Chapter Eleven- Knives

Adrianne had been up and about for a few days now, much to the guardians chagrin. Jack because he wanted to keep her in bed, and the others because they wanted her out of the way. She didn't try to make a mess, but it followed her like a thundercloud. It really wasn't her fault that the ground beneath her feet froze and because slippery when she walked on it, and she had no control over the little flakes that danced around her as she whirled from room to room, constantly seeking something new to do. North had meant to immediately expel her from his workshop after the chaos she caused in the first hour alone, but found it immensely difficult to do so after he saw her face light up with joy, as she responded with wonder to everything around her. That is what truly melted North's heart, what guardian of wonder would he be if he denied Adrianne hers? Unfortunately for Adrianne, Bunny had been quite a different matter. He'd asked her, quite plainly, if she would like to look over Jack, and begrudgingly she said that she would, and had been carted from the room.

And so Adrianne found herself waiting by Jack's bedside, having agreed to sit with him. She laughed melodically she would allow North and Bunny to regain forces, and North in particular to strengthen his resolve. She had a block of ice in her hand, and some of North's minute tools. While she waited for Jack to wake, she chipped away at the ice, her brow furrowed in concentration. It hadn't escaped her notice when Jack had stole away to the other room to have his wound tended to. The mark was nothing to ashamed of- he was not to blame. Her on the other hand...

She huffed, and returned to her work, which was beginning to take shape. It was dangerous to let her mind wander in those directions. So instead she looked out of the window at the snow, trying to trace the mesmerizing dances she knew she would never be able to mimic. She would have to become a snowflake herself for that. She trusted her hands to continue working on the ice, to bring to life the image which had been brewing in her mind for a few days now. It had started when Sandy had shown her the black dagger of Pitch. It was a horrible item, and seemed to writhe with living shadows in her hands. But she had to admire the craftmanship that had gone into the weapon, it was beautiful, in an evil way.

She liked her staff well enough, and was pretty good at fighting with it, but she wanted something that she could attack with up close. Something that would leave a mark. She already had marks on her wrists, an eerie silvery pink in color. They were fascinating, and seemed to be almost luminescent. She had debated wrapping strips of leather around them, but she had realised that she didn't want to hide. And more importantly, that she didn't want Pitch to have one up on her, to think that she was ashamed of the marks, because she wasn't. She was proud, proud to have given herself up, and proud to have defied the Nightmare King.

So she bore the marks, and maybe next time she would make some of her own on him. She looked down, and placed the delicate finished model down, froze an ice block, and started another.

...

She'd completed the third, and was just starting the fourth when Jack finally woke up. She laid her half completed work down, and smiled at him.

"Morning sunshine." He groggily turned his head towards her.

"Morning. What are you doing here?"

"I'm watching over you." She patted his shoulder, and grinned. "And North has finally cast me out of the workshop."
He raised a silver eyebrow.

"You managed to stay in there for three days?" Adrianne shrugged.

"Yeah. Why?" He looked at her amazed.

"You could be a ninja. I've only ever managed one." Adrianne snorted as she remembered the huge pile of toys that she had knocked over, and the yelling yetis that had chased her for two hours solid. Still... a ninja. A shadow of the night. It sounded exciting. A slow smile crept across her face.

"Somehow I doubt it." Her eyes brightened. "Hey look at these." She handed over the first gleaming hunting knife. "Careful, it's sharp." Jack gingerly inspected the dagger. His eyes widened as he took in every detail on the hilt, the intricate markings of the snowflakes, somehow twisting in their ethereal dance even on the stillness of the ice. He picked up the second and gasped as he recognized the thin wispy lines of a gale blowing in to be those of his friend, the wind. Rarely had he ever seen lines portray the rushing wind so clearly that the wind easily could have taken off the ice and raced around the room. The third knife again had marks of the wind, blowing around snow. Amongst the billowing snow there were runes, and markings of the phases of the moon.

He handed the last one back, awed.

"They're amazing." Adrianne fixed him with a look.

"I want to be able to protect myself. And you." He nodded. She knew that he understood. "Perhaps I shall make some ninja weaponry after all." She mused, entertaining the thought briefly.

"Could you teach me?" Adrianne struggled for an answer.

"I don't think it's something that can be taught. Besides, you're 300 years old, I'm sure you are pretty good already." Then without speaking, she cupped her hands together, staring intently at the third hunting knife. A blue glow encased them, flaring brightly before fading away. Outside a snowstorm sprung up, and the wind rattled the window panes. When she opened her hands, there was a fourth knife, a replica of the third, with the runes and wind. She handed the knife to Jack, who shook his head and tried to return it. The storm outside dropped to a gentle lulling snowfall.

"Take it. It is the only knife that will ever have a twin. All the others will be unique."

Reluctantly, Jack nodded, and placed it on his bedside table. Adrianne felt a rush of excitement overcome her. He now had something of hers. The moment lingered, warming her chest.

"Thank you." He said sincerely, beaming at her, all he needed was a sheath of some kind, just like Adrianne. Maybe should could find some leather, and interesting stones to make some. She herself was stunned by what she could do with ice- what could she do with leather?

"Thank you Ree." He repeated. Adrianne smiled tentatively there was something about that name that she wanted to talk to him about.

"About the name Ree..." Jack paled, immediately jumping to the wrong conclusion.

"You don't like it? I'm sorry, I'll change it." Jack was babbling, fear evident on his face. Adrianne rushed to soothe him.

"No no! I love the name. But nobody else is allowed to call me Ree. Just you." Jack nodded, calm.

"But the thing I wanted to say was that I don't ever want you calling me that in front of Pitch. I never want him to call me that." Jack nodded once more, and Adrianne could see he understood.

"Now tell me. What mischief have you caused for the yetis in my absence?"

...

When the other guardians walked in Jack was laughing his head off, tears streaking down his face, while Adrianne was all but rolling around on the floor in silent hysterics. The two froze silent as soon as they saw the thoroughly confused adults, before bursting into laughter again. It took several minutes to regain a vaguely normal sense of sanity, during which the guardians simply stood there, patiently waiting. Every time they glanced towards Bunny they would start from the beginning, so it took a very long time for either of them to regain their composure. When they did, Adrianne sat most primly in the chair and Jack was lounging in his bed, both acting as if nothing had happened.

"Jack, Adrianne!" Tooth called out, fluttering to the bed. North followed. Bunny however was distracted by the daggers, glinting softly in the fading sunlight. He picked one up, and thumbed the design. North picked up another.

"Huh. Never would have thought you an artist frostbite." He said finally, looking a Jack. His voice held surprise, but respect as well. North nodded, whilst Tooth eyes the weapon with an uneasy expression.

"Yes Jack. These knives are very good, excellent design. Adrianne beamed from the compliments, even if they weren't directed at her.

"Actually, Ree made them." With comical speed, the spotlight was turned to Adrianne. She shrugged, trying to make out that it was no big deal, when in truth she was chuffed beyond belief.

"I wanted some weapons." Bunny picked up the twin blade that belonged to Jack.

"So did frostbite teach you?" She shook her head.

"No. I made that one for him. It will be the only twin blade." If Bunny noticed the way the pair glanced towards each other, he didn't comment. Nor did he comment on the meanings of the runes swirling in the gale if he understood them. North silently left the room, beckoned away by a jittery looking Sandy. Adrianne watched them worriedly as North threw her a tight smile and the pair waked off.

"Do you know how I could make some sheaths Bunny?"

"Yeah sure, you'll need some leather-"

"Everybody." North interrupted, his tone so serious that everybody stopped, and focused solely on him. He gravely stared at Jack, and Adrianne's skin prickled in warning, and she shifted uncomfortably. The snowstorm outside grew in violence, and the temperature dropped about 10 degrees. Jack squeezed Adrianne's hand reassuringly, though she could see that he was also scared by the sudden change of atmosphere.

"We have a problem."