Ch 30
Jack
I was running through the forest, trying to find the source of the smoke billowing onto the clear blue skies above the trees. The crowd around me was screaming, I couldn't make out what they were saying, all I knew was that I needed to find that source of fire. I kept running until I saw it, a mountain of logs piled up high with a wooden cross in the middle and a girl was hanging from it, I had no idea who she was. She was screaming in agony, by now her dress was engulfed in flames, her head was covered with a sack but I knew beneath it lay a face twisted in suffering and regret. After a few minutes the crowd began to disappear and the fire began to die down.
The girl was dead but her body had not burned completely, her arms and face were intact for the fire had not reached them. I wanted so desperately to look upon the face of the poor girl who'd made the mistake of turning to witchcraft. I had nothing against witches, I pitied them for following a lifestyle that would only tear their life from them in the most painful way I could think of. I realized I was alone by now and the sky was beginning to darken, the moonlight would be visible in less than an hour.
I took slow steps around the pit of timbers and ashes towards the girl. The forest had become quiet, too quiet. There was usually the rustling of squirrels, or the chirping of the birds. The bussing of a bee or the whisper of the wind but not even that was present.
The closer I got to the girl the darker the night seem to get. The dress she'd been burning in was white and it had turned black at the ends and it spread to almost her waist, I was surprised she hadn't burned all the way. I could smell the scent of her burning flesh and I almost puked, it was the most disgusting thing I'd ever smelled, but my curiosity was greater than my disgust. I covered my nose and mouth with one arm and reached out for the sack covering her face, and with one swoop I ripped it from her head.
I was not ready for what my eyes were seeing, I couldn't believe this was happening to me again. Her perfect face was bloody, someone had beaten her badly. Her hair was black at the ends and I unconsciously reached out to touch her marred face.
J:"Elsa…" I whispered, my voice broke at the end and I felt the angry tears threaten to spill over. Her skin no longer had that perfect silky feel to it, it was rough and dirty from the smoke. "Elsa no, no, NO, NO!"
I hurriedly reached out to untie her arms from the wooden cross she was hopelessly bound to. How had this happened? I'd promised to keep her safe, she had been with me just the night before, who could ever harm her…?
When I finished untying her I cradled her in my arms and I sat on the floor. I rocked back and forth and held her, my tears now flowing like a fresh waterfall. I'd lost my Princess, the love of my life once more. I'd failed her. Nothing mattered anymore, maybe it was time for me to leave too. In a world where Elsa was absent, was also a place I didn't want to be in.
J:"I love you… I'm sorry please come back… please don't leave…"
It felt like hours had passed and maybe they had, but I didn't care honestly, I wanted to spend as much time with her as I could.
E:"J-jack…" Was I imagining things? I looked up and saw she was awake. But how was that possible? I saw her die and had done nothing about it... "Jack… you did this… YOU killed me…." She said in a hoarse whisper. More tears were released from my eyes, I'd let her down.
My thoughts were interrupted by her throwing her head back and screaming. This wasn't like when she was being burned at the stake, this was much worse. Like she was constantly being tortured, it was a scream of not only pain but of death.
J:"Elsa what's going on?!"
Her body began to convulse and shake violently like something was possessing her. Her hair turned completely black and then as suddenly as it started, it stopped. She was laying in my arms once more, back to normal. The last thing she said tome was
E:"3 more days…"
I sat up in bed, gasping for air and sweating. It was only a nightmare Jack. I quickly turned and saw Elsa laying on her side, the bed sheets wrapped around her small figure. I quickly began to remember the night we'd spent together. It was my first time with any girl, woman, and I knew it had been the right time. I got to see a side of Elsa I'd never really seen, she'd gone from a sweet innocent and perfectly poised Queen to a seductress, insatiable for us to make love over and over again. I laid back on the pillows and sighed. It had been perfect really, I'd given myself to her in body and soul, I belonged to her now. I rolled over and draped an arm around her waist, which apparently made her stir as well and she turned towards me and wrapped her arm around my neck. I took the time to look at her, to take in how amazing she was. Her hair was messy after our night together, but she still looked stunning. The little light that the moon shone through the window hit her face and her skin seemed to have an ethereal glow to her. I became breathless. It was strange to believe she had me wrapped around her finger, I would answer to every whim she asked of me no matter how insignificant. I couldn't believe the sweet child I'd looked after for years had turned into the woman of my dreams, the girl I wanted to spend every moment of my life with. After a few minutes I felt myself begin to fall asleep once more, and what better way to do it than with the love of my life in my arms. As it always should be.