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(A/N: Welcome to the thirteenth installment of my Frozen series. It started with Angel in the Snow, Demon in the Shadows (1). You will be pretty lost if you haven't started reading it from there.

It's been a while I know, but I haven't given up on this series yet. I've had a lot of other projects on the go, though, on top of revamps. Honestly, this series is due for a facelift itself. Life has also been in the way. Career and such. I'm also working on getting actual publishable material out there, so that's been a big focus too. I wanted to say, though, that I'm very sorry for how long this has taken. I wish I could say the focus was going to be mostly on the Frozen crew like it was last time, but I'm in the process of tying the strings together now. Heading towards the closing up of some storylines and prepping for the future closing up of a storyline as well, so Hans, Elsa, et al won't be much a focus for the next two or three books. Most likely two. Apologies in advance for that. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this next installment and again, apologies for how long it's been.

Some info: Yuwabe was a location, and Maghereb a queen, in the Frozen comics. I couldn't tell you which one, but that's where she and her country are from. Also, I play a bit here with the rumors that Hans Christian Andersen was into both sides of the fence in his love life.)

ANGEL IN THE SNOW, DEMON IN THE SHADOWS 13: CORRUPTED

Meleagant

Elsa giggled as she lounged in a bathtub made of ice that was filled with heated water. "Hans, that tickles," she said, squirming a little.

Her husband sat across from her in their shared bath, massaging her foot and ankle. A smirk pulled at his lips, him glancing up at her before turning attention to the massage again. Across the bathroom sat an icy, crystal cradle in which their slumbering infant lay swaddled warmly in blankets of ice warmed by trapped fire. On top of the little bundle, Bruni snored away fast asleep. Thord had brought him along during last Saturday's game of charades, complaining about how mopey he had been since they all left. Elsa had asked Hans what he would say to a pet. He'd argued and shot down the idea, but ultimately lost. Elsa was pretty sure he'd just been playing stubborn anyway, because now he wasn't fooling anyone. She'd caught Hans doting on little Bruni more than anyone else in this castle, always petting him or letting him nap on his desk or napping with him. Poor Sitron was getting jealous, but the stallion's attentions had been divided, lately, since her ice mare had foaled. The baby was the most beautiful little creature she'd ever seen, made entirely of ice tinged with Sitron's colouring.

There had been a bit of a rough start when Bruni first came. Neither she nor Hans had been sure how safe it was to have the little salamander close to Kay. There was a near mishap when they experimented, but Bruni had since figured out how to regulate himself better around the baby to the point he could now snuggle with him, though they both made sure to supervise when it happened.

"Your turn to share a truth," Hans murmured fondly. In the wake of the nightmare in Tir Na Nog, they'd both made a pact to be more open and honest with each other as much as they could make themselves be, with a goal to no longer keep secrets or thoughts to themselves.

"The way your lies push your friends away, like they did with Dickens, reminds me of how I pushed Anna away. You need to stop, or it's going to cost you one day. Like it almost cost me," she said.

"It already nearly cost me," he said solemnly, frowning at the memory. He wished he could forget it… "Now my truth. I still hear those words you spoke in my worst dreams. Sometimes in waking moments when I have nothing else to think about," he confessed.

"I scarred you," she quietly and guiltily replied.

"You woke me up," he answered. "I hate how dangerously close it was to being too late that you did."

She was quiet at first, taking in his words, then sadly smiled. "Now me. I wish that you could understand that courage to face the unknown can sometimes be far better than just grabbing more power," she murmured. "There will always be someone more powerful, no matter what you do, yet from such power Anna saved me twice without any powers of her own. The same could be said of Thord, though in his case it wasn't so much 'saving me' as it was reaching me and stopping me from destroying my life."

"I'm slowly coming to see the truth in that. Now how about we turn these truths to happier talk?" Hans said.

"Very well. I remember every sympathy and mercy you showed those you would have trod down not even long ago. Like Harrald Scharff and Dr. Jekyll," she offered. "Part of what cemented my feelings for you was seeing how you dealt with Harrald."

He looked at her again with a smile. He placed her foot into the water and took the other one to massage it next. "Speaking of Harrald, I may or may not have been genuinely attracted to him. And Edvard. And Carl. In a not strictly platonic sense."

"Wow. So you're more like Franz-Neb than you let on," Elsa said with a laugh. "Not that anyone can blame you. They're incredibly attractive men."

"Yes, yes they are," Hans replied, smirking mischievously.

Just then Kay began to fuss and cry. Elsa and Hans looked towards the cradle. "I'll get him," she said, rising from the bath and stepping out of it. He watched after her, eyes taking in her form appreciatively. She conjured a towel of ice to wrap around her body as she went to their child.

"Must you cover up?" he asked ruefully.

"I must," she answered with a laugh, scooping up their baby and cradling him close, latching him to her breast. "It would feel awkward, darling, if I nursed him naked for your pleasure."

"Why?" he asked with a huff.

She just smiled and returned to the bathtub, perching on the side of it and letting one of her legs drop into the water. She drew her other knee up on the ledge and began softly cooing to her child. Hans moved through the water and caressed her calf and thigh gently, pressing his lips to her leg. She grinned to herself, eyes closing in contentment. He let out a soft hum against her before withdrawing his lips. "Have you any word on the missing Knights of the Round Table yet?" he wondered.

"Queen Maghereb from Yuwabe, a small African nation governed by a monarchy, sent a reply," Elsa more seriously said, opening her eyes to look at him solemnly. He frowned, curious. "And I quote: Queen Elsa, we must meet. Inform me presently of where it would be most convenient to do so, my kingdom or yours."

"You know it by heart no less," Hans said, impressed.

"It was the tone of it," Elsa said. "Given the new baby, I should let her know Arendelle will be the best meeting place, though truth be told I'd love to travel to Yuwabe. Maghereb has been to Europe once before, but I've yet to visit North Africa."

"We can," he said, smiling up at her. "A new baby doesn't bar us completely from travel, you know."

"I don't want to cross the sea with an infant. I'm afraid of what could happen," she quietly said.

"Africa can be reached on land, though crossing the North Sea, cutting through Europe, then carving across the Mediterranean will shave off a lot of time. Even following the coastlines most of the way would be a shorter trip than traveling by land," he said. "Besides, I don't see why you should be afraid of the water with the Nokk always stalking you."

She frowned at the bitter note in his voice. "Drop it," she warned.

"If you absolutely refuse to travel by sea, what about your ice sleigh?" Hans asked. She gave him a curious look. "The thing travels like nothing I've ever seen before. It could probably make the trip in a day or two if we chose to go that route."

"And terrify all of Yuwabe?" she dryly asked.

"Arrive in the night," Hans answered, shrugging. "If you want to travel, my love, travel. Baby or no."

She was quiet, considering the words. "You think it would work?" she asked, smiling a little.

"I know it would," he answered with a smile. "Well-travelled, remember?"

"That you are," she replied, smiling back. She considered the matter for a moment, watching her child. "I suppose we can risk the sea," she finally, almost sheepishly, replied.

"There we go," he said, a teasing note in his voice. "Leave the travel arrangements to me. I'll make it as short and sweet as it can possibly be. Plus, little Kay gets a head start on world travel."

"Over my dead body will he be traveling the world like his father likes to try and do," she replied, frowning.

"We'll discuss that later," he answered with a conspiring smirk. She harrumphed, focusing on their child again. A soft smile spread across her lips. Hans peered down at their son and reached out, gently petting the little one's head.

Frozen

Elsa walked into the room where she had left her husband and son, saying, "Alright, I've written to Queen Maghereb and told her…" She trailed off on noticing the scene before her.

Hans held Kay against his chest, gently cradling him and softly singing the child a Danish song that might have been a lullaby, though she wasn't sure. Around his feet sat the enraptured Snowgies and Olaf. In the back sat an equally enraptured Marshmallow, all listening to her husband's singing.

"Ramund gik sig i bjerget ind til alle de små troldes sæde.

Stride randt tårer de trolde på kind, de måtte for Ramund græde.

"Græder du for mig?" sagde Ramund.

"Jeg græd aldrig for dig," sagde Ramund hin Unge"

Hans paused on noticing her. The snowgies squeaked in protest. "Hush you. I'll sing more later," he chastised, frowning at them. Marshmallow roared in a semi-tantrum, punching the floors with his fists. Hans winced and frowned at him, unimpressed. "If you act like that, there'll be no more singing at all!" he said. Marshmallow set to sulking, but otherwise behaved himself.

"What has them so enraptured?" Elsa asked. "What's the song about?"

"Hans looked sheepish. Uh, a Danish hero of legend," he replied. "It was a song written circa any time between the fourteen hundreds and the early seventeen hundreds. It may even date earlier. The song has about twenty verses and there are variations of it throughout Denmark. The gist of it is that a young hero named Ramund goes to battle with the Jaetter. Jotun as you'd better know them. The trolls. Giants in some variations. Ultimately, he wins, then sails to the emperor to take his daughter to marry."

"That sounds lov…" Elsa began with a smile.

"He gets her by decapitating the emperor," Hans sheepishly mumbled.

Elsa blinked blankly at him. Hans winced. She looked at their baby, then at him again. "Are you sure that's a song you should be singing our son?" she dubiously asked.

"Uh, no. No, I'm not," Hans answered. "In my defense, my mother sang it to us! Of course, given we ended up poisoning and murdering our father—at least the triplets did—I guess that's probably not the best example to fall back on."

"No. It isn't," she flatly replied, but there was an affectionate and amused smirk pulling at her lips, so he guessed that was a good thing?

Hans awkwardly cleared his throat. "Uh, wh-what were you saying?" he asked, still looking hopelessly flustered.

Elsa approached him, gently petting the snowgies on the head as she passed and rubbing Marshmallow's arm affectionately. She patted Olaf's head as he got up to follow her, cheerfully humming the song Hans had been singing.

"I want to be awesome like Ramund someday!" Olaf chirped. Hans grimaced. Elsa sighed hopelessly, rolling her eyes, then sat next to Hans.

"I wrote to Queen Maghereb to let her know we would visit her in Yuwabe," she said. "I get the feeling that's probably what she would have preferred anyway. Given how curt and somewhat cryptic the message was, I assume she knows more than we could have hoped for."

"That leaves the travel arrangements to me," Hans said, nodding. "I'll get to work on them tonight and leave tomorrow to finalize them. When would you like to leave?"

"As soon as we can manage. Best to get it done with, I suppose," she answered.

He nodded and noted her concern. He reached over, covering her hand with his. She looked at him. "Hey, don't worry. It'll be a dull trip, promise. We'll be there and back before you know it, then the rest can be in the knights' hands, okay? There's no guarantee any of this will happen fast."

"I know," she answered, nodding with a smile. "Thank you." She pressed a kiss to the side of his mouth.

Hans grinned, nuzzling her gently and squeezing her hand. He looked at the baby in his arms, who was watching his parents in quiet fascination, and began to play with him along with Elsa. The snowgies and Bruni joined too, Bruni jumping through the masses excitedly, tongue lolling out, then scampering quickly to their sides almost possessively, perching on the baby's body. Kay giggled and grabbed at him. Bruni leapt back, lighting on fire defensively. Hans caught Kay's hand. "No," he chastised the baby. "Gentle." The infant was of course too young right now to understand that, but sooner than later he'd grasp the concept. Hans moved the baby's tiny hand to Bruni and caused him to gently pet the fire salamander. "Gentle," he repeated. Kay stared in fascination, little lips parted. His eyes had only just opened almost fully, and the babe was utterly enraptured with everything around him. Elsa grinned at Hans tenderly. He smiled softly back.

London

A scream echoed in the cold London night before being suddenly cut off. A minute or two later, a police whistle pierced the air and barking dogs could be heard. A funeral coach passed by an alley not far from the location of the scream. A man, waiting in the darkness of that alley, slipped out of it silently, hurrying to the coach and hopping nimbly onto the back, crouching there and holding on unnoticed. He wrapped his black cape around himself to better blend in with the black coach and dark night. He smirked darkly to himself. Police and their dogs raced by. He rode on, unnoticed.

He remained on the back of the coach until it arrived at its destination, a large graveyard in an isolated place. He hopped off before it fully stopped and melded into the shadows, making his way through the headstones back towards the city, adjusting his gloves with a satisfied smirk. The girl hadn't stood a chance. Her body would be found in quite a state indeed. His luck would not hold out forever, he knew he would have to lay low after this for a while given he was being hunted as was, but it was finished and that was that.

He staggered suddenly, collapsing against a tombstone and catching it. He whispered a curse and took a moment to just breathe, but every breath he took was raspy and ragged. Suddenly he let out a shaking gasp, sliding down the tombstone and gritting his teeth. He shuddered. What was wrong with him? He swallowed and tried to stand only to collapse again with a grunt. He grimaced, clutching at his heart, and dragged himself onward until he found the strength to rise again. He couldn't deny anymore that something was horribly wrong. For two months he had been steadily weakening. He was dying, and he wasn't sure why. How it had happened and when were equal mysteries to him. He swallowed somewhat nervously, fear creeping up on him, then let out a shaking, weak breath before closing his eyes.

All at once, an image of a frozen river came to mind and the eerie lyrics of a haunting song. His eyes flew open as the memory his counterpart held came to him, and he knew, then, what had gone wrong. Now fear became murderous hate mixed with cold dread. A scowl crossed his lips before the pain washed over him again and he winced, doubling over with arms wrapped around his stomach. He almost whimpered but managed to refrain. He swallowed when the pain passed and shook his head. Straightening up he made for the city again. He needed help, he knew, but there was only one doctor he would put his trust in. Himself. To be more precise, Jekyll. He had to find his way to the good doctor's home. There his other half would find him. They were still one and the same, after all. Henry would find him because he would sense something was wrong. He would sense it and he would find him because they could always sense each other, even when they didn't realize it. Henry would come. He had to. Once there, he would hide himself away and wait for the doctor's arrival…

Frozen

Jekyll's eyes fluttered open as the dream ended. He stared blankly up at the ceiling, listening to the sound of the steadily ticking clock. No other sound could be heard. He closed his eyes, swallowing. His mouth was dry. He let out a breath of air and sat slowly up, rubbing his eyes. He reached for the water cup he kept by his bed and drank deeply from it. He finished it off before he knew it and was a little surprised. He felt incredibly thirsty. Sighing, he got up to go get himself some more. He refilled the glass while staring out his bedroom window into the London night. The streets were so very quiet this time of evening.

Suddenly there was a thump from downstairs. He tensed, looking sharply over. Silence. He frowned warily then recalled the dream. His eyes slowly widened, a chill racing up and down his spine. Thunder echoed in the distance. After a long, hesitant moment, he finally put aside the glass of water and went to investigate. The lightning and moonlight were what guided his steps as he crept through the hall and down the stairs, warily looking out for whatever had made the sound. Cold dread prickled down his spine. If it was who he thought… He involuntarily shuddered at the idea of it. He was not in any mental space to face that now, but he knew he would have little other choice if his fears were realized.

He paused at the base of the stairs, looking ahead at the door to the den. He could see, through the crack, a lit fire. He had not lit the fire before going to bed. He stayed utterly still for a long, long moment before finally working up the courage to approach. Normally he would not take a risk like this, but this time he could sense down to his very bones that to turn away from it now would be worse for him than confronting it.

He reached out to the door, pushing it carefully open a bit and peering inside. His heart skipped a beat and he caught his breath on seeing a figure sitting hunched over in his armchair, staring into the flames. He willed himself to go on, let out a shaking stream of air, stood up straight, and pushed the door open the rest of the way. He stood still in the doorframe, waiting to be acknowledged. The man in his house could not have missed the creaking door.

For a long time, there was silence between them. "You came. I wasn't sure you would," the man finally, gruffly, said. He sounded so exhausted and weak… The man shuddered, grimacing in pain, and Jekyll's discomfort grew. He remained still and would not speak a word in response. "Nothing to say to your old friend Hyde?" the man continued.

Jekyll was quiet. Something was wrong. Very, very wrong. The man was pale. Shaking. Weak. He looked like he was at death's door. "Edward," he finally and exhaustedly greeted. Hyde stirred slightly, then began to darkly chuckle. He lifted his head weakly, turning to Jekyll, and sneered at him before lowering his head once more and shuddering. "I shouldn't be surprised you'd find me when you need me most," Jekyll soon continued.

"We're still part of one another, like it or not. It was inevitable I would have instinctually felt the need to turn to you. It was inevitable you would sense my presence even in deepest slumber, because I am still you, in some abstract way."

Jekyll was quiet. "What happened to you?" he finally asked. Hyde sneered, clutching at his heart. Jekyll approached, sitting near to him, and pressed a hand over said heart. He felt it beating faintly. "Are you injured?" he asked.

"No," Edward replied.

"Ill?" Jekyll asked.

"In some sense," Hyde answered. "Some sick, twisted, abstract sense."

"How long?" Jekyll asked.

"Since you entered the damnable river of memory," Hyde sneered.

Jekyll bristled a bit. Then Hyde knew of it… He looked at his alter ego's chest once more, fatigued. "You're still part of me, separate or not," he murmured. He closed his eyes, sighing through the nose. "Ahtohallan reacts to the mirror's corruption…"

"And I am the taint of the mirror that mired your potion and caused all of this to come about," Hyde bitterly stated. "I've barely been able to eat, barely been able to drink, barely been able to sleep… I will die soon… I can barely move anymore." He looked darkly at Jekyll and sneered. "But at least where I go, you will follow. Was that not your logic when I was still within you?"

"When we are apart, that same logic may not apply," Jekyll tiredly replied.

"But you're no more inclined to find out if that is so than I am," Hyde answered. Jekyll was quiet, looking away. "Save me, Henry," Hyde said.

"I don't know how," Jekyll answered solemnly. He turned to him. "I can only treat you as I would treat a sick man and hope it's enough."

"Better than me sitting here atrophying alive," Hyde bitterly scoffed.

Jekyll nodded then rose to fetch some drinking water as well as a water basin and cloth. Soon he returned and set the items down on the coffee table. He took the cup of water and tilted Hyde's head back gently, bringing the glass to his counterpart's lips. Hyde drank desperately, severely dehydrated. Jekyll set aside the soon-empty glass and pulled the wet cloth from the basin, squeezing it out before applying the compress to Hyde's forehead. Hyde let out a relieved breath. "You're going to die, Edward," Jekyll said solemnly.

"But you have no intention of letting that happen, do you?" Hyde all but sneered. There was, however, the faintest hint of unease and vulnerability in the tone.

"No. Not until it is on my terms," Jekyll replied. "But I'm not sure what I can do to save you."

"Yes you are," Hyde answered. "My body is dying. Yours is still strong… If I am to live, you must return to me."

"You must return to me," Jekyll corrected firmly, frowning. "All that you are is a face in the mirror. I know what must be done, yes, but I have no way of knowing how to bring such a thing about."

"Carabis," Hyde said, grimacing in distaste at his own suggestion.

"No," Jekyll answered, frowning. "Carabis is out of the question. I won't deal with him if it can at all be helped."

"He crafted the mirror. He knows best how it works," Hyde replied.

"What he knows is little more than what we do," Jekyll replied. "He made something he could not contain or control or even understand."

"What little more he happens to know may save us both, Henry!" Hyde said, seizing Jekyll's shirt firmly and making the doctor catch his breath in surprise.

They were both still, after that. Jekyll utterly so, waiting for a violent outburst that never came. Finally, once he was certain Hyde would not try anything, he removed his alter's hands from his shirt and straightened it a bit. He met Hyde's eyes for a long moment. "I'm going to make you some broth," he soon said. "You'll drink only a little at a time. Too much and you may vomit." He rose.

"This is it then? You'll wait until I fade and take you with me?" Hyde asked.

Jekyll paused in the doorway, quiet. "You die on my terms, no one else's. I will not give up on you, Edward," he answered, looking back. "Now do not strain yourself. Rest. Hold on. For as long as you possibly can. I will find a way to save us both." And then doom them both after, should Hyde prove to be too much of a menace. Hyde was quiet. Jekyll sighed and left the room to prepare the broth and consider his options. Perhaps it was time to touch base with the knight that had been sent from Avalon for his sake… He picked up an invitation from the counter and turned it in his hands. There would be no better time to meet with Lot to arrange it than now. A soiree was coming up. One Lot was most interested in being part of. Duke Charles Alexander, Carl that was, had secured the invitation. That party would be the cornerstone in Lot's plan to found a settlement on the Orkney Isles. Jekyll of course had yet to deliver the news to the Dark Age king. He would set out tomorrow for the Isles to do so. They would return to the mainland together. Them and the knight who had been chosen to help him. He hoped for the best. He and Hyde were running out of time…

Frozen

Jekyll wasn't sure what he'd been expecting in Prince Meleagant when he arrived on Lot's Island, but whatever he'd been expecting it was nothing quite like the dark-haired young man he saw before him now, strumming a black mandolin and watching him with a dubious and cynical gaze. He wore an expression that gave him the appearance of being bored out of his head and hating everything. Jekyll's first impressions were that of an angsty boy with more mental and emotional problems than Jekyll was any kind of equipped to deal with. He hated him already, or was tempted to, but he chided himself for that and reminded himself not to pass judgment prematurely.

"So yeah… This is Meleagant," Dinadan said, putting on a smile and gesturing to the young man. "His greatest desire is to wallow in the muck and mire of his own self-pity!" Jekyll looked at Dinadan in disbelief. "Yep. Have fun you crazy guys! I'm out." With that he turned and left the two alone. Jekyll stared at the young man he could already envision giving him a headache. He had thought he would be meeting a man older than this, who would understand him on his level. Instead, he felt like a father staring at a rebellious child he dreaded facing down but knew he had to.

"So… you're Meleagant," Jekyll finally said. And there was the oh-so-predictable eye roll as the young prince turned away and went back to strumming on his mandolin. He was talented, Jekyll would give him that at least. Ugh, the doctor regretted this whole situation already.

"And you're the one they sent me for," Meleagant finally replied without looking back at him. The prince stopped playing his music and finally placed the instrument down, rising and turning to him. "I didn't expect an old man."

"Middle-aged," Jekyll somewhat bitterly corrected.

"Whatever," Meleagant answered with the predictable eye roll again. Jekyll half felt like strangling him, eyes narrowing in a highly unimpressed manner.

"I thought it was high time I met you," Jekyll said, trying to break the ice again.

"I've wondered from the start what my purpose was in being sent up here," Meleagant said with a half-shrug.

"Well, something's come up that's going to make that answer very clear soon enough," Jekyll answered.

"Bad news for you. Unless you're dealing with a little problem between two halves, I'm going to be useless to you," Meleagant said.

"As a matter of fact, that's exactly what I'm dealing with," Jekyll answered.

Meleagant flinched slightly. Subtly. There was silence for a beat. Finally, the young man let out a sigh, shoulders slumping a bit. "Sorry," he muttered.

"It's alright," Jekyll answered, letting his guard drop ever so slightly, now that the coiled posture of the young prince had relaxed a bit.

"I should have figured it would be something like that," Meleagant said with a huffed half-laugh.

"Why?" Jekyll asked.

Meleagant looked at him. "Because I deal with the same," he answered.

Jekyll started, taken aback. His eyes went wide and for a moment he could only stare at the young prince. "Y-you too are of two minds?" he stammered.

Meleagant wryly smirked. "There's Meleagant, then there's the Dark Prince. The Dark Prince is not a guy you want to cross. Ever. Leave it at that. Guess that explains why they chose me at all though." He looked away, sounding somewhat bitter.

Jekyll was quiet, examining the young man quietly. "For what it may be worth, I doubt I was the only reason they chose you," he finally replied. It was clear to him the young man was somewhat upset over this, as much as he tried to hide it.

"What other reason would they have?" Meleagant replied with a casual one-sided shrug. "I'm not exactly the class favorite."

"I heard the word redemption at some point, I'm fairly sure. Talk of how out of all of you, you were among the ones who would have wanted it most," Jekyll replied. Meleagant was silent, still looking frustratedly away from him. "Maybe you weren't the most personable of them, but clearly they loved you nonetheless."

"Love," Meleagant said with a somewhat scornful laugh. "What is love, really? But if it makes you happy, we'll go with that."

"Just because you can't understand how they could love you doesn't mean they don't," Jekyll dryly said.

"Don't play mind games with me, physician," Meleagant said.

"I don't play games. I'm a doctor," Jekyll answered.

Meleagant stared at him dubiously before shaking his head, clearly mystified by his response. "Sure, doc. Sure," he chose to respond at last. "Well, you have the floor. Enlighten me. What's going on?"

"I do not know how much they told you, it seems they did not tell you enough, but… I was able to separate my alter from myself. Give him a physical form all his own to live in," Jekyll said. Meleagant gave him a surprised look. "I need him back inside of me," Jekyll said.

Meleagant was quiet. "Why?" he finally asked.

"Because when he was inside of me, at least I was still there somewhere. I acted as a buffer. He could not run uncontrolled and untamed when we were one, because at any time I could have come back. I would rather put myself and my own life at risk than the lives of many others," Jekyll said. Meleagant was quiet. "Very recently I dreamt of him. When I awakened, he was in my home. He had found his way there… He is dying… And I fear that if his body dies, so will mine. If I must die, I want it to be on my own terms."

"There's more to this," Meleagant said. Jekyll nodded and began to tell Meleagant all he could about Hyde and how he had come to be. Meleagant listened gravely, a deep frown on his lips. Finally, Jekyll brought the tale to a close. "I don't want Hyde back within me, but this isn't a matter of want anymore. It's a matter of necessity," he finished.

Meleagant was quiet, taking all of it in and mulling it over for a long moment. Soon he turned once more to the older man. "If you desire this, physician, fine. I'll help you. The Dark Prince would be the sort to draw a man like Edward Hyde in, I suspect. But before you commit to anything, be certain of this choice."

"I am certain because I have to be," Jekyll answered.

"There may be other ways," Meleagant more sympathetically replied.

"If there are, I pray they present themselves before there's no going back," Jekyll said. "As it stands, I have no choice… And I'm afraid."

"Why?" Meleagant asked.

"It's fear for myself. A selfish fear, but a fear nonetheless," he answered. "Should Hyde return to me, it will only be a matter of time before he is caught. And he will be in Jekyll's body. This condition I have is still a mystery, an unknown. What would my defense even be to avoid the hangman's noose? 'Yes, your honour, he looked like me but wasn't me! Yes your honour, I know I was caught literally red-handed, but it wasn't my mind in control. It was another's mind.' Why, if I wasn't executed on the spot, I'd be sent to an asylum, exorcised, or both."

Meleagant grimaced. He wasn't sure what an asylum was, but it didn't sound pleasant. "Let's not think or talk about that outcome right now, physician. One thing at a time. This is a lot to take in as is." Jekyll sighed and nodded in understanding, realizing he was getting himself too worked up now. He needed to step back, take a breath, and tackle this calmly and collectedly. They would figure this out. Though he wasn't convinced it would end in a happily ever after for him… "I'll travel with you back to the mainland, along with Lot and whoever else goes with him. We'll try to figure it out from there. But if this is the result of faerie interference, your best bet is to fall back on faerie interference."

"I cannot go to Carabis," Jekyll said.

"You don't need to. We have Selices and Selices has his father," Meleagant replied. "It's a matter of convincing either of them to play with something they don't understand. As little as Carabis understands his own mirror, they understand it less. We won't think about that now, though. Somehow, we'll figure this out." Jekyll was quiet. He was not so convinced…

The door was knocked on and both turned quickly. It was pushed open and Hoel slipped inside. "Meleagant, Jekyll?" he said.

"We're finished. For now," Meleagant said.

"We can hardly wait to hear how this little meeting went," Hoel wryly said.

"Sarcastically or genuinely?" Jekyll wryly asked.

"A bit of both," he sheepishly replied.

"What did you expect?" Meleagant asked.

"For neither of you to get along. At least at the start," Hoel replied. "You're not exactly the easiest person to get along with, Mele." Meleagant gave Jekyll a look that screamed 'see?'. Hoel frowned, catching onto what that probably meant, and folded his arms. "But you're worth reaching for," he said firmly, so his friend didn't get ideas in his head. Meleagant's cheek ticked slightly, and he shifted a bit, clearly uncomfortable with the sentiment but also plainly touched by it, in an aloof sort of way. "Lot's getting together a list of who all is headed to the mainland and the party. You two should be there."

"Fine," Meleagant said. He looked over at Jekyll with a critical eye before walking away from him, and passed Hoel. Hoel watched him go but didn't move to follow immediately. Neither did Jekyll.

When Meleagant was gone, Hoel looked at the doctor questioningly. "So, how'd it go?" he hopefully asked.

Jekyll sighed. "I expected a man older than this. I can't see how that boy is going to do anything to help me," he dryly answered. "I suspect it will be the other way around."

"Maybe you can't see how he will be able to help you now, but you will," Hoel answered. "Give it time. You'll help each other."

"I suppose I have little choice but to hope in that," Jekyll replied.

Frozen

Meleagant arrived in the planning room. Hoel and Jekyll followed a few moments later. Lot looked up when they were all assembled. "Thus far Dinadan and Galehaut are guaranteed to come to the mainland and attend the party. Anymore takers?" he asked.

"I'll come," Alexander said. "I'm no Dinadan, but I can hold my own schmoozing."

"I'll come too. B-better than sitting here doing nothing," Hoel said.

Lot nodded in acceptance and looked around. "Don't take advantage of de invitation more den dat," Bleoberis said. "Pretty sure dey didn't mean for you to bring a battalion."

"Humph, one of your rare insightful moments," Lot replied. He turned back to the papers on his table. "You're cleverer than anyone ever gives you credit for you know. Even those who know better." Bleoberis grunted. Lot frowned at him. "Though sometimes I still wonder," he bit. Bleoberis rolled his eyes.

"The ship is ready to depart when all of you are," Lamiel said.

"You aren't going to attend?" Galehaut asked.

"Parties aren't my style," Lamiel answered.

"Then off we go. You will want to put up in a hotel I think. You won't very well make it back home from the party on the same night. I would offer you my own home, but staying with me… let's just say it won't be wise at the moment," Jekyll said. They gave him a curious look but didn't press.