The Invisible (Jelsa)

Chapter XXIX

Jack awoke with a single thought; the castle was made for big families. Even before he was fully conscious, he heard the pitter-pattering of his children running through them with delighted giggles. He lay in bed, unmoving, listening to the symphony of a castle full of color and light. He heard the servants already going around to make the children's beds and tidy their rooms, the cooks chopping up the breakfast buffet, and the soft neighing of the horses as people came and left. It was hardly seven AM and the whole castle was already awake.

Elsa woke with the same thought; the castle was made for big families. It was moments in the silence that she really loved her children. She could hear them up and around, and for once no one was looking for her. When she had told Jack she wanted a big family, she could have never phantomed that there would be 13. Plus Anna and Kristoff's family, plus Heimdall's wife of now three months Aoife.

She recalled being a child herself, and how dull and lifeless the castle was. Every hall was gray, there was no light, and only three people working anywhere. Her parents were always there, but it was hard to rule from inside a castle with no one ever in or out. She hardly heard any noise. She was alone in the wide room for the heir, with no friends and no warmth. Now, she knew that when she walked out the doors of her room, she would be met with about twenty different things to do, children to care to, and life things to deal with.

But for now, she curled over at the same time her husband did, and noted he was wide awake too. "Morning, love." He whispered.

There was a tapping. At first, Elsa was irritated, thinking it was their door. No one was allowed to bother them until they came out, unless they woke at a very unreasonable time. They never did, though, so there was no reason someone should be summoning them. But Jack's eyes burrowed together, and he raised himself up and looked over her shoulder.

"Gavner?" He jumped out of bed, and threw on a robe. Elsa looked to the window of their bedroom, on the first floor, and stifled a scream to see Jack's best friend tapping at their window. She to grabbed her robe from beside her bed and did her best to be dressed moderately before she descended to the floor. Jack was already unhinging the window to let him in.

"Can't you use the door like a normal person?" Elsa sighed in frustration, turning to braid her hair.

"Maybe I"m just nostalgic..." There was something about his voice, and Elsa turned to see his eyes puffy and he looked positively old. Much older, and much darker.

"What's wrong?" She and Jack asked in unison.

"Where's Heloise? Wasn't she supposed to be back from her trip last night?" Jack asked, referring to his wife, "Where are the girls? Kai? Are they okay?" He gripped his friend's shoulders, and Gavner just broke in front of them.

"Something happened to the carriage. Hit a bump, I don't know. She fell into a river and hit a rock. They say she died instantly." Gavner said, head low, and his shoulders shuddered.

"Oh no." Elsa gasped, brining her fingers to her lips.

"I can't go back home, Jack. I can't. It was her house. She was the one who built it from the ground. She was the one that furnished every corner with whimsical things that I would have never brought into the house, but when she did, it was like it was meant to be there. She was the one who raised our children when I was at meeting or the store. Everywhere I turn, I see her ghost. I see her cooking, or laughing while she re-arranged the bookshelf, or sneaking up behind me to kiss my neck but when I look she's not there." Gavner was a wreck. He seemed to turn into a puddle, and wiped his tears away. He straightened his back.

"I guess I'll find a hotel, and I don't know...the kids are with my mother now, I already told them. They don't know that I don't want to go back there. It's not really home with Heloise." He said.