WINTER'S HEART

The townspeople all cluttered around the royal men and the King when they returned to Arendelle on their horses. When Elsa dismantled from her father's, eyes exhausted and red, the people gasped with fright from the icy look she'd given herself. Not even glancing at Erlend, she approached the steps to her boring, dark castle where Queen Agnes rushed to her and held her tightly, "God, you're freezing!" She melted down, believing it had been a malicious act by the beast.

Only Gerda who was standing at the castle doors could see Elsa was in pain, despite that she was physically unharmed. The people all watched as the men carried in the pale and limp Jack Frost, who'd turned whiter and was covered in even more frost his own pores had secreted. The distinctive snowflake pattern seemed to be taking over his body as it was possible he'd freeze over since a part of his soul had been crushed. Elsa didn't dare watch as they hefted him inside where they'd take him down to the dungeon—a small stone room with a single window and a bench.

Gerda waited for them to pass her and at last escorted the eighteen year old girl in, "Come inside, Princess Elsa." Despite understanding her sympathy for the poor being, she had to remind Elsa of who she was; Arendelle's Princess—and from what she could control of it, no one else.

The comatose Jack Frost was laid on a bench where the men at last shook themselves from their numb bodies—dragging him inside made their flesh itch and lose any feeling. The King dismissed them and walked into the main meeting hall where he saw the Queen and their servants. Elsa was sent to her room to 'recuperate' but she'd tiptoed back down the steps to listen in from outside the door as Kai began to speak, "What this creature has done is absolutely atrocious!" They could at least have the decency to call him a 'man.' The anxious Kai continued, "What if he wakes up? He'll curse our palace and freeze us all!"

King Erlend didn't even have a moment to think about anything—a decision had to be made there and then, "I know… And in order to keep anything like him ever happening again, I've decided to ensure he sleeps forever and poison him."

"Father, you can't!" Elsa begged from the doorway.

"Elsa!" Agnes worriedly called, but she rushed to her father and grabbed his hands.

"Father please!" She intellectually knew begging wouldn't help… But it was the only power she had at the moment, "Why do you have to kill him? He might already be dead!" The thought made Elsa's tear dam break, but she needed to convince him, "Just leave him be! If Jack Frost is alive, then I know he'll just make his way out of the kingdom and never come back!" That thought pained her too—god dammit nothing could make her happy.

"Elsa, what if he doesn't. If we go through with this, that black magic we encountered just a night ago may never happen again! It's what our people want!"

"But do you know what I want?!" Elsa kept going, mindlessly rambling since she was so overcome with emotion, "When they look at you, they may see a hero… But when I look at you, I see a beast!" Elsa finally let go of his hands and teetered backwards. She hated having to throw a tantrum; she turned away and tried to huff the tears away. Gerda gently sat down on the couch with her, ignoring the rest of the people in the room with them.

"Erlend?" Queen Agnes hadn't made up her mind either. In fact, she barely knew what had happened up on that mountain, let alone after Elsa's strike to the heart. The mother knew that this behavior, however, was very normal for their daughter. Perhaps Jack Frost hadn't done any harm let alone meant any. The Princess had calmed herself, but her eyes narrowed with frustration and she huffed and puffed with all the anger she could feel.

King Erlend quietly composed himself and looked at Kai, "Bring me some hemlocks from the garden. I'll meet with you shortly." The two left the room and went separate ways down the hall. Elsa thought about how the garden was where she had first seen Jack. And now its contents would be his demise. Elsa bit her fingernails and said nothing; Gerda tried to hold her close but couldn't hide how chilly the dress was making her. Funnily enough, she was thinking about how Elsa hadn't worn her hair in a braid since she was a child… She loved her hair the way it was.

It felt like decades later when Erlend finally concocted a drink in the kitchen with the grounded herbs of the hemlocks with some juice. It was the perfect death wish potion. Still, during all that time he couldn't stop thinking about his daughter's heart-broken pleas—Elsa never spoke out unless it was something she felt true to. He knew his precious Princess all too well. But he had to do this! It was a King's responsibility to protect his subjects. Still, as he walked down the stairs to the cold hallways of the dungeon, he couldn't stop and think more and more about Jack's actions.

His previous refusal to touch his daughter's hand, then pushing her out of harm's way. Yet he'd attacked his men mercilessly… Trying to protect himself like he was trying to protect his people. Erlend unlocked the door to see the frosting Jack on the bench just as he'd left him—in a supine position with his hands over his abdomen. Once he poured the liquid down his throat, King Erlend would have to worry no more of his wicked sorcery. As he went to lift his head up, he hesitated.

Now looking at the seventeen year old man a second time, without having to worry about him attacking, he realized how fragile he looked—cold and perhaps scared… Like he was scared of him. Like he knew he was going to kill him. King Erlend didn't want to ever end up killing anyone in his life unless it was for those he loved… and maybe Jack Frost was the same way.

No… He made his mind and firmed up. Erlend held the poisonous drink in his hand and lifted Jack's head tilting it backward. He approached slowly until the bottle touched his lips. It was the most agonizing half an hour Elsa and the rest of the comrades waited—still in an anxious position of nibbling at her finger tips with Gerda and Agnes just pacing around waiting for a sign that it was over. What would become of Elsa due to her curse? It didn't matter… The ajar door creaked aside as it was pushed half way open by a horribly soulful Erlend.

Elsa perked up worriedly as the two women and Kai turned to him with wide eyes.

Erlend let out a quiet whisper, "Jack Frost is dead."

Not even a second after those words did Elsa scream out and fall from the couch to her knees. She couldn't utter an intelligible word, just hysterical moans and wails as she bowed her head and covered her face. Gerda's own heart broke as she rushed to try and hold her, but the Princess rejected her arms every time. Kai felt guilty since he'd supplied the poisonous plant and, with beads of sweat, left the intense atmosphere. Agnes decided it should be announced that they were safe; but as she passed King Erlend she couldn't help but mumble, "I hope you're happy."

He remained silent. Gerda couldn't even take the Princess's mourning and left the room with a heavy heart. As Erlend began to follow, unable to look back at his daughter, he took out the bottle from his coat pocket and gave it another look. He needed to dispose of it somehow—it was still full.

Elsa waited until they were all gone to finally raise her head. Now the world truly was cold and lonely. They hadn't disposed of the body yet… When she had the strength, she'd go see him one final time.

Jack, though slightly repositioned was still silent and immobile; he was so cold that he was literally untouchable. A shadow crawled out from under the bench and formed into the tall and dark Pitch Black who had crossed all through Norway spreading fear. Now returned, he realized all that had happened and the sight of Jack absolutely shot through him like a bullet, "Jack?" He knew he wouldn't answer—and it was his fault. His desires for fear and to live, selfishly thinking he'd be able to protect the young man. Though Pitch's heart had stopped beating, it could still break.

His mind became consumed with hatred and fury and knew what he needed to do so that Jack Frost would never be a forgotten myth. He swore vengeance. Pitch let out a low growl for his hatred for the people of Arendelle and vanished, some black sand grains just floating to the ground in the light of the window. It was still a cloudy, dreary day—just the kind both beings enjoyed.

Elsa's heeled-shoes echoed each time she walked down the steps to the stone dungeon. It was so lonely. She knew Jack would be in the first room—picking at the lock with a small ice blast, it broke off and she pushed the door open. Just on the bench there he was… Elsa walked in, the door nearly caught on her glitter trail cape and she had to tug it forward. The closer to Jack she got the more guilty and horrified she felt. At the same time, he'd never looked more peaceful. Elsa sniffled and gently stroked his hair—even her resistance to the cold wasn't working anymore, but she didn't care.

"I'm so sorry Jack." Elsa thought she'd swallowed her heart—it felt like it was in her throat, "This is my fault." She was keeping quiet so no one would hear her; this was her own private grief, "I was deluded; thinking that I could live with you and have a better life. Powers and all." Elsa shook her head, "But I led them to you, it should've been my sacrifice. To let you be and move on with my life… Just like you had to with yours all those years ago." She bit her bottom lip, trying so hard to strangle her tears away.

She couldn't just leave—she needed to give him something… Or return something, "You gave this to me. Although it was an accident, you gave me a gift." Elsa had her hands over her frozen heart, "It's not a curse, no matter what they say. They just fear what they don't understand, whether it's beautiful or not." Looking at her hands for a single time, she gently laid them both over Jack's chest, "The least I could do is let you pass on with this gift."

Holding her breath, Elsa released all of her energy into her two hands, placing the previous ice Jack had blasted into her heart back into his. She watched as the area glowed blue for a moment and absorbed the ice she'd just transferred. Yet her dress didn't thaw or melt away, the frost left on her palms didn't affect her, "You'll always be a part of me now."

Unable to find anymore words to keep herself calm, Elsa began to weep, folding her arms onto the young man where she mourned in solitude. Her beautiful cape was cascaded across the dreary stone floor. Never would she be seen wearing such an accessory, let alone a dress that allowed her to move more freely or express herself. And now she couldn't even thank Jack for that. He'd brought life to her, it seemed. Elsa didn't know when the tears would stop. Even so, it was more time she'd be able to spend with Jack in her last moments with him.

It was a little strange with his undershirt felt more damp than just a moment ago—most likely her tears. Yet, she'd been crying into her arms… Raising her head to look at Jack another time, she saw his features harden. Elsa's jaw dropped and she was immediately overlooking him. Saying nothing, she watched as the frost on Jack's clothes and flesh dissolved and the still snow white young man shook his head slightly and opened his eyes. Jack was disoriented and exhausted. All he remembered was hearing a crunch as he jumped away from a falling tree limb. He could barely keep his powder blue eyes open but when he blinked them again, he saw the Princess before him.

He fought his lethargy and looked into her bloodshot eyes, "Elsa?" He moaned weakly. She still couldn't speak, but she realized that she'd just saved him. She'd put the ice back into his heart—it truly was a part of him… He needed it to live. But Elsa only cared that she could say she rescued her beloved Jack Frost. She smiled uncontrollably and helped him sit up slightly.

"Oh Jack!" She tried not to scream, she didn't know how to express her joy that all was well after all.

"What happened?" Jack slowly began to regain his energy and thinking process, "My staff was destroyed." He knew that it meant permanent coma… Didn't it? It felt like he'd only been out for a split second. Where was he? Arendelle?!

"You were gone, but I saved you! I-I put ice back into your heart!"

He gently felt his heart, now beating softly again, "What?" Elsa wouldn't admit she didn't know she was saving him, but she didn't know how she was resisting hugging him—perhaps she was used to his rejections. Jack then worriedly looked at her, was she going to lose her abilities now? "Are you alright?"

"Yes!" She sniffled one last time and wiped the remaining tears on her face, "I'm fine. I'm just happy you're okay!" She helped Jack up once again, he held onto her shoulder as she sat him upright. Jack still hardly had any energy, "But… I don't understand one thing." He was starting to remember this feeling he'd had. The more he thought about Elsa saving him, the less he thought about his powers hurting others, "You sacrificed yourself for me?" She laughed a little, it was ridiculous to her, "Why?!"

"Well, why did you save me?"

Elsa went to speak, but instead let out a scoff. Shrugging her shoulders she looked away uncomfortably, "You're my friend, Jack."

…

Jack Frost could hear his sister Sophie's voice saying the same words. His heart leaped when he had an epiphany. Jack Frost turned Elsa and let her look him the eyes, she was going to continue but was interrupted, "Don't say anything." Jack needed to let himself rediscover what kept him under control all these years. He couldn't describe the feeling… It was so wonderful though. He wanted to cry but with happiness, "I sacrificed myself for you…"

Elsa nodded her head, "I know… But why?!"

Jack finally felt warmth for the first time in three years and embraced her in his arms as tightly as he could, "I love you." He sighed. Elsa blushed and held him in return. He pressed his cheek into her shoulder. Jack finally found the missing element in his life, gently ruffling Elsa's blonde hair. Still, she gently pushed away and smiled at him.

"I love you too."

As Jack went to take the Princess's hand, they heard a sudden boom from outside. Jack looked at Elsa and Elsa looked at Jack. They jumped up and ran to the window to see a sudden whirlwind forming. It was a blizzard. But it wasn't Jack's doing, as emerging from the whiteout were minions of dark sand and Night Mares.

"Pitch Black!"

"What?"

"Come on!" Jack took her hand and rushed with her to defend her kingdom.

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