WINTER'S HEART

Elsa peered through the curtains of her window, admiring the mountainous view beyond Arendelle, wishfully thinking of how one day she could tread them. She had already spent enough time thinking of the young man's kindness. Elsa began to wonder if he was part of her father's lineup—that she'd be seeing that face soon again with a group of men she was supposed to choose to marry. But he had such a unique appearance… She never recalled seeing him before the party or just hours ago. 'Jack Frost' her head kept saying, 'Jack Frost'… She didn't want to point a finger and call him 'odd', but that was the immediate impression she got from him… And for some reason, the Princess liked odd.

"Elsa?" Gerda was outside her door, probably to put her bed sheets back on. Elsa didn't move from her spot and continued to gaze across the fjord.

"Come in." The elderly servant walked in with sheets and a blanket draped over her shoulder. Elsa acknowledged the woman's reflection in the window, but didn't make any other contact. Gerda, however, noticed Elsa's mesmerized expression and laughed.

"Well someone looks perplexed!" Elsa hated how well she could unveil her emotions—even better than herself! "Is something troubling you?" The young woman grinned, happy with her answer.

"No, not at all." She moved the curtains to the side even farther; they were getting closer to letting light in the room! Gerda was almost bothered by the normally soulful girl's change of attitude. She approached her and peered over her shoulder to try and find what she was looking at.

"What's got you in bright spirits so soon?" It hadn't even been twenty-four hours since her birthday yet, "When you were a child you hid in your room for days after you stained one of your mother's best dresses!" Elsa unabashedly opened the curtains all the way, her spirits lifted and full of vigor—she'd never imagine that the simple kindness of a stranger would warm her up so much. With a smile on her face, she took the sheets on the bed and lifted the mattress on its side.

"Let me help you with this." Was all she said. Gerda smirked and got on the other side, pulling the ends of the blue, crystal-patterned sheets over.

"Come on, tell your old Granny what's got you so perked up." She laughed, referring to Elsa's nickname for her when she was younger; she missed that nickname—she missed being able to hold Elsa in her arms, she missed it when the young Princess would fall asleep after reading with the servant in the lounging room and she would carry her to bed… She missed everything that time seem to steal from her.

"Well…" Elsa tucked the side of the sheet under the mattress, "I went out today." Gerda raised a brow, now aware this was meant to only be between the two of them.

"Oh?"

"And… Well, I bumped into a kind stranger, he was at the party last night and…" They set the mattress down and stopped, Elsa bunched up the plain duvet and thought again of his words. Gerda was anxious, excited even.

"Well? Don't stop there! Tell me!" The two giggled.

"He was just very… Kind to me." Her facial expression betrayed her emotions when she let a frown form on her face, despite her happiness, "He saw me in the garden last night after my speech." Gerda nodded her head as she opened up the covers.

"Ah… I see. Would you help me with this, dear?" Elsa straightened out the duvet and little by little dropped it into the blanket-like sheet.

"Yeah-um…" She tried not to get side-tracked, "It's that I've never met anyone who's seen that side of me." No one knew better than her or Gerda how true that was, "And the fact he cared enough to worry was…" She blushed yet again, squeezing her blanket, "Endearing." Could she have her first crush? Elsa knew since day-one she'd be betrothed to a young (or old) man her father picked for a lineup, but was this fluffy, clueless feeling that used no brain activity whatsoever what 'liking someone' was supposed to be like? The blonde didn't care; she enjoyed feeling happily stupid every once in a while… If it ever happened.

"Well you know in a few weeks or so, we'll have another public gathering for when the Kingdom of Bodø visits. Perhaps you'll see him again." Elsa grinned gently.

"Yeah… Maybe someone will finally get to know me without having to treat me like a Princess."

"Well, a man better treat you like a Princess regardless!"

"Gerda~!" Elsa laughed, realizing how she worded her own statement. The old woman couldn't help but grab the eighteen year old's hands, as they giggled… Anything to make her feel like she was still her little Princess. To hell with it; she was!

All the while, it was agony for Jack to wait for the sun to rise over Arendelle that morning—he peered out the double-doors of his castle and stepped outside. The snow that had fallen overnight erased all this footprints and ice patterns he'd made out of joy. At least his energy had been released, because now, he had to conceal everything. This was his decision. He left his staff in the bedroom of his palace and put one boot on the refined ice steps that led to his sanctuary, then the other followed. He'd done this before, only now Jack had something to look forward to—someone he couldn't wait to see. But was the Princess even waiting to see him? Did she even remember him?

God, his neck was killing him—he felt like he'd slept on it wrong, if even slept at all the night before. He was too anxious. Jack began to let his fear overpower his excitement as he felt his body temperature drop. He can't do that, he scolded himself, he can't let fear control him! Fear is the enemy. If Pitch had heard him say that, he'd probably break his staff out of spite. Jack reminded himself that he was in control, the entire way down the mountains and across the bridge over the fjord, he calmed himself. When he made it to the open gates of Arendelle, it was just as active as the day before; no one noticed his unusual, frosted appearance nor did anyone care. That was just how he liked it. Jack wondered if Elsa was around—though he doubted it… She was the Princess after all, and Princesses were normally locked up in their castle all day. What he didn't expect was Elsa was about to get a nasty habit of sneaking out when she could and spending an hour or two in the kingdom.

As he slowly passed through the crowds, trying to avoid touching people, he saw a familiar blonde squeeze through the gates leading to the castle garden. Elsa said she'd 'help tend to the flowers' that morning. As long as the maids believed her, she was safe. Jack was curious if she owned any dresses that weren't dark blue, let alone how long her hair was since it was always pulled back so damn tightly. But who cares? There she was! Just as he didn't expect… But it seemed heaven was on his side, because she looked just as nervous as he was, sauntering out to the village square.

Jack raised a brow—why not have a little fun? Forgetting about his worries, he crept over to the floral stand and picked a few flowers. Elsa saw an animal her father normally referred to as 'vermin.' The baker's Danish-Swedish Farmdog, sitting next to the stand panting giddily. No one was attending it, and it was leashed up to the stand. Elsa couldn't help herself, she knelt down and cooed at it, "Hello pretty!" She spoke about three octaves higher, nuzzling its chin; it had the most adorable nose that she wanted to kiss, but apparently all creatures were drawn to her beauty for the dog put its paws on her lap and licked her cheeks. Elsa continued to scratch and adore the animal she'd always wanted to own, but she felt a shadow over her.

Had she been caught?! Jerking up to her feet, she turned around to see the silver-haired young man with purple flowers in his hand, "Flowers for the fair Princess?" Elsa chuckled away her brief fright.

"Jack?"

He laughed, "I didn't think you'd get so scared." The Princess smirked and crossed her arms.

"Well, I think I should be; you killed those beautiful flowers!" Wait a minute… Did he freeze them in his hands?! No! It was a joke… Stay calm.

"Hehe, I wasn't expecting to see you again, em…" He bowed his head with an arm around his chest again, "Princess Elsa." She scanned him with his eyes, grinning ear-to-ear.

"For you, it's just Elsa." Jack raised his head, surprised by how she could be so playful yet still maintain an air of elegance around her.

"Just Elsa?" She nodded, "Oh! Okay, I like just Elsa." He loved the way he made her chortle as if it was all she knew thing to do. It made him feel… warm, "Anyways, sneaking out the castle again? What an outlaw." The blonde was becoming indifferent to her own actions.

"One of the maids will cover for me, I'm not doing anything harmful now, am I?" She made her point with a tinge of sarcasm. Jack crossed his arms, realizing he still had the dying flowers between his fingers. Not sure what to do, Elsa held out a hand, "I'll take them." Jack side-grinned, but instead of handing her the flowers outright, he dropped them over her hand.

"Uh, are you sure you prefer Elsa? Because if you want, I don't mind calling Miss or…" The dog stepped closer and sniffed Jack's frosted boots, "Madame…" Elsa snorted and rolled her eyes, "No?" He got her to laugh again, that was the one good quality he always knew he had. All those years being trapped inside his home, he wanted to be good at something—so at the dinner table, he focused on making his parents and Sophie laugh until their sides hurt, "Because you look like you could be a Mistress-" The dog began to bark wildly, sensing something was off about the young man. The two young adults leapt away, startled.

"Well, he could've at least warned us that he was going to bark like a beast." Elsa smiled as the dog simmered down and got down on its belly. The young woman smiled at its adorable, goofy looking eyes again. Jack raised a brow and turned to her; he hadn't met many Princesses in his life if any at all, but she was different.

"You know, you're pretty upbeat for a Princess." Elsa smirked at him, but the way her eyes spoke to him, it was as though he'd said something offensive. Jack stepped away, "Not that I mean Princesses can't be upbeat, I mean I hear they're usually boring." Elsa tucked her chin in and gave him another smart-aleck type look, Jack went into full on panic mode—only this time, it wasn't about his powers, "I mean not that you're-no! You're not boring!" He stammered on, but Jack Frost halted when Elsa put her hand over her lips and snorted.

"I'm just playing with you." Jack's pale face turned a light red, how could he out of all people not have caught on to that? Then again, he'd never played with anyone in his life… Don't think about that! "You're not wrong." Jack broke out of his thoughts.

"I'm not?" That's a first.

"No." She began to walk farther into the towns, Jack helping keep her low profile, "It's true what you said, being a Princess is boring." They strolled farther away from the square where it was less active, a tad quieter, "You spend your life learning how to fulfill all these expectations your parents have since one day you'll be a Queen." Jack couldn't stand the now somber look on her face, "I've spent most of my life…" She stopped walking and let her lips curve into a disappointed smile, "Alone."

"Alone?" Jack repeated.

"Well, I do have my mom and dad but," She sighed, "They were never around." Elsa took a pause, "Our head servant Gerda raised me better than the both of them." Jack was still entranced by her words, her understanding emotions.

"So… You grew up by yourself?" Elsa rubbed her hands, it was a nervous habit she'd never outgrown. She looked back at him with her deep blue eyes.

"Yeah." For some reason, looking at him made her smile—her one friend. Jack couldn't believe his good fortune. He let out a broken chuckle and looked at her seriously.

"Well, you don't have to be like that anymore." Jack was only stating his thoughts aloud—that message was to himself. Maybe it was time to forget everything and start over… Build a new life for himself… Maybe people would like Jack Frost as long as they never knew his power. Elsa looked into his eyes and smiled, but instead of saying anything, the two went to staring… Soon it was so quiet between them it became awkward. Jack began to worry he'd been there too long and backed away in the opposite direction, "So uh… Elsa." She grinned at his quirkiness, despite she was confused by his actions, "It was nice getting to speak to you again and maybe we could speak again tomorrow?" He halted his steps now that he was a safe distance from her.

"Oh, of course!" She stood up straight and announced, "I'd love to speak again tomorrow." Jack still couldn't believe he'd made it through an entire conversation without consciously worrying about his powers—at last, he felt normal.

"Great, well once you sneak out again," He chuckled, "I'll find you and-" As he was backing a way, he hit the corner of a blacksmith shop, "Oh, uh, there's a wall there." Elsa shook her head at all the silliness and giggled. Her father would be so disappointed, but she didn't care. She watched him disappear behind the wall and went around the other way to sneak back into the garden. Jack let out a cold breath of fresh air… He couldn't stop smiling at the sky, thinking about how everything was at last turning around, not even questioning how well it was all going… Maybe now it was the beginning of forever with his new life.

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