Queen of Winter

Chapter 20 - Isle of Berk

After flying around a while we slowed down and I felt the ground beneath me. I sighed in relief and opened my eyes. We stood at kind of square, consisting of small houses forming a circle, and in that circle there was small market stands and more. People didn't come running against us, they merely winked, but I didn't find it offending because the smiles on their faces. They seemed to be nice but busy people. Surprisingly there was a thick layer of snow on the ground, and it soon started snowing again. "Heeey Jack! Merida!" I heard from behind and turned to see a brown haired guy and a blonde girl, and next to them, stood Rapunzel? Just how did she get here?
"Jack, old sport! How's it going?" the guy said and Jack went up to him. They brofisted and then drew their hands back with a weird noise: "ba-l-al-al-aa!"
"Astriiiid," Jack greeted and titled his head upward in a 'sup nod. I had to note he looked attractive when 'sup nodding.
"It's great," He answered the guy, "I've got two princesses and a queen with me, and the snow is really nice today, don't ya think?"
"Oh, yeah, very nice, but I'm kinda tired of it because a certain Frost keeps it here for nine months a year."
"It's really uncomfortable when you're flying a dragon at top speed, too," Astrid added and Jack chuckled. "Oh come on, it's already September after all."
"Hiccup, I'm here too," Merida said and 'Hiccup' turned to her with a smile. The two shared a brofist with "ba-l-al-al-aa!"
Next came Rapunzel, who exclaimed, "Anna! Elsa!" and hugged me and Anna.
"How did you get here?" I asked and Rapunzel shrugged. "Just a small dragon lift. I'm just here for two days or so."
"Do all of you know each other?" Anna asked.
"Hiccup knows Merida, Merida knows Rapunzel, and everyone knows me," Jack said. "So I brought us together. We make a great team!"
I smiled, but felt a bit jealous. That I was the only human he really knew wasn't true anymore. I felt much smaller, less important.
"Okay, so this is Elsa, a close friend since forever," Jack introduced and all jealousy melted away in an instant.
"Hi," I said and Anna went next to me, and before she probably was to say, "I'm Anna! Elsa's sister," I blurted out, "This is Anna, my younger sister."
I didn't want to be registered as an extreme introvert again.
"Happy to meet you, Hiccup, Astrid, so you have dragons here?" Anna asked curiously, exited to bring up the subject as quickly as possible.
"Lots of them. They're in every house. Great pets," Hiccup said.
"We can show you around Berk and go down to the dragon arena, so we can fly around the island if you want." Astrid suggested and Anna nodded. "We'd love to."

Half an hour later everyone sat up on their dragons, which Hiccup and Astrid had chosen for each one of us, except for me. Even if I wanted to act social I didn't want to fly. Especially not on dragons. "This looks dangerous," I said and Anna laughed. "You think everything looks dangerous. Come on, the only thing that has happened is that Hiccup lost a leg."
Anna saw my frightened expression and added, "In a fight with a rare monster-dragon."
"Yeah, it's kind of safe," Hiccup said as he sat up on his black dragon, Toothless.
"Are you ready?" he shouted, and Merida answered by making the dragon kick off the ground hard, so that they shot up high in the air. Next were Hiccup and Astrid, and Anna's dragon eagerly followed them. Now there was only Rapunzel and Jack left, and I realised I was going to be left alone and said, "Okay, I want to go."
Rapunzel left, and Jack who didn't have a dragon and therefore stood next to me chuckled. "You're a little slow deciding."
"I know," I sighed, and Jack took my hand. I turned to him and raised my eyebrows.
"You wanna go flying don't you?" he asked.
"Kind of..."
"Well, Jack Frost flying is better than dragon flying, right?"
"Mmhm, I guess it is."
"Okay let's go."
This time I was somewhat ready for the sudden start, but I still clutched both hands around his arm and automatically bent my legs.
I laughed nervously and Jack laughed back, but not nervously.
"Stretch out your legs, Elsie. Walk."
"No no airwalking feels like I'm going to fall."
"Then just stop bending them. And let go of my arm."
I did as he said but it felt uncomfortably empty on the other side, like when I only supported Anna on the right side when we skated, which made her fall to the other side sometimes.
"This feels so unsafe," I said.
"Let it go, seriously," Jack said and did a steep turn downwards, making me first scream but then laugh. Then we went up, and down, and to the sides, and upside down which was really creepy.
"Could you fly a bit smoother please?" I asked and he actually did what I said.
After a while we were flying at the same height around Berk, so I got to see it properly since I'd had my eyes closed shut on the way there. "Lovely," I said relieved.

Later on we were back on the ground, on a hill overlooking Berk.
"This reminds me of when we went to Sweden," Jack mumbled. "We sat on a hill, and you said that you felt so alone. And that the big landscapes made it worse."
"But you were there, right?" I said and rested my head on his shoulder.
Jack nodded. "Are you feeling better now? "
"Much better. I've had time to meet lots of people.. About five, maybe."
"Yeah, loooots of people."
"It's many for me!"
"Okay, okay. Sorry. Good job."
"Wow, I've met like seven..."
"I'm happy for you."
I gave Jack a 'really?' nod and he answered with a 'really,' nod.
"Well, many things have happened- Trolls and snow monsters and more."
"Really? I missed all that?"
"Yes you did. You always disappear."
"I just get..carried away, you know...But what happened, tell me."
"No."
Jack looked confused.
"You always want to know about my life. Tell me about yours."
Jack still looked confused, and thought about it, before he said, "My life is the same, I guess. Not many things happen."
"And that's why you want to know about me?"
"Yeah."
"Well I want to know about you."
"I've already told you."
"But show me then. I want to meet the Tooth Fairy, for example."
"When?"
I shrugged. "When we're back in Arendelle, I guess."
"Okay."
"And you'll have to keep track on the days, too. I don't want you popping up at random days."
"Sure."
"Why are you so quiet?"
"I just...don't have anything to say." Jack held my hand, and I let him. A cold rush went up my arm, and it felt like my heart skipped a beat.
"It's not good for you to have nothing to say," I joked and Jack laughed softly.
"But seriously, I'm getting worried!"
"So you want me to say something?"
"Yep."
"Okay. I love.........................................Snowflakes."
I breathed out.
"Can't I just be quiet for a while?"
"If you must..." I said. Jack smiled at me and I smiled back. God, he made me go crazy. But in the middle of my thousands of questions I asked myself I stopped and thought: Why not relax, just enjoy it? I looked at the sunset, and realised it was beautiful, and realised Jack smelled really good. I closed my eyes and smiled.

The next thing I knew was drowsily opening my eyes, realising I was laying in Jack lap. "Hi," I murmured and Jack gave me a warm smile, caressing my hair. "Did I sleep? Right, I ended up here without noticing it."
"Damn right."
"You and your silly words! All the time, seriously."
"Like what?"
"Damn right, 'ba-l-al-al-a,' island of doom..." I counted on my fingers.
"Ba-l-al-al-a is not a word. It's a thing."
"Okay, then, Frosty," I said and sat up. Jack's hand in my hair went to caress my back, and up to neck, and to my cheek.
It felt like an icepack for when you have a cold, but much better, and smoother. Jack's hand tilted my chin up. He leaned closer to me, and before I knew I was feeling the same feeling, if possibly more wonderful, my lips to his.
I eagerly kissed him back, ecstatic of the irresistible cold. I let go of his other hand to draw my fingers through his hair, making the kiss intensify. Jack shuddered a bit and I slowly drew back a bit, still very close.
"How are you?" I asked, smiling.
"You are wonderful," Jack breathed.
"Yes, I am, thank you," I giggled, "But I asked how you are."
"I get these awesome cold rushes-"
"I know, me too."
"Wanna feel it again?" Jack smirked.
Our lips met once more.