[ROTG] Frostbitten: 11

"It's a risk I'm willing to take"

Tooth bit her bottom lip as the winter spirit regrouped, gripping his staff tightly.
"For the last time, let her go", he commanded, the demonic woman's grip tightening about my neck. Pitch smirked.

"No. See, for years I've been searching, scouring, for the perfect young girl to accompany me as my Nightmare Queen. I had found one already, but she perished from too much interference. Now that I've found the perfect substitute, there's no way I'm letting her go. That is, of course, Jack, if you'd rather make a deal". A sly, sickening grin spread across Pitch's face, Jack growing curious. He knew all too well what the Boogeyman wanted from him. With a defeated sigh, Jack looked down at the ground.

"Alright. Take me instead"

The Guardians gasped in horror at their mate's decision, Tooth falling to her knees, her hands cupped over her mouth and her eyes wide. As my vision began blurring and fading out, I felt sudden, sweet relief and my body connected with the stone floor, Jack rushing to my side with teary eyes and pulling me into his lap. "A-are you okay?", he asked, brushing stray tangles of hair from my face. Gasping for air, I nodded, wrapping my arms around his neck and burying my face into the cool, refreshing fabric of his hoodie. With each desperate inhale I soaked up his scent, my fingers, new with feeling, running through his hair, across the frost patterns on his hoodie, my eyes shut tight until a whip of nightmare sand stole my Guardian away from me.

"Say your last goodbyes, broken little China doll", Pitch said slyly, holding his new recruit in arrest with his nightmare sand. With teary eyes, I whipped my head up to catch one last quick glimpse of Jack before Pitch and his assistant disappeared with him in a cloud of black sand.

"N-no...no!", I shouted to myself, my eyes transfixed on where the trio once stood and shaking my head. A broad, strong hand gently landed on my shoulder. Hysterics began breaking through. He took my place. He gave up himself to let me live. I couldn't wrap my brain around the concept once it occurred, shrieking with tears as I stumbled to try and find some magical trap door or lever that could send me to wherever Pitch took Jack.

Nothing.

It took fifteen grueling minutes for North to scoop me up in his strong arms and carry me away, kicking and screaming, my sight blurry with tears.

Why was Jack so stupid? Why would he do such a thing? Why would he give up himself in place of me? The rest of the night was charged with a sickeningly depressed energy.

I may never see Jack again.

My guardian.

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The grandfather clock residing in North's workshop chimed thrice, the sky inky black in the dead of night. I couldn't eat. I couldn't sleep. All I could think about was that one last glimpse of him...

My mind still couldn't comprehend why he would do something so stupid. I can take care of myself, I can fight back all by myself...can't I? I shook away the ponderings. My loneliness was suddenly disrupted by the quiet whirring of wings, my head whipping around to see Tooth fluttering towards me with an unreadable expression on her face. I was finding that all her expressions were unreadable to me, or at least the ones I saw. She didn't say a word until she made herself comfortable across from me, kneeling and folding her wings delicately down behind her. Her bottom lip was red from the pressure her teeth made on the skin, nearly puncturing it. Her violet eyes were glossed over with impending tears.

"This is all your fault", she said quietly, refusing to look at me. I snapped my head up at her comment, so simple and small. "If you hadn't intruded on our lives, none of this would have ever happened". I opened my mouth to speak but she cut me off, finally turning to face me. Nothing but pain painted her flawless face. "Why? Why did you have to ruin the balance?"

I was speechless. "I-I...I didn't mean to...", I murmured with wide eyes, my knees drawn up to my chest. Tears began running down the fairy's face, her lip turning even redder as she attempted to hold back her sobs.

"I love him. And now I may never see him again", she said quietly. "He means everything to me".

A pang of pain hit me all over, like a hypothetical knife impaling my entire body. The scar on my back rang with pain, my lungs hardly functioning, my limbs going numb. I couldn't look at her any longer. I fought back the urge to cry. "I know...I can never forgive myself for this".

"I can never forgive you for this, either. I've seen the way he looks at you. The way he acts around you. He's fascinated by you", Tooth responded with a sour tone. She didn't even bother to stop herself from crying now. I looked up at her in disbelief. "Don't act like you don't see it. Amanda, he's in love with you. He has been since you were a kid."
"Th-that's impossible...we've only known each other for...that just...no!", I countered, trying to comprehend everything she was saying. Sure, I knew he was friendly towards me and protective, but I never knew how deeply he felt. Unless Tooth was just exaggerating. Billions of thoughts bounced about in my mind.

Tooth ran her delicate fingers over the feathers on her thighs, smoothing out the sparkling blue tones, like an ocean surrounding her body. "Jack is a very passionate person. He'd do anything to save the ones he loves. That's how he got to be the way he is. That's how he became Jack Frost in the first place, because he was so selfless". Tooth took my look of curiosity as a cue to reveal his story. "When Jack was seventeen, him and his younger sister ventured out onto the lake near his house to go ice skating. He fell through some thin ice to save her and drowned. The Man in Moon saw everything and chose him to be a Guardian for his act of selfless devotion towards his sister and transformed him into Jack Frost. Ever since he found out two years ago, he's been even more protective than before. Especially with those he loves. And you, he loves most. When you weren't around, you were all he was talking about. Planning out battle strategies to keep you safe, figuring out places where you could hide, anything to keep out of Pitch's hands. That's why he gave himself up to spare you".

I couldn't breathe. Tooth's words had to be true, tears running down her face as she explained everything. Because you can doubt something all you want as long as it's thought bouncing in your head, but once you truly, officially speak it out loud, then it becomes real. And Tooth's emotions for were more real than ever. She truly, undoubtedly loved Jack with all her heart. "Am I...am I the first?", I questioned. Tooth shook her head.

"No. He was in love once before, when he was human...her name was Rosaline. I remember her well from when she was younger. She was a lot like you, personality wise. She was motherly and fun-loving and creative. She had pale blonde hair and these gorgeous green eyes full of hope and love. She was the daughter of a widowed seamstress, very good friends with Jack's mother. Jack and Rosaline always exchanged blushed glances but never confessed their love for one another until a winter potluck in their village. Two days later, Jack had died. Rosaline was terrified. Jack was the first boy she ever loved, even if it hadn't escalated to anything. Jack can see Rosaline in you. That's why he's so protective of you. He doesn't want to lose a love again like he did Rose". Tooth heaved a sigh, turning to face the window where the moonlight reflected off her tear-stained cheeks. "I'm jealous because you have everything I've ever wanted from him. Everything and more".

I bit my bottom lip, gasping for air, trying hard to take in everything the fairy was telling me. "I'm so sorry...I didn't mean to...I mean I...I'm so, so sorry...if it...if it makes you feel any better, I think you and Jack make more sense than I ever will". Tooth turned to me with a surprised expression at my tiny statement, rising from her spot and turning to leave.

"I better go help prepare for Jack's memorial...knowing the rest of them, they'll want to get it over with just as much as I will", was all she said, not even turning back to face me as she sullenly fluttered away. Leaning my head against the window, I stared out at the blank, winter wilderness which laid before me. Miles and miles of nothing but snow and ice. My mind flashed back to that moment out on the balcony, curled up in a blanket as Jack perched himself on the fence. He was about to answer all of my questions until Tooth interrupted us with that grave announcement. Well, all my questions had been answered. Just not from who I wanted to hear them from. With wet, tired eyes, I stared out at the black abyss before me, losing myself in my thoughts, and cried.

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"I thought I might find you here", a deep Russian voice startled me from behind. Whipping around to face him, I saw a grave look upon his face. A look that signalled that the library I was standing in, his library, had much more meaning to it.

"How did you know?", I questioned, putting one of the books back upon the shelf and seating myself in a great armchair nearby.

"I can tell you are a lover of books", North replied, seating himself in the armchair across of me. I shrugged with an all-knowing smile. Of course he knew I loved books. He was Santa, after all. He knew everything about everyone. Silence fell upon us for a moment as we both stared up at the beauty that was the library.

The shelves reached miles high, filled with beloved treasures, texts that had been centuries old. The spacing between shelf units were lined with gorgeous golden engravings of bookworms and spirits, swirling vines and curved swords. And in the middle of the room, perched upon a high shelf encased with glass, sat a beautiful old book, thick and large, and of the most gorgeous jade green. North must've seen my eyes spy it for he stood from his chair and began towards it.

"You're probably wondering why this particular book is so special, yes?". I nodded in response, rising and following him curiously. From his pocket he pulled a small brass key, in which he injected into the lock and carefully removed the heavy novel. Placing it on the table, he commanded me to open it and see for myself. Hesitantly, I reached out and opened the book. The tender, aged pages flipped themselves with the papery creak of something very old and delicate, until it stopped upon a page marked with a dull gold ribbon that caught my attention and made North release a sad sigh.

At the top of the page, in delicately clear handwriting were the words "The Beginning", and beneath that was the delicate sketch of a young girl, about eleven she seemed. Her skin looked as if it was made of the finest porcelain, clear and smooth. Auburn curls fell about her face and covered one of her sparkling gray eyes. Despite the book's old age, the depiction seemed so fresh. And even more surprising, it began to live. The girl began moving and talking as if she was a breathing human alive and well living inside the pages of the book. She began telling a story in a beautifully clear voice, a story involving a wizard and the Boogeyman and a robot.

"Who is that?", I asked, turning to North's composed face.

"That is Katherine, a dear friend of mine", he said sadly. "Remember when Pitch had explained of how he had found a girl fit for the role of his Nightmare Queen but she...perished due to interferences?". I nodded to show I remembered. North moved his eyes to the young girl's animation. Suddenly comprehending, I let out a gasp of shock.
"You mean she...?" North just nodded.

"It was such a battle, she put up such a fight. Pitch had been after her for years before the fight finally ended. She was the Guardian of Storytelling, known as Mother Goose. Pitch was so desperate for her to side with him but, being a strong foundling she fought back fiercely. She changed me from a carefree bandit to who I am today. She helped me find my center. I owe her so much. I see her in you", North explained, struck with emotion as he watched the girl's animation run through. "This is the first time I've brought the book out since her death".

Since her death. The words made me want to cry. The fact that she had passed when she was so young. She had such a great life ahead of her, so many more years to cherish and go adventuring. North then turned to me, holding me gently by my shoulders and looking in my eyes.

"Promise me this. Even if it's the only promise of mine you ever make. Promise me you'll never lose your ferocity, your sense of adventure. Promise me you'll live for Katherine. Promise me you'll let her legacy live on, continue her stories and sketches. I know you can. I see so much of her potential infiltrated in you. Just promise me this one thing." Looking up into North's eyes, I saw nothing but genuine desperation. Turning for a moment to look at the sketchy cartoon of the young girl in the book, I sighed for her. Then, turning to look back up into North's bright blue eyes, I gave him my response.

"I promise".

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Jack's POV

Darkness. It's the first thing I remember. I couldn't see. I couldn't think. The very thing that popped into my mind was that last image of Amanda, her face desperate and terrified. My stomach flipped at the thought of it. Crumpled on a hard stone floor, I reached out in search of my staff, rising from my place to try and find any sort of sign as to where I was. Reaching out, I felt nothing but bars.
Trapped.

"Dammit", I cussed under my breath, searching the floor for my staff in hopes that it was still with me. A dark, raspy chuckle erupted from behind me. "Show yourself!", I shouted. From the shadows emerged the same girl who had held Amanda by the neck. Pitch's companion. She had a discomforting air about her, as I had expected from her. Her hair was as dark as the shadows, reaching down to her waist and into her face. Her facial features were sharp and brooding, two golden eyes glinting in the darkness past dark eyeliner.

"You know, Jack, some say the world will end in fire. Others say in ice", she chanted in a raspy, seductive voice. Moving closer, she sexually laced her long fingers between the bars of my cage. "But what I've tasted of desire, I hold with those who favor fire. You know what fire does to ice, don't you, Jack?". As she began running her fingers through the bars to toy with the laces of my hoodie, a tiny flame began weaving between her fingers, the heat sending an uncomfortable sensation through me.

Pushing myself away, I shouted at her, "No! Stop it! What did you do with her?"

"Her?", the girl questioned sourly. "Oh, you mean the human? Don't you remember, Jack? She ran off with the Guardians when you disappeared. You don't remember things very well do you?". My mind suddenly flashed back to when Amanda and I first met, when this adventure began. This beautiful nightmare.

"Who are you? Where did you come from? And why did you just so happen to choose me as your little victim to your immature game?". "I already told you, my name is Jack Frost. You don't seem to remember things very well, do you?".

A pang of pain ran through me at the memory. I may never see her again. Scowling at the demonic woman on the other side of the bars, I pressed on. "Who are you, anyways?"

She smirked, staring disinterested at the flame dancing between her fingers. "Christine. Pitch's advocate. I do all his dirty work and help him make everyone else's life harder. And I quite enjoy the charade, actually". Zapping the flame away, she turned back to face me. "And you. Why, we have quite the surprise in store for you".

The way she said those words, the way she looked into my eyes. A warm chill ran through  me like that of when unsuspecting people walk right through me. Flanking her on her one side was Pitch, stepping in front of her and smiling sickeningly down at me.

"You've made quite the bargain, Jack. I'd say you're nothing but a soul wandering the earth, but you don't even have that anymore now, do you?", the Boogeyman said slyly. Confusion spread across my face.

As both Pitch and Christine moved aside, a dark form emerged from the shadows between her and Pitch. As it materialized, I recognized it as myself, though different. His ebony hair fell about his face and stuck up in all directions, his eyes glinting gold in the darkness. He was dressed in black from his head to his bare feet and in his hands was none other than my staff, charged with the intimidating dark electricity of cold-blooded fear. Pitch's voice echoed in my mind.

What goes together better than cold and dark?

"Jack, meet Jack".