The wind was colder here than in the North Pole, and Bunny barely stuck his head out before his ears were frozen stiff. "Alright, I can't go out there." He shimmed back down the hole. "This is as far as I can go." He smiled, "good luck, mate. If you need a quick getaway, just let me know. I'll be waiting."

Jack smiled, "thanks, Bunny. I'll see you soon." He shot out of the hole and landed on the frozen wasteland. His eyes squinted as he scanned the rough terrain, in the distance he saw something, it could have been a glacier or it was the Black Castle. He summoned the wind to his aid and flew toward it quickly.

It didn't take long before he stood outside the looming gates, staring up at them, his heart quaked. It was a terrifying masterpiece, meant to inspire fear. He wondered if Pitch had ever seen it. Without much trouble, he leaped over the high gate but on the other side, the wind failed him and he fell to the ground landing hard.

"Ugh." He groaned, rolling over, "what the…" He stopped. There was no wind in the courtyard. Not a sound could be heard in the dead silence which fell like a heavy blanket around him, threatening to crush his very essence. He shivered and stood, "what an awful place." The doors to the castle were shut, but upon approaching they opened softly. He didn't like that.

Jack moved into the dark building cautiously. Everything was just as still on the inside as it was on the outside. He hesitated, "Merida, what an awful place to be trapped."

Suddenly there was a sound, it was a cry. He blinked and followed the sound; it led him down into the darkest parts of the castle, until he stood outside a room with a door etched with runes.

"Merida?" He whispered. The sobbing stopped. "Merida?" He said again.

"Jack?" The voice was distinctly Merida's, and his heart clenched. "Merida!" He pushed against the door, turning the knob frantically.

"It's no good. I tried everything."

Jack pressed his head against the door, he imagined he could feel her warmth on the other side, "I'm sorry."

"For what?"

"For everything. For getting you in trouble. For…" he stopped, swallowing hard, "for letting you die."

Merida sighed, "ya, you could have done better." He knew she was teasing, but it still hurt. "Frost, don't let it get to you. I don't remember much of it anyway." They stood quietly for a while, "what is this place?" Merida finally asked.

"The Black Queen's castle," Jack replied. "She captured your soul."

"Why?"

"I don't know. But I'm going to get you out of here and get you back home safely."

"Jack… even if you do rescue me, what if I can't..."

The idea had crossed his mind, and the thought chilled him more than the bitterest of winds. "Don't think about that. It will work. I need to find the key to this door, do you have any ideas?"

Merida was quiet, "not really. I've no idea where the key is. But my guess would be with the Queen."

Jack thought about that, "not a good thing." He stepped back from the door, "Merida, stand away from the door. I'm going to try something."

"Be careful."

Careful was not the thought Jack was having, and it was the last thing on his mind. He gripped the shepherds crook and with a powerful wave, blasting the door with ice. Only, the ice repelled against it and slammed back into Jack, knocking him off his feet and leaving him breathless on the floor.

"Jack?!" Merida called, "Jack?"

"I'm…" he wheezed, "okay…"

"What happened?"

"I tried to be smart, and ended up very stupid." Jack grumbled, climbing to his feet. "Alright, key it is."

"Jack, wait! If it begins to get dangerous, please just leave me. I don't want you to get hurt because of me."

Jack sighed, "Merida-"

"Don't argue! Just promise."

Jack bit his tongue, "I promise."

"Good. Thank you, Jack." She was already resigned to her fate, and that broke Jack's heart more than anything else. He gripped the staff and looked back at the door; he wasn't going to leave her here in this frozen place, a place that would make even a dark man like Pitch shiver.