13. A Heated Look

Hi people! Sorry for the delay (school started up) and happy to be back. Taking a little break from the Adventures of Dark and Cold to bring you more Lady Midday. Also read end notes.

July 14 (around the events of Ch. 10)

North Pole

North glared as Sandy floated out of the room. The dream bringer refused to tell him where Jack was, and his magical attempts had been met with some outside interference. Nicholas St. North sighed as he took a seat at his desk, some of his anger making way for anxiety. Jack, his Jack, was somewhere out there, alone and risking himself for what could only end in heartbreak. He couldn't understand the winter spirit's sudden rebellion. Over the last few years, they had gotten closer, with the other Guardians trying their hardest to make their youngest member feel welcome. And now this.

North appreciated Jack's innate kindness. It was, after all, what kept him from joining Pitch and destroying them after they rejected him, but to go so far as to help Midday…no. Unacceptable. Whatever infatuation the boy felt for the redhead could doom them all. She was a monster in every sense of the word. He would know, considering the last time he'd seen her before the recent fight.

1883

Krakatoa, Dutch East Indies

The glimmering red sleigh landed with an audible thump, sending tiny clouds of ash into the air. The driver, an older male dressed in leather and furs, stepped out, eyes wide. North didn't usually leave the Pole this time of year but he had to see this with his own eyes. He'd been near the globe when it started, lights going out by the dozens. Hundreds. He couldn't say the exact amount, especially as his legend was not so common in this part of the world. But he had still felt as countless young lives were lost.

Face hardening, he started walking, red sleeve covering his mouth and nose as the dust flew. There was a certain spirit with some explaining to do. Nearly an hour later, he felt it. He was being watched. "MERAH!" he bellowed, "FACE ME!" It had taken him too long to realize the eruption had not been natural. Mother Nature rarely acted without reason and rumor was that the island's volcano spirit had actively defied orders to do this. He supposed that was understandable (though no less awful), as the volcano spirit was actually a minor demon and not technically under Her control. It wasn't important now, anyway. "MERAH!"

"She won't answer."

North whipped around, mouth falling open as a familiar figure moved into sight. Lady Midday. He'd only met her once, early in his immortality and only briefly. It had been at a meeting between their respective…pantheons(?) where Mother Nature's and Manny's spirits discussed upcoming projects and worked out how to avoid stepping on each other's toes. He remembered being in awe of her strength, both physical and internal, and vying with other spirits for her attention, not that she cared for their subtle/blatant attempts at seduction. The meetings had once taken place every five years, but that one was the last. The Natural Court suddenly began denying all attempts at communication, striking out more harshly towards trespassers. The rumor was that one of Her favorites had been stolen away. Over time, he had forgotten about Midday. The Natural Court stayed out of sight and his workload increased. It wasn't until over a century later that he had learned the truth. The summer spirit had been driven insane by Pitch and had, since her escape, been punishing the innocent and guilty alike.

And here she was.

She was still beautiful, but the aura of nobility she once carried had been replaced with something else. Something chaotic, and predatorial, and very, very wrong. Long hair swayed gently as Midday walked towards him, the train of her dress making a whispering noise as it moved against the ground. If North had still been the young man who tried and failed at wooing the elusive redhead, the sight of her in that dress wouldn't have helped his obsession. It was a crimson red sheath dress, one shoulder, that fit her body beautifully. Gold bangles around her wrists and ankles jingled brightly as challenging lava-like eyes met blue. North had never been more thankful to have aged over the years. He still struggled to find his voice. "Where is Merah? Must answer for deaths she has caused." Midday smiled, a look that was somehow cute and terrifying at the same time. "Very true."

Midday stopped several feet away, smile intact. He could feel the heat coming off her in waves, the summer blaze attempting to burn through him. He scowled, fighting off old memories. "Where is Merah?" He repeated, eyes narrowing. "Mother didn't like her little show," North absently noted that her accent was no longer as pronounced, "so she decided to…make an example." North backed away as the heat increased, a hand moving towards a sword as the smile took on a feral edge. "Example? What example?"

"It's simple, really," Midday held out a hand, easily catching her signature weapon. "Interfere with Mother's design…and die!"

Back in Present

North opened his eyes, pushing back the memory of the fight. The burns had never healed and, in fact, covered his left leg from toes to lower thigh. If she hadn't been summoned away, he wouldn't be here now.

He pitied Jack, really, he did. He remembered what it was to be young and easily swayed by a firey beauty. He just hoped the winter spirit's scars would not be as agonizing as his own.

Note: First off: NORTH IS NOT A PEDO! This story isn't following the books, but if you look up Nicholas St. North, you'll see that the version of him who liked Midday was WAY younger than his current look. Like mid to late 20s, which was socially acceptable back then. He didn't love her but I picture Young!North as kind of a ladies man, the type to focus on the unattainable. As for the dress, I think the design sounds pretty but it would've been totally scandalous in the 19th century.