The victory and congratulatory party was one for the ages. Grand and full of life. However the weeks following that day were calm. Something young Katherine was very thankful for as it allowed her time to write down the tales.
They were all still resting. Mostly. While Katherine relaxed and enjoyed the quiet nights when she wrote down stories, Ombric had been recovering by eating as much food as the yeti- who were surprisingly amazing cooks- could offer. North had taken up sword practice with his new sword with the Yeti warriors.
Pitch had barely been spotted in the Lamadary but then again, he often spent time with Sandy who was often out doing his job of spreading good dreams with Pitch acting as his balance. Nightlight was barely seen as well though he made a lot more effort to spend time with Katherine.
There were days when he would disappear totally and days when he would spend it all with her and other days when he would lock himself up in the room where the Lunar Lamas had placed the Gong. Sometimes, Katherine would join him in talking with the Tsar who she found to be quite pleasant to speak to if a bit awkward with his words at times- always being formal but trying to be informal a lot of the time.
Today, she was finishing up another chapter of the book she was writing, about the day she and Nightlight had gone around the mountains with some yeti where an avalanche happened. That day had changed her life for the better as it was when she met one very special little Gosling who thought of her as her mother.
It saddened her to know that the gosling was orphaned due to an avalanche. Similar to her own beginnings. That was why she was determined to extend the very same kindness Ombric had offered her to the little gosling. She was quite thankful for the Yeti for being there to help her feed the precious little thing. She sighed softly in contentment as she closed her book for the night and placed down her quill.
"Long day?" The familiar echo of a voice came through as a glowing figure sat crouched on her windowsill, making her turn to face him with a giggle.
"Long day." She nodded, giving him a smile. "Kailash's flight feathers are starting to grow in." She informed the spectral boy. "How was your day?"
"...about that," He started, his smile fading into a frown, making Katherine look at him with a small frown of concern. "It's not bad! Honest! It's just…" Katherine did not say anything and instead just walked over to him, a frown still present on her face.
FrostLight sighed, scratching the back of his neck as he offered a hand out to Katherine. "Care to walk with me?" He offered, his nervousness clearly evident in his slightly slouched posture.
Katherine smiled gently and took his hand as he led them down to the hall. Nothing was said between the two like most of the time they spent together. They were comfortable with the silence… mostly. She had come to learn that there were days he absolutely despised the silence and would do anything to get it to be filled, usually in the form of them sharing odd stories here and there.
Today was neither. He seemed like he wanted to burst and blurt out anything to fill the silence, but at the same time looked determined to keep his mouth shut. Every now and again she would catch glimpses of his expression changing. It was odd and interesting at the same time, like watching two people argue but it was just himself there.
She wanted to say something- anything- but couldn't find the words to do so. It was funny. A budding wordsmith and yet she couldn't find the words to express comfort for a dear friend. Eventually they arrived in the courtyard. It was rather empty. Then again, most of the occupants of the Lamadary were asleep. Except for North whose cries could still be heard faintly with the clashing of metal against metal, no doubt training with a yeti or two.
FrostLight sat on the bench, his gaze distant as he thought about what he was to say. Katherine sat down next to him, patiently waiting for him to speak. Soon he started to fidget with his spear, the moonbeam living inside of it coming out to nuzzle up against the astral boy's cheek. That's how she knew the situation was something that was really bothering her dear friend.
There were moments he had opened his mouth to speak but instantly deflated, over and over again until he sighed in frustration and raked his hand through his hair, pulling up his knees to his chest and resting his chin on his arm. At that moment he looked so torn that Katherine couldn't help but lean over and give him a gentle reassuring hug.
She didn't say anything, but then again they didn't need to speak to know the intent behind the other's actions. She felt the astral boy in her arms relax ever so slightly and let out a soft, shaky breath but nothing else.
Eventually, Katherine pulled away to look into his ethereal green eyes and yet she took hold of his hand as a sign of reassurance that she wasn't going anywhere. "Nightlight, whatever is bothering you… you can tell me…"
The spectral child looked at her for a moment before his gaze fell onto their hands as he let out a deep sigh. "FrostLight."
"Pardon?"
"My name… its FrostLight…" that made Katherine frown in confusion and tilt her head to the side. But all this time, everyone else has been calling him Nightlight. Were they wrong? Was he not who they all thought him to be?
"But everyone at the Lamadary calls you Nightlight?" It was more of a statement than a question but the intent was there. There was no sternness to her voice, only confusion.
Frostlight huffed slightly and proceeded to bury his head into the crook of his knees with another sigh. "That's correct. I am a Nightlight. So are my "siblings"."
"You have siblings?" Katherine gaped, staring at the boy next to her, her interest now very much piqued.
FrostLight smiled weakly and nodded. "Seven." Then he blinked and added "and one more."
"That's a lot of siblings…"
He nodded. "We're all Nightlight except for Mary… she's human… It gets a bit confusing when you calls us all "nightlight" even though its correct. That's why we have our own chosen name… mine is FrostLight, I only thought of it recently so MiM doesn't know yet…"
"I'd like to meet them one day." She stated with a smile. He beamed at her for a moment before his gaze went up towards the starry sky and pointed to a small cluster of stars in the sky that seemed to glow brighter when he did so.
Katherine tilted her head in wonder but allowed herself to follow her friend's line of sight. Up in the sky, where FrostLight was pointing, were a group of stars- a constellation- that somewhat resembled a smiling face.
"Constellation Lux Noctis." He said, a fondness to his voice. "A cluster of stars with no planets or planetoids around them."
"It kind of looks like a smiling face!" Katherine giggled softly to which FrostLight smiled and nodded. Then one by one he started to point out each star.
"SunBurst, StarShine, StarLight, VoidLight, MoonLight, MoonShine, StarBeam," Then he pointed at himself and smiled at Katherine. "FrostLight." She blinked a couple of times, then her eyes went back and forth between the constellation and the boy next to her.
"You're a star…" She breathed out, to which he nodded to.
"Sentient star. Most of the time we do not have humanoid forms but we are given one. Each one of us has served the Lunanoffs over the last eight generations. I am the youngest and therefore am the very last of my siblings to be given duties…"
"You must miss them, don't you?"
"I do, a lot. But they watch over me and know I can not abandon my duties… but that is not why I wish to talk to you about…"
"Then what is?" She wondered, taking hold of his hands again. "Whatever it is, I will listen, my dearest friend."
FrostLight took a deep breath and nodded to himself once again looking like he was having a short conversation before determination flashed in his eyes.
"It's a very big secret. One I'm not even sure I should be sharing with you. But I trust you with my life…" he took a deep breath and seemingly braced himself. "Are you familiar with the concept of time travel and time altercations?" Katherine slowly nodded, unsure of where this was going.
"Then let me tell you a story…" he started, and slowly he told her everything he could. About the time travelling, about history being already changed, how he, Sandy, and Pitch are working hard to keep the timeline intact or following a similar direction to the original timestream. About the future of the world and how they were determined to return it back to those times- making sure to keep his future name of Jack Frost and deaths vague.
It was a long, long tale. One full of impossibilities, hardships, and homesickness. He had spoken in hushed whispers and Katherine listened to it all. She did not speak, did not interrupt. She just listened, allowing for the spectral boy to open his heart to her through his words. And in an odd way, she, too, felt the effects of homesickness at the mention of the future.
Eventually he fell silent, his tale complete. He didn't look at her, nor made a move to hold her hand after she had pulled away. He was sure she thought him crazy.
But instead, he found himself in a tight embrace. "Thank you…" Katherine said. "For trusting me with this. I solemnly swear to keep this tale to myself." He soon found himself hugging the girl who held him close.
They stayed there, in each other's arms for a while. Soon, Katherine's arms started going limp, making FrostLight smile gently, noticing the signs of sleep. Carefully, he picked her up and walked to her room, gently tucking her into bed.
"FrostLight…" came her drowsy call, just as he was about to leave. "Do we have to follow the stories? Can't we just make something new and better?" She mumbled. "A new story?"
His eyes widened in realisation, a smile growing on his face as he opened his mouth to exclaim a thanks, only to stop short at noticing her chest fall and rise steadily, having already fallen asleep. With a warm gentle smile, FrostLight gave her a gentle kiss to the forehead in thanks before he slipped away. "Thank you, my Katherine. Sweet dreams."
It was the end of an adventure, but the start of a new one. Why should they redo an adventure already past when they could simply take a new path? A better path?
Somewhere, on a small island, a pair of rabbit ears appeared from a hole in the ground, followed by a giant rabbit that soon stood tall on his hind legs, his green and red robes lightly billowing in the wind, his whiskers twitching as he looked around, small egg shaped metal warriors surrounding his feet.
His shoulders sagged as he looked up to the slowly rising moon with a frown on his face as he removed the green egg-shaped glasses. "Not today either…" he sighed then sat on one of the boulders.
A few armoured eggs coming over to the giant rabbit each carrying something. A knife and a sturdy bent piece of mulga wood. The giant rabbit sighed and started carving out the wood with the offered knife. He would just have to wait and see.
AN: And thats it for this fic folks! wow! I actually cant believe I finished something for once!
well, anyway! the story diverges from here on away from the books because we have finally reached the point in which I can play with the timeline! expect the next part soon as I have already started preparing and writing!
until next time! :D