Work has been... ugh. Air conditioner down. It was 98 in there for 3 days in a row. Just drains all the life away. Plus I re-fractured a broken bone in my foot that I broke when I was like 15. Never healed right so it ends up cracking again whenever I'm on my feet waaaay too much. XD At work. Which was like nearly 2 months straight. XD So... I'VE HAD AN AWESOME WEEK!

Beware the Frozen Heart
Chapter 10: Finding Claire

Zach was back on Charlie's back. Owen was on Blue, Delta was following close, and Zara was riding on Echo. They steadily climbed higher in the mountains. "I'm just saying..." Owen said slowly. "You're like... a figment of someone's imagination."

Zara nodded as Echo bounced along beside Blue. "Yes. Why?"

Owen rolled his eyes and shook his head. "How can you be so sure you love someone? You're like... not real."

"Owen!" Zach snapped, looking over at him. "That's rude!"

Owen's mouth dropped open. "I just... look at her!"

Zara narrowed her eyes and waved her stick arms in the air. "It's true love!"

Owen shook his head. "Doesn't sound like true love."

It was Zach's turn to roll his eyes. "And you're some kind of love expert?"

"No..." Owen said slowly. "But... I have... family... who are."

"Family?" Zach repeated. "Your family are love experts?"

Owen shrugged. "Sorta. It's... complicated."

"Love is complicated." Zara said. "I just know I love Claire. She's the nicest, kindest, warmest person ever."

Zach snorted and shook his head. "Don't know about that." He mumbled.

"And the hottest." Zara added.

Zach wrinkled his nose.

"You know..." Owen mused aloud. "Most people who disappear into the mountains want to be left alone."

"Like you?"

"Yes." Owen smiled and nodded. "How do you even know she wants to see you?"

Zach sighed. "I don't but... I won't... stop trying..." His voice trailed off as they came to a stop. In front of them jutted a solid wall of rock. "Uh... what now?"

Owen shrugged. "Could try to climb it. But I doubt you can climb. Or the snow thing either. And the reindeer can't climb, huh Echo?" He glanced over at her and the reindeer snorted and shook her head. "You can't climb."

Zach slipped off Charlie's back and stepped closer to the wall. "Can we go around it?"

Owen nodded. "Yeah. Probably. Looks like it stretches pretty far."

"Haven't you been up here before?"

"Not like... everywhere! It's a big mountain! We don't take this trail."

"Then why are we going this way?"

"Because the snow said to."

"Zara!" Zach turned slowly. "What way did... Claire... go..." But Zara was nowhere to be seen.

"Echo!" Owen snapped. "Where'd the annoying snow thing go?" Echo snorted and turned slightly. She pointed her nose off to the right. "That way?" Owen turned and took a step. But he stopped when Zara suddenly reappeared.

"Hey O!" She said, waving and smiling. Then she looked around him and waved at Zach. "Just Zach, there's an ice staircase over here, exactly where we need to go."

Owen looked back at Zach. Zach shook his head. "An ice staircase?" He repeated.

Zara nodded. "Yep. This way."

Zach, Owen, and the four reindeers followed Zara around the edge of the cliff. The snowgirl stopped and pointed. And that's exactly what it was. A large, elegant looking staircase that hovered across the gap and up the side of the mountain. As they looked higher, they saw the huge ice castle jutting out of the side of said mountain.

"Wow!" Owen gasped. "That's some ice." His lip quivered slightly. "I think I'm gonna cry."

Zach couldn't take his eyes off the castle. He'd never seen, never imagined something so big and beautiful. He felt the same way. "I won't judge." He said softly.

Owen glanced sideways at Zach and smiled. Zara was always halfway up the staircase as Zach and Owen reached it. Echo jumped in front of them and tried to follow. But her hooves scraped against the ice and she slipped down. She jumped back up and tried again but Owen shot forward and grabbed one of her antlers. "Hold it, Echo." He said, pulling her back. "I think you guys have to stay down here, buddy." Echo seemed to pout. But Owen turned and pointed at Blue. "You're in charge." Blue turned to look at her sister. And Echo ducked behind Owen. "Stop it! Echo!"

Zach watched for a moment as Owen seemed to wrestle with his reindeer. He let out a chuckle.

"Just Zach!" Zara reached the top and turned to wave down at them. "Come on! My love awaits me!"

Zach let out a sigh. He reached out slowly and touched his gloved hand to the railing. It was cold. He could feel it through his glove. He took a deep breath and stepped up. One step at a time, each more making him more nervous. He kept hearing the screams of his Kingdom and Owen's words in his ears. Claire had run for a reason. But he had to try!

"Hey." Owen said softly. He'd caught up with Zach and brushed their shoulders together as they continued up. "It'll be fine. I'm sure."

Zach glanced at him sideways and shook his head. "Not what you said earlier."

Owen shrugged. "Changed my mind,"

Zach rolled his eyes. Then stopped. They'd come to the end. They stood at the door. Zara looked up at him, wiggling in excitement just as much as Echo. Zach sucked in a breath and stepped around Zara. He stood at the door and just stared at it. Nerves and fear gripped him again.

"Knock." Zara said when Zach didn't. "Come on, Just Zach. Knock!" She looked up at Owen, standing beside her. "Why isn't he knocking? Do you think he forgot how to knock?"

"Shhh!" Owen snapped at her. "Give him a moment."

Zach took a deep breath and gently touched his knuckles to the door. It was soft and barely made any noise. But the doors swung open with great force. Zach jumped back out of surprise, colliding with Owen. "Sorry." He mumbled. Owen just smiled. Zach stepped away and took a step inside. Then he turned back around and looked at Owen. "Uh... can you wait here?"

Owen crossed his arms and tilted his head. "You sure?"

Zach nodded quickly. "I think I should talk to her alone."

Owen nodded. "Alright. If you need help..."

Zach smiled and shook his head. "I won't. It'll be fine." Then he looked down at Zara. "You, too."

Zara's mouth fell open. "But I love her!"

"I know." Zach held up his hands. "But... that might... take her by surprise... so... just... let me talk to her first, okay?"

Zara pouted but nodded. "Alright, Just Zach. One minute. One... two... three..."

Zach shook his head as he turned and walked deeper into the castle. It really was amazing. He looked up and it seemed to go on forever! All made out of ice. He shivered as he stepped towards the stairs. "Aunt Claire?" He called out. "It's Zach..."

"Zach..." Her voice was barely a whisper.

Zach stopped. He looked up. "Aunt Claire!"

She stepped out and stood at the top of the steps. She was smiling brightly and she looked different. Completely different. But it wasn't just the wild curl in her normally perfectly straight hair or the different cut of the dress she wore that exposed her shoulders and arms. It was the way she stood, the way she carried herself. She looked lighter, happier.

"You... you look... different." Zach stumbled over the words.

Claire let out a soft laugh. "I feel different." She breathed out.

"And this place..." Zach said, looking around.

Claire nodded. "I never knew what I was capable of doing before." She said softly.

"Aunt Claire..." Zach turned back towards the steps. He started up them slowly. "I'm so sorry about what I said."

Claire's eyes widened and she took a step back.

Zach continued. "You have to know I didn't mean it. At all! I understand now. I understand why you pulled away from me and why you felt you had to hide. If I had known, I never would have brought it up!"

"No, no, no." Claire shook her head. "It's fine. No need to apologize. But you should probably go."

"Go?" Zach paused halfway up the stairs. "I just got here."

"Please, Zach. Just go."

Zach shook his head. "Not without you! You have to come back!"

Claire shook her head again and stepped back. "I belong here." She said, her voice shaking a bit. "You belong down in Jurendelle."

"No!" Zach said louder. "We belong down there! Together!"

She shook her head again. "No. I have to be here, alone. Where I can be... me. And not have to worry about hurting anyone."

"SIXTY!" Zara shouted loudly and burst through the door.

Claire stepped forward and leaned over the railing. "What's that?"

"I'm Zara!" The snowgirl said as she slipped across the floor. "I like warm hugs and paperwork!"

"Zara?" Claire's eyes widened slowly.

Zara stopped beside Zach on the stairs. She nodded her head. "Yes. You built me. Remember?"

Claire blinked and nodded her head. "You're alive?"

Zara nodded again. "I think so... and I love you!"

"You love me..." Claire repeated.

Zara nodded. "I really love you... I have a song..."

Zach bent down and grabbed Zara, interrupting her before she started singing. "Just like the one we built when I was a kid. Your assistant. We were so close, Aunt Claire. You were my best friend... we can be like that again... if you just come home..."

"And I can sing you my song!" Zara said, waving her arms.

"Zara!" Zach snapped.

Claire's eyes widened slowly. She shook her head and turned away. "No. We can't." She moved deeper into the castle.

"Wait!" Zach stood up and looked down at Zara. "Stay here!" He turned and ran up the stairs after her. "Claire!"

"I'm trying to protect you, Zach!"

"You don't have to protect me!" Zach said as he reached the top of the stairs. "I'm not afraid of you!"

"Zach, stop, please!"

Zach shook his head. "Don't shut me out again!" He said loudly.

Claire shook her head and started up yet another set of stairs.

Zach continued following her. "That hurt me more than anything you could ever do to me!"

"You don't understand..." Claire said.

"Then tell me! Make me understand!" Zach begged her.

"Zach!" She stopped and turned. She looked down at him and shook her head. "Please go back home! Open up the gates, take care of Gray, give him the life and love I never could. Just... enjoy the summer. Enjoy the Kingdom." She turned and stepped off the steps into a room.

Zach frowned and shook his head. "Wait..." He hurried up the last few steps and followed through the doorway. "We can't exactly do that..."

She turned slowly. "Why not?"

"You... you froze everything." He said softly.

"I... froze..." She repeated slowly.

Zach nodded. "The whole Kingdom, the fjords... everything. It's like... an eternal winter, or something."

Claire's eyes widened slowly. She shook her head and turned. "No! No, no, no!"

Zach stepped closer to her. "It's alright. Just... come back with me and fix it."

"Fix it..." Claire said softly.

Zach nodded. "You can reverse it."

Claire shook her head. "I can't. I don't know how."

Zach paused for a moment and looked up. Snow started falling all around them. He frowned and shook his head. "You can do it. Just try."

Claire turned away from her as the snow started flowing faster, swirling around her. "I'm such an idiot." She said, shaking her head. "I can't ever be free! I keep ruining everything around me!"

"Claire!" Zach pulled his cloak tighter around himself as the snow continued to swirl and blow. It was nearly engulfing Claire. He could hardly see. "We can fix it together!"

"No, Zach!" Claire wailed. "You're just making it worse!"

Everything was white all around him. Zach couldn't see anything! It was like a blizzard. He lifted his hand, trying to shield his eyes from the snow. "Claire! Please! We love you!"

"Stop!" She screamed and the snow stopped spinning around her. It shot back from her, like shards of ice.

Zach stumbled back as he felt something hit him. Pain shot through his chest and he doubled over, collapsing on the ground.

-X-X-X-X-X-X-X-

Author's Notes: It's my birthday! 8D HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME! 8D Sorry I haven't been writing much the past week. Well... writing for these boys, at least. 8D It's Zason week on Tumblr. Jason/Zack from Power Rangers. XD I somehow got it in my head that I have to participate in that even though I've never written Power Rangers before. So... when the week's up... I'll get back to our favorite raptor trainer and his mate.