História The Ice Queen and the Winter Spirit - A battle of trust

Jack kicked a stone, watching the sun rise. His princess had asked him to be at the palace in the morning, but he wasn't acquitted with royal hours. Best to wait a bit. Better wait outside than inside four walls. Not that he was particularly anxious to have this talk with Elsa. They would part ways and he would have to forget about the most beautiful woman he’d ever laid eyes on.

With a sigh, Jack started to walk towards the castle. No use in avoiding it any longer. His time with Elsa would always be treasured in his heart and it was almost comforting. Almost.

Another sigh and he unhooked his stick from his shoulders, asking the wind to take him to the blasted palace. Soon enough, he entered those big doors, invisible. His bare feet didn’t make any sound on the polished marble floors. Maybe he should have put on some shoes… but what for? It's not like anyone could see him embarrassing the queen on his bare feet.

He wondered though the corridors and eventually found the meeting room, in which he had been a fair share of times by now. Elsa was staring out the window, with a frown in that lovely face. Today she wore a somber dress, emerald green, clearly not ice-made. Her hair was braided a little loose, just like it had during their days at the ice palace, but what truly caught his attention was the fact that she didn't wore a tiara or a crown.

Jack cleared his throat to let her know he had arrived, holding his stick with such force that his fingers were white as snow. Elsa turned at once and smiled, relief all over her face.

- Jack... Good morning. - she approached him and hugged Jack.

- Good morning, Elsa... I didn't think you'd be already up. – He answered, surprised by her behavior. Elsa's smile faded.

- I couldn't sleep. Jack, I'm so sorry for what I said yesterday. I wasn't trying to push you away. I want to be with you, but, as I am Arendelle's queen - wanting or not - we just have to work it up a bit more.

-Elsa, don't. We can't be together. I am not human and you are a queen. We both have great responsibilities that we can’t sacrifice over our feelings. I can't be your king and Anna isn't made for the cut to be queen in your place either. You... You'll have to let me go.

As Jack spoke, time seemed to slow and the room started to freeze. Elsa remained perfectly still, patiently listening to him and holding up his gaze, but her powers gave her up. She was mad and that was putting it lightly.

- I don't care that you're not human. My biggest problem is my people not being able to see their king. For that, I believe that I’ve developed a solution. Would you care to listen until I'm finished?

And now the queen talking. Great.

- Yeah, sure. Don't have anything better to do anyway. – Jack didn’t try to hide his sarcasm.

- Thank you. I also would like to summon Anna and properly introduce you two. – Elsa decided to ignore his bad manners.

- What's the point? She can't see me.

- Yet. If she believes you, she'll see you, right?

- Right, but-

Elsa didn't wait for his response, walking towards the wall and pulling a little rope. In no time, Anna ran into the room, scanning it, not the tiniest subtle as she did so.

- Where is he?! - she was so excited that it made Jack smile despite everything.

- Anna, calm down. He is here. Close your eyes and believe me. - Elsa's voice was soft and commanding.

Anna surprisingly did as bid and, when she opened her eyes, Jack felt the full force of her stare. She could see him.

- Wow, he is so cute! Hi, Jack! I'm Anna, Elsa's baby sis and I have to tell you, if you even think of hurting her-

- Ok, that's enough, Anna. Jack, you remember my sister Anna, from yesterday and so on. – Elsa cut him, with a light blush to her cheeks.

- Nice to meet you officially, Anna... - Jack was at a loss for other words.

- You won't believe what Elsa sort out for you guys! - Anna babbled on.

- Anna, please. - Elsa asked softly, with a sigh.

- Oops, sorry. Go ahead, sis!

- Thank you.

Jack couldn't help but be amused by the sisters. He knew that his princess wasn't the exactly definition of fun and looseness. Also, he had already witnessed Anna's behavior some times, but actually seeing both together was too good. Anna was lovely in her goofiness and Elsa was a wonderful counterpoint, all mock seriousness. Elsa turned and faced him, reaching out and holding his hands.

- Jack, before I say which would be my solution for us, I need to know something. If we both were humans, would you accept to be my king? - Elsa held her breath.

There. She said it.

Jack stared at those beautiful blue eyes, reading her need, her love for him. He forgot everything else: Anna, the kingdom, his powers and responsibilities, his own nature. How could Elsa doubt it?

- I love you, Elsa. I would marry you in no time at all. - he smiled, bringing those powerful and delicate hands to his lips.

- Oh, Jack... I love you. - Elsa seemed to forget Anna's presence as well, because she threw her arms around his neck and kissed him deeply.

Jack didn't need any more encouragement. He opened up for his princess and caressed her tongue, delighted, feeling one of her hands grabbing his hair and the other resting on his chest. Jack heard Anna gasping and he couldn't blame her: her big sis wasn't exactly the regular affective type.

As he kissed Elsa, he felt his body going colder. Jack would have smiled if he could; he loved to see his princess wild to the point of no power control. The cold never bothered him anyway and it wouldn’t start now. He felt a bit heavier too, as if his limbs had gained some weight. The next weird thing was his hair going cold too against his forehead and that set off red lights on his mind. As gently as he could, Jack separated himself from Elsa.

- Elsa, love, easy with the ice or I'll turn into an ice doll. – He smiled, joking.

- Are you feeling well? - she asked, breathless and worried.

- I feel a bit heavier, but nothing dangerous, I guess. - Jack looked around and rolled his shoulders, feeling definitely a bit stiff.

- Well... That's was my solution. To… Freeze your body. - Elsa's voice was low and careful, uncertain.

- What? - Jack felt the little color he had on his face drain. His princess wanted him dead?

- Jack, please, let me explain-

 - That's what you did? Did you froze my heart too, just like you did with Anna?! - Jack was beyond mad: he was heartbroken - and frozen, as it seemed. How could Elsa do this to him?

- No! I don't know! I just wanted you to be seem without magic means! I wanted to make possible for us to be together! – Elsa also had gone pale, a deep frown in her all-worry face.

- Haven't you considered the possibility of me being frozen forever?! Of me dying?!

Elsa's face managed to grow even paler than Jack’s. She looked as she would faint at any minute, which only made Jack madder and more worried.

- You hold on your tongue! - Anna said, jumping into the argument and surprising both of them - You are a magic spirit, for God's sake! She only wants to be with you! Do you really think she would risk your life like that?! Elsa loves you, you little shit! She knows what she's doing!

Both Elsa and Jack stared at her, speechless. They'd forgot her presence in the heat of the discussion. As the good queen she was, Elsa recovered first.

- Anna, thank you, but we need to discuss this alone. It's a... Couple... Matter.

Her insecurity wasn't lost in Jack's ears. He nodded.

- It was my pleasure meeting you, Anna, but we need a moment alone. As a couple. - He looked into Elsa's eyes. He shouldn't encouraged that nonsense, but it was so cute of her thinking of them as a couple. It almost made up for the fact that she tried to freeze him. Almost.

Anna rolled her eyes.

- Ok, but you guys have five minutes. Then, I'll come back with Gretel and we'll see if Elsa's solution worked. - With that, Anna stormed out of the room.

Elsa didn’t lose any time and started to speak in a rush.

- Jack, I'm sorry, I should have explained better before doing what I did... I don't know what's going to happen with you, but I can assure you that now I know how to solve the problem and, believe me when I say that I could never froze your heart in the way I did Anna's. What happened to her was due to my fear. What I did to you was out of love. - Elsa was totally controlled, but Jack noticed the little snowflakes starting to fall, as a sign of her fear and worry.

Jack sighed. He didn't like to have anyone – not even his princess - taking decisions for him, but he said he'd marry her. He truly wanted to do so, even if it meant to be king for the next decades and having to manage winter from Arendelle most of the time. Jack loved Elsa and they could work out her queen side and his non-existent king side. Passing a hand over his now substantial hair, taking a decision of his own.

- Elsa, look. I understand that, as a queen, you are used to make decisions for others and I also understand that you were only thinking about making us real. In my case, quite literally. However, I don't like being told what to do or having my hands tied, like I have them now. When I was turned into what I am today, I didn't have a choice. So, please. Don't do this to me. Don't take away my power to choose what I want. I want to marry you and to live with you, but if you don't want watching me going away, you'll have to grow used to sharing and discussing before acting.

That made Elsa frown hard. She clutched her hands to her sides, displease written all over her beautiful features. She was so hot when she was mad – another irony of fate.

- If you are feeling so helplessly tied to me, then by all means, please do go. I don't want to marry someone that loves me conditionally. Good day. - Elsa was as sharp and cold as the wind that now passed through the room. She started to walk away from him, resolute and hurt.

Boy, if his queen wasn't difficult. Taking a deep breath, Jack reached out and hugged her, smashing her back into his chest and caressing her arms.

- Jack, let me go. Now.

- No, we're not done yet. Look, I overreacted a bit, I'm sorry. I love you and I want to marry you. I just wish you had explained your plan to me first. Can we do this in the future? Discuss the solution before applying it?

He felt Elsa relaxing into his arms and sigh.

- Yes, we can. I'm sorry I did if before telling you about it. I won’t take your responses for granted anymore. But… We still don't if it worked. - She turned herself on his arms just enough to see him.

- Don't worry, we can-

A very loud scream coming from the door interrupted them, followed by Anna's sweet voice.

- Jack, I think you should put on some shoes. Gretel can see you now!