Merida couldn't keep her mind off Jack, and the guilt that raided her mind. As she went about the day, dressed in her tight pale pink dress her mother forced her in, and listening to her lectures on royalty and their family heritage, Merida thought of Jack. He had opened up to her, and she dismissed him mercilessly, watched as his face twisted in hurt and sadness. But she had to be honest. It was the truth. Wasn't it?

Frowning, she scoffed and shook her head. She couldn't think about him right now. She had more pressing matters to attend to such as struggling to breathe in the tight dress. The day had come to an end finally, the dinner had been severed and eaten, and Merida was waiting for her mother to come help her get undressed. She stared at herself in the mirror, glaring at the figure that stared back, her thick, curly red hair pulled into a braid, wearing a pale pink dress that squeezed her so tight she felt her organs in her throat. But not only that, in the reflection of the mirror, Merida did not see herself, but a vision of her mother, a ruler so confident and collected. Caged. All Merida could think of was the unhappiness being a ruler would bring.

She sighed in annoyance and tugged at the torso of the dress, trying to make room to breathe. Why did she have to wear such a ghastly and uncomfortable outfit anyway? She didn't have to meet with any of the leaders of the three clans or any other important meeting. All she had done today was work on her music lessons and listen to her mother's lectures. Why did she have to be dressed so well for these simple things?

Merida contemplated cutting the dress with a knife, and she knew her mother would be furious. The thought made her smirk. But she decided against cutting the dress, knowing full well her mother would lecture her about how lovely the fabric was and how it was made just for her. Merida certainly didn't want to listen to that.

Then came a knock on the door and Merida groaned inwardly as she rolled her eyes, hoping her mother wouldn't take too long helping her undress. Queen Elinor came into the room and the look on the queen's face left Merida stunned. Her skin was pale and ghost like, her eyes were large and shimmering with sadness. Her mouth trembled as she struggled to find words. The Queen's fingers interlocked loosely at her stomach, and she walked slowly as if she were carrying a heavy burden.

"Whut 'as 'er so wound up?" Merida thought now worried instead of annoyed.

The Queen said nothing however and took her time helping Merida undress. Merida sucked in, relived that she could breathe again, found her nightdress, and slipped it on. The Queen let out a deep sigh and spoke.

"Merida," Queen Elinor started slowly, taking both Merida's hands in hers, "sit. I have something te tell yoou."

Merida obeyed and sat, and her mother sat next to her, still holding her hands. The Queen stared into her eyes and spoke, "Merida, something has happened."

Merida waited as her mother continued on slowly.

"It's about yoour friend Jack."

Merida held back the urge to cringe at the thought of him, "Whut about 'im?"

"It happened early this mornin'." Queen Elinor explained, "He was skatin' on the pond with his sister."

There was a pause as the Queen stopped to take a breath.

"Merida," another pause and Merida's heart beast fast in anticipation, "Jack fell through. He didn't make it."

Tears began to welled in Merida's eyes, and her breath hitched as her mouth quivered and twisted. Jack dead? No, no it wasn't true! She had just seen him last night! He was there! He was real! He can't be dead! Merida felt as if she had be bludgeoned in the stomach with a club. She couldn't find words, not even to deny what her mother had said. Time had slowed and so had her senses. Merida did not feel her mother holding her and stroking her hair. She did not feel her mother leave her side as the cold overtook her. She didn't know when she had curled up into a ball under the comforters of her bed. She didn't know how long she had been crying. All she knew was Jack was dead.

Merida couldn't sleep that night. She tossed and turned in her bed, guilt ridden and miserable. She broke Jack's heart, and he died alone.

"Even if Ah did feel the same it wouldn't matter anyway!"

The last words she spoke to him were venomous, biting, and harsh. Merida buried her face into her pillow and began to weep. She had yelled at him, and now she could never make up for what was said. She could never tell him how sorry she was. And she hated herself for it.

"Being in love doesn't mean giving up your freedom." The memory of his words, so clear in her mind as if he was right beside her as he spoke caused her to cringe and wither, whimper, almost like the words truly hurt her physically.

"Jack," she whispered in despair, curling into a ball and clutching her pillow to keep her bound to this world.

Merida shut her eyes tight in an attempt to keep her mind from racing, waiting for the warmth and comfort of her bed to lull her to sleep. But no matter how tight she closed her eyes, no matter how warm, no matter how comfortable her bed was, the Sleep Man refused to let her sleep. After an hour, Merida rose out of bed and lit a couple candles. She stared sorrowfully at the flickering flames and the longer she stared, the quicker her heart beat. There he was. There was Jack. Merida gasped. Within the flames she could see her dear friend smile back at her. She held her breath and blinked a couple times and Jack faded from the candle flames. Merida shut her eyes and bit her lip. She let out a sigh and rose to her feet and walked to the window. It was raining, and the world outside was pitch black. But as Merida stared, she thought she could see a faint blue light. She squint her eyes to try to get a better view and a memory enlightened her to the little light. When she was a child, she wandered off into the forest to retrieve a stray arrow. There she encountered a Will-O'-the Wisp, a blue light of legend that was said to lead one to their destiny. That same wisp was outside in the snow as if it was waiting just for her.

Immediately, Merida quickly dressed herself in her forest green dress and robe with a hood and grabbed her quiver. She knew she should be cautious since she did not know what could be out there in the dark, and the wisp could be some sort of mirage from her mind out of guilt and sorrow. But she didn't want to think about anything like that. There's a wisp waiting for her, waiting to distract her from her grief and occupy her mind with the hope of changing her fate, to avoid the marriage and war and life she did not want. And so she would chase it, real or not.

She placed the hood on her head and mounted Angus. Angus immediately leaped into a gallop, and Merida steered him to where she saw the wisp. She quickly found it there floating in the soggy snow. When Angus was about to stomp on it, the wisp went out like a candle flame and another appeared a couple feet behind it. Merida followed the trail of wisps through the forest, farther than she had gone to meet Jack in their usual spot, and deeper into the forest which Merida was unfamiliar with. When the forest became unknown to her, Merida slowed Angus into a walk. Minutes passed by, and to her surprise the rain had stopped. She looked up out of curiosity and thought she could see the moon from behind the thickness of the tree leaves. However, soon enough, the moon was gone and it had started to snow.

"No," Merida whispered, cursing herself for not bringing warmer clothes.

As she followed the wisps, all while fighting back the bitter cold, the trees began to disperse though not disappear entirely. The wisps vanished and left her staring out over a frozen pond. Immediately Merida's thoughts went to Jack again and her heart throbbed in pain and her eyes began to shimmer. Dismounting Angus, she walked over to the edge where snow turned to ice.

"This must 'ave been where Jack drowned." She spoke aloud, "Why would the wisps lead me here?"

The falling snow tickled her nose, and Merida looked up.

"Jack Frost's spreading fun," She remembered Jack saying that to her.

Jack Frost made it snow. Jack Frost brought the winter cold. And as she looked about herself and across the pond, a boy stared back at her with wonder and excitement. How could it be? Merida couldn't help but let the name spill from her mouth.

"Jack."