A/N: Oh my gosh guys I really wasn't expecting such an amazing response to this story! Thank you so much for all the favs, follows and reviews. Shoutouts to:
Dragon In The Mirror: haha I had no idea I was following a legend like that! Cool!
Guest: Because it was a name given by the moon and Pitch didn't want to reinforce the fact that Jack was the moon's creation. Also, Jökul Frosti has a much more ominous feel, don't you think?
Guest: Here, have another chapter to feed the addiction! Just kidding, but enjoy all the same!
MelTheAngryVegan: He is quite creepy isn't he?
Bug349: thanks for following me to the new story and I promise this chapter is just as shudder worthy haha!
Black Lotus13: Thanks, I had such a hard time starting this one out! This chapter's beginning was just as difficult :\
Sheeijan: haha yeah he's got pretty great instincts for an infant! MiM needs to be taught some parenting skills or at least put someone else in charge if he's going to take this hands off approach. Hmmm, guess this next chapter might address this problem! Mwahaha!
Em: Here's the continuation! Enjoy!
Guest: Welcome back! And you will just have to see who I decide to whack this time! *maniacal laughter*
Disclaimer: I do not own Rise of the Guardians
Where we left off:
Tightening his grip on the teen's jaw, he placed his other hand over the boy's eyes, releasing a tiny bit of his newest experiment. Dream sand that cast the dreamer into a deep sleep, filled with nightmares. Wouldn't Sanderson be proud?
The boy grew lax in his grasp, eyes lolling as Pitch ran his fingers through the white hair. "Rest now," He cooed. "My little Jökul Frosti."
Chapter 2: Mother to Us All
It didn't take long for someone to discover him. In the grand scheme of things, two weeks was miniscule, really, especially for a spirit so new and unknown. His discovery had been by chance, or by fate if one would like to call it that. If he hadn't been sniffling so much she probably would never have found him anyway. But sniffle he did, and when Mother Nature opened the shadow door to find a Frost Child strung up in the corner of the room with black iron chains and a bar brawl face she realized that it was for this one that the moon had been dimming.
He cringed when he saw her, her features so cleverly alike her father, and tried to break free once more to escape her. But most of the fight had already been beaten out of him so when she released his wrists and wrapped him in her cloak of winter's biting chill he only fought her a little.
"Hush, now, frost child." She brushed dirty white bangs out of his eyes. "It will all be made right."
In his feverish state he could only shiver and snuggle deeper into the cold.
"You're undoing all my progress," a voice called out from the shadows. Mother Nature pulled the sprite into her lap and wrapped the folds of the cloak tighter around him. She glared into the darkness.
"I see no progress here. I will be leaving now, Pitch, and he will come with me."
The voice scoffed. "I see no reason why he should go with you. You are not his master, daughter."
"He is a winter sprite, an embodiment of nature and I am mother to all of nature. That makes him my son." She unconsciously gripped the boy tighter. He whimpered.
"Then by turn I am his grandfather." The voice chuckled again.
"You are nothing of the sort," she scoffed.
A hand waved her off in the darkness as golden eyes shimmered brightly. "Genealogies mean nothing. He is mine, and I shall not be having my property stolen out from under my nose."
"Count your lucky stars I'm not taking him under your nose or you'd never have noticed."
Pitch frowned and left his hidden place in the shadows. Fury danced across his features, dissipating as quickly as it came.
"Watch your tongue, girl. You try my patience and I might just kill him for spite."
The boy whimpered.
"Hush, Jökul!" Pitch spat. The boy quieted.
"He's not some dog, father, he's a child!"
"Calling him an ice brat or a mutt doesn't change his worth. He has power and I will wield it one way or another. Don't roll your eyes and act as if you haven't felt it. Infant though he may be, he holds enough power to end the world without breaking a sweat. All he needs is someone willing to break him in order to unleash it."
"Enough!" Mother Nature cried. She stood and walked quickly from the cell, the boy still resting in her arms. He had entwined his fingers into her long, black hair. He weighed less than the cloak.
"Seraphina," Pitch called from behind her. "I'll be taking my boy back before you leave."
She spun around, eyes blazing. "You will not lay a hand on him!"
Pitch laughed. "Really, darling, who are you to stop me?"
"I am the wielder of the winds and the mistress of the seasons. Who are you to challenge my authority?"
"Pitch Black, the Nightmare King, at your service, milady." His voice dripped with sarcasm. "Come now, love. Give me back my prey and I will let you visit him whenever you please. Try to take him and I will slit his throat and take one of your nymphs as a consolation prize."
Oh how Seraphina wished she could have killed him in that instant! But the moon had been clear on that night many years ago that fear must not be extinguished. It was necessary for the betterment of mankind, no matter how unpleasant the shell embodying it may be. So instead, she set the boy down, untangled his arms from her hair, and held him steady until he found his feet. Frost spread unchecked from his toes and she bit her lip in sorrow. All the while, he begged her quietly for help. Instead she walked him forward and allowed the ashen hands to grip his shoulders once more. She watched with little emotion as he kicked and screamed, ice climbing up his master's arms as he begged her to not leave him. Pitch merely squeezed tighter until he felt a collarbone snap and put the boy out of his misery with a dose of his nightmare sand. He held him for a few moments before throwing him to the ground and grinning at the sound of the boy's skull cracking against the stone stairs. Tears had dried tracks down his dirty cheeks.
Mother Nature ground her teeth in fury, pulsing with enough power to destroy the entire cavern and everyone in it should she loose her control. The Nightmare King, sensing his danger, slung the boy up over his shoulder and carried him back to his room. The boy's cape fell over his hair before Seraphina could get a good look at the gash the stone had left one the back of his head. Pitch set him down on a pile of straw in the corner and locked the door before rejoining his daughter in the main hall. The two minutes he was gone had been enough for her to regain control of her power.
She met him with eyes as dull as stone. "If you ever abuse him in my presence again, I will blind you with light so intense it will burn your eyes out of their sockets, cut out your tongue, and cause you to forever wander the earth blind and dumb with only the screams of others fear too far away for you to feel to keep you company."
Pitch paled. "Duly noted."
"Good. I will return soon, and I fully expect him to be cohesive and without injury by that time."
"I promise you a living, breathing ice boy next time you visit. Play your next tricks on him, I'm far too old to fall for them."
"Careful, Pitch," Seraphina spat, "The day will come when the Moon's Commander will lift the ban on your head, and you had better hope I am in a forgiving mood in those moments."
"Leave me!" Pitch spat.
Mother nature left the cavern without another word, her heart heavy with guilt as unuttered comforts still burdened her tongue. She breathed deeply when the air became fresh and snow crunched under her slippers. She walked until she reached the pond that still held moonbeams two weeks old beneath the ice's glassy surface.
"Oh, Tzar Lunar," She whispered. "I wish I could say your time of mourning has ended, but the cause for your sorrow still rests in the enemy's hands."
A voice filled her mind. Oh, Seraphina. Do not despair, for my frost child has a protector now. And that is more than I could ever have given him.
Mother Nature sat dumbly for a moment before speaking again. "I cannot release him from his bondage. I cannot save him."
But you can guide him. Be a light in the darkness, Child. A heart of light such as his needs a kindred spirit to overcome the darkness. In time all will be made well, I have a family in mind for the boy.
"How will he come to be a part of it? At this very moment he suffers at the hands of a captor that will never let him go!"
His current situation will not affect the outcome if he has the strength to overcome his battle scars. Our snowflake is stronger than he looks, Seraphina. A heart of gold beats inside of him, and it will not be easily broken. Watch over him, dearheart, light his way. Be his guardian until he himself takes his watch over others.
Mother Nature nodded solemnly. "All this and more I swear to you and the High One I will be. And I look towards the day of his deliverance with a heart of gladness."
Yay! He's not so alone anymore! But Mother Nature won't always be there to save him…FORESHADOWING! WAH! Anyways, do your thing while I conjure up another chapter! I look forward to hearing your opinions and suggestions!