Alaia Skyhawk: So close now!
Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood, or any related characters etc. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes.
~(-)~
Chapter 52: A Choice to Inspire
Jamie scrambled around his room in excitement, throwing warm clothing and a set of pyjamas into a rucksack. Jack watched him from the doorway, amused at the sheer enthusiasm radiating off the boy, before discretely backing out and heading downstairs to where Craig was pacing.
The man was tense and undeniably worried about something, and Jack murmured quietly.
"Will she be ok?"
Craig, running a hand though his hair.
"The doctors say she'll be fine, but the chance of complications is high. She's not due for another two weeks, but they may need to deliver the baby early. If that's the case, Laura will have to have a caesarean. There's no chance of her having a home birth like we did with Jamie."
Laura had started suffering from sudden and repeated fainting episodes, as well as severe headaches. Checks at the hospital had revealed she was suffering from pre-eclampsia, meaning she was now being kept in close observation. It was proving a stressful time for the family.
Jack placed a hand on Craig's arm.
"Don't worry about it. You two can show me your daughter when she and Laura are ready to come home from the hospital."
Craig sighed, then managed a wry smile when a thump upstairs revealed Jamie had tripped over in his eagerness to pack.
"Thanks again for agreeing to look after him. Mine or Laura's parents would have been happy to, but it would have been hard to hide from him that his mother is ill."
Jack nodded in agreement.
"Yeah. Even with the doctors saying she'll be fine, it could still be frightening for Jamie if he noticed how tense all the adults are. Santoff Clausen is the perfect distraction."
Craig turned, reminded of something, and picked up a small pile of books from the coffee table.
"Speaking of distractions, he still needs to do his school-work. The school were understanding about our wish to Jamie to be with 'relatives' until Laura can come home, but it was on the condition he still keeps up with his lessons. He needs to finish at least two of these workbooks, and read the first four chapters in the storybook. If he finishes all three, and the whole story, they'll be very pleased."
Jack accepted the pile as it was handed to him, and grinned.
"I think Mr Qwerty will be happy to tutor Jamie, and make sure he does all his homework. Knowing the bookworm, he'll add some extra studies on the topics as well. Jamie will probably be way ahead of his class when he comes back."
Craig smiled as well.
"Make sure you pass on my thanks to him and Ombric."
"I will."
There was a clatter as Jamie came charging down the stairs, the six-year old bundled up in his warmest coat and boots and bouncing with excitement.
"I'm ready, Uncle Jack!"
Jack reached out to take him by the hand, and nodded to Craig.
"You or your father leave a message in the usual places, as soon as Laura is about to come home with the baby. I'll bring Jamie home then."
Jack created a large Ice Mirror, Jamie waving bye to his father before the Spirit of Winter tugged him through into the frigid air of night-time Siberia. It might have been mid-March, with spring starting to make itself known around Burgess, but in Santoff Clausen winter was still very much in evidence.
Jamie chattered away as Jack led him the short way to the edge of the village, after making sure the boy got to say hello to Bear along the way. That being the reason for arriving in the wood and not immediately in the village itself. Only once the two of them had passed the barrier of thorns, did Jack let go of the boy and allow him to race ahead. After the two days spent here just after Christmas, Jamie knew exactly where to go.
He dashed up the steps of Big Root and knocked on the door, waiting almost patiently until the dressing-gown wearing wizard opened it.
"Hi, Mr Ombric!"
Ombric looked down at the child, who was dressed rather differently than the rest of the children he knew, and smiled after noting Jack strolling towards them.
"Well hello, Master James. I see Jack has brought you for another visit."
Jamie nodded.
"Mom is in hospital because my little sister will be here soon, so Dad asked Uncle Jack to look after me until she comes home." He pouted a little. "I wanted to go to the Winter Sanctuary, but Uncle Jack said it's too cold for me to stay there. But it's cold here too!"
Ombric chuckled, ushering the child inside as Jack reached and entered the doorway as well.
"Ah, but here in Santoff Clausen, we have warm houses to sleep in at night, and to go into when we get too cold during the day. There's nowhere like that in Jack's sanctuary. It's a good place to visit, but it's not suited for little boys to live in for several days."
Jamie frowned a little, scuffing a foot on the floor, and then sighed.
"I guess so."
Jack reached out hand to ruffle the boy's hair, and then showed the wizard the books he carried.
"Jamie's school is letting him have the time off while Laura is in hospital, but he still has to do his studies. They've sent homework for him finish while he's here. Two workbooks, and four chapters of the story, but they'll be pleased if he does all of both. He'd be in class right now, except I know we've woken you up at close to two in the morning. There wasn't really much option. Craig needed to get to the hospital early, and if we'd gone via the sanctuary, I'd have had a hard time prying Jamie away from Dig."
Ombric seated Jamie at the table in the main room of Big Root, and relieved Jack of the first of the workbooks.
"That is quite alright. Master James can do some of his homework under my supervision, and can then have a nap before morning comes. He can then join the rest of the village children for their lesson in the morning, and spend the afternoon playing. Mr Qwerty can tutor him subsequently after that."
Jack left Jamie with Ombric and slipped back outside, figuring he might as well do a bit of weather maintenance while he was in the area. But it was also because he needed to think, and inwardly wonder if or not he was going to get in trouble for this. There was no rule that said he couldn't bring Jamie to see Ombric, just as there was no rule to say he couldn't interact as he pleased with his sister's descendants. But it still came to mind, the possibility that he was really starting to push his luck.
The concern remained with him for the rest of the night, and still lingered when he'd returned to the village. Jamie was asleep in the bed Ombric had conjured from Big Root's walls, but the wizard was awake. It seemed he'd chosen not to return to bed, and had instead waited for Jack to come back.
The Spirit of Winter smiled wryly as he entered the home, and glanced at the workbook on the table.
"So, how much did he get done?"
"Most of it, and he would have finished it had I not sent him to bed." Ombric looked pleased. "He's a very bright young boy, even when faced with this rather uninspiring method of teaching. But still, the method clearly works, even if it is not the way I would do things." He reached out as Jack sat at the table, placing a hand on his arm. "I also notice that you are troubled. It is about Jamie's mother?"
Jack grimaced.
"Laura has pre-eclampsia. It's not too serious, but the family didn't want Jamie to be scared by her being in hospital. He just thinks it's normal for her to be in there right now. Add to that he was far too happy to learn he'd be spending time with me, to ask any questions." He bowed his head, grim. "I can't let him become scared, not about anything."
There was a long pause, the wizard regarding Jack in speculation, before Ombric then tugged thoughtfully at his beard.
"There would be only one reason, for an immortal to state they do not want a child to be afraid, and that would be if they worried that Pitch Black would go after them." He raised his eyebrows a little. "But the only real time in recent years, when anyone expected Pitch might make a return, was during the World Wars. There was no sign of him, the concern was forgotten, but not by everyone it seems."
Jack sighed, evasive.
"I have my reasons."
Ombric tugged on his beard again.
"You believe Pitch will return, and quite likely very soon. You're preparing for it. Why? Of what concern could it be to you, the Spirit of Winter? Is it simply because this boy is family to you?"
Jack looked away, refusing to meet the wizard's gaze.
"I can't say. I..." He glanced at Ombric, this mortal yet immortal man who had faced Pitch in battle several times. Ombric was no Guardian of Childhood, but he was a guardian in every other sense of the world. The thought made Jack sigh. "Give me a few minutes, and I'll see if I can get permission."
He stood up and went outside, Ombric watching from the doorway as Jack turned his head to look up at the moon. That in itself was startling, because the immediate implication was that the Spirit of Winter was involved in at least some form of agreement with Tsar Lunar.
Ombric could see Jack's lips moving, but was too far away to hear that which was most likely only whispered. But he knew that Tsar Lunar would hear, he always did. The Man in the Moon always listened for the voices of immortals who addressed him. They need only speak of him while stood in moonlight for him to know their words and, if he so chose, give them his reply.
Jack remained motionless once his question was asked, waiting for a reply, until a single moonbeam descended out of the sky and curled around his shoulders. He then listened to it intently, nodding a few times, before it then departed and he walked back over to Big Root.
Ombric ushered him upstairs to the library, well out of possible earshot of Jamie. Mr Qwerty might have been a possible eavesdropper, but he was fast asleep upstairs in Katharine's room. She'd been writing new stories onto his pages for the past several days, meaning he'd kept close to her.
As soon as Jack was seated in the library, and Ombric sat opposite him, the wizard then spoke softly.
"I would guess the answer to you question, was yes?"
Jack took a deep breath, grimacing a little as he nodded.
"It was, but with strict rules. You have to swear never to speak to anyone about what I'm about to tell you."
Ombric placed a hand over his heart, solemn and serious.
"And I will do so quite gladly. The Man in the Moon holds my greatest respect, and I have no qualms about keeping anything he wishes to be secret, a secret."
There was another pause, as Jack took another deep breath, and then he looked Ombric straight in the eye.
"I'm a Guardian, the Guardian of Fun, and I have been for a very long time."
Ombric was, to say the least, the most surprised he had been probably in his entire life, and the wizard pointed at Jack in astonishment.
"You're?"
Jack nodded.
"A Guardian, yes. Sworn to defend children with my life. Their hopes, wishes, dreams, and all that."
"And how long is a 'very long time'?"
"One hundred and eighty-five years. The Man in the Moon never planed for me to remain a secret for this long." Jack set his head in his hands as he said that last part, openly showing his frustration. "Nightlight has seen signs of Pitch, and if Tsar Lunar's estimate is right, Pitch will make his move at some point during the next four years. That's why I've been putting so much effort into making sure Jamie will have the strongest faith and belief possible."
Ombric's surprise faded in the face of concern.
"Do the rest of the Guardians know this?"
Jack winced.
"Sandy knows; he's the one who swore me in. Tsar Lunar and Nightlight were both of the opinion that North and the others would 'fluster' if they knew Pitch was getting ready to strike. They've been so relaxed about him, assuming he's gone for good, that if they knew then they'd wear themselves out with stress. This way there are two Guardians making preparations, while the other three concentrate on their work."
Ombric leaned back in his chair, musing over the revelation. That such a secret had been kept was shocking, but at the same time it was understandable. Tsar Lunar was being a very shrewd tactician.
"And so you have been a Guardian, forced by secrecy to not work as one. You've had only Burgess as solace during these long years, and yet you remain steadfast and ready to act." The wizard nodded. "My opinion of you was already high, but now it has certainly gone up a notch. And I believe I can help salve at least some of your worries."
Jack frowned, puzzled.
"How so?"
Ombric smiled.
"Young James, and his soon-to-be-born sibling. I will be happy to have them come here to my village during school holidays, and I will teach to them the same creativity, belief, and imagination that I teach to the children who live here." He raised a finger. "The children of Santoff Claussen played a significant part in foiling Pitch during the battles I helped fight against him. One child in particular became very important, and was key in bringing him down. I'm sure you've heard takes of it."
Jack was motionless, blinking, his thoughts straying to the woman whose room was upstairs and whose giant goose was asleep in a nest in the upper branches of Big Root.
"Are you saying Jamie could be the 'Katherine' of this generation?"
The wizard nodded.
"I see no reason why the possibility can't there. Katherine formed a very strong bond of friendship with North, prior to the first battles we experienced against Pitch, and that led her to do extraordinary things. Her belief and faith saved us on a number of occasions." He pointed at Jack. "I see a similar bond between you and Jamie, and I do not believe to be coincidence. That bond could well be your greatest strength in the battle to come, and I can help make it stronger."
~(-)~
When Jack took Jamie home a week and a half later, it was with three completed workbooks, a fully-read storybook, and a six-year-old boy who had spent a great deal of time being encouraged to build inventions alongside the village children. Jamie was babbling about Ombric, about being asked if he wanted to stay at the village during school holidays, about the things he'd seen or helped build, before he was even fully though the door of the house. And Craig honestly looked surprised until his mind managed to catch up with and comprehend what his son was talking about.
As for Jack, something about him seemed more relaxed and self-assured. As if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. But before Craig could ask about it, Jack grinned.
"So, where is Jamie's little sister? Are you going to introduce us, or do I go looking for her and Laura myself?"
Jamie's chatter came to a startled halt when he heard that, and he started to bounce with excitement.
"That's right, I'm a big brother now!" He tugged on his father's shirt. "Dad, where's my little sister?"
Craig recovered from his surprise, and started to smile as he pointed to the stairs.
"Go on up, but quietly, ok?"
Jamie nodded eagerly, kicking off his boots and shedding his coat, before then racing up the stairs as fast as possible while being quiet. Craig and Jack followed, entering the master bedroom where Laura sat resting in bed. She was holding the newest member of the family in her arms.
"I see you had a good time at the village, that's wonderful." She gestured for him to come over. "This is your little sister, Sophie."
Jamie reached out to touch his bundled sister with the utmost care.
"Sophie." He smiled. "I'm gonna be the best big brother ever, Sophie. I promise. And I'm gonna show you Santoff Claussen when you get bigger, too."
Jack watched from the doorway, waiting his turn to be introduced to the new arrival, and sighed. For the first time since becoming a Guardian, he truly felt prepared to face Pitch. But while that was a good thing, it also served to remind him of how long he'd already waited, and that he would have to continue to wait.
How much longer would it be, before he could at last be a true Guardian? How many more times would he have to look up at the moon, before he'd at last be called out of secrecy?
~(-)~
Alaia Skyhawk: Not long, Jack, at least not in this fic! Yes, next chapter is "Rise of the Guardians ~Part 1~" (trumpet fanfare)
And yeah, I had Ombric find out about Jack in this chapter, because that guy can definitely keep a secret. I mean seriously, he astrally projected himself out of his own body in the first of the novels, so Pitch couldn't interrogate him. When Ombric keeps secrets, no one can get them out of him, and the Man in the Moon knows that.
...Well, there was that and the fact that, while planning this chapter way way back, the similarity between Jamie and Katherine suddenly came to mind. Ombric would definitely be someone to encourage and nurture Jamie's curiosity and belief, in ways that Jack can't :)