Chapter 7: Ganderly.
Elsa peacefully walked down to the fjord nestled next to Arendalle's castle waiting for a familiar friend to appear.
After a few moments the dark blue water swirled and churned before taking the form of a majestic horse completely made out of the fjords' waters.
"Hello Nokk." Elsa greeted as the horse trotted across the water to her side letting out a soft nicker as it bumped its head against her shoulder. Elsa gave it a kind smile before pressing her hand against their muzzle.
"Let's get home." Elsa said softly with a smile as Nokk bowed down and she climbed upon their back.
Twenty minutes later the sharp and rugged coast line that bordered the enchanted forest came into view. Elsa gave a deep sigh of relief as Nokk galloped faster towards land.
She gracefully leapt off Nokks back and into the ankle high water giving them a small bow before making her way up the small cliff side and into the forest.
Elsa took a deep inhale of the fresh air, her posture loosening as the underbrush crinkled underneath her sandals. She loved Arendelle but much rather preferred the forest.
Soon the small clearing where a small house made out of ice laid waiting came into view.
Elsa felt a small sigh escape her lips as she entered her makeshift home. It was somewhat small with only two rooms consisting of a small kitchen/bedroom and another being a small washroom.
She quickly washed her face and hands before slipping into a more comfortable and less formal pale blue dress.
After doing this she slipped back outside but paused as something felt off than when she had gotten there moments later.
"Nice Dress." A voice then called out. Elsa whipped around in shock as Jack leaned against a tree at the edge of the clearing watching her carefully.
"What are you doing here?" Elsa asked surprised. Did he follow me? What is he doing here?
"I want to talk to you, that's all." Jack replied, taking a step forward.
"About what?" Elsa asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
"Your sister's love interest helped me find something that could help me leave quicker, however no one I know understands it and I was wondering if you did."
"Before I even think about helping you, how did you find me?" Elsa asked, watching his hand carefully as it reached into his pocket, pulling out a small book of some kind.
"Magic Portal, it spit me out here just before you came outside." Elsa nodded, thankful it hadn't taken him to where she had been at that exact moment, that would have been very awkward.
"Now what I need your help is whether you understand this book on magic or whatever this is, and considering you were never given magic by Manny but still have magic you seem like you'd be the best in this field." Jack said, holding the book out to her.
Elsa gave him a suspicious look but walked over and took the book from him before walking back towards her home sitting down in front of the door. She flipped through the first few pages quickly scanning them for any eye catching information.
Her eyes widened as she turned the page to a detailed image sprawled across the page. "What about them?" she asked, not taking her eyes off the page.
"Do you know who she is?" Elsa bit the inside of her lip and stared at the image of the other magical woman.
"No I don't." she muttered softly as she gracefully rose to her feet and handed the book back to Jack.
Jack nodded somewhat disappointed as he took the book.
"There is one other thing.."
"What?" Elsa asked gently, clamping her hands together in front of her.
"You remember the other spirit that was with me a few days ago?"
"Yes."
"We want you to meet someone." Elsa froze, unsure how to respond.
"Are they another magical spirit, or something like that?"
"Yes, in fact, him being a spirit is exactly why we want him to talk to you."
"Who are they, perhaps Santa?" Elsa deadpanned Jack gave a small laugh at this and shook his head.
"No, I do know Santa but he's busy."
"Who is it then?"
"Father time, and his daughter."
"What if I don't go with you?"
"That's your choice, I won't have you do it if you don't want to." Elsa thought for a moment.
"No."
"I wouldn't trick you." Jack said as he grabbed his snow globe from his pocket and whispered into it before throwing it into the ground.
"I don't trust you." Elsa muttered, folding her hands before her. Jack watched before he grabbed a small pouch of something from his pocket.
"Sorry about this.." he muttered. Elsa blinked at him before a large gust of wind pushed her forward.
Elsa gasped as she jerked forward and fell through the portal with a scream.
Elsa felt the wind get knocked out of her as her body collided with something and she hesitantly opened her eyes. She peered around and saw massive white columns coming up from a smooth marble floor.
"Why did you do that!" Elsa yelled as she whipped her head around looking for Jack.
"Hello Snow Queen." A warm voice then said. Elsa looked around before her gaze landed on the woman Jack had been with before.
"Hello.." Elsa stuttered as she pushed herself to her feet.
"I'm glad you are here." She said smiling kindly to Elsa as she walked over.
"So are you Father Time's daughter?" Katherine laughed softly and tucked a small lock of brown hair behind her hair.
"You might know me better as Mother Goose, but yes, he is my father."
"You're Mother Goose, you're different than I envisioned."
"Yeah, we don't tend to look like how most people envision us as." Katherine said as she led Elsa outside.
Elsa looked around and felt a small prick of awe as she looked out and saw tons of egg shaped buildings and rooms resting on massive platforms that jutted out from multiple massive trees.
"So why do you want to speak to me?"
"I want to know why you were given magic, I've never met a spirit that didn't get magic from Man in Moon."
"Is that why you and Jack watch over children, because of the moon?" Elsa said in slight disbelief.
"He made us guardians, yes."
"What do you do as a guardian?"
"Personally, I help protect the imagination and creativity of children and the other guardians watch over the other parts."
"Do you choose who you watch over?"
"We watch over all children no matter what."
"Interesting..well you seem to have forgotten about two children" Elsa said softly to herself fighting to keep her voice steady.
"What?"
"You forgot about two children who needed you more than anything." Elsa said her voice went steady as she looked up at Katherine.
"What happened?" Katherine asked softly, her eye's widening in understanding. Slowly she inched her hands towards Elsa's in an attempt to comfort her.
Elsa shrank away from them and lifted her head. "I'm sorry, I misspoke."
"It's okay."
"Oh good you guys have met." Jack then said as he entered the room. "So how did it go?"
"Please take me home." Elsa demanded as she walked over to him.
"We got here five minutes ago.."
"I know, now please take me home." Jack quickly glanced at Katherine who stood a few feet away. She gave a small somewhat disappointed smile to him before turning away.
"Alright.." Jack muttered softly as he tore his gaze away. He adjusted his grip on the snowglobe and raised it to his mouth. Suddenly a loud angry whiny echoed through the air.
Jack paused and listened carefully. He placed the snow globe down and turned to Katherine.
"Did you hear that?"
"Yes."
"Get out of here." Jack then demanded whipping around to Elsa.
"What?"
"Trust me, just go." Elsa paused in surprise and gave a small nod.
"Come, you can stay here for the moment." Katherine said, leading her towards a door.
Elsa continued after her gasping as sudden deep pain spread through her chest knocking her to her knees. She whipped her head up and then noticed a massive black horse looming above her.
"Move!" Katherine's voice instructed followed by the sound of metal scraping. Out of the corner of Elsa's vision she saw something whip through the air before the Horse crumpled into the ground with a dull thud.
Suddenly someone grabbed Elsa's arm and began to drag her away as massive sheets of ice began to coat the doors and windows.
"What's happening?" Elsa breathed her heart hammering against her chest as she turned to Katherine.
"Stay here." Katherine demanded ignoring her as she pushed her behind a pillar as a dark acid like sand began to creep through the shadows.
Elsa's eyes widened as Katherine ran back over to Jack and the two of them began to pull something up from the ground.
With a grimacing scrap a silver crystal began to rise from the ground. Jack flew up into the air and waved his staff as the ice on the windows melted away. Bright sunlight streamed through the windows and onto the crystal causing fractals of light to bounce around the room.
An anguished whinny echoed throughout the room as the sand began to retreat into the dying shadows once more.
A large tremor then shook through the earth.
Elsa gripped her hands tightly around the pillar and pulled herself to her feet as the tremors increased in strength.
"What is this?" she cried. A large crack then echoed through the air.
"Move Queeny!" Jack then screamed his voice getting whisked away as another large crack then echoed through the air.
Elsa froze and then gasped as she looked around and saw a massive chunk of a pillar beginning to tumble through the air.
Elsa sank to her knees and raised her hands above her head, a thick ice dome spreading around her body. She fell to her side curling her legs up to her chest as she peered through the murky ice, her eye's scanning for anything.
Seconds later the end of the dome shattered as a sharp piece of marble crashed through.
Elsa hissed out in pain as ice flew across her body, one shard slicing through her arm.
A small thin trail of dark blood gently began to seep from the open wound before dripping down her arm.
Elsa cradled her arm against her before gently placing her hand against the ice. It slowly melted under her touch.
She slowly sat up brushing shards of ice off her dress and hair as she shakily rose to her feet.
Elsa looked around and noticed Jack staring at her, his face pale and his mouth slightly agape. It made something stir inside Elsa as her gaze met his, his blue eyes now filled with a look of horror and shock.
"I..how….are…are you ok?" he stammered finally after a moment softly shaking his head.
"No..I..I'm alright for the moment though." Elsa answered as she pressed her arm against her chest harder.
"You both need to get out of here." Katherine then said as she came up to them brushing dirt off her skirt. "Those pesky nightmares tend to stay around after they make themselves known."
"Yeah…lets get to going." Jack nodded in agreement shifting his gaze to the ground.
"First though, are either of you hurt?" Katherine asked, flickering her gaze between the two of them.
"Not really." Jack answered, wiping dust off his face. Elsa nodded silently in agreement.
Katherine nodded at this as Jack turned to Elsa before going and grabbing the snow globe from the ground.
"You d
Elsa met the spirits gaze wincing inside as she saw it was filled with pity.
"I'm sorry." Katherine whispered.
"I'm going to assume you didn't know about this so..it's alright."
"No, I'm sorry for forgetting about…" Katherine trailed off but the words penetrated Elsa.
She gave a small nod and then walked back over to Jack.
"We have to head somewhere first but then we'll get you home." He muttered nodding at her.
Elsa watched silently as Jack threw the snow globe into the ground as another portal appeared.
"Just walk in this time, I won't do anything." Jack instructed before glancing once more at Katherine as he hurried into the portal.
Elsa swiftly followed suit.
Jack relaxed softly as he felt soft grass underneath his feet moments later. He turned around and watched as Elsa came after him.
"Come on, we have to walk to get where we're needed." Elsa nodded and countinted after him. Jack bristled as a thick silence filled the space between them.
"Sorry bye the way about, you know, making you come.." he finally muttered as the silence continued.
His head swam as he tried to dissect the feelings that fought for control over him. It was weird he didn't know this woman but still had felt pure fear when she had nearly gotten crushed earlier.
"You sure you're ok?" he asked after a moment.
"I'm fine." Jack silently trailed his eyes up and down her body trying to see if she was lying. He then noticed a small red stain in the middle of her dress. His breath caught as he turned and led them into a small clearing.
"Stay here." Jack instructed as Elsa sank against a tree. Elsa watched as he pursed his lips and whistled a melody of some kind.
After a moment he slung his staff over his shoulder and walked off into the woods.
Minutes later he came back with a thin bottle clamped in the palm of his hand.
"Where's the blood coming from?"
Elsa stared at him in confusion.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean."
"Really…then why is there blood on your dress?" Jack countered gesturing to her chest. Elsa scolded herself as she glanced down and saw the stain.
"What does the bottle have in it?"
"It'll help."
"Tell me what it is."
"Father time made it, it helps people with magic or those who are learning magic when they get hurt." Elsa inhaled sharply before extending her arm to Jack.
Jack bit back a gasp as he noticed the cut now flaking with dried blood.
"Relax.." he instructed as he uncapped the valve and poured the thick liquid onto his fingers.
With his other hand he gently grabbed Elsa's wrist and carefully pulled it towards him. Elsa nearly screamed as bile rose in her throat as the liquid seeped into her arm.
It burned like acid but at the same time sent a chill through her body. She bit her lip and forced herself to not move as Jack applied the last bit of the liquid. He then let go of her arm and raised his hands in peace. Elsa looked down, her eye's widening as she glanced down at her arm, in place of the cut was a small thin pale scar against her now clean skin.
"Thank you." Elsa said as she rose to her feet and turned to Jack. Jack nodded and adjusted his grip on his staff.
"Yeah no problem." Elsa then had an idea.
"I still don't fully trust you, however I do think you should know this." Jack turned to her in surprise.
"That woman from the book does exist, in fact I have met her." Jack's eyes widened in surprise before a small smile danced on his lips.
"You can lie?"
"Yes."
"Huh."
"Now, if you'd like I would most likely be able to help you find her and have you see her."
Jack's gaze softened at this. "Thank you."
"Yes."
The two of them paused, unsure how to continue.
"So, when do you think we should get going?" Elsa asked.
"Two days from now, however, we have something we need to do first."
"What?" A grin broke out across Jack's face.
"How would you like to see a magical town?"
Bam! Chapter 7 is complete. *Check's off box from list.*
Feels good to update! And hey bright side it only took a month this time! :D
So as always feel free to review and leave your thoughts. Hope you have an amazing day/night wherever you are!
Peace!
~Mixitupqueen.