With the late-afternoon sun bearing down on his back as he walked, Jefferson found his clothes soon dried, though the icy chill of the ravine still lingered deep inside him. The thought of the sauna in Arendelle had never seemed so tantalising and Jefferson entered his house with a renewed sense of happiness that the freezing ravine and Regina's words had taken from him. It was only when he reached the kitchen did Jefferson realise the house was oddly silent.
"Elizabeth?" He called, returning into the hallway as he strained to hear for a reply.
There was no reply, no sound of footsteps, and trying to ignore the worry that was circulating in his mind, Jefferson pushed open a nearby door to what he vaguely recalled was the living room. The curtains fluttered in the breeze, but aside from that, the room was cold and still. Jefferson's eyes scanned across the sparsely decorated room, catching the chaise longue and the pale legs that were hanging off the end.
"Elizabeth?"
Jefferson approached the chaise longue, catching sight of Elizabeth's dark hair. He rounded the corner of the chaise longue and Elizabeth's head jerked up as he repeated her name. She blinked up at him, a hazy glaze in her eyes. Elizabeth suddenly seemed to snap out of her reverie, snapping shut her notebook with a sheepish smile.
"Sorry, I get really absorbed when I'm writing…I guess you've done whatever Regina asked you to do?"
"Yes," Jefferson glanced down at the leather-bound notebook, ignoring Elizabeth's attempt to change the conversation, "what are you writing?"
"Nothing!" Elizabeth said quickly, blushing slightly as she tightly clutched the notebook to her chest, "it's a story, that's all. I've only just started; it's probably no good anyway."
"Can't you read it to me?"
"No. Not yet," seeing the look on Jefferson's face, Elizabeth smiled apologetically, her tone growing softer, "I'm sorry, I've never had anyone really take any interest in my writing before- even Victor thought it was just childish writings, a hobby, something that I could never make a future from."
"I don't mind, I can wait. Now, do you still want to go to Arendelle?" Jefferson asked, tossing his hat to the polished floor as Elizabeth nodded.
With a contented sigh, Jefferson toyed with a strand of Elizabeth's hair that rested beneath his neck. Her head was resting on his chest and she had nestled close to Jefferson as they lay on grass, shaded from the summer sun by a willow tree, its branches swaying above their heads.
"I think I like this place even more than Wonderland," Elizabeth announced, tilting her head so that she could see Jefferson's face, albeit upside down.
"You should see it in winter. Climbing these mountains is treacherous then, the snow is far too thick," Jefferson replied, looking out across the valley.
Windswept, grassy hills stretched out beneath a sunny sky for as far as the eye could see, and in the distance he could see the gleaming waters of the docks that ran out to the ocean. A little further inland was Arendelle castle itself, glimmering gold. He could envisage the kingdom being covered in a snowy blanket, the waters frozen solid, like it had been during his last trip to Arendelle the previous winter.
"Oh we've got to come back in the winter! I want to build a snowman; I haven't built one in years," Elizabeth said animatedly, shoving one of the strawberries she'd picked into Jefferson's mouth as he rolled his eyes.
Jefferson bit into the strawberry, its sweet saccharine taste filling in his mouth before he swallowed and shifted slightly so that he could reach his pocket watch. Glancing at the time, he attempted to get up and Elizabeth gave an unimpressed groan.
"Can't we stay here? My legs are killing me."
"No," Jefferson said, "the shop isn't far from here: what I have to show you will be worth it. I promise."
With that, Jefferson rose, forcing Elizabeth to move as he got up. She sat obstinately on the grass but Jefferson grabbed her hands and pulled her up regardless.
"I'm not walking any further up this mountain!" She said firmly, folding her arms.
"That's alright, because you won't have to walk," Jefferson said and before Elizabeth could reply, he swung an arm underneath her legs, his other hand wrapping around her back as he lifted her.
Elizabeth cried out in surprise, before laughing and wrapping her arms around his neck,
"You really know how to sweep a girl off her feet!" She teased, kissing him on the cheek as Jefferson proceeded to carry her up the mountain.
After walking for a few minutes, Jefferson was relieved to see they had arrived at the log cabin. Despite Elizabeth not being particularly heavy, his arms had begun to ache and he gently set Elizabeth down. Taking in the cabin, she smoothed her dress, and read the cabin's sign.
"Wandering Oaken's trading post?" She asked incredulously, turning to face Jefferson, "this is what you've wanted to take me to: to meet another one of your business partners?"
"Not exactly, though I have traded with Oaken before," Jefferson said, pointing to the smaller sign which Elizabeth then read aloud.
"And Sauna. Wait, what's a sauna?"
"You don't know what a sauna is? Oh, you are in for a treat."
Shaking his head in disbelief, Jefferson took Elizabeth's hand and pushed open the door to the trading post. It was still as quaint as ever, the wooden walls lined with a variety of objects, a mix of summer and winter items combined with many things of Oaken's creation.
"Yoo-hoo Jefferson!" Oaken called, beckoning them over with a wide grin, "back to trade?"
"Not today Oaken, though we'd like to make use of your sauna?"
"You and your lady-friend?" Oaken said, looking across at Elizabeth, his smile only widening as he said brightly, "I hope you know how very lucky you are Miss."
"Oh I know," Elizabeth laughed, "he tried to make me climb the whole mountain to reach here!"
She looked up at Jefferson, having caught Oaken's infectious smile, her eyes twinkling. He pulled a face back at her and fondly wrapped an arm around her shoulders before addressing Oaken.
"How much then for the two of us?"
He opened his satchel and removed a few gold coins, but Oaken pushed away his hand when Jefferson tried to offer them, shaking his head.
"It's on the house, I insist."
"No, I've got to give you something," Jefferson said, glancing around the shop and spotting a rack of summer dresses in the corner, "Elizabeth could do with some more dresses, the only other one she has is her wedding dress."
"We ran away together from my wedding to another man, whom I didn't love, there wasn't really any time to pack," Elizabeth explained, noticing Oaken's bemused look.
"We'll pick out a few dresses after going in the sauna," Jefferson said, setting down the gold coins and scooping up the towels that Oaken had placed on the till for them.
He then headed to the sauna door and ushered Elizabeth in behind him before giving Oaken an appreciative nod and closing the door.
Blushing furiously, Elizabeth went back into the shop, unwrapping the turban from around her hair as Jefferson followed her. He fastened his cravat and wiped the last few beads of perspiration from his forehead before whispering in Elizabeth's ear:
"What happens in the sauna stays in the sauna, right?"
Elizabeth giggled, her cheeks burning as she replied, "Who I am going to tell? I wouldn't dream of telling Victor!"
"No," Jefferson murmured, kissing the top of her head before directing Elizabeth over to the dresses rack.
They both browsed through the collection, and Elizabeth pulled out a plain blue dress with white embroidery and Jefferson shook his head. He took a green silk dress from the rail and held it up for Elizabeth to see, the material shining under the cabin lanterns.
"It's nice," Elizabeth said, reaching out to feel the fabric between her fingers, "but not exactly practical."
"It'd suit you, you have to admit, and the colour goes well with your hair. Plus it'd look good on our bedroom floor."
"Jefferson!" Elizabeth cried, swatting at him with a laugh. She glanced over at Oaken, who appeared to have turned a blind eye to the pair as he sorted the stock at the till.
Eventually, they settled on three-day dresses and the green dress as an evening dress, and Elizabeth also picked out a winter coat and boots. Having already paid, Jefferson carefully folded the items over his arm, Elizabeth holding her boots, and they both thanked Oaken before going back out into the summer sunshine.
Squinting slightly in the bright glare of the sunshine, Jefferson reached up for his hat.
"Please say we can use the hat rather than walk back down the mountains," Elizabeth said, her face growing ashen as her stomach growled.
"Of course, and when we get back, I'll cook us something. I'm starving too."
"You have a maid clean your house, you don't garden, but you can cook?" Elizabeth teased.
"Yes, I make a pretty good roast thanks," Jefferson said as he bent down and twisted the hat.
He watched it enlarge, the grass swirling in the breeze the hat created.
"Mm, I love a good roast dinner," Elizabeth said, taking Jefferson's hand before they jumped.