My Little Guardian

Chapter - 3 A Promise

Weeks passed and on each night Jack came for a visit. Instead of climbing in from the window he was forced to watch through it.

Her condition had worsened and she was in and out of consciousness. The Duke and Duchess took turns in keeping their firstborn company, she was always with someone. If her parents fell asleep a maid would come to look after the young girl.

It annoyed him greatly that he could do absolutely nothing. So he just kept watch. It was the first time in decades that his only desire in this cursed life wasn't to track down the root of his ruined life. These small encounters with this girl reminded him of something that he had almost forgotten. His sister.

Some nights he went down on the second bedroom window. There was another girl, one with a bit darker shaded hair than what Elsa had. If the Duke was with Elsa, then the Duchess was with this one and other way around. The duchess always sang to the girl until she fell asleep.

That night he went to check on the other girl's window again after he saw that Elsa was sleeping peacefully. Her coughing strikes seemed to easen up a bit.

Tonight something felt different when he hopped down to the trimming of the window. A quick glance told him that the Duke had fallen asleep and that the girl wasn't on her bed.

Then it began to snow. Well it was already the day after the new year. Snow had filled the landscape a month ago and it just kept piling up. He wondered if this especially snowy winter made her so sick.

Suddenly the double windows from the room next door were pushed open. Jack felt surprised as a little girls head peeked out.

"I beg you. God, moon or…snow fairy! Anyone, hear my prayer and help my sister get healthy!" Anna shouted out from the window.

Before he knew it she looked towards his direction and her blue eyes sparkled, just like Elsa's when she was excited.

"Snow fairy!" She cheered.

"Snow fairy?" Jack questioned and looked lver his shoulder and then frowned. "Do you mean me?"

She nodded her head and her two side braids swung.

"Yes! Mister snow fairy, my name is Anna and I have a request. Please make my sister feel well again. You can have this, it is my most precious duckie."

She said and offered her duck plushie. Jack was amazed how trusty she was to a random person behind her window. Jack moved closer to the study rooms window and grabbed the duck.

"You are really pretty mister snow fairy, like the snow pretty! Umm… you promise to help my big sister?" She blinked twice.

Jack stared at her and thought for a moment.
"I promise. It might not happen that fast but she will get better."

Anna cheered happily and thanked him.

"And don't tell anyone about our encounter or I won't work on your wish."

Jack added and left after she made a promise. When she closed the window and the curtains  Jack climbed up the tree again. He checked that the duchess was sleeping before slowly opening up the window and quickly closing it after himself. He was as quiet as possible.

Slowly he sneaked to the bef where the duchess was lying fast asleep while hugging her daughter who slept against her mother.

Gently he raised Elsa's arm and placed Anna's duck for her to hold. Even though he acted stealthy she slowly opened her eyes.

"Jack?" She whispered. Her voice was tired.

"Ssh… just sleep and get better. I will come to spend time with you later."

He said quietly and glanced at the Duchess. Thankfully The Duchess was extremely exhausted and didn't wake up to their whispers.

"You…forgot…my birthday."

Elsa mumbled and looked away from him.

"No… when was it?" He said quietly.

He asked and hoped that the Duchess would remain in sleep. She might be terrified to see someone like him sneaking in their home.

"December 21st."

Shit.

He had no idea that it had been almost a couple weeks ago. Well she never mentioned the exact date.

"Oh, I didn't know. Well I promise to not forget it ever again." He hummed and touched her head.

She smiled faintly and then reached out to her bedside table. Then she offered a bowl that was filled with the most delicious chocolates that she knew. Her hand kept shaking.

"Uhm…" Jack was a bit unsure what to do.

"Chocolates. Take one or two. Haven't you seen any? Even commoners eat these because they are much easier to acquire than in the past." Elsa urged him.

He supported the bowl by placing his hand under hers. Then he chose the tiniest piece of chocolate and placed it slowly inside his mouth.

The sensation was weird. It had been years since he put any solid food inside his mouth. He cleared his throat and his eyes watered. It was sweet but the way it melted and got stuck to his throat was really annoying. He was close to cough.

"Don't you like it?" Elsa wondered and looked at his reaction.

"Like?"

Now his voice was raspy and she offered him water.

Great. Another human food.

He sipped the water and finally all of that melted chocolate was washed away.

"It was…tasty."
He said and cleared his throat. It was hard since they had been whispering for all this time.
Suddenly Elsa noticed the duck plushie and Jack pushed it towards her on the bed.

"Your sister thought that I am a snow fairy and made a wish of getting you better."
Jack hummed and watched her holding the duck plushie and then hugging it tightly.

"Thank you…Anna." Elsa whispered.

Jack tapped his leg and then opened up his mouth.

"I made a promise. To her… to make you healthy again."

"That's impossible."
She said and glanced at her mother.

"One day I will be gone and they can finally live their lives." Her voice was shaking now.

Jack wanted to say that she was part of their life but instead he said, "when spring comes I will leave to somewhere else. And I promise to search and ask from here and there and find you a cure."

"Thank you… sir… I am tired so I need to rest."
Elsa smiled faintly.

Jack replied with a smile and tucked her under the blanket. He froze still when the Duchess moved a bit in her sleep and wrapped her arm around Elsa. He watched how Elsa fell asleep safely in her mothers arms before leaving himself.

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A/N: Isn't Jack the prettiest snow fairy of them all?