Icy Dream ~ Sequel to Winter Love

3 - The Guardian's Gaze

Pitch wrapped his hand over hers on Jack's staff and began to pry her fingers away from it. It took Elsa a moment to grasp what he was doing but when she did she tightened her hold on the staff and poured all her attention onto it. Pitch wanted to separate her from it and she had to know why.

The staff continued to radiate power but she could also feel a pull, the same feeling when one is holding a magnet close to metal, and she knew it must have meant that Jack was close.

"Jack," she whispered his name and was able to picture the way the edges of his eyes crinkled as he smiled. She focused on that image and the joy and love she felt whenever she was with him. The feelings enveloped her in a warm embrace and she could pretend that she was in Jack's arms again.

Pitch broke through her concentration when he yelped like he was being burned. He was no longer touching her nor could she feel his breath against her flesh. Even the air around her was less shadowed and she could see herself.

Elsa smirked. She finally had something to counter with.

She could see now why Pitch had married her when she was the Snow Queen. As the Snow Queen, the only emotions she could feel either had no effect on him or empowered him. With her frozen heart she was a perfect ally.

Now she was trouble.

"Where is Jack?" She demanded. His name was accompanied with memories of their second kiss when she had literally jumped into his arms and was the epitome of happiness and excitement.

For a brief second, the shadows disappeared and she saw Pitch stood a few feet in front of her. He was glaring and his golden eyes glittered dangerously. Darkness blinded her again and Pitch was gone but she could still feel his glare on her.

"Frost does not remember you love him," Pitch reminded her in a hiss. "He cannot feel joy right now, not even fear because of your soul-sucking curse."

Her determination waivered for just a second but it was all Pitch needed. He drew closer and she felt his breath on her cheek.

She threw a blast of sharp ice at him and he laughed. He seemed totally unaffected by it but she could no longer feel his breath on her person. She did not know if it was a good thing or a bad thing. She had no idea where he was now.

"If you release him from his curse you will find that he hates you," Pitch whispered somewhere off to her right.

"I have already released him once and by the way he kissed me I don't think he hates me all that much," she replied haughtily. She felt satisfaction as she remembered the kiss and Pitch hissed in discomfort.

He moved again and was in front of her when he stated, "That was lust, not love. When his head clears and he remembers what you did to him and that you are responsible for human misery and death...He wouldn't be able to look at you nonetheless love you."

The darkness crowded around her as she took in his words. She could see it happen. She could easily picture Jack's scorn and she let herself feel the fear again.

Pitch's fingers wrapped around her shoulders and he leaned into her back. He whispered, "You don't have to go through that, Snow. Just give up your human memories and return to me. You won't have to go through the heartache of losing him if you don't remember him in the first place. Let it go, Snow, and return to me."

His words were supposed to sway her and they almost did until he told her to "Let it go."

Elsa laughed and she felt Pitch tense behind her. She explained, "For a short period, as a human, I lived by that mantra: Let it go. It was during that time that I abandoned Jack when I should have kept him close. The time I spent with him was some of the most magical and happiest of my life. But I left him because I thought I couldn't protect him. We had responsibilities, after all: me as the Queen of Arendelle and he as the spirit of winter...And now those responsibilities are gone." She let him contemplate the words then stated with renewed vigor, "We're both winter spirits now and there is nothing to keep us apart now! Nothing but you!"

Icy frost exploded from her in all directions. Pitch jumped back and dodged her attack with a loud grunt. Her ice was flecked with the blue glow of her winter magic and it ate away at the shadows around her. She willed the snowflakes to stay glowing and they floated around her like little, buzzing bees. Her hive grew larger and the cave was quickly glowing with their blue light.

The Guardians broke free of the shadow prisons and all spared Elsa a glance before focusing their attention on Pitch. Since he was the only one not struggling against the shadows Jack was the last to appear. His lifeless eyes focused on Elsa and he awaited her command.

Elsa spared him one longing glance then returned her attention to Pitch. She continued, "I don't care if Jack will hate me! Even if there's the slimmest chance that we can be together then I am going to take it because I love him!" Elsa looked to Jack and stated to the spirit trapped within, "I love you, Jack. I never stopped loving you. And, if you hate me, I will continue to love you! It's because of you I gained my winter powers, because of you I survived my power's discovery, because of you I learned how to control my powers. All I am is because of you! You were my best friend and you protected me my entire life...I love you and nothing will ever change that."

Jack unexpectedly took a step forward, moving without her command.