Elsa's eyes fluttered open as the sun's rays pierced through the window, casting a warm glow on her face. The room glistened with a joyless crystal. She felt a sense of calm wash over her as she sensed a soft touch on her stomach and gentle breath on the nape of her neck.
As she took slow, calming breaths, she felt her heart rate gradually synchronize with the rhythm of his breathing. After a few moments, she shifted her gaze to Jack's serene face, but in that fleeting instant, the memory of Jack's blood came rushing back to her.
The blooded face. The atrocities. His life slipped away second by second in her arms.
Her selfishness, her regret, her Love. Her entire world slipped away from her.
In a past existence, Elsa was responsible for his demise and stood in the way of his return to life.
Elsa was amazed when he entered her life like a knight in shining armor. In just a few days, he became the first man to capture her heart truly, the first man she ever allowed herself to love, the first man who truly made her feel alive, made her believe in love...Someone who showed her that maybe she could be loved.
Could she have ever imagined succumbing to an unfamiliar emotion so rapidly? She had come to terms with the idea that it wasn't possible, but then an attractive, carefree individual with a gentle voice and tender touch entered her life and completely transformed it.
Jackson Frost Overland.
Jack Frost.
Her Jack.
Elsa's Jack.
The man she treasures with her entire heart, body, and soul is the one she has loved in every lifetime. She yearns to love him again, but her conscience holds her back, knowing that it would not be right.
She would be willing to endure any pain or suffering to ensure his happiness and well-being, even if it meant making the difficult choice to leave him.
But for the remaining days, she desired to cherish him and take all his touches, to hold them to her heart her entire life. Get a peaceful hug that calms her soul, a devoted gaze that flutters her heart, a beautiful smile that softens her soul, a goofy joke that makes her chuckle, a kiss that makes her want to live forever. All these memories she can feel all over again in her coming lifetimes.
In the days ahead, she will cherish him and make every effort to hold onto his memory.
Elsa buried her face in the pillow, gently stroking his cheek with her knuckles. "You're so beautiful," she whispered, her voice quivering with emotion and a broken voice.
"This beautiful face," she said as she gently caressed his face, "I want to etch it into my memory for eternity."
His lips curved into a gentle smile, filled with warmth and affection, as he pulled her closer. "I'm so grateful that you find me beautiful, Queenie."
"How long have you been up?" embarrassment overtook her, and her cheeks flushed.
"Since you turned over and have been staring at my face for what felt like centuries," Jack smirked and tightened his arms around her. "God, your cuddles are the best, Snowflake. I want to stay here forever."
Her heart felt like it was being pulled in different directions with great force. "Sooner or later, we all must move on, right?" Why was she burdened with memories of their past lives?
He chucked, and it sent waves up her neck. "Well, I decided not to. I can ask Loki to bring us breakfast."
"Babe, why don't you freshen up while I ask Elena to make breakfast?" She reached over to grab her phone and glanced at the time. "It's 11 a.m. already, Jackson. We slept in! Get up!"
"I don't want to," he complained, sounding like a child as he held her tightly in his arms, his face nuzzling against her neck.
Time seemed to stand still for a brief moment, and Elsa savored the feeling. She felt a rush of emotion, realizing that she would miss his tender touch. "Well, we need to get moving," she gently insisted.
And he did. "As you say, Queenie."
As he released her hand and left for the washroom, Elsa felt her breath catch in her throat. Why were the fates so unkind to her? Did she deserve such a monumental punishment for wanting to end her life because she couldn't bear to live without her beloved? She endured so much in her life, and just when she found solace and was reunited with Jack, she was forced to part from him.
His touch, the way he caresses her with his cold hands.
She'll miss it.
His laugh and how he throws his head back and makes her unlaughable joke seem funny.
She'll miss it.
His smile and how his face brightens up, as he waits for her reaction to his joke.
She'll miss it.
She wished that she had never been brought back to life, but she was grateful that she had because Jack was reborn. He would finally get the happy ending he deserved; she was determined to ensure it.
As she dwelled on this thought, time slipped away, and soon, they found themselves sitting at the table downstairs. Jack had stepped out to fetch something. She absentmindedly toyed with her food, reminiscing about the dreams in which they were blissfully happy, replaying those joyful scenes in her mind.
"Do you not like the food, Mrs. Overland?"
At the speed of light, she returned and grinned at Elena, "That food is delightful. I am just lost...in my thoughts."
Elena eyed the chair beside Elsa and politely requested, "May I?"
With a pained smile and a nod, Elsa softly murmured, "You may." It seemed surreal how she had transitioned from being confined in a room to her cook seeking permission to sit beside her.
"You seem unsettled, honey. I'm still getting acquainted with this place and don't know much about the Overlands. However, I hold you in high regard, like a caring parent would, so if you feel like sharing, I'm here to listen. Just like for my daughter."
Her expressions were appreciated, but she was also perplexed. "You have a daughter!" Elsa jumped in her seat and apologized. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. You seem so young. I didn't know you had a daughter."
Elena smiled and waved her apologies away, "None taken, and thank you for the compliment. I'm 47, Mrs. Overland." Hesitating at first, she sweetly touched Elsa's cheek, "You are very much like her. She was a sweetheart and a bubble of happiness."
Elsa struggled to express her emotions effectively, but she made a sincere effort. "If you're comfortable sharing, could you tell me what happened?"
So the story of the lovely, heartbroken woman began: "There was a handsome young gentleman she was in love with. Oh, they were so happy and in love." Elena's hands were grasped in her lap, waiting for what came next. "Unfortunately, not everyone gets a happy ending. He passed away, and so she followed him to the heavens just a week after his death."
Noticing the woman's hunched back and clenched hands, Elsa gently reached out and took hold of them. "I can see that you're carrying a heavy burden. I can't imagine the pain of losing a loved one or your family. Thank you for opening up to me. Whenever you're ready to talk, I'll listen and support you."
Elena gazed at her with a distressed expression and asked softly, "It sounds like you're speaking from personal experience. Who are you grieving for?"
"Someone I loved. I lost them multiple times." Elsa looked at her with tears in her eyes. "Love is the worst emotion. Is it not?"
The woman's heart was heavy with sorrow. "Oh, darling, it's the most gorgeous feeling. Love-" Elena remarked wistfully, her thoughts drifting to her husband. "-Love is when you can't imagine a breath without your beloved. Love can be painful, yes, but aren't we fortunate to experience and embrace it? It's tragic that you've lost your loved ones. But if given the choice, would you forgo falling in love with them?"
"No." A faint whisper left with a sigh. "Not in a million lifetimes."
Wrinkles came to Elena's forehead, and she pursed her lips. "Indeed, Love hurts, but only a few get to live it. I miss my daughter greatly, but I am glad I got to hold and love her for the two decades she was with me." She took a deep breath and added, "And I'm even more glad she got to feel love with her partner. I know they're happy finally together now."
Elsa could only agree with the heartbreaking story: "Thanks for telling me. You are a very strong person, Elena."
Slowly, Elena got up and took Elsa's empty plate. "And you, Mrs. Overland, are even stronger."
So unbelievable, it seemed to her. "You think so?"
"I believe so." And the woman went back to her work.
Now seated on the couch, Elsa looked at the chandelier and played with the tussles of the pillow in her lap.
The movie that played in the background soon silenced, and darkness clouded her mind
In the still of the night, as the castle lay shrouded in darkness, a daring fourteen-year-old princess commanded her closest friend to rendezvous with her on the forbidden knight's grounds.
Jack arrived as he had promised, but something seemed amiss - a mysterious figure was lurking in the corner, shrouded in darkness. With a sense of unease, he cautiously advanced towards the shadow, drawing his sword in silence. An air of apprehension surrounded him, knowing that Elsa could appear at any moment and that this encounter could potentially turn into a life-threatening situation.
Approaching the motionless silhouette, he was startled as he realized it was merely a cloak draped over a branch. Suddenly, a lively burst of laughter caused him to whirl around. "So, who's the trickster this time, Jack?"
"My dear princess! You had caused me great concern," Jack said with a relieved breath. "Now, could you enlighten me as to why you requested my presence here?"
Elsa cleared her throat and declared, "I want to inform my father that I have chosen you to be my knight."
Despite his astonishment, he gathered the courage to address the monarch: "Your Highness, at the age of 14, I am but a squire amid my training. I cannot fathom becoming your knight, especially after witnessing my apprehension at a mere shadow. A mere shadow, your Highness! It is truly pitiful. Surely, you deserve a more capable knight. Why choose me?"
"Perhaps I just want to have you near, Jack."
Thr eyes fluttered open, and a smile graced her lips for the first time in what felt like ages. "At last, some joyful memories," she murmured. She shut her eyes, yearning for another precious moment to appear, longing to envision him holding her once more.
"You look like a mermaid, " A handsome brown-haired man smiled at Elsa.
She raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "What?"
Jack blushed and touched her rosy cheek. "You look unreal, Elsa."
"I'm dressed in my usual attire," she said with a roll of eyes before walking away from her smitten husband.
He was utterly devoted to her, unable to resist venerating the very ground she graced with her presence. "Where are you off to?" he inquired, trailing after her.
Before long, they found themselves outside their magnificent ice castle, and as she turned to look at him, she seemed even more captivating than before. "We're going for a horse ride," she announced, a mischievous glint in her eye. "After all, a queen cannot depart without her knight."
Jack was mesmerized as she sensually grazed his chin with her fingers before gliding over to her majestic steed. "You truly are a mermaid," he whispered in awe.
"You have an unusual way of complimenting me, my love."
Jack couldn't help but laugh as he pulled her in for a tender kiss. "My love for you knows no bounds, Your Majesty," he whispered. "I love you, Elsa."
As usual, she didn't say it back, but he knew.
He always knew.
A mermaid? She remembered Jack saying that to her once.
Slowly blinking, she opened her eyes, fully aware that this was the moment just before Jack passed away in her lap. She couldn't help but feel the cruelty of allowing herself to hope for more...see more of their past lives but with only happy memories.
So she could remember him with a billion memories of all their lifetimes.
When she leaves him.
She resisted the urge. Oh, how she longed to be with him every moment. But in her view, there seemed to be no other option.
Elsa had to leave Jack.