Prologue Part 2

"Unreal."

Cradled in Jack's arms, Elsa held on tight as he flew them towards the north mountain. The moonlight illuminated the pair and made the snowy peaks shine brightly. Jack peered down and smiled. Elsa's expression lit up in pure joy, her cheeks aching from smiling so hard.

"This is-" Elsa started.

Jack grinned, soaring closer to the first peak. "Amazing?"

She pulled her shawl closer around her shoulders. "This feels like a dream."

Jack's feet touched the ground and he shifted Elsa higher in his arms, holding her above the snow. She peered around the peak, in awe of the blissful quiet and the crispness of the freshly fallen snow.

"You doing okay? Chilly?" He found a rocky out cropping, kicked off the snow on top with his foot and set her down.

She shook her head. "I'm wonderful, and if I may be honest? The cold never bothered me anyway." She chuckled bitterly.

Jack sat down next to her and they both leaned back, appreciating the beauty of the starry night sky.

"Nothing like a clear winter night to help take off the edge, eh princess?"

He took her silence as confirmation, taking in her features out of the corner of his eye. From the silky strands of her pale blonde hair, the reflection of wisdom beyond her years in her ice blue eyes, and the power of winter encompassed in her slight form. "The future queen." He thought, in awe.

They sat upon the outcropping for the remainder of the evening, right beside one another in comfortable silence until the first rays of dawn broke through the darkness of the night sky.

Brushing off the snow from his knees he stood up and held out his hand. "As promised your highness, it's time to return to the castle."

She rose from the boulder and took his hand, cheeks warming, unused to such casual touches. Catching his eye she nodded, and he lifted her behind him onto his floating staff.

"Hang on tight, off we go!" Jack exclaimed, launching them into the sky. Elsa yelped and grasped him tightly around the middle, both nervous and exuberant all at once, the feeling of flight so freeing from the cage of stone castle walls and locked doors.

They landed back on the sill of her wrought-iron lattice windows and climbed over the bench back to the floor. Elsa stepped back towards her bed and paused, taking in Jack's expression curiously.

"Is there something wrong?"

He paused, then grimaced. "I don't know how to say this, but-." He shook his head. "You don't deserve this, to be treated like some sort of criminal. It's just not right." He lifted his staff and brought it back down to the hardwood floor with a loud CLANG, clenching his teeth in frustration, feeling helpless.

Elsa looked at him and smiled tentatively. "You've done more for me than you know. Trapped I might seem, but things are done this way for a reason. I have parents who love me and I know that as a ruler we must sometimes make sacrifices for the greater good of our kingdom. I am honored that I've been given the chance to meet the Guardian of Fun. Truly, Jack Frost….Thank you."

Jack stepped toward her, walking forward, when the walls illuminated with a vibrant plethora of color, streaming in from the open window.

Elsa's eyes widened in awe. "The northern lights…." She trailed off with a whisper.

"REALLY NORTH? Right NOW?" Jack groaned and slapped his hand over his eyes.

Elsa peeled her gaze from the window and looked back toward him. "Everything alright? ….North?"

Jack sighed and hung his head. "I have to go. I'm being summoned, it's a Guardian thing." He grumbled. "Of all the times, seriously?"

The lights seemed to only glow brighter in response to his plight. Turning back toward Elsa he took her hand bringing it to his lips. "I have to go, I'm sorry to leave you so suddenly. We will meet again some day, I promise you. Please…. don't lose the faith you have in yourself and always remember, you are never alone."

She nodded, expression serious, and he released her hand. Jumping back onto the windowsill he smiled regretfully and with a shout, he took off into the sky.

Picking up her skirts, Elsa sat down on the window bench and watched him go, until he was nothing more than another star in the sky.