Disclaimer: This work of fan fiction uses characters from Rise of the Guardians, The Guardians of Childhood, and Frozen which are trademarked by DreamWorks Animation, William Joyce, and the Walt Disney Company respectively. The author of this story claims no ownership over them. The story the author is telling is of her own invention and it is not purported or believed to be part of the canon storyline. This story is made for entertainment purposes only. The author is not profiting financially from the creation and publication of this story.

As he read, I fell in love the way you fall asleep:

slowly, then all at once.

– John Green, The Fault in Our Stars

Chapter Soundtrack:

Day and Night – Shiki OST

Windflower – IU

Nocturne: The Second Movement – Part III

Come, come my children and listen to a story: a tale of a warrior so great, a maiden so brave, and a love so true. It took place here in our glorious and beautiful country of Arendelle in an ancient time. This, my children, is the story of the love between the Great King Asmund and the Spring Goddess of Flowers.

They met when the Great King was still very young, a prince of our dear country at the time. Prince Asmund was visiting the townsfolk, mingling and talking for he was a man known for his kindness and modesty. As he was enjoying the beautiful spring day, he happened upon an open field of flowers where he laid eyes upon a beautiful woman: a maiden with hair dark and rich as fertile soil, skin fair and soft as the spring clouds, and eyes bright and green as lush grass.

The young-soon-to-be-king was smitten by her, but little did he know that she was a goddess: the Spring Goddess of Flowers. He fell in love with her and she with him. She loved him for his valiant nature, his caring heart, and his devotion to Arendelle. He loved her for her purity, her bravery, and her kindness.

However, their love was forbidden, for the prince was betrothed to another and how can a goddess fall for mortal? But, Prince Asmund and the Goddess of Spring Flowers loved each other more than anything in the world. So he vowed to renounce his title for her and she vowed to give up her immortality for him.

But calamity hit the Kingdom of Arendelle. The King and Queen were struck by disease and succumbed to it, war was declared due to Arendelle's weakness, and poverty rang loose. Asmund, now crowned the new King of Arendelle had no choice but to march into battle for his people. But before he left, King Asmund made a crown of flowers for the goddess, pledging his heart to her and swearing that when he returned, he will ask for her hand in marriage. She accepted, promising that she will wait.

That is how, my children, the Festival of Flowers began. It was just a simple vow of devotion which grew into a beloved tradition here in Arendelle. With a wreath of flowers in hand, men will crown their beloved in hopes that their bond will be just as strong and everlasting as the love between King Asmund of Arendelle and the Spring Goddess of Flowers.

"Announcing: Her Royal Majesty, Queen Elsa of Arendelle and Her Royal Highness, Princess Anna of Arendelle!"

The massive double doors of the castle swung open, revealing the beautifully dressed queen and princess. There were many villagers who crowded into the castle courtyard, trying to catch a glimpse of the queen and her rumoured escort. They gasped, bowed respectfully before their ruler before beginning to cheer and clap loudly. The sisters returned the greetings with bright smiles before stepping down the stairs to take the proffered hand of their respective escorts.

Jack and Kristoff were waiting at the bottom of the staircase, and at the sound of the doors opening and the guard announcing the arrival of the Queen and Princess, they turned around with haste. Many of the villagers also turned to greet the rulers of Arendelle, but a few kept their eyes on the young men – just to see how they would react.

The Duke of Burgess had on a loose but stiff collared white blouse underneath a deep blue vest embellished with thick silver swirls across the hemming, collar and shoulder. He wore a pair of white trousers, black knee high boots, and had a sapphire blue half cape draped across his left shoulder and secured under his right arm with white cords.

Anna's boyfriend of 3 years was also dressed impeccably well for someone who was raised by trolls. He even took the time to comb his longer hair and tie it into a low ponytail at the back of his neck. But really, all the focus was on the two beautiful sisters.

The young queen wore a gown of pale purple with sheer white off-the-shoulder sleeves and slits at the elbows that swept across her forearms. The skirt had an intricate design of ivory blossoms and swirls running across the hemline with a long train of fabric trailing behind her. Attached to the back of the stunning dress was a cape of the same colours. Elsa had kept her hair up in her signature braid but instead of snowflakes decorating the simple plait, there were tiny apple-blossoms in their stead.

Anna had on a similar dress of soft green and white instead of purple. The princess forwent the cape and train however, much to the dress-maker's disappointment, but she opted for a sash with a large, stiff, bright green bow with long, trailing ends on the left side of her hip.

The gowns were a bit too formal and grand for such an event. But, considering that this year's Flower Festival was the biggest Arendelle has ever seen in years, Elsa believed that the queen and princess should dress appropriately. The royal dress-maker was more than thrilled to see such a massive project, and it all paid off as Elsa saw her escort's eyes light up at the sight of her. Jack's eyes followed her as she descended the stairs. He quickly blinked and subtlety shook his head as if clearing his thoughts before he offered her his left hand and gave her a brilliant, bright, and all so very reassuring smile.

This was the moment that everyone was waiting for. To see if the rumours were true and that the Queen of Arendelle had an escort. To see if it was truly the Prince of the Western Isles that sought after the beloved queen. It was as if everyone stopped breathing, everyone in the entire courtyard fell completely silent as they watched with much anticipation as the queen stopped before the white-haired prince.

Elsa unintentionally started blushing, unable to keep the embarrassment due all the attention from rising to her cheeks. She had butterflies swarming around inside her and her heart threatened to implode with all the tension and anxiety. There was no turning back now. Most of the world was here to see this happen: to see if the Queen of Arendelle was finally accepted the courting from a suitor.

She slowly lifted her right arm from her side, placing her trembling fingers in his palm. He gently closed his fingers around hers, giving her hand a deliberate but faint squeeze in reassurance before bowing his head to place a soft kiss on the back of her hand. Of course, such a gesture was a common greeting in this era. But there was something so very intimate and utterly sincere about the moment. Jack let go of his grip on her fingers only to offer the blonde-queen his right arm. Elsa slowly but smoothly tucked her left arm in his and that was when the cheering, applauding, and whooping broke out again.

The citizens of Arendelle were the loudest, waving scarves in the air and throwing flowers around. The monarchies and democrats that attended the festival were more subdued in their acknowledgement. But nonetheless, they clapped just as furiously with bright smiles on their faces.

It was as if Elsa was getting married right then and there, not just accepting Jack's hand as an escort. She ducked her head down, watching their feet as Jack led her over to the front of the stunningly decorated fountain in the center of the courtyard. It wasn't as if the young queen was embarrassed or ashamed that Jack was her escort. It was just that she was amazed by her peoples' reactions: they adored her as their queen. So when the rumoured started traveling, they showered Jack with just as much love. Their happiness in the fact that she accepted a suitor was overwhelming.

As they approached the fountain, Elsa pulled her arm out of Jack's and raised her head, preparing to deliver her quickly rehearsed speech. Jack stood behind her, close enough so everyone knew that he was her companion for the event, but far enough to mark Elsa as the one and only Queen of Arendelle.

"Welcome," she started, raising her arms in gesture, "to Arendelle's 147th annual Festival of Flowers. I thank you all for coming today."

Elsa continued, discussing the recent events around the world and the prosperity and balance of the countries within the Alliance of Six. She spoke about how grand and spectacular this year's festival was. Finally, she took a deep breath, and with a brilliant smile on her face, the Queen of Arendelle began the celebrations.

"Without further ado, let the festivities begin!"

The crowd cheered and applauded loudly once again. Elsa heaved a sigh, happy that the festival was going just as planned. Jack appeared at her side, offering his arm to her once again. Elsa took his arm casually, for the young queen had grown so accustomed to the white-haired prince's presence beside her.

Jack had arrived in Arendelle for the celebration a week in advance. She and the white-haired prince decided to keep their declared… 'relationship' secret and planned to reveal it at the festival itself. But throughout the week, Jack had quickly become a part of her normal life.

He was there at the breakfast table with Anna, Kristoff, Olaf, Sven, and herself. Jack made quick and easy conversations with everyone and had Anna in a laughing fit in no time. When he reached for the jar of preserved berries at the exact same time Elsa did, their fingers brushed, and Elsa froze. She fully expected him to jerk his hand away at the cold touch of her fingers – everyone did. But he didn't. Instead, the azure blue eyed prince glanced at the still stunned queen and smoothly pushed the jar towards her with a gentle gesture and a grin.

He appeared in the memorial garden sometime in the late afternoon. The Prince of the Western Isles found Elsa relaxing with a book in her lap after a long meeting with her Royal Advisors. He had sat down beside her then, asking for nothing more than just her quiet company. They passed the time together, her reading under the shade of a tree and him dozing against the trunk.

Jack was there in the evening as well, bidding her good night with a fleeting kiss on her hand before disappearing down the castle's darkened halls with a soft but sincere smile. Elsa smiled lightly at the memories. She was happy that she made her decision.

"Elsa!" Anna suddenly yelled, pulling the queen out from her thoughts. Elsa snapped her eyes up to see Anna waving a hand at her, beckoning for her and Jack to hurry up. "Come on, you are doing the ceremony this year, you don't have time to space out!"

"Come on," he said. Elsa glanced up at him: mellow blue meeting enthusiastic azure. "I have a flower crown to make."

He pulled her forward and the two set off towards the castle's extensive main gardens. Anna and Kristoff following close behind, hand in hand, and behind them, the rest of the guests. It was customary that the ruling monarch be the first to perform the tradition. For the past three years, Anna and Kristoff have been the ones who took the responsibility of the task, but now that Elsa has found an escort, it was her duty. Thus, it was only proper that Elsa and Jack be the first to enter the flower garden.

This year, Elsa also decided to expand the grounds of the castles in order to accommodate the many diplomats and honoured guests attending the Flower Festival. It was a difficult process that required much administrative work, negotiations, and budgeting. But in the end it was all worth it: the gardens were spectacular.

The entrance was guarded by an elaborate, black, iron cast gates, adorned with climbing red and pink rose vines. Once through the gates, there was a pathway enclosed with a wooden pergola buried under a mass of hanging white, purple, and blue lavender blossoms. The scent was calming, and their quick walk turned into a slow stroll.

"Wow." Jack whispered, his eyes wandering around in amazement. He wore the same amazed and stunned expression as he did at the Ice Castle: eyes wide and excited, cheeks pulled up in a brilliant smile, and a near breathless laugh falling through his lips. His exhilaration and enjoyment made the young queen's heart swell in happiness.

But her thoughts were interrupted at they emerged from the closed pathway and out into the sprawling, expansive, and magnificently green garden. Soft white and pink petals fell from the healthy and large cherry and apple blossom trees lining the main tawny dirt pathway. Smaller but more colourful shrubbery lined the other swirling labyrinth-like trails; all leading up to a large circle in the middle of the gardens with several stone benches around the edge. It was an ethereal scene.

There was a chorus of gasps and expressions of wonder behind her. Elsa smiled, sighing contently to herself. Her florists, gardeners, and botanists worked relentlessly over the past months to create the beautiful picturesque scene before them.

"You outdid yourself, sis." Anna said, stopping behind her sister, "the gardens look beautiful." There were many soft murmurs behind her as the lords and ladies agreed.

"It was all Calla's work." Elsa said, turning around with Jack, "She came up with the gorgeous designs for the garden. I merely approved of them."

"Uh huh," Anna said, rolling her eyes, "you are always passing on the credit to someone else. But anyway, you two better get going. Jack takes forever to weave flowers –"

"Hey!" Jack cried in mock incredulousness. Anna ignored him, but her lips itched up in a grin.

"And you have to be the first one crowned. So hurry up and go pick some flowers!" The cheerful princess then abruptly let go of Kristoff's hand only to shove Jack and Elsa to together and push them off in a random direction. Elsa cried out in surprise, but didn't protest. Soon enough, the Queen of Arendelle and her escort were strolling down a scenic path. Jack occupied his time by assessing the blossoms lining the sides of the pathway before picking the ones that he liked the most. Elsa on the other hand, trailed slowly behind him, considering Anna's playful remark about the white-haired prince.

Elsa had heard the stories over the past week about the Prince of the Western Isles. Apparently, he had been practicing his flower weaving in preparation for the event in the middle of the village square. The villagers were more than happy to offer the handsome prince advice and help, not to mention probing him for the identity of his lucky companion.

Jack had easily side-stepped the questions with questions of his own, much to the villagers' disappointment. Elsa couldn't deny thd fact that Jack had a talent with words. But it was so much more than a silver tongue that he possessed, for the prince had apparently presented his practice flower crowns to little girls who happened to walk by. And Elsa respected him all the more for it.

"What do you think of roses?" Jack suddenly asked, glancing at her from the side as he inspected a bush of miniature red roses. Elsa glanced down to see that Jack already had a small bouquet of Queen Anne's Lace and pale pink and white camellias.

"I like roses." Elsa said simply, "But, I was more curious about your choice of colours."

Jack glanced down at the flowers in his grasp.

"I didn't want to choose really flamboyant colours." He explained, leaning down to cut some of the roses. "I wanted something that will suit you: something elegant, delicate, with a brilliance that will match yours." But then he realized something, freezing in the middle of cutting several roses. He quickly straightened up, a bizarre look in his eyes. It was almost as if… he was embarrassed.

"Wh-when I say delicate, Elsa. I don't mean that you are in anyway fragile. 'Cause you are not, I mean, I was on the receiving end of one of your snowballs – I know that you are not fragile."

Elsa raised an eyebrow. "Are you saying that I am not lady-like?"

"No! No!" The white-haired prince cried, raising both of his hands up in defense as he tried to explain himself, "you are very, very lady-like. I mean look at the dress: you look beautiful."

"So I am only lady-like because of my looks."

"No, no, that isn't what I meant either –"

Elsa suddenly giggled, unable to keep up the farce anymore. "I was only teasing you, Jack."

The prince's shocked and flustered face froze for only a second before he let out a relieved breath.

"You like teasing me." He accused.

"Just as you like teasing me." Elsa replied with a smirk.

Jack smiled, before reaching out and offering Elsa his free hand. The Queen of Arendelle took it without hesitation, revelling in the feeling as Jack lead her back to down the path and into the center of the garden where they sat together on one of the stone benches: Elsa's long cape sweeping over the bench and lying in a heap of fabric behind her. Anna and Kristoff were already there, sitting on a bench across from them. Kristoff plaiting the flowers with practiced fingers as Anna talked quietly beside him.

Jack laid the bouquet out beside him and also began, starting by interlacing the stems of Queen Anne's Lace as the base of the wreath. Elsa could tell that he was working very hard on it, he took extra care to make the crown. But, it was his first time attending the festival, so Jack took twice as long as Kristoff who made clean, tight, and perfectly weaved circlet of deep purple, red, and pink carnations with a scatter of Baby's Breath for Anna.

Jack sheepishly apologized for how long he was taking multiple times, but every time that he did, Elsa quickly refuted the apology.

She watched him work quietly by his side, but her thoughts were elsewhere.

"Done!" Jack cried, holding up his work proudly. Elsa gaze landed on his face. Was it strange, that she felt such affection for man whom she met only several months before? She didn't even realize when it happened – or how really – but somehow, the Prince of the Western Isles had managed to weave his way into her heart and had become such an important part of her life in just a matter of months.

She had come to a final decision.

She watched as the man who took a place in her heart stood, taking a deep breath with a triumphant smile on his face. He turned to face her then, offering her his hand once again. The Queen of Arendelle stared at him, for a second too long it seems, for the white-haired prince's smile faintly fell. She shook her head, and presented him a reassuring smile of her own before she placed her fingers in his and stood.

She cherished him, and the way he wound his way around her life.

Jack led her to the gates of the gardens again, where the ceremony will take place in front of all of Arendelle and the world. The tradition, now a day, wasn't binding as the vow made between the Great King Asmund and the Spring Goddess of Flowers, but the young Snow Queen of Arendelle decided to take the opportunity to make a silent oath.

She made a promise to herself.

When the two emerged from the garden, the crowd began cheering. The Queen of Arendelle and the Prince of the Western Isles smiled and waved until the applauses died down. Then Jack gave Elsa's hand one last squeeze before letting go as the two turned to face each other. She curtsied deeply and Jack bowed, his left hand on his right shoulder and his right hand behind him, holding the flower crown.

She will protect him and his heart with all her power.

Elsa remained kneeling as Jack straightened to his full height. He slowly and deliberately placed the crown on her head, taking a moment to gently sweep aside a stray lock from her forehead. She rose from her curtsy. Then, just as tenderly, Jack grazed his left hand down her right arm and took her hand in both of his. Their eyes met and Elsa could see the sheer devotion and sincerity of his emotions. He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her fingers. Cheers erupted again.

For she loved Prince Jackson Overland Frost of the Western Isles.

The Spring Goddess of Flowers waited nearly two decades for the return of her beloved. She grew weak and weary of the flesh and bones that bound her to a mortal form. She could not return to the heavens because of her vow to a mortal, but she cared not: her loyalty to the king was unwavering. However, as everlasting at the vow was, the Great King Asmund was not.

He returned to Arendelle 17 years later as a decorated hero of his country and a king that will forever be remembered for his bravery, kindness, and devotion. But that was all that was left for the Spring Goddess: a memory, for on the battlefield the king had died.

And that concludes our tragic tale.

But fear not my children… for what was, shall come to pass once again.

Author's Note: Woah, this was one heck of a chapter to write, for not only did I have to write about the festival, but I also had to make up a story behind the celebration. Amaya of ObsidianTheatre, once again, your genius must be credited. She was the one who suggested that I write a legend and went through the massive headache it is to edit the story.

Now, what to say about this chapter… I really wanted to have Elsa and Jack wear clothes that had a lot more ribbons, bows, and frills because I recently started watching and reading Black Butler (which is an anime/manga) and I fell in love with the Victorian Era styled clothes. It was magnificent. But I have no idea which era Frozen takes place in. I mean, it could be Victorian. But if it was the Victorian Era, why on earth is Kristoff dressed like that? But then I gave up, deciding that it would be the Victorian Era and accredited Kristoff's out-of-era clothes to the fact that he was raised by trolls.

Enough of my crazed ranting.

In addition to that, I know that I made a commitment to try and update every Wednesday, but for next week, I will have to move the update to Thursday because of midterms. I would love to answer all your guises questions and thank you all individually, but I have an important exam coming up that I need to study for.

Thank you to:

MikiFubuki, JoPoGirlsKickAss, Arialene, Hawky, LuannLe, PriscilaOrglene, Hyesui, DeniseArgon, Jabamaca Guest, GuestFTG, CaptainBeer, AonoKenshi, Alice Madison Parker, tumblr-worthy, sesshylovr, Slake13, Panthermonspartner, Dragowolf, Anonnynon, Starshinesoldier, Guest #1, Guest #2, and Reader 6284

For reviewing this chapter! Your praise, support, comments, and critiques are more than welcomed and appreciated!

Until next time!

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Cordially,

EireneHarmonia