's because she's been promised to be married next year." Although he didn't quite understand why that'd make her want to run away, Jack nodded. "You know, I bet she'd enjoy new company the next time she takes a walk."

Jack tensed. "Sir?"

"I trust there won't be any funny business from you?"

"Of course not! But—"

"Do you think you could handle being my daughter's companion while she's going through this 'phase?'"

How on earth could Jack say no? Agnarr was the reason he had this job in the first place. He supposed walking with her didn't mean having to talk to her. She was already engaged, so what harm could there be? "I could. I just don't want it to interfere with my work."

"I'm positive you won't disappoint me."

All of these reassurances he was giving Jack put him on edge; the Nordheims had such high expectations from him. The hard part would be living up to them. Jack knew hard work—it didn't deter him. If anything, getting to know this 'Elsa' would be the real challenge. He quietly looked forward to it out of the need to satiate his curiosity while also dreading meeting her in person.

Agnarr found Gerda putting on her outdoor shoes when the two walked back inside. "I was just about to let you know; Elsa wants to go on a walk."

Agnarr's brows shot up. "Does she?" He glanced over at Jack. "Gerda, I believe Jackson should accompany her this time." Gerda looked up at him like he had lost his head.

"Sir?"

"Don't worry. It'll be good for her to get used to the new help. Plus, Overland will get to know the area better."

Gerda glanced worriedly at Jack, who said, "It's fine. I like walking."

...

Jack didn't know what to expect.

Coming around the corner, he saw a woman's figure standing at the front door. He was secretly dying to see her mysterious face; not the moody teenager's from the portrait in the parlor room.

Nervously, making sure his voice didn't fail him, Jack called out, "Hello."

"Hello." Elsa said without turning around. She had on a rosemaling dress, her pale-blonde hair was tied back into a braided bun that was covered by a headscarf. Jack got so close that he could reach out and touch her—but once he did, Elsa pushed open the heavy door and started ahead of him. Not once did she turn around.

She had a killer stride even in heels, and Jack was still adjusting to the slightly oversized shoes he was wearing—keeping up behind her proved to be difficult. Elsa's pace continued to accelerate.

Jack took in how she moved; fluidly, with purpose. He noted small details. Not a single strand of hair was out of place, and the back of her neck revealed her pale skin; like freshly fallen snow.

On impulse, Elsa began to run as hard as she could. It took Jack off guard and began to run in turn, trying to catch up to her. Elsa ran faster, faster, letting loose her stride. Jack was panicking, and in only three strides did he catch up to her, grabbing her shoulder.

Halting, Elsa turned around. She had shining, blue eyes, faint freckles dusted across her face. Her nose was thin, her cheeks were rosy and her lips were red like berries.

Both she and Jack were breathing hard, trying to catch their breath. "Thought I was running away?" She asked ironically before turning her head away. Jack couldn't think of what to say back, not while he was bent in half, overcoming his brief terror. Even though she no longer faced him, Jack had captured her in his mind.

When someone was that beautiful, even a quick moment such as that had a powerful impact.

...

They continued their walk, Jack admiring the fjords as his head oscillated between the marvelous view and the nape of Elsa's neck. The wind had loosened her blonde hair slightly and some of her bangs had swept down. Jack had no idea how cold it could be in the middle of the summer, but he should've accounted that he was living in the mountains now, and not a flat landscape.

Every time Elsa would turn her head whether to glare back at him or look off at something, he would capture another fragment of her, and bit by bit did he feel like she was stealing his soul. Elsa stopped suddenly; upon her gaze, heat rose up to his neck, creeping into his cheeks.

"So, you're living with us now." She interjected.

"I—Yes?"

"My father seems to have cozied up to you rather quickly."

"Well, I've been writing to him for months. He hired me over paper."

"I know," Elsa said. She stared at him so intensely that Jack felt scrutinized, "you were a pagan, right?"

"My parents were." Jack answered, not wanting to get into that conversation.

"If your parents were, doesn't that make you one?"

"So you're saying one can't defect from their family? You wouldn't defect from your family?" Jack bit back—she'd struck a nerve, and Elsa quickly realized he could match her in such quips. Nothing more was said to each other, not even on the way back to the manor.

...

When the day was over, Jack helped Gerda clean the kitchen.

It wasn't until they were alone downstairs when she asked, "How was your walk with our Lady?"

Well, you could've warned me she was so pretty. Jack wanted to say. "It was... uneventful." He admitted.

"I have to be honest, I'm surprised she didn't throw a tantrum; must be a good sign."

"Was she always this way?" He asked in a quiet voice.

Gerda shook her head, "No, not at all. She was the sweetest little girl, always smiling." Jack could understand then—his own life had changed him from a cheerful child into who he was now. "I think it's more than the marriage agreement getting to her." She confessed. "Uh—you mustn't mind my assumptions, of course."

"Not at all." He put up the last of the dry plates. "Erm... How long has she known I was coming?" It baffled him that she'd even known about his family; those letters were written strictly to Agnarr.

Gerda wrinkled her forehead, "I can't say. I wasn't informed until two weeks ago."

"Hmph." He shrugged. Guess she heard her parents talking.

"You know, I had family in Denmark. My aunt moved there with my cousins when I was younger."

Jack grinned. "Where exactly?"

"Viborg."

"Ah, my mother's from Aalborg. But I grew up in Hjørring."

"I bet it was lovely."

Jack didn't respond to that. All he said was, "Not as picturesque as here, though."

"Let me tell you this, we get snow, but we're nowhere near as cold as the rest of Norway. I don't mind the isolation, but it takes so long to go to town and buy supplies. We have to plan our trips days in advance."

Jack snorted, "I've never been to a city."

Gerda was astounded, "No?"

Jack shook his head. He was only just beginning to feel comfortable when they turned and saw a figure looming in the doorway.

Elsa, in her nightgown, said, "I came down for some water."

Gerda swallowed, "Oh, my dear. If you'd asked I would've brought some up to you."

"It's fine. I know how to get it myself." She passed them and made herself a cup from the tap. She turned to Gerda, "Good night,"

"Good night, dearie," Gerda answered. Her voice was solemn, longing for the lovely young girl who'd wake her up by jumping on her back every morning.

As she walked towards the doorway, she stopped before Jack; their eyes locking. "Good night." She said.

"Good night." He said in a stilted voice.

Once she was back in her room, Gerda whispered, "She'll get through whatever this is. I'm sure of it." Jack was flummoxed; he didn't know whether Elsa hated him or was as intrigued about him as he was her.

Of course, what was there about him to be interested in? He was just some peasant from Denmark that was here to do this wealthy family's yard work. Jack didn't find himself particularly striking in any way, especially compared to Elsa. He blended in with the crowd; no one could ever notice him. That's just how it was.

She's lucky she's beautiful; people like her have it easy, Jack thought.

Then again, he'd known plenty of people that one might've called 'beautiful...' and he'd seen where they'd ended up.