Author's Note:

Hey guys! Here's another chapter to 'A Forbidden Love'.

Before you read, I suggest you listen to 'Tell Your Heart to Beat Again' by Danny Gokey. I think it goes pretty well with this chapter, but it's up to you to decide if it does. You can listen to it before, while or after you read. But without further ado, read on!

-Diana

Chapter Three: This Is True Love

Elsa's POV

So many emotions passed through me. The fact that I was hesitating scared me. If there wasn't any Prince Leopold or forced marriage, I would've immediately accepted Jack's offer to dance.

But now...

Prince Leopold is my future husband. Soon, he'll be the one offering the dance and showering me with kisses and honeyed words. Being unfaithful to your husband is considered a crime, punishable by death. In Arendelle, it's the only way to preserve the royal bloodline and to expel the shame it would bring upon the land.

And yet, here I am, with Jack because I know he's meant for me. I know we were destined for each other. But I also know that being with Jack would invite so much trouble, now that I'm fated with someone else.

Nevertheless, I shook all those doubts and took his hand, signaling that I have accepted. Jack smiled, his blue eyes twinkling. Suddenly, Jack whistled. Tiny elves came out of the white scenery and started doing things. A few helped get our beautiful skates on, others were setting up to be the source of music for our dance; the small orchestra of tiny elves. I wonder if one of Jack's Guardian friends had a hand in this. Finally, everything was done and Jack and I took our places and positions on the ice.

To be honest, I don't dance much, never mind on ice. Jack is a natural, especially in the waltz. I can only think he picked it up from the places he's visited as a Guardian. But for some reason, dancing the waltz on ice was easier than on the ground. I registered the syrupy melodic sounds the elf orchestra was making. Instantly, my body merged with the not only the movements of waltz, but the music as well. When a specific note played, Jack made me spin.

Another thing that made my discomfort in dancing disappear was Jack. He knew that I didn't dance as much, so he puts the dance in a way that would be perfect for me. I smile inside. He knows me so well.

I look into Jack's eyes. Those eyes have given me so much comfort, so much love. I feel Jack's repeated touch, so soft and tender. It calms me down when I feel frenzied. His voice is another pleasure. That voice is the thing that rocks me to sleep on disturbed nights. It's his voice that brings so much assurance of a future together; something that we might never have now.

With a pang, I realize how much I will miss Jack. How much I will miss the person who has changed my life forever. How much I will miss the times we spent together. How much I will miss the dreams of a possible future with each other.

Something must of shown my unease because Jack leans closer and whispers, "Are you alright?" I nod, swallowing the anxiety down and let myself focus on our waltz. To help, I repeated these words mentally. Glide by glide. Glide by glide. Since we were on ice, it made sense to say glide rather than step.

Around the final phase of the music, Jack twirled me around and I lost my balance. Jack caught me. Before I could do anything about it, he leaned in for a kiss. The surprise melted away and I let him. I realize the music has stopped and there's the jingle of multiple bells. Jack stops and helps me to regain my balance. His face is filled with happiness and so much hope. All that happiness and hope will go to waste once I tell him- I shut down my thoughts before finishing and turn around to be greeted by equally bright elves. They all looked so ecstatic at our performance that it made me regret that I even thought of telling them the horrible news that I was getting married to someone else.

Jack, not to mention the elves, put so much effort, so much care and so much thought into this, that it makes my heart twist with guilt to inform them that it will be the last anniversary surprise they will throw for me.

Jack's hopeful voice interrupts my flow of thoughts. "Did you like it, Elsa?" he asks. I turn to look at him, grinning. "I loved it!" I answer. He sighs with relief, shoulders sagging. "Great, because the elves put so much energy into this, not to mention North-"

"Oh stop it will you?" I tease, grabbing his shirt to make him come closer. Our lips meet. Jack's stunned at first, but it dissolves. I wanted it to last. Who knows, it might be the last kiss we share.

Later

"I love you, Jack." I murmur. "I love you too, Elsa." Jack whispers back, rubbing my shoulder gently. I sigh and snuggle closer to Jack, marveling this moment. The full moon stares down on us, outshining the stars that accompany it. We're on top of the snow-covered castle, on the roofs. I smile as I replayed the spectacular time I had with Jack in the pine forest, thanks to the elves. Besides the dance, they served us with every baked good imaginable (mostly cookies) and after that, most of them also danced. Pretty soon, I was stuffed, tired but most of all, blissful. I will never, in all my years forget this night, this gift from Jack to me. Suddenly, a thought hit me.

Jack gave a present to you. Where's your present?

I was stupefied. How can I be so stupid? Why hadn't I thought of it? Jack had worked so hard on his gift, it was obvious he deserved something in return. Especially when this is our last anniversary. I sat there, suddenly unhappy, racking my brain for possible solutions. Nothing. It was too late for any late planning, too late for a proper excuse, too late to create some rushed goodie. There was only the truth. So I took a deep breath and told him.

"You know...after all this..." I pause, trying really hard to swallow the lump in my throat. "I just realized that I...forgot to give...you an anniversary gift."

"Oh, I already noticed that." Jack answers simply.

"What?" I gape at him. "You already knew?" I know my voice was guilt-ridden because Jack turns around to face me. "Yes, I did. It's no big deal, Elsa. Really." He says, looking straight into my eyes, his gaze soft. I sigh. But when you know this is your last anniversary, it kinda is. "Are you sure?" I whisper. Jack nods. "Yes." He takes his hands and puts it on my cheek. "Your love for me is enough."

My heart fills with joy at his words. Jack leans in and our lips connect. As we kiss, my mind is a blank, except for the one thought that keeps repeating:

This is true love.

This is true love.

This is true love.

That's the end of Chapter Three! Hoped you liked it! Maybe there was too much kissing, I dunno, but please inform me in the comments if there was too much. Anyways, keep reviewing and I'll keep writing! As for the people who have already reviewed, thanks for the support and advice!

-Diana