Chapter 8- Family
When Sally had said the torches would guide him, he hadn't realised she'd meant literally. As soon as he was at the bottom of the spiralling stairway, every nerve in his body still telling him to run back for his staff, two torches on the wall sprung to life, casting flickering shadows over the stone walls and making Jack jump in surprise. Then a grin spread across his face. Taking a few steps towards the torches, he gave a laugh when they went out, only to relight further down the corridor.
He began to run. Chasing the torches and trying to keep ahead of them, laughing to himself before something cold brushed him by, until an indignant squawk made him stop. Feet skidding across the stone floor as he slowed to a stop and turned around,
"Sorry, I didn't see you and-" …he still didn't see anyone. Looking down the corridor, turning around, no one. "Hello?" he tried calling. A sound of someone giving an almost impatient sigh, and a cold tap on his shoulder. He turned to the side. Nothing. "Who's there? Stop messing about!"
Strangely, his reply was a laugh. "Up here, stupid" A voice, distinctly male, said from above. Slowly raising his head, he was met with the smile of a young man, short red hair in a mess around his face and his eyes a soft hazel. He was smiling at Jack, expression open and soft as he...floated? The spirit lowered himself to the floor, still looking down at Jack,
"Y-you're…" Jack began, blue eyes wide as he took in the flicker of torchlight he was seeing through the person standing in long robes before him. The young man shrugged, he seemed unfazed as he smiled again,
"I'd hoped we'd established I'm a ghost, since you did so carefully walk through me a moment ago. But who are you? Why're you in my sister's castle? You're obviously not a ghost, and you don't have the features of a Fae. The vampires are all sleeping and the lycanthropes are out gallivanting under the moon. I'd say you were elf-kind, but they have no reason to come this far and your ears look normal. So…you must be an outsider! It's been a long time since one of you got here." This man reminded him of Tooth. Hyper, talking a mile a minute and practically buzzing with energy as he circled Jack. Wait a moment, had he said-?
"Did you say your sister?" come to think of it, hadn't the record said she had two brothers? When the man nodded, he felt a smile of his own spread across his face, beginning to see the resemblance now. The soft features, open expression, red hair, even the same light English accent…it was all so similar, and yet with the anger he had just seen on little Hallow's features, it still seemed almost impossible to believe this light, happy person was a relative of hers. "Is it genetics or personal choice to always stay near the ceiling?" he asked just to break the silence. The male laughed lightly, seeming to understand to what Jack was referring "So which are you? Caohm or Áedán?"
The man bowed, grinning when he raised his head again, "Áedán. But please, you must not let Hallow know. She had enough trouble dealing with Caohm. I don't need her to cry over me when she has no reason to."
That confused Jack, "what do you mean 'dealing with Caohm', wouldn't she be happy her brother was here?" Áedán looked confused for a moment, before his eyes went wide,
"You don't-? I thought because you knew our names…oh dear…" he gave an awkward smile, "look, it's not my place to tell, but know and remember this. Some of us are here by choice, and others by force. It is worse for her to know we exist here." He gave a knowing smile to Jack, "this place is full of spirits, so she doesn't register me amongst the others. I'd rather keep it that way."
Still confused, Jack just nodded, "not telling the miniature hurricane her brother's floating around her house. Got it." Áedán gave a loud, barking laugh,
"Miniature hurricane? Oh that is a good one! I'm assuming you met her just as she was waking up?" still chuckling, Jack couldn't help but smile too. Áedán had something about him, the sort of thing that made you want to smile. Hallow could do with that, Jack thought. A smile.
Beginning to float down the corridor again, Áedán turned back to Jack, making a beckoning movement, intending for him to follow. "You didn't tell me what you're here for. Or who you are for that matter. You're not a normal outsider, are you?"
"Guardian, actually…" Jack watched the older male give a slight wince,
"Ouch, no wonder she went 'Hurricane Hallow' on you." The male said with a grin. Jack gave a chuckle of his own,
"Yeah, I've kinda already been warned a lot that she doesn't like Guardians. And then Sally told me she just needs a friend. And THEN I was told by Hallow herself that I came to her with prejudice because I spoke to others first." He hesitated as he remembered something she had called herself, looking up at Áedán, "does the term… 'Apprentice of Nightmares' mean anything to you?" Áedán paused, then looked at Jack, his hazel eyes lacking the light from before as he looked at Jack,
"Did she call herself that?" Jack half nodded-half shrugged. He'd already guessed it had something to do with Pitch, but…"It became the Guardian's name for her, after…after something rather dangerous and fairly important went wrong. And this is where you're supposed to be! I need to disappear before Hallow sees me, but I hope to see you again, Jack Frost." Right…not going to get a straight answer out of him then. Great. Sudden realisation struck and, turning around to call out, he called down the empty corridor,
"I didn't tell you my name!" the laughter echoed back down the corridor.
The sitting room Sally had told him to wait reminded him a lot of a tomb. Even the couch was coffin shaped. Not one of the modern coffins Jack has seen during the odd procession either, but with a thinner, smaller seat at one end and a longer, wider seat at the other, the perfect width for a person to lie and have it tapered to their body. A low table sat in front of him with comfy-looking black armchairs facing each other at either end. A black rug on the floor, another fireplace, and candles and torches everywhere. They covered the wall space at even intervals, casting eerie shadows everywhere. Sometimes, Jack would even swear he could see flickers of blue or white light, just like the one Áedán had been giving off. Or soft whisperings and giggles bouncing off the walls. It made him shiver despite the amount of fire and warmth in the room.
Of course. The kid loved old, creepy castles and had complete control over the dead. Why NOT make it haunted while you were decorating? The thing that caught his eye most, however, was the huge grand piano just a little to the left of the fireplace, facing so the pianist could look up and see the room at any point. It seemed to shine as the glossy surfaces reflected the torchlight. Somehow, it just didn't seem to match. A little like Jack. He didn't match this dark world either.
But…It just didn't feel like Pitch. Here he was, in a world that housed some of the most terrifying creatures, demons and monsters humanity could imagine…and he felt more at peace than he had against Pitch's black sand. It was crazy, but true. There was something almost inviting about the place even though Hallow seemed so convinced to show him otherwise. Despite what the others had said, he felt calm here. Like he knew there was nothing that would hurt him. Not unless Hallow wanted it to, anyway.
Speak of the devil…
The door was pushed open and in stepped The Hallowed Lady once again, head held childishly high and Jack's staff still in hand, dressed now as Jack had seen her picture. She looked like a child trying to be dignified after doing the wrong thing. It was almost funny. Sally walked behind with a hand on her shoulder, giving a gentle smile to Jack. Hallow wasn't smiling. She frowned at him; practically pouting with how far out her bottom lip was going,
"Sally says I need to apologise to you. And give you back your staff. So I said I'll say sorry for scaring you, even though I'm not. And for shouting at you and not giving you a warm welcome-" didn't she know how warm and surprisingly welcoming this place already was? - "but…" her red-painted lips rose in what Jack was beginning to think was her signature mischievous grin.
She began slowly walking forward, flicking her feet up and stepping down toe-first, like a dancer. "If you want your staff back…" Sally's expression had turned to one of knowing realisation. She had taken a few steps back and opened the door, whilst Hallow was very close to Jack now, leaning forward and – yes, there was the family resemblance, he could almost see where her bright eyes would have once been a pretty hazel – grinning at him,
"Let's play a game. Shall we? I heard the infamous Guardian of Fun was fond of them." She gave a soft giggle. For a small second, Jack felt nervous of what sort of games a woman living in a world of horror could create. It seemed, however, that he had no reason to.
"The rules for this one are simple. Catch me, Prince of Winter. And then I'll return what I took!" Jack barely had time to register the words before she was turning the corner outside the door, laughing loudly enough to echo back as Jack looked at Sally.
Sally motioned to the door, giggling softly (why didn't it reach her eyes? Hallow was smiling, wasn't she? why didn't Sally look happier about it?), "I warned you, did I not? She enjoys 'Catch'. I'd get running. She's needed a decent playmate for a while" And somehow, but by no means regretting it, Jack found himself laughing too as he raced out the door, swinging himself on the doorframe to chase the flicker of orange running down the corridor.
She was playful then. She wanted to play-Jack could do that. Jack could give her fun and games in spades; could play as long as it took for her to trust him. But then he wanted some answers. Answers he felt he'd waited long enough for. For now, though he would play catch with her. He enjoyed games too, after all.
Chapter eight at last, sorry if the wait was long...been a bit unwell as well as schoolwork and haven't been on my laptop much. Hope you're all okay with it, and if it seems like Hallow jumps between emotions a bit, then congrats for noticing traits about her personality.
also, spoiler if you want it:
Her brothers will be playing a very specific role in this story which you will see more of later. Again, feel free to suggest tricks for her to play, I have a few of my own planned as well for a little later on. and soon, you'll get to see just what sorts of creatures live in the 'realm of monsters'.