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.

I'm in love with you, and I'm not in the business of denying myself the simple pleasure of saying true things.

– Augustus Waters, John Green's The Fault in Our Stars

Chapter Soundtrack:

Tifa's Theme (Piano Version) – Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children

Nocturne: The Second Movement – Part IV

A cool and gentle wind swept the skies, brushing strands of her platinum-blonde hair loose and rustling around the hem of her dress. It was a beautiful day, where the warmth of the sun was mild and soft and the wind was noticeable but calm. She wore a cotton half-sleeved dress in pale blue with a black bodice and simple rosemaling along the bust and hem. She even swapped her signature side plait in exchange for a loose bun on the left side of her head.

It was a day off for the Snow Queen of Arendelle, with no meetings to attend, no administrative work to complete, and no clauses to look over. It was nice not having to worry about the welfare of her nation or the order of the world for just a few days.

Elsa nodded to a passing gardener who bowed as the queen strolled through the garden's gates. She glanced down at the flower crown in her hands – the same one that Jack made for her – absentmindedly stroking the soft petals of a healthy white camellia. It's been two days since the Flower Festival: two days since her secret vow to Jack. Elsa paused in the middle of her steps as the memories of the day before bloomed behind her eyes. A soft smile grew on her lips before she started walking again.

There was no spoken announcement of the Prince of the Western Isle's courtship of the Queen of Arendelle, but there was really no need. Jack's intention was clear and Elsa's answer unmistakable. The gossip in the village was all centered on her and her white-haired suitor. Within the castle, the lords and ladies would congratulate Elsa whenever they passed by the young queen, one even going as far as to ask when the 'big day' would be.

Elsa had flushed in embarrassment at the question, spluttering out an attempt of a lighthearted chuckle to dodge the inquiry. Anna had laughed hysterically before answering in Elsa's stead, saying that the wedding would be years away at the rate in which Elsa was receiving the Prince's advances. Elsa had lightly smacked her younger sister across the arm for that comment, but it didn't bother her as much as she thought it would.

However, the question had sparked a conversation that evening, one that she never meant to hear.

Anna was not known of her subtleness or her quietness. So it was not a surprise that Elsa was able to overhear the conversation occurring in the Great Hall from where she stood three staircases above. It worried her and it grew into a dilemma she was uncertain of how to solve. It didn't have to do with her relationship with Jack – the young queen was content with how it was proceeding. It didn't have anything to do with Arendelle either, no; this conflict put her on the spot not as queen, but as a sister.

Elsa sighed, holding the flower crown loosely in one hand. She turned around; deciding that she would head back to the castle, for the quiet gardens and soft winds weren't comforting anymore. But before she turned, something caught her eye. A little ways ahead of her, underneath the shade of the largest plum-blossom tree in the garden, lay a tuff of white hair amidst the lush green grass: the Prince of the Western Isles.

A smile broke out on her face.

A warm swirl of delight bubbled in her chest.

Perhaps, she will stay in the gardens.

Elsa approached him slowly; her steps quiet and light and she lifted the skirt of her frock so it did not brush against the grass. Upon arriving, she realized that he was lying in the grass with a book lying atop his face, an arm lying sprawled on one side and the other lying on his chest.

"Jack?" she called, hovering over him.

He didn't respond. She slowly and gracefully lowered herself into the grass. Upon leaning closer to the white-haired prince, she heard low muffled snoring. An amused smile pulled at her lips as she reached for the book covering his face, gently pulling it off. The sunlight straining though the tree branches bathed his face in a soft light, illuminating the silver stands in his hair and casting shadows beneath his dark-coloured eyelashes and cheekbones. His snoring grew louder, and Elsa expected Jack to wake up when the sunlight hitting his eyes, but nothing: the prince continued to sleep.

Elsa couldn't help but giggle softly at the sight. She glanced down at the title of the book that the prince was reading, scoffing in amusement when she realized why Jack had fallen so deeply asleep. The Prince was reading about tort law. Elsa had not the heart to wake him up though, for he appeared so peacefully and happily asleep. So she sat down beside him, tucking her legs around her and placing the book and the flower-crown in her lap. She quietly flipped through several pages of the novel before dropping it into the grass beside her, bored after reading just a couple words.

She sighed, content with the temporary moment of bliss. She placed one hand in the grass and leaned back on it, casting her eyes into the skies and watching the soft spring breeze careen through the branches and playfully caress each of the delicate pink blossoms, occasionally pulling one loose. The Snow Queen of Arendelle closed her eyes, enjoying the moment of hearing nothing more than the occasional chirp of a song bird and the consistent, soothing breaths of her companion. Her worries were shoved into the back of her mind and just for that moment, the Queen of Arendelle could forget about her duties and just relax.

But a moment as that can only last for so long before the same insistent worry launched itself into the forefront of her thoughts. Elsa opened her eyes and sighed, glancing down to her sleeping companion. She wondered if he would find it strange when he awoke that the Queen of Arendelle had sat down and, in essence, watched him sleep. She wondered if he would mind.

In the middle of her thoughts, a small pink blossom had floated down from the sky and landed on the sleeping prince's cheek. She smiled tenderly as she leaned over him, slowly and carefully trying to pluck the flower off his face. Suddenly, Jack snorted loudly before bolting upright. She leaned back in surprise, yanking her arm back as Jack took a fleeting glance over at her with half-lidded eyes before furiously rubbing at his face.

"Emma!" he cried, "Please don't tell me that you – not again!"

Elsa jumped in alarm when he cried out, staring at him in shock. Jack stopped furiously rubbing his face with the cuff of his white dress-shirt and finally looked over at her. The annoyed expression on his face immediately fell when he recognized her, his bright, surprised irises relaxed into an affectionate calm, and a relived sigh escaped his lips.

"It's just you, Elsa." He said, as a smile grew on his face. "I thought you were my sister."

"I'm sorry; I didn't mean to scare you." Elsa said.

Jack sighed, chuckling while rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "No, no, it's fine."

"Why were you so concerned?"

"It's just because Emma loves to draw on my face when I fall asleep. It's almost impossible for me to take a nap in the gardens when we were younger."

Elsa's shocked expression quickly dropped as an amused smile grew on her face. It's just you, Elsa he said. His worry wasn't that she saw him sleep; no he was worried that his sister would draw on his face.

Elsa laughed as she imagined the beautiful young Princess of the Western Isles crouched over her older brother, slowly and gently dragging a brush dripped in black ink across his sleeping face, tracing moustaches above his lips and drawing in angry eyebrows.

"If you ever ask Emma about it, she'll love to tell you about it."

"It sounds like you had a rowdy childhood." Elsa commented.

"Like you wouldn't believe," Jack said, with a chuckle. "I'm certain Anna would pull similar shenanigans, wouldn't she?"

"When we were children, she would pull me out of bed and demand that we play. Actually, she would still do it now. Just last month she tackled me in the middle of the night and begged to make snowmen in the throne room." Elsa said with a laughed, but then her giggles died into a quiet chuckle as the same insistent worry pushed its way through.

Jack's laughter quickly broke off suddenly. "Elsa, what's wrong? Did I bring back unpleasant memories? I'm so sorry, it was very inconsiderate of me, I –"

"No, no, Jack." She said, quickly cutting off the Prince's desperate apologies. "It's nothing like that, it's just…"

"What is it, Elsa?"

"…I overheard Anna and Kristoff discussing wedding plans." Elsa started softly, "It worries me. The first person Anna fell in love with proposed to her the night that they met. Then he deceived us all. He nearly killed her and took the kingdom. I mean, Kristoff has been courting Anna for nearly three years now. He did risk his life to save her back then. I think he is a trustworthy man. I just…" she paused, dropping the flower crown and fiddling with her fingers instead, she rather not mangle the blossoms or freeze them accidently. "I don't want to see her get hurt, to have her heart broken again. I wonder … if…if she truly knows what love is."

"Though the two are in no way similar with each other…they harmonize well. Anna's enthusiasm pulls Kristoff out of his shell and Kristoff's practicality is her voice of reason." He stopped, for only a second, to catch his breath or compose his thoughts before continuing, "I wonder if you notice, Elsa, but as a guest of your court with not a lot to do, I've taken notice in the way the Princess and the 'Ice Master and Deliverer' interact. I've seen the way that Kristoff looks at Anna and the way she looks at him. The way his eyes light up when she walks into the room, the smile that spreads on her face when she sees him. The way they gravitate towards each other without really noticing… "

"But, Jack." Elsa interrupted, "Are you saying that Anna and Kristoff love each other or are they simply in love?"

He leaned back on both palms, tilting his head and over to face her.

"Is there a difference?" he asked.

"I think there is."

Elsa paused, picking up a plum-blossom that had fallen in her lap, twirling it around her thumb and forefinger.

"I believe that being 'in love' is an ardent passion that is fueled by an inherent desire for each other's touch and presence and affection….Being 'in love' is to find someone who we can share our thoughts, our pleasure, and our adoration with. It's intoxicating; it's invigorating; and it's beautiful: however… it doesn't last forever. There is a time-limit to being in love. Eventually, the fervent adoration will wear off, and when that passion has withered away, what is left? It could be nothing, because the affection shared was nothing more than a physical desire."

She slowly and absentmindedly stopped playing with the flower as she stared off into the distance, words still flowing from her lips with an urgency and deliberation.

"But what if… what if, underneath all that lust and romantic fever is an attachment so strong that it's impossible to break? It's a connection so great that your lives have been intertwined and that breaking it means death. That, is the difference between being in love and love: being in love is the desire for the kisses and the touches, love is the need for the bond and connection. I believe that being 'in love' is saying that you would die for them – knowing that you would step in front of that arrow or sword for them – but love… love is when there is no thought, no feeling, it's an unconscious reaction: you jump in front of danger because there is nothing else you can do. You have no choice."

There was a moment of silence as Elsa took in the weight of her own words; she glanced at Jack out of the corner of her eye to see the young man staring at the grass, deep in thought.

"It sounds like you are afraid that Anna might fall in love without knowing what love really is."

She nodded.

"But, are your fears really just for Anna? Or… yourself, too, Elsa?"

She flushed, feeling the heat rise to her cheeks at the subtle, innocent accusation.

"I – I – "

She quickly tried to defend herself – to say that her worries were sole for the sake of Anna. But really, her words applied to herself, did they not? Did she not have the fear of finding someone who was only in love with her but did not love her? She opened her mouth to voice her reason but instead, only a soundless breath escaped in her attempts. She paused to consider, what is there to fear? It wasn't as if Jack was going to scorn her for her sentiments. Besides, he is courting her, isn't he and if he has opened his feelings to her then the least she can do was open hers to him.

"You're… right, Jack. Those are also my selfish opinions. I sometimes wonder if I'll ever find someone who loves me as much as I love them. Someone who isn't only in love but also will also love me." She paused, considering the weight of her words, scoffing at a sudden thought before continuing, "I was fully prepared to spend the rest of my life alone with only the love of my sister and the devotion of my people… but now…now I'm so confused because, well…because you."

"Me." He whispered.

Her heart gave one mighty leap before taking off at a rapid pace. She raised her eyes to meet his; Jack's normally bright blue eyes, she noticed, were grey in the morning light.

"I'll love you, unconditionally."

Her heart thumped loudly in her chest as an exhalation and apprehension so different than anything she had ever felt erupted and blossomed within her.

His eyes dropped for only a second – downwards, towards her lips – before meeting her stunned gaze once more.

It was if he was asking for permission.

She felt her lips turn up in small smile.

He took it as a yes and slowly, very, very slowly and deliberately leaned in.

She dropped her gaze and let instinct take over, tilting her head as he angled his the other way.

He stopped then, hesitantly or to savour the moment she knew not.

Their breaths mingled and their lips were only a hair's-breadth apart.

She closed her eyes and –

"Jack!"

Elsa's eyes flew open as she gasped, whipping her head towards the sound. Jack sailed back, straightening his back and cleared his throat before instinctively saying 'yes'.

It was Olaf, who had called Jack's name before coming around the corner. Unfortunately, he did see the compromising position that the two were in. Not that it would really matter, Olaf was never the one to criticize, but he wasn't one of tact either.

"Oh," he said, seeing the Queen of Arendelle and the Prince of the Western Isles sitting intimately in the grass. "Did I interrupt you two when you were having a moment? I can wait." With that, the cheery snowman made show of sitting down, right in front of them, and waiting for the two to finish whatever they started.

Silence.

Only for a couple moments before both Queen and Prince quickly tried to regain their composure.

"Uh – no – it's fine,"

"You weren't interrupting anything – "

"Were you looking for me, Olaf?" Jack said as he quickly jumped to his feet and reaching down to offer Elsa a hand up. She took it quickly, trying to play the scene off as nothing more than them two chatting quietly under a tree.

"Uh huh. The captain wanted me to look for you to say that their casting off for Hestia in about an hour. He just wanted to make sure you're prepared."

"An hour?" Jack cried, he dug into his vest pocket and pulled out the pocket-watch Elsa gave him for his birthday. He flipped it open and winced. "Time sure flies when you're reading… tort law…" he muttered. "Tell Captain Kimura that I will be there shortly and that I am sorry for the delay."

Olaf nodded before waving goodbye and toddling off.

Silence between the two as they watched the snowman retreat into the distance.

Jack turned to her, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. She bent down and picked up the flower crown and book, handing the leather-bound novel quietly to Jack before fiddling with the flower-crown. She slowly raised her eyes to meet his and found that he was smiling sheepishly while glancing in the other direction. A soft and breathy chuckle escaped her lips and he started laughing too.

"I guess, uh, I have to go."

"Yes, I guess so…." Elsa murmured. Jack sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"I don't want to say good-bye yet." He admitted in a rush. She laughed quietly.

"Neither do I," she said, "but… I'll see you in the Western Isles in two months' time." He nodded, sighing quietly before straightening up with a brilliant smile.

"Thank you for your hospitality," He said, as he offered her his hand once again, this time bending down on one knee, turning the simple greetings of royals suddenly into the salutations of lovers. "Till then, My Queen."

"Safe travels, Lord Prince." Elsa whispered, as she placed her hand in his. His kiss on the back of her hand lingered, and she longed for the same feeling against her lips. He let go of her hand, and straightened to his full height. His eyes lingered on hers, but too short of a period before he turned to go.

He asked for a chance all those months ago and a chance she gave. He said he'll give her his heart, and give it he did. He showed that he was not only in love with her, but he loved her also.

She loved him in return. She knew that, her silent vow to herself was because she loved him. But now… now it was obvious. She not only loved him, but she had also fallen completely –

"Wait –" she called out, reaching for him. But this time, unlike the last time he left Arendelle, she didn't pull back. She clutched his fingers in hers and pulled him to a stop, he turned back around. Jack waited, his head tilted to one side, curious as to why she stopped him.

"I – I – just want to –"

"Yes?" he asked.

"Jack…I…I'm…"

He waited as she tried to force out the words in her heart.

Her thoughts were all condensed into single emotion: yearning. She yearned for the touch and intimacy that was far more powerful than words can describe and actions are sometimes worth more than words.

So she pulled him close and tilted her head to the side. She stopped, hesitating only to savour the moment as their breaths mingled and their lips were only a hair's-breadth apart.

She closed her eyes – she knew his were too and then –

Her heart was his, sealed with a kiss.

Author's Note: Wow, how long as it been since I last updated? An apology is definitely warranted: I am so sorry for the delay, everyone! University has bombarded me with multiple assignments and exams and I was never able to finish writing this chapter.

I hope you all enjoyed the latest chapter of Nocturne!

In addition to that, I needed the time to sit down and flesh-out what is going to happen for the rest of the story instead of blindly writing with no end in sight. Now that I have finally planned out what is going to happen (at least until the end of the Second Movement) I think things are going to pick up the pace.

My inspiration for Elsa's explanation of the difference between 'in love' and love comes mainly from Louis de Bernières', Captain Corelli's Mandolin. There was a quote in the novel that struck me hard as the perfect explanation and I pretty much interpreted it and added my own flare to it. If anyone is interested in seeing what it was, contact me via private message!

Thank you to:

Guest, Love-PRN, JoPoGirlsKickAss, Freezing Fyre, Dragowolf, LittleHarmonizer, rokusan23, Alexandria Nightingale, SweetLittleGirl16, PianoPanda12, CaptainBeer, Canticum Vulpes, NightmareHeartx, PriscilaOrglene, ForeverDelighted, DeniseAgron, Flamin'Sky, Miki Fubuki, sesshylovr, Bigby the Bad Wolf, Layla, Pirulina, Guest #2, JeanOlive, Slake13, BEASBeth, RizaHawkeye1, frozenR.O.T.G, Guest FTG, UsuiXayuzawa, engineergirl86, and Guest #3

For reviewing Postlude! I know it was fairly unorthodox of a Valentine's Day themed piece, but, I thoroughly enjoyed writing it! I look forward to hearing what you guys think on this chapter as well!

Till next time!

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Cordially,

EireneHarmonia