Chapter 3

Jack heaved a heavy sigh as he flew along the Norwegian coast down from the North Pole. The rocky coastline barely registered below him as he headed south, it had been a long month. He'd been on patrol for nearly a week straight.

And had the bruises from Nightmares to prove it.

Immortal, eternally young godling of winter or not, he felt the weariness all the way to his bones. As a Guardian he could go a long time without sleep, but right now he could probably sleep from now until Christmas with ease.

He winged into a small port village, this one wasn't too far from Elsa's forest, he normally went over the mountains but this time he'd followed the easier path by the sea. He didn't really have the energy for acrobatics today.

The village was quiet in the early morning light as he landed on a clock tower and watched the few adults move quickly on the streets about to start their day. There was already a light dusting of snow upon the ground, mother nature had beaten him to it.

He was about to take off again when he heard childrens' voices.

"But she is real, grandma told me about her!"

"That's just an old story Eva, there's no such thing as The Snow Queen."

"But grandma said she was Queen Anna's sister. That's why the old palace is protected by her birds!"

Jack dropped down to a roof top from the tower to peer down at two children below.

A small girl stood in the street with a boy slightly older than her, likely her brother, holding her hand. "That story was just made up, Eva, to explain why Queen Anna's sister disappeared and Queen Anna became queen after her."

The girl was not convinced, "Then what about the birds? And why can no one go into the old palace anymore?"

The boy sighed, "They're just birds Eva. Grandma's stories are just stories. The old palace was locked up a long time ago when the last Queen died. We need to get going or we'll be late." He tugged on her hand and pulled her down the street.

Eva protested a bit, looking back towards the palace, only to see Jack sitting on the eve of the roof. Her eyes grew round in surprise over her mask. Jack winked at her and blew a large snowflake in her direction before leaping up into the air and returning to the old clock tower.

He looked into the distance, nestled into the fjords, the palace dominated much of the little village's landscape. Sure enough, as he squinted in the morning light he could see what looked like some of Elsa's sentries dotted over the village.

His gaze traveled up and up until his eyes were drawn to the topmost tower, where there appeared to be a large snowflake hovering above the spire. He studied the faintly shimmering snowflake, it was pale and faded but its pattern was familiar to him. Closing his eyes he breathed deeply and reached out to feel the magic that lingered here. It was Elsa's magic, but faint, it was quite old. He doubted any of the mortals would be able to see the snowflake.

He looked back down the street at the children turning a corner and then back at the palace.

They had called Elsa 'The Snow Queen' and mentioned her sister being Queen. Had this been where Elsa was originally from? The old palace piqued his curiosity but if Elsa had her birds watching he'd have a rather hard time getting in unnoticed.

She had not spoken about her past much in the time they'd been spending together and he was unsure how she'd feel about him snooping around. He hoped one day she would tell him when she felt ready to.

He rather enjoyed coming to visit her. The other guardians were usually so busy, even more so now with the nightmares running amok. There had been weeks where he'd seen Elsa more often than any of them. Her smile whenever he'd come swooping in on the wind was worth the extra effort. He loved to make her laugh and loved watching her work her magic even more.

Watching her weave her magic was like watching a grand conductor direct an orchestra. The subtle movement of her hands, a flick of the wrist, was so enchanting to him that on a number of occasions she'd gotten the drop on him in a snowball fight simply because he'd become too distracted by watching her cast her magic.

He sighed wistfully, the closer to Christmas the less time he'd have to come by, but maybe after the New Years he'd get a bit of a breather. Yawning deeply he leapt up into the air once more, a bit more snowfall wouldn't hurt.


Elsa walked down the familiar streets lit by newly installed gas lamps, something she was still getting used to. In the later half of her reign Anna had taken it upon herself to renovate much of the palace and dotting the streets leading up the the main gates with new lamps had been a more recent addition.

She nodded to the guards on duty who bowed and opened the entry doors for her as she approached. Arendelle had prospered under her sister's reign, its streets were lively and full of bustling citizens during the day. But it was late now and most were in the land of dreams.

Taking a path well worn she stood outside her sister's chambers and knocked softly before entering. She found Anna bundled up in a shawl before a roaring fire and sipping a cup of tea. Seeing her sister for the first time in a while always hit her with such force, she missed her so much when she was away in the forest.

Anna smiled and the wrinkles around her eyes crinkled as she turned to her. Setting down her tea, "Elsa! I feel like I haven't seen you in ages, you look as beautiful as ever. Will you have tea with me?"

"Of course" Elsa sat in the chair beside her as Anna poured another cup of tea, her silvering hair gleaming in the fire light.

"So, what brings you here?" Anna carefully set a cup and saucer out for her.

"I miss you," Elsa stated simply.

Anna smiled softly, at her age now, she reminded Elsa so much of their mother. Elsa glanced out the window and watched snow drift slowly down. Had it been snowing earlier?

"Elsa." Her sister's gentle voice called her, reminding her of the real reason she was here.

"You died and I always come here when I miss you. I miss everyone."

Anna took Elsa's hand in her own, "Elsa, how can you be so sad about death when you're still so afraid to live?"

Elsa woke up crying.

She was not in the Arendelle palace but in her own bed in her little home in the forest. The spirits had helped her build this home so many years ago, mostly made of stone, wood, and her ice, the early morning sun was streaming in the ice-paned windows. She quickly wiped her tears away. She always seemed to dream of Anna this time of year, but this was the first time she'd woken up crying in a very long time. It hadn't felt like her previous dreams, it felt more real somehow.

As if Anna had really come to see her.

With trembling hands she pulled off her covers and swung her knees over the side of the bed, the cold stone a relief to her feet, grounding her back in the waking world. She padded quietly over to her wash basin and poured fresh water into the bowl and splashed her face.

Perhaps a walk down to the sea today would do her some good.

She stood motionless for a moment in her nightgown, unable to summon the energy to create her ice dress around her. With heavy steps she turned to the trunk at the foot of her bed and kneeled by it, the old hinges creaking in protest as she opened it and pulled out a simple lavender dress. There next to it lay her mother's scarf. Pulling the dress on she sighed as the old worn fabric settled against her skin, she retrieved the scarf and turned back to the wash basin.

She looked up into her mirror, made from a perfect sheet of ice and examined a face that had remained unchanged for nearly two centuries. Frozen exactly as she had been the day she thought she'd found herself, when Anna had bravely kept going, even after she thought Elsa had perished.

Fresh tears welled in her eyes. They froze on her cheeks before plinking down into the water basin.

Anna had always been braver than her.


The sun had just started to drift into the west when Jack circled back around towards the Enchanted Forest. He'd gone south first towards Oslo and then back over to Scotland for a bit before finally crossing over the English Channel into France before moving back North. Next week he'd need to fly back over to North America for a while. He'd mostly been doing light snow falls and frost lately. There wasn't much point in starting up a heavy snowfall when most everyone was stuck inside.

He did encourage the occasional snowman to be formed in a few yards.

He really missed starting snowball fights right now, but due to the pandemic many children did not venture outside their own homes and backyards currently. He settled for creating gentle snow falls that drifted down and made for better scenery than bare dormant trees and dead grass. At least he thought so, frosting trees and windows as he went with delicate lacy patterns.

He drifted aimlessly along the coast near the sea as he reached the forest's border, skimming just above the water's surface. The cold sea spray was refreshing but his mind still wondered over his inner thoughts.

Everything from what he and the other Guardians were planning to deal with nightmares and new tricks he could think of for making fun formations in ice for kids to enjoy tumbled through his thoughts, as well as Elsa. He was still very curious about her origins as "The Snow Queen."

Toothina herself had told him once they were all someone before they were chosen to be Guardians. He wondered who Elsa had been before becoming a spirit.

He hoped someday she would think enough of him as a friend to share her story. Though in all fairness he hadn't told her exactly how he'd become a spirit either. It hadn't come up directly in conversation and he spent more time trying to make her smile or laugh. How does one bring up how they died lightly into casual conversation?

Yea, no. He'd wait on that one.

Jack had become so preoccupied by his thoughts that he hardly realized how close he was to the ocean's surface until a sudden huge wave came crashing down around him, sending him tumbling into the rushing waters. His head had barely broken the surface of the water when he was being pulled downwards again. He thankfully hadn't dropped his staff when he'd been knocked into the water and kicked hard after touching bottom, breaking the surface and getting back into the air with a gasp.

That was weird, he was pretty close to shore and that wave came out of nowhere —

At that exact moment another rogue wave rose up and crashed down upon him. This time he did drop his staff in the tumble and felt himself being pulled down and farther out to sea.

He forced himself to open his eyes in the stinging salt water, the sun barley filtering down through the rough and foaming sea. Looking up at the fading light he got the strangest sense of déjà vu. The water here was cold, but not nearly as cold as the water had been on the day he'd fallen into the frozen pond.

Drowning once was enough for him, even if his memory of it was sparse. He shoved off the sea floor once more and tried to propel himself upwards towards the surface. A strong current pulled him down, the weight of his wet clothing acting like a stone. He started to struggle, he knew he couldn't die this way, but the feeling was too much like it had been when he was human. Panic set in, he thrashed desperately.

In his memory he could almost feel the icy water pouring into his chest as he could no longer hold his breath and was forced to swallow the painfully cold water. His sister's small voice had sounded so far away as he sank further below the surface and finally was swallowed into the dark below.

The cold burned into his memory of that fateful day centuries ago.

A flash of sudden movement caught his eye.

He was not alone in the water.


Elsa trudged down through the lower part of the forest, following the river as it flowed to meet the sea. Her mother's shawl wrapped around her shoulders as she carefully picked her way down the slopes and rocks. Gale gently followed along with her. The trees were mostly bare now as most of the leaves had fallen and there was already ice in the upper parts of the river, soon all but the strongest water flow from the waterfall upstream would freeze over.

Snow had fallen during the night, leaving a hushed silence, the only sound coming from the crunching of snow beneath her feet and the wind. Even her snow birds were silent.

When she reached gaps and ravines too wide to jump on her own, Gale helped her with a gentle gust. It'd been many months since she'd been down to the sea, she wondered if Nokk was still asleep.

Her mind turned over her dream, still vivid in her memory, it left her feeling rather melancholy. The logical part of her told her it'd just been a dream, she dreamt of Anna more often this time of year, near the anniversary of her passing.

The other part of her, the part of her that was most intune with the other spirits, told her that perhaps her sister had been trying to tell her something.

"How can you be so sad about death when you're still so afraid to live?"

After losing Anna, then Kristoff and her nephew, slowly, bit by bit, she unwittingly pulled herself back into self isolation. When the last of the Northulda had moved from the forest down to lower valleys she'd all but stopped leaving the forest.

By the time she'd finally returned to Arendelle she'd become all but a ghost to her own people.

She hadn't really realized how she'd isolated herself until Jack had fallen into her life.

He was so full of joy, it was difficult not to smile when he was around. There was a childish, giddy energy that seemed to follow him, he was always full of mirth and games. These days his smile was rather infectious.

But sometimes, on rare occasions she'd catch a somber moment from him; he'd turn to her with eyes that looked so old it stole the breath from her. When his eyes were like that they took on a shade of blue so deep it was like looking into something bottomless.

Then the moment would be gone and he'd be trying to sneakily pelt her with a snowball.

She wondered what all he must have seen in his years to have eyes like that. He wasn't that much older than she was, was he?

He often told her stories of his travels, about his duties as a Guardian, though she had the impression that he had not been a Guardian long in the grand scheme of things. At least not for a long time in terms of how immortal beings judged time.

Perhaps her dream was Anna's way of telling her to trust Jack more, to really let him in, maybe if she allowed him to bring her back into the world she could find her place in it once more. She was unsure how to rebuild the bridge between herself and the rest of the world, as the people she was meant to guide and protect could no longer see her.

But being friends with Jack might just be the first step, the first of many stones.

As her feet reached the shore and sunk into the sand some of the sadness she'd been carrying with her that morning lifted from her shoulders. She took a deep breath and filled her lungs with the sea air.

It was then Gale came back, whirling around her in warning.

Something was wrong.

She followed the wind and rushed down the beach, just as her feet were about to touch the water something erupted from the surface and a powerful shockwave of ice went across the sea. In the blink of an eye the sea's surface froze solid, waves stopping mid crest as if time had just suddenly stopped. The force of the magic knocked her back off her feet onto the sand, she gasped as the fall forced the air from her lungs.

Fighting her way back up onto her knees she looked across the sea; the ice went to the horizon.

And there in the middle of the field of ice—

"Jack!"

She dropped her mother's shawl on the beach and rushed across the frozen water to him. Kneeling on his hands and knees on the ice's surface his whole body trembled, barely keeping himself steady.

"Jack!" Elsa dropped beside him and grasped his shoulders, ragged breaths escaped his lips and his eyes were dilated. "Jack, are you alright? What happened?"

He blinked at her, almost unseeing, "Elsa?" His eyes took a moment to focus on her.

It was then the ice below them started to crack and Elsa saw a flash of light and movement below it. She suddenly knew exactly what had happened and cursed herself for not warning Jack about this sooner.

She promptly slammed her heel down to refreeze the water. "Jack, can you stand?" Behind them she saw Jack's staff sitting on the surface, "Gale!" she called the wind. It rushed over and pushed the staff along the ice to their feet. Grabbing the staff she handed it back to Jack who seemed to grab it on instinct.

Much to her surprise he wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her to him, his wet clothes soaking the fabric of her dress. "Jack?" Before she could question him further she felt her feet leave the ice and she was suddenly very aware of exactly what he was about to do.

Without thought she instinctively wrapped her arms around his shoulders and a very unlady like yelp escaped her as they went airborne. The flight was thankfully short lived as he only flew up enough to drop them back down on the beach near where she'd dropped her shawl.

Jack's shoulders were still tense beneath her hands and he did not let her go. He held his staff out in front, between them and what he deemed a threat in the water.

Elsa reached out and placed her hand over his, gently having him lower his staff. "It's alright Jack. We don't have anything to worry about. I'm sorry I didn't warn you about this sooner. I didn't think you'd come this way."

"Warn me of what, exactly?" His gaze flicked from her and then back to the ocean but some of the tension did leave his shoulders.

With a waive of her hand Elsa melted a large section of ice near the shore in front of them. From the freed sea rose a horse, but not a nightmare, a horse made of shifting moving water, with glowing eyes and a flowing dripping mane.

"A kelpie?" Jack glanced at the horse and back to Elsa who held out her hand towards the creature.

"The Nokk" The horse gave an aggressive snort at Jack but went to Elsa and pressed its nose into her palm. A light frost immediately coated the horse's body and mane. "The water spirit of the forest."

"This is one of the spirits that looks after the forest with you?" He gently released Elsa from his arms and lowered his guard though his expression remained weary.

Elsa nodded, pretending not to notice her own disappointment as he withdrew his arms from around her. "I'm sorry, I should have warned you. The Nokk is very territorial."

Jack rubbed the back of his neck and rolled his shoulders to relieve the remaining tension, "I can see that."

The horse snorted at him and stuck his nose into Jack's chest, nostrils flaring, Jack stood his ground and reached up and flicked a glowing snowflake onto its nose. Nokk snorted in surprise but appeared to calm after that and withdrew, seemingly finished with whatever assessment it had been making of the Guardian.

"It's alright Nokk, he's a friend," Elsa stroked the horse's neck and it bowed its head to her before shaking the frost from its form and disappearing back into the sea.

Jack's heart leaped, warmth filling his chest. She had called him a friend.

He tried not to grin like a complete idiot as he reached down to pick up the scarf she had dropped.

When he looked up he was surprised to find her gazing at him with an expression he could not quite read. He handed her the scarf, "Something wrong?"

Elsa had sucked in a breath when Jack had bent down, his blue sweater having moved aside just enough to reveal a large purpling bruise on his side. Just looking at it made her wince, that couldn't have been from Nokk could it? There wouldn't have been time for a bruise like that to develop.

He gazed at her, holding out her mother's scarf, head tilting to the side. As she reached for the scarf she really took in his appearance. On top of being soaked by sea water his sweater was worn and tattered a bit, one knee of his breeches was nearly about to give out, the leather bindings were barely holding onto one leg. Even his eyes, normally bright, were a tad dull. He looked wrung out.

She bit her lip, "Jack?"

"Hum?"

"You look terrible."

He burst into laughter that slowly dissolved into chuckles and then a tired sigh. "I feel terrible too. It's been a long week, even before your— friend — tried to drown me."

"I'm so sorry!"

He waved it off, "I'll be alright, don't worry about it."

"You should come home with me."

Jack had been slouching wearily on his staff but stood up straight then and his eyes darted up to hers, eyebrows raised.

Elsa suddenly realized how that sounded and flushed instantly, "I mean, you should come to my home to rest. It's the least I can do after the Nokk caused you so much trouble and you don't have to or anything, but well I'm sure you have somewhere else you can rest, but I would like to offer my home. But well…I'm sure you'd also be more comfortable if we cleaned your clothes and let them dry and…" She trailed off thinking of how ridiculous and presumptuous she must sound.

He chuckled again but sighed, "I'd love to Elsa, but I have to go on patrol tonight with Sandy. He'll be expecting me."

She gave him another appraising look, "Exactly what kind of help would you be in this condition? I'm certain I could knock you over with a snowball."

Jack gave her a sour half offended pout, "Really Elsa? Please don't, unless you plan to hit me hard enough to knock me out. Then I'll just take a nice nap on the beach."

"So the Nokk can come to finish you off?"

Jack visibly winced, "I'd rather not, drowning once was enough for me."

That gave Elsa pause, but she did not ask further. "Are you sure you're really up for going? Do you not usually take on those Nightmares?"

Jack sighed, he really could use a break. It would be nice to rest somewhere other than a tree or North's Workshop. He liked it there but it was especially noisy right now, Christmas was just weeks away. He honestly didn't even feel like flying now unless he absolutely needed to. He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to think. He'd need to let Sandy know somehow that one of the others would need to fill in for him tonight.

"I'll need to let Sandy know I won't be coming for patrol. Where's the closest village or town with kids?"

Elsa froze at that, "There's a small village south of here, but we'd have to double back afterwards to reach my home in the middle of the forest. How would you reach your friend there?"

Rubbing the back of his neck Jack considered. It sounded like the village he'd been to that morning was the closest to them, but he'd have to fly to make it back in time. He gave a resigned sigh, it seems he'd have to fly no matter what. "It's a bit hard to explain, but if we can get to that village before all the children are asleep I can send him a message."

Biting her lip Elsa considered, it was more than a day's ride by wagon or sled…unless they went over the water. For a moment she thought about summoning Nokk back, but thought better of it. She doubted Jack would be wanting to ride on the Nokk with her anytime soon. It was then an idea came to her, she walked back to the water's edge.

Jack had been contemplating resting here for a bit before flying or maybe asking Elsa if the wind spirit could carry him. Elsa had suddenly moved away from him back to the water and with a delicate waive of her hand she created a sleigh made of ice. He stood motionless, as he always did when she wielded her magic. It was not often he got to see her use her magic for more than snowballs and ice forts in their mock fights.

Then she did something that left him absolutely breathless.

She pulled snow from the surrounding area, along with snow of her own making and began to shape and sculpt it into two shapes. Jack could feel the hum of her magic in the air, its strength alone enough to partly invigorate him, like the rush from jumping into cold water.

With a final burst of ice magic she stepped back and from the piles of snow rose two large very impressive reindeer. Made entirely of snow with antlers of gleaming ice, Jack nearly jumped out of his own skin when one of them shook its head and snorted.

She looked back to find him wide eyed and mouth agape, staring at the now both moving and breathing snow deer.

"Elsa did you just…?"

It'd been a long time since she last made anything animated out of snow, at least intentionally. She didn't really count the mass of snowgies she'd made at Anna's birthday that one year. Though these deer didn't have quite the level of independence like Olaf or Marshmallow had.

She smiled sadly thinking of her lost little friend.

"The distance would be a bit too far for Gale to carry two, but if we cross over the sea and down through the ford we should make it back in time. Much of the water has already begun to freeze on its own." She stepped up into the sleigh, the two snow deer obediently taking their place in front, ready to be hitched. "Shall we go?" she held out a hand to him.

Still gawking at the snow deer Jack gratefully took her offered hand, only wincing slightly as he climbed in beside her. "Elsa you really are amazing, you know that?"

Perhaps it was how he praised her, with utter plain honesty and wonder, but it made Elsa blush deeply. Even after all these years it still felt strange to have someone complement her, especially on her powers. Not wanting to brush aside his kindness, she offered a quiet mumble in reply, "Thank you."

She set herself down and flicked her wrist, icey reins appearing in her hands and harnesses on the reindeer. With a quick shake of the reins they were off, water freezing beneath the deer's hooves as they went, leaving a glittering trail across the water for the sleigh to glide over.

The powerful creatures moved with great speed, taking large strides across the ice. They reminded Jack of North's reindeer in build, though unable to fly. North's reindeer were able to fly partly due to his sleigh but mostly due to the fact he fed them enchanted carrots. Made it easier to wrangle them in the off season. As the distant scenery passed and the mountains loomed ahead he relaxed into his seat. The cold of the sleigh soothing his many aches.

They drove in silence for some ways and as the North Mountain loomed to their left. Elsa glanced up at the high peaks, ringed in clouds, the last of the fading sun making their tops glow. She thought of her ice castle high above, she wondered if Jack would like it. Perhaps she should take him to see it one day.

She stole a quick glance at him sitting beside her. He had slouched back into his seat, his expression peaceful with his staff in the crook of one arm and hands stuffed into the front pocket of his sweater. His so-called 'hoodie' was a rather peculiar piece of clothing, though the pocket and hood did seem to be convenient. Fashion must have changed a great deal in the years she'd been in the forest.

He yawned, though his eyes were open, he looked ready to fall asleep. Elsa was keen on letting him, he surely needed it, but a question nagged at the back of her mind. She mulled over her thoughts a bit more, biting her bottom lip.

"Jack?"

He stretched, back arching slightly, she heard his neck pop as he rolled his shoulders and his eyes met hers. He made what could best be described as a grunt of acknowledgement.

"May I ask you a question, about something you said back on the beach?"

"Shoot."

"What did you mean when you said drowning once had been enough?"

Jack stilled, his gaze moving away from her for a moment to the horizon.

His body language alone made her think her first inclination had been right, "Is that how you became a spirit?"

"Yes." His gaze remained fixed on the sky, though only midafternoon the colors were already fading. This time of year the sun set early in the north.

He didn't elaborate further at first, she didn't push, but did offer a bit of her own past. "I froze to death."

His eyes snapped back to her.

Elsa kept her eyes ahead as she spoke, "It was quick really. Being born with powers like I have, the cold has never bothered me, but the place where I was when it happened is enchanted. The magic there is very old and powerful and I had gone too deep in my search for answers about myself and my family's past."

"Deep?"

"Ahtohallan, it's a sacred place, a river of memories made of ice, the farther you go, the older the memories and the colder it gets. I went all the way to the bottom. My grandfather had committed a terrible crime, long before I was born, driving a wedge between the peoples of this land and angering the spirits of the forest. Finding the truth was the only way to stop a calamity from befalling all of my people."

Elsa flicked the reins, keeping the deer on course, the steady, sharp clack of their hooves on the ice the only sound filling the air, "It's been the one and only time I've felt cold." She took a deep breath, "But in the end, it was my sister Anna who saved the day, not me."

Jack smiled a little at that, "Yea, sisters tend to be like that."

She looked back to him now, he was looking at her, but his eyes seemed far away. "Did you too—?"

He nodded, taking a deep breath, "My sister was a lot younger than me, about ten years younger. I guess most siblings wouldn't like having a younger sibling tag along with them all the time, but I did. Didn't stop me from teasing her though, I always enjoyed a good prank." He glanced at her with a bit of a grin.

Elsa couldn't help but smile at the fondness in his voice.

"I played with her all the time, she loved being outside the most. Never sat still, even for her school work. Though I wasn't much better. I'm sure both of us gave our school teacher a headache."

Jack was quiet for a moment, lost in a memory before he spoke again.

"She'd wanted to go skating for ages and the pond near our village had finally iced over after the first real freeze of that winter." Sitting up straight his hands twisted around his staff, "We hadn't been skating long when the ice began to crack beneath her. It was too thin, it was too early in the season I guess, I really should have paid more attention."

He ran his hands along the length of his staff, "She was scared, but I told her she didn't have to be scared. That we'd play a game instead. I picked up a broken branch from the ground and played a game of hopscotch to get out to her."

Without Jack even saying she knew that was the staff he now carried. Elsa's hands gripped the reins tightly. She knew how this was going to end and yet it still terrified her.

"I snagged her with the branch and used the momentum to slide her off the ice back to safety on the shore."

Elsa let go of a breath she hadn't even realized she'd been holding.

"But then the ice gave way beneath me and I heard her call my name as I sank into the cold water." He sat up, leaning forward to rest his arms on the front of the sleigh, "I never saw her again."

Silence hung between them for a while.

Elsa wondered what it must have been like to have become a spirit so young and then to never see your family again. Her childhood and young adult years had been very difficult, but everything she'd gone though had been out of love for her family. She'd spent so long separated from Anna, but in the end she'd spent so many happy years with her.

The thought of being separated suddenly from her when she had become a spirit would have broken her heart.

"What was her name?"

Jack shook his head, bringing himself back to the present, "What?"

"Your sister, what was her name?"

"Oh it was…it was…" His brow furrowed, his gaze searching for a long moment. "I can't remember…"

Elsa turned away from him quickly, hoping he did not see the fear that flashed across her face.

As the sun set across the frozen water and Arendelle came into view Elsa could not help but wonder in her many long years to come would there come a day when she could no longer recall her sister's name.