Icy Dream ~ Sequel to Winter Love

1 - The King's Deceit

"If I do this," Elsa whispered. "Then how can I trust that you will keep your word and not destroy my toothbox after I curse Jack?"

Jack immediately began to furiously fight Pitch's hold and his eyes focused on Elsa's. In his gaze, she could see him begging her not to do it. She guilty looked away from him and focused a hard glare on Pitch.

"My dear Snow, don't tell me you don't trust your own husband?"

"Stop that!" She nearly shrieked. "You are not my husband and my name is not Snow!"

"You will just have to trust me," Pitch whispered with a sly smirk. Jack was stiffly shaking his head from side to side in Pitch's grip, wordlessly telling her not to do it. Elsa looked from Pitch to Jack, and then to her tooth box.

"When I kiss him, you hold out the box and I put my hand on it. When he's back under you relinquish the box to me," she stated. Internally, she continued, Then I command Jack to return to me and I return him to his true self!

Pitch's smirk rose a tad and he said, "Fine."

Elsa finally looked to Jack and saw utter betrayal in his eyes. She bit down on her lip and she broke her gaze away, unable to take it. Instead she focused her eyes on Pitch and looked for any signs of treachery as she approached them.

Pitch lowered Jack to her level and Jack tried to push up with feet on the ground to break through Pitch's hold with no success.

Elsa cupped both his cheeks and Jack tried to break away from her hold. She tightened her hold and whispered, "Trust me, Jack! Trust me!"

Jack stilled and his blue eyes focused on her. She did not look away from his stare even as she put her lips on his. Despite what she was about to do to him, he willingly opened his mouth to her and tried to consume her using only his lips and tongue. When her cold breath entered him, he flinched but pushed his lips harder into her mouth. As Jack's eyes clouded, Elsa looked past him to Pitch and her hand shot out and grabbed her tooth box.

Ice grew over her hand and around the cylinder. The ice stabbed at Pitch's hand and he pulled back with a hiss. Elsa snatched back the cylinder with a victorious gasp. Pitch jerked back, taking Jack with him. He slipped from her hold and she felt a spike of fear.

"Wait!" She gasped, reaching out for Jack. He dangled in Pitch's hold and was shuddering as her curse was taking hold. The shadows around Pitch were darkening and he started to chuckle.

"Jack, come to me!" Elsa commanded but Jack continued to shudder. Her curse had yet to fully take him.

"Goodbye, my little Snowflake," Pitch called out to her, smiling so widely that his pearly white smile took over the majority of his face. Pitch and Jack faded into the shadows and disappeared before her eyes.

"JACK!" She screamed and ran into the foggy shadows. They were gone and the shadows dissipated like mist under a hot sun. When there was no more shadow, Elsa spun around hoping to see them elsewhere but they had vanished and she was totally alone in her room.

She gripped the tooth box tightly in both hands and fell to her knees. She hunched over the golden cylinder, shallowly gasping for breath.

Pitch had Jack.

Elsa cursed Jack.

Jack had no will.

Jack was not going to try to escape Pitch until he could hear her command to do so.

Jack was lost to Elsa.

Elsa picked herself up and dragged herself over to Jack's staff. He had dropped it when his consciousness first surfaced and he found better use for his hands on Elsa. The staff frosted as soon as she touched it. It did not fully cover the staff like it did with Jack's touch but it did grow out a few inches from her hold.

She tore the pelt cloak from her shoulders then willed her dress to change and her crown to melt off her forehead. She chose to go for practicality than for style. She ended up with a similar type of trousers to what Jack wore and a top with sleeves up to her elbows and a tight fit.

With Jack's staff in one hand and her tooth box in another Elsa left her ice castle. The building began to melt behind her but she did not look back.

She only had to walk a few yards before the Guardians surrounded her.

She informed them, "I remember...I remember the truth but Pitch took Jack. Pitch took Jack and he does not have his will so he can't fight back. I'm so sorry for making him attack you earlier and I know you will never forgive me but we have to save him!...Please, will you help me?"

The Guardians exchanged glances then lowered their various weapons. North stepped up to her and she expected to be told she was not going to be trusted and they did not want her help. She cringed under his shadow.

North surprised her when he placed his huge hand on her shoulder and murmured, "Of course we will help you, Elsa...I'm glad you remember."

She met North's understanding gaze with trembling lips and gasped, "Thank you."

A/N: Okay. The chapter is FINALLY out. So sorry for the extremely late update.