I AM STILL HERE! My excuse this time is… I have no good excuse. Not for most of the time anyway XD I have just been lazy. Although, this would have been uploaded on Easter Night if the family's internet hadn't been cut. But anyway, I have finally finished Chapter 5 of Winter's Heart, where we learn some of the build-up of the Jelsa ship, which probably should have happened 2 chapters ago. Enjoy!
WINTER'S HEART – by Lonely God
Thawing Frozen Hearts
Elsa woke first the next morning. She could feel Jack's body behind her and his arms around her waist as he hugged her in their sleep. She untangled herself from his embrace and slipped out of the bed. She smiled at Jack, and used her powers to write "Gone to see Anna. Come to the drawing room. – E" before leaving. She quickly performed her morning habits; dressing, cleaning her teeth, having breakfast and other small things. When she was done, she walked to the drawing room where Anna and Kristoff were already sitting down drinking tea.
Anna smiled and walked up to her sister, and the two girls hugged tightly. Kristoff went to shake her hand as usual, but Elsa pushed his hand aside and leaned up to hug him as well. Afterwards, she sat down with the couple, whom were in the process of planning their wedding. She mostly zoned out and thought about her relationship with Jack Frost. She knew she loved him, and she knew he loved her. It had been obvious.
Elsa had watched Jack over the time where he had helped her learn better control over her powers. She had watched him play with children, and been polite with everyone who had spoken to him. He had been a troublemaker, for the most part. Sending kids on long, and dangerous, skids throughout town, frozen door locks, caused people to do a little more sliding than they would have preferred. But he always shied short of actual danger or damaging people's property. All the locks he had frozen always melted after a little while, and if anyone was in danger of hurting themselves because of Jack's mucking around, there would be a conjured pile of soft snow for them to land in.
But Elsa had seen him when it was just him alone or with her. There was another side. A darker side. He had watched a young brother teasing his sister by holding an apple too high for the little girl to reach. Jack had showed up, handed the apple to the girl, and told the boy angrily that family was the most important thing in the world, and that he should he should be lifting his sister up higher so she could reach the apples in the taller trees, instead of holding them out of her reach. The boy's father, one of the local shop keepers, had complained the next day. Elsa had calmly told the man that Jack had his reasons for his actions, and refused to have Jack confined to the castle, as the shop keeper had demanded.
Jack had often been seen watching siblings play. He had sat on a roof one night, watching one of Arendelle's celebrations where a number of siblings where play-dancing with each other. Elsa had come up and sat beside him. She already knew about Jack's sister, so she had simply held his hand that night. They didn't share any words, but she had felt his fingers entwine around hers and grip hard, especially when a girl helped her brother up who had tripped over. As the celebrations wore down, Jack had released her hand and flown them both back to the ground.
"Thank you," he had whispered before flying off.
There had been other times when Elsa had seen Jack when he was sad and lonely. Often he would fly to a roof and just sit back in solitude. Sometimes, Elsa had found him and used her powers to make a temporary staircase to wherever he was and she would sit beside him. It was in these conversations when Jack told her about how he had been invisible in his world, and how he had spent nearly 300 years with no-one even knowing he existed. He had listened to people say he was just a saying, and watched as people literally walked through him without ever noticing that he was there. No wonder that he was lonely sometimes. He had opened up to Elsa, though. She had noticed that his usual sarcastic side that was always there when he was with other people, wasn't there with her. He smiled at her, instead of grinning. And, she had noticed that he was going off on his own a lot less, and when he was sad and alone, he would go to her.
In turn, Elsa had found, in Jack Frost, someone who understood her power. A friend, when before she had only had Anna, Kristoff, Sven and Olaf. A mentor to help her control herself when she was angry, scared, sad or lonely. And most of all, someone who could give her the comfort she desired. There was something about the way his arms felt when they wrapped around her. And she didn't have to be careful around him. He wouldn't freeze when she touched him.
A knock at the door brought her out of her thoughts.
"Come in!" Anna called. The door was opened and in walked Jack. Elsa didn't even bother trying to hide the small smile that grew upon her lips. She saw that same smile on Jack's face as he bowed to everyone. When he straightened, with Anna reminding him that he didn't need to bow. She always reminded him, or it was Elsa or Kristoff who said it, but Jack always did it. Elsa had thought that it was a mocking bow at first, and it had been slightly. But as Jack had spent time in Arendelle, he had come to respect the royal family. And had come to love Elsa, showed when he walked up and hugged Elsa, sneaking a quick kiss on her cheek. Anna laughed as she saw it, and as Jack used his staff to pull a chair over next to Elsa, she asked if a certain announcement was on the way.
"It wouldn't be a surprise if I told everyone!" Jack exclaimed. Anna and Kristoff quickly resumed the wedding plans, and Elsa reached out and took Jack's hand in hers. A familiar icy tingle ran between them as Jack's fingers entwined around Elsa's.
The couple sat there, neither needing to say anything as they just enjoyed the company of each other. After a while, Jack pulled out the whistle that North had given him when the old Guardian had left Jack in Arendelle.
"What's that?" Elsa asked.
"It was given to me by North," Jack said. "He said to blow it when I wanted to return. He will come and get me."
Elsa shot Jack a questioning look, afraid of what he might be doing or saying.
"I'm sure there'll be space for one more," he smiled.
Elsa couldn't help but let out a relieved sigh.
Jack caught on; "You really didn't think I was going to leave you behind, did you?"
"I was afraid you might say you couldn't take me. Or it could have been anything." Elsa admitted.
"Elsa," Jack began, "I love you. I have found a home for the first time in over three hundred years."
"What? Arendelle?" Elsa asked.
"No. Wherever you are."
"What if he can't take me?"
"Then I'll stay here."
Elsa didn't know what to say. So instead of speaking, she leaned over and kissed him.
The couple later stood on the docks. Anna and Kristoff stood behind them, along with a fair bit of the population of Arendelle. Jack, with one hand again in Elsa's, raised the whistle to his lips with the other. As he blew, a shrill note rose up across the fjords, reaching across the barriers that divided Elsa's world from Jack's. The whistle crumpled to dust as the note faded. Silence fell for a minute, then the clouds began to pull together. Then strands of colours started streaking through the sky. Reds and greens and yellows and every other colour that could be imagined. Then suddenly, with a thunderous boom, an explosion of the colours tore the streams apart. Then, the sight of a large red sleigh being pulled by a dozen reindeer started a commotion of chatter among the populace. Elsa and Jack looked at each other at the same time, and nodded together with smiles. They raised their hands, the ones that weren't joined, and a flow of magic could be seen flying from them and going across the fjords. A long strip of snow and ice formed, which the rapidly descending sleigh landed on.
The sleigh came to a stop in front of Jack and Elsa, who still stood hand in hand. North heaved himself from the sleigh, and strode up to the pair.
"JACK FROST!" He shouted jovially. Jack laughed and let go Elsa to grasp one of North's massive hands in both of his. After a hearty handshake, Jack stepped back and introduced him to Elsa.
North bowed low, lightly kissing her hand. "Your majesty," he said.
Elsa smiled. "I've heard a lot about you, Master North."
The Guardian laughed. "No Master for me, my queen. Just North will do."
Elsa's smile widened. "In that case, then I am simply Elsa."
North tilted his head in acceptance before turning back to Jack. "So, Frost. It seems you haven't caused absolute chaos yet."
Jack rolled his eyes with a grin. "What, don't you trust me?"
"Not at all."
Elsa insisted that North had to at least have some tea, so Jack, Elsa, North, Kristoff, Anna and Olaf – who had showed up in the middle of the greetings saying that there had been pretty lights in the sky – all went to one of Arendelle's café's
After plenty of small talk, Jack finally decided to breach the topic to North.
"North, I want to take Elsa into our world."
North looked at Jack and Elsa.
"And why is that?"
"Because… Because I love her." Jack declared. "I love her, and want to show her our world and introduce her to everyone."
North looked down at them. "And if I were to say no?"
"Then I am not leaving." Jack didn't drop his gaze or back off at all."
There was a long pause, at least a full minute, before North through back his head and laughed.
"Of course she can come! We have been keeping an eye on Arendelle since I dropped you off."
Jack was a little surprised. "Then why the hesitation?"
North wiped laughter tears from his eyes. "I have to keep you on your toes somehow! There was a bet going on as to whether you two," he pointed to Jack and Elsa, "would end up killing each other or ending up together!"
Jack glared, "Oh yeah? What side did you bet for?"
North shrugged, "I lost several good snowglobes to Tooth." Jack's glare darkened, "But Bunny now has to help Sandy for an entire 3 years!"
After lunch, a good sized crowd gathered to see off North and Jack. Elsa stood before them all.
She cleared her throat, and addressed everyone. "Thanks to the support of Jack Frost, my powers have come under control. I know he has been a welcome guest in Arendelle. I know not all of you see him as a blessing, but he has been good for Arendelle." Elsa paused to take a breath. Jack stepped over and put his hand comfortingly on her shoulder. "I have decided to visit his world, as he has visited ours. I will return soon, but in my absence, Princess Anna holds the throne as Heir. I know I don't have to ask you to show her the same love you show me." Elsa closed her eyes and smiled. "I have not been the easiest person here." There were a few laughs among the crowd, who all had come to love their queen. "So, you have all given me something to return to. I will be back."
A woman's voice called out from the crowd. "Jack Frost! If that lady returns without you and without a ring on her finger, a different world won't save you!" Everyone let their laughs be heard, and Elsa was among the loudest, while Jack looked like a cat stuck in a trap.
Elsa stepped away, hugging Anna, Kristoff – she also gave Sven a carrot – and Olaf farewell. Jack climbed onto North's sleigh and reached down to help Elsa up. When she was sitting comfortably, North flicked the reins, and the reindeer reared up before they started pulling forward on the sleigh. With increasing speed, the sleigh began to slide along the ice strip Jack and Elsa had made, until it had gathered enough speed to lift off. Elsa squealed in delight, looking over the side as the reindeer flew through the sky. With a wave of his staff, Jack made the strip of ice disappear. North grinned as he pressed a button on his sleigh, then the streaks of coloured light began to weave through the air. They made a tunnel around the sleigh, and with a burst of light and sound, North and Jack Frost took Elsa, Queen of Arendelle, into their world.
There we go! Long chapter, lots of stuff going on though. REVIEW! PLEASE? Honestly guys (and girls), I would have completely given up without the encouragement you lot give.