Chapter 12: An Old Photo
Anton was resting in his room. He had a lot on his mind. Something was off about Elsa. He hadn't noticed it until the day she was attacked by a Werewolf. Now that he thought about it, she had been off for a while. He couldn't put his finger on what was off but he knew that something was. He had a feeling that she was holding something back, something important. He had racked his brains trying to figure out what it could be and now he thought that he may have a clue on what it could be.
On the day that Elsa came back attacked by a Werewolf, she had been asked to describe her attacker, Anton had the feeling that she had been lying. Anton could often tell when someone was lying, there are just little tells that people do whenever they lied and Elsa, like a lot of people, had one herself. He just felt like that most of the story that she had been told was a lie and that the only truthful part was when the attack itself.
But why would Elsa lie? That was the question prying on Anton's mind. Anton had racked his brain for an explanation and he found one; that Elsa knew the Werewolf that had attacked her. But how would Elsa know a Werewolf? Every time Anton seems to solve a question, a new one pops up. Anton could only come up with some scenarios that could explain everything but he wasn't sure. He had thought that maybe Elsa had come across a Werewolf that needed help. Elsa had a kind heart and so she would stop to help anyone that needed her help, regardless of if they were friend or foe. Another scenario that was going through Anton's head was that maybe Elsa knew the Werewolf before he (she had mentioned it was a he so he was assuming that the Werewolf was indeed a male) became a Werewolf and thus didn't want him to get into trouble from the Vampires. Both of those were very likely and Anton liked those explanations. The only other one that he could think of was that instead of Elsa knowing the Werewolf before he became a Werewolf was that it was the other way around, that the Werewolf knew Elsa before she became a Vampire but Anton knew a little bit of her background. He was sure that she hadn't mentioned anyone with the ability to transform at the full moon.
Anton wondered what Elsa was hiding. It may not necessary be related to the Werewolf attack although he did feel it wasn't a coincidence that she had lied about the Werewolf attack. Anton tossed and turned and then he heard the sound of a door shutting. Anton tore off his covers and headed to his door. He saw Elsa with her back turned to him as she was shutting the door. She slept in the room diagonally to him. Anton quickly hid as she turned around but leaving the door opened a little bit so he could see what she was doing. Elsa took off down the hallway and out of sight. Anton wondered what she could be doing. Where was she going? Was she simply unable to sleep and decided to go for a wander around the castle? Well, that was likely. What else could she be doing?
Anton then decided on something that wasn't something he liked to do. It was conventional but he knew if he wanted any answers he had to start somewhere. He decided to search Elsa's things. Anton didn't like to pry but this time, he knew that something was up with his friend and she wasn't likely to tell him anything which was unfortunate. Anton felt like he was a pretty trustworthy person whose advice hadn't caused anyone to go down the wrong pathway yet. Anton quickly grabbed his blue dressing gown and placed it over his pyjamas; a white t-shirt and some blue and black stripped pyjama shorts with some white socks on his feet. Anton pushed open his door and walked out onto the corridor.
Anton's white socks slipped on the polished floor as he walked. It had caught him off guard just how slippery these floors can be. Anton quickly tip toed over to Elsa's room and quickly looked around. He knew that Ragnar was next door and his sleep patterns can change as quickly as the weather. Sometimes he could be a very heavy sleeper and could sleep through the apocalypse and on other times, simply the smallest noise could wake up him. Anton quickly made sure that he wasn't making any noise and that no one was around before he turned on the bedroom handle. It wasn't locked so Anton simply walked right in.
Anton pushed the door open and entered Elsa's bedroom. Since there was no light source and no natural light, the room, like the hallway, was dark. Anton took out a torch from his dressing gown's pocket. He often kept on in there since being a night dweller, it was nice to have a little bit of light from despite it not mattering whether he did or not. Vampires had an incredibly high sense of sight during the dark but sometimes things can be seen differently in the night and in the light. Anton clicked the torch on and shined it around the room. There wasn't much it was giving him so he rested it on he rested it on Elsa's bedside table. Anton then continued to look.
He opened Elsa's wardrobe and found her bag with all her things in it. He doubted that she would have bought anything important things with her but you never know, maybe she did and maybe she didn't. Anton didn't find anything in the bag that wasn't out of place. He found clothes and toiletries among some other things like books. There wasn't anything there that had any hidden meaning to it. Anton paused, crouched over Elsa's bag, and he thought about the situation. Maybe she didn't bring anything with her. Anton made a note to have a look through her stuff at her place in the convent. Although, just that thought made Anton feel very guilty. He was looking through Elsa's personal things. Elsa had always been a private person. She never told anyone about her past life as a human, just details here and there. She didn't even say a lot about her time as a Vampire either. Elsa would freak if she found Anton doing what he was doing. Maybe he should just leave it and ask Elsa. She might tell him the truth if he asked. Anton was sure that Elsa found him someone that she could trust.
Anton stood up and turned around. That was when he had noticed it. The beam of light coming from the torch was shining on Elsa's jacket that was hanging in her closet. Anton felt as if the light was leading him in the right direction. Was there something in her jacket? Well, guess he was about to find out. He headed over to it and saw that the beam of light was resting on an area of the chest. Anton quickly gathered up his torch, clicked it off, placed it back into his pocket and then proceeded over to Elsa's jacket. There were some pockets in that position and Anton checked them and found nothing. The other pockets (that were in a position that you would normally find pockets) were empty too. Was this a wild goose chase? That was when he realised something else.
When he had searched through the pockets on the chest area, there had been something heavy there but somehow Anton just forgot about it. He checked it again and found that there were inside pockets. Anton checked them and drew out what looked like old photographs. They were the same photographs that Elsa had showed him before. There were the ones that he had seen before and many that he hadn't. Some people he didn't know and some he did know. On the back were some names that detailed who were who in the photographs.
Anton checked through all of them. He couldn't help but think that somehow the answer to his questions were in here somewhere. The photographs held the secret, he was sure of it. Elsa kept these away from people. Anton thought that maybe he had been the first to see the photos in such a long time. Elsa kept her human life private and didn't like to discuss it. She would change the subject whenever someone bought it up. Anton didn't know why she didn't but he had decided not to push it as he knew it was a sensitive subject with her.
Anton then stopped it on a particular photo. It was a photo of a boy, probably around Elsa's age. He wore a high collar white jacket trimmed with blue. The photo was only of the top half of the person so what he was wearing below was unknown to Anton. The boy had light blonde hair and dazzling blue eyes. Anton stared at this photo. He was sure that he knew this boy but he didn't know how. The photo was old and if it was from Elsa's past then it was probably taken in the 1830s or 1840s which looked about the right age for him. So how did Anton know this boy? He was sure he knew him but he didn't know how. Anton racked his brains for an answer, waiting for that moment of realisation when he would realise who he was. Was he a fellow Vampire at the convent? No, that wasn't it. Someone from his past? No, that wasn't right; everyone who Anton once knew was dead. Then who could it be? Anton knew that the answer was on the tip of his tongue, it was just waiting to be found in his brain.
It was as if a lightbulb went off in Anton's head. He knew where he had seen this boy alright. His name is Jack Frost and he wasn't just anyone, he was a member of The Guardians – a group of Werewolves.
Anton was puzzled by this. Why would Elsa have a picture of one of The Guardians? Then it hit him. The picture was old. The boy was dressed in clothing appropriate for 19th century Norwegian clothes. Could this boy be someone that Elsa knew back when she was a human when she lived in Arendelle? That was a distinct possibility. Could he be the Werewolf that Elsa met and she lied in order to cover for the fact that she once knew him – or still knew him? Anton couldn't rule anything out for the moment. Anton looked down at the picture. Elsa had never mentioned knowing him or even mentioned him. Did something happen between that that Elsa wants to keep hidden? If he didn't mean anything to her, surely she would have causally mentioned him at some point and she had a photo of him with her other photos that Elsa treasured. Did that mean that she treasured him too? Again, Anton wasn't going to rule anything out. He needed to have this cleared up and he wanted it cleared up now. He was curious about what they meant to each other back then in Arendelle, probably when they were both human, and now when they were Vampire and Werewolf.
The clock chimed several times which brought Anton back to the world. Anton realised just how much time had actually gone. He had spent quite a bit of time looking at these. Maybe he should put everything back and ask Elsa about it in the morning or should he wait for her to get back? Well, Anton didn't know when she was coming back. For all he knew, she could still be hours away.
Just as Anton decided that he best be leaving, the door handle suddenly turned. He guessed that now his confrontation of Elsa was going to happen and lot earlier than he expected. He braced himself for what was going to happen next.
Elsa stared into Anton's eyes. Her eyes kept flickering from the photo of Jack to Anton. Anton didn't look furious though. He did look a little angry.
"Er," that was all that Elsa could get out. How was she going to explain this? She had no idea how she was even going to start trying to explain this. How was she going to say to Anton that she had a picture of a Guardian because she is secretly in love with him and knew him from her past?
"I'm waiting Elsa," Anton said. "Please, tell me the truth."
Did Anton even deserve the truth? Elsa's brain suddenly took an interesting thought. Elsa could simply create a lie around why she had that photo. Anton didn't need the truth. All he needed was an acceptable answer that wouldn't invite a lot of questions.
"I have it because of research purposes," Elsa said, saying the first thing that came to her mind. If she dawdled on her answer, then Anton would know that she was lying.
"Research purposes?" Anton repeated, raising his eyebrows as he did.
"Yeah," Elsa said. "I wanted to do some background information on The Guardians and since we don't know a lot about the latest addition, Jackson Frost, I thought I would delve into his history."
"And what did you discover?" Anton's voice sounded weird. She wasn't sure he was buying it but maybe with a bit more explanation then maybe he would.
"That he was born in 1915, back home in Burgess," Elsa made up on the spot. Anything to kept Anton away from thinking about Arendelle.
"Really?"
"Yeah," Elsa said. "He had four brothers but they all died during the Second World War."
"Ah-ha," Anton nodded his head. He seemed to be buying it. "Then tell me Elsa, why is he wearing 19th century clothing that is founded in Norway?"
"Er," Elsa's heart dropped. Could Anton really know his time period clothing? "Well that's because he was going to a costume–" her sentence was interrupted by Anton's next question.
"And tell me why I found him tucked up with your other photos?" Anton continued. "Photos that you treasure?"
"Er," Elsa said again. "Because that's where I keep my ph –" Her sentence was yet again interrupted by Anton. Elsa drew very quiet when Anton gave her a look.
"You want to know what I think?" Anton said. "I think you knew this boy when you were both human. Now I don't know what happened between the two of you, if it was love, if it was rivalry, if it was just friendship, but all I know is that you hid the fact that you know him and still know him today as I am sure that he is the Werewolf that attacked you and you led Doctor Frasier on a wild goose chase."
"Er," why was that the only thing that could come out of her mouth?
"Am I right?" Anton asked.
"Yes," Elsa squeaked. What else could she say? Anton clearly knew that she had been lying about the Werewolf attack and he seemed to know that she had been lying now.
"What happened?" Anton asked in a tired voice.
"We loved each other," Elsa said in a barely auditable voice.
"Ah I see," Anton said. "You mentioned that you had once left Arendelle because you had Turned, did you leave him behind?"
"Yes," Elsa nodded.
"And now you have reacquainted with him?"
"Yes," Elsa repeated.
"I see," Anton said. "What are you going to do?"
"I cannot leave him Anton."
"I never said you should."
"But you said –" Elsa's voice was drained by Anton's kind face.
"I'll leave you to it," Anton said and he left while humming a tune.
He left the room leaving Elsa thoroughly confused on what had happened.
"You did what Edmund?" Tooth yelled at Bunnymund.
Bunnymund cowered under the look Tooth was giving him. Jack didn't blame him. Tooth could be very scary when she wanted to.
"You," she poked Bunnymund in the chest, "betrayed the secret that Jack and I asked you, so nicely, to keep?"
"Er, maybe," Bunnymund said.
Tooth wrung her hands. She looked like she wanted to strangle Bunnymund. Jack knew how she felt. She would have to get in line first.
"How could you do that!" she yelled at him. Bunnymund opened his mouth to speak but Tooth yelled over him. "That wasn't a question! I don't want to hear how you think that all Vampires are the bad guys or how you're saving Jack or how you your loyalties are to the Werewolves. I don't want to hear it."
"Tooth –" Bunnymund's voice failed him. It looked like to Jack that he didn't know what to say to her. If he didn't do something, could his relationship with Tooth be over? Well it wasn't like this was new. They've had a very on and off relationship. Someone would screw up and they would get into an argument and then break up. They would get back together though.
"I think Bunnymund was only doing what he thought was right," Jack said in a small voice.
"What?" both Tooth and Bunnymund spun round to face Jack. Both had a look of pure disbelief etched onto their face.
"You're defending him?" Tooth said that as if Jack was talking crazy talk.
"I'm not defending him," Jack said firmly. "I'm simply saying what Bunnymund was doing. Besides, everything turned out okay. North agreed with our plan to end the war. He didn't seem to mind that I was with Elsa."
Tooth's brief happy moment was taken over by a look of seriousness. "But Jack, what if North hadn't agreed? You could have been kicked out, you could have been killed for 'treason'." She mimed air quotes.
"True," Jack shrugged, "but North isn't that kind of guy. He would probably just banish me to do what I needed to do."
"Maybe," Tooth shrugged as well. She then turned onto Bunnymund. "I still cannot believe what you did." Tooth spoke in a very dangerous voice. Jack was glad that he wasn't Bunnymund. "What you did was purely despicable. What kind of friend betrays another friend? Jack has kept all your secrets. He kept your secret about us when you thought that North wouldn't agree. He kept your secret about your nightmares when you transformed. He has kept so many of your secrets and he has never breathed a word of them."
"That is true," Bunnymund went a little white. He turned to Jack. "Jack I'm –"
Jack put his hand up to stop him. "No need."
Bunnymund smiled weakly at Jack before turning to Tooth. "Sweetie, honey, babe –"
"Don't even try it," Tooth snarled. "I will need some time to forgive you. Jack may have – a little too easily and soon for my taste – but I will not be so forgiving. Now go pack, North has requested us for a mission."
Tooth stormed out of the room, slamming the door as she went. Both Jack and Bunnymund flinched at this.
"Well," Jack said, "looks like she has your name on a list."
"Yeah, she does," Bunnymund sighed. "I'm used to her angry, I've seen her fuming before – and it has been at me – but this time is different."
"Well you screwed up," Jack said, "big time."
"How do I make it up to her?" Bunnymund looked desperate.
"Don't ask me," Jack said. "Besides, you got to make it up to me as well. I may forgive but I don't always forget."
"True," Bunnymund said. "But surely you screwed up with Elsa? How did you fix that?"
"I didn't really screw up as you put it," Jack said. "We had our fair amount of fights but then she got engaged to someone else and then distanced herself from me. I thought she was telling me that she didn't ever want to see me again but the truth was the opposite; that she was protecting me from herself."
"So this thing with Elsa," Bunnymund said, "I'm still not sure, I'm okay with it. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad North is but I'm not sure."
Jack shrugged. "That's fine. Take your time."
"It's the real thing though?" Bunnymund asked.
Jack nodded. "I want to be with her for the rest of our lives – which may be a lot longer now. I want to marry her, have children with her, just be with her."
"At least you're not throwing everything away for some girl."
"Elsa was never 'some girl'," Jack said. "She was always 'the girl'."
"Like the one?"
"Yeah," Jack nodded. "Like how Tooth is with you."
"Yeah, I suppose that's true," Bunnymund shrugged. "But she isn't like using you to get to us?"
"No," Jack shook his head. "She is not."
"Well then, that's good enough for me," Bunnymund smiled. "But seriously, how do I get back into Tooth's good books?"
"I dunno," Jack laughed. "Tooth can be pretty complex."
"Tell me about it," Bunnymund muttered. "I just hope I can fix this before it becomes a major thing."
"Me too," Jack smiled. "You and Tooth belong together. I'm sure everything will be fine."
"I hope so," Bunnymund said.
The door then opened and Tooth came back in.
"What are you guys waiting for?" she asked sounding a little annoyed. "Come on, they're waiting!"
Jack patted Bunnymund on the shoulder before they left the room together following Tooth.
A/N: So did Elsa avoid trouble with Anton? Speaking of trouble, Bunnymund is shoulder deep in trouble (make that double - sorry couldn't resist in making a Team Rocket reference). Anyway, I hope that everyone enjoyed this update. Please review =)
Reviews:
Guest: Really glad that you enjoyed Starstruck and the previous chapter. Any other of my stories you are interested in? Based on what people have reviewed, I recommend Battle For Her Heart or Never Mix Personal With Business. People have enjoyed those. Looks like Elsa didn't get into trouble about the photo although I do believe there is more to that. Will Pitch kept pursing Elsa? Well maybe to an extent. Thanks so much!
ElsaTheSnowQueen2: Well it looks like all your fears were solved! Thanks so much!
fireninjafox: Yep, that's bang on the mark.
Guest (Mixybell): Agreed! You gotta love Anton! He is always the good guy.
itsmorefuninthePhillipne: Okay answering the two questions. 1: No the daily updates are not back. I am going to be busy at university. It's just that the first week is generally pretty slack so some chapters will be able to be up pretty quickly but once I am in the swing of things everything becomes crazy. 2: Will Jack or Elsa die? Hmm, maybe you might have to read to find out. I don't rarely kill them off as I love Jelsa so much but I do have something planned for them in the later chapters.
Frostbite Productions: Not sure about what the first part of that review says. Sorry. But the second half, wow, thanks so much!
Kat-Illuminated: Thanks for the offer about help, I'll probably take that up at some point. Yeah that is sound advice for Bunnymund and it looks like he is seriously trying to back peddle with Tooth in this chapter. Well I can safely say that Anton isn't there for Pitch. He finds Pitch as creepy as Elsa does and he isn't a fan of the Vampire-Werewolf war (see previous chapters for this). It looks like Anton is okay with the relationship, but will this last? Who knows? Well I do, of course. I think I can say that Anton is the good guy in this story and will not pull a Bunnymund. Thanks for the luck. I will need it just based off what I've seen in my courses so far. Anyway, thanks so much!