The Peasant's Promise

The Escape-Part 1

•Elsa's POV•

     "Hey, Jack?" I ask softly, tears coming into my eyes. This was all my fault. If I hadn't even accepted his offer, he would never have been hurt. I knew it. Everything, everyone that I love gets hurt.

    I truly am a monster.

    Jack looks into my eyes, all the happiness faded from his eyes, replaced by nothing but concern. "Elsa, are you alright?" I shake my head, pulling away from him. Snow starts to fall. "I'm a monster, Jack," I whisper, heading to the door. "I can't stand to hurt any more people that I love." I put my hand in the doorknob, but I stop when I hear his voice.

"Oh, but my dear snowflake, it will hurt us so much more to be apart. You know that yourself."

I look down, the door handle freezing as the tears fall. I am so done with crying. Out of the corner of my eyes, I see Pitch. He shakes his head. "He's lying, Elsa. The best thing to do is get away from him. Push him away so you can't hurt him anymore. That is the best thing to do."

"But..." I whisper, closing my eyes as I clench my fists. "I can't leave him here to die."

"You'll have to. Push him away, and I promise you he will be safe. I will make sure of it." I feel Pitch's hand on my shoulder, comforting me. My shoulders droop, and I turn to Jack.

"I...Jack, you know what they plan to do to you. They'll execute you for treason." I say softly, looking down to the floor.

"Elsa," he pleads, begging me to look up at him. I grant him this, just this once. "I would rather die today feeling the way I feel for you than have never loved you at all."

I put a fist to my mouth, biting back the tears. After everything I had done...and he still loves me. He still cares for the monster inside me.

It was my fault he will die here. It's my fault he's going to die an undeserved death.

I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't let anything hurt this boy by my hands. I didn't care what Pitch said.

I step towards him, taking my hands to his face. "You won't die, Jack. Not today. Not by my hands."

"What are you saying, Elsa?" He says softly, his lips curling up into a hopeful smile.

"I'm going to get you out of here. It will be complicated with all the guards under Gerda's control, but this is my promise to you: I won't let anyone hurt you ever again." I kiss his cheek softly, putting my hands on his chains. They freeze immediately, breaking away from the wall and freeing Jack's hands and feet.

For once, I was grateful I had his power. Once.

I support his weight by him leaning on my shoulder. I knock on the door three times, and Morgan looks at me in shock.

"Princess, you can't possibly be-"

"I am. Now, will you help me or not?" I eye him, begging him to help. He nods slightly, taking Jack and putting him over his shoulder. We duck past a few guards by hiding in the shadows of the corners, and we finally reach the secret passage that leads out of the dungeons to the gardens. Morgan gasps softly as he sets Jack down.

"M'lady, this is where I stop." He whispers, putting his hands behind his back.

"I thought you were going to help him escape." I say menacingly, snow beginning to swirl violently around us. Jack says my name softly, and I calm down for his sake.

"I am. I shall arrange for a boat to leave for the United States tonight. But the guards will know the he has escaped by now-so you best hurry him to his family and get them all out of Arendelle before the last nightingale sings her song."

I sigh in relief a bit that he was still going to help, though my heart ached that I had to part ways with Jack...for good.

But this was for the better. It has to be. Jack would be safer without me anyway.

"We don't have much time. Hurry, Princess, and I will try to distract them by saying he escaped to Corona." I nod, lifting Jack up again to lean on my shoulder. I look back at Morgan one last time, not knowing this would be the last time I ever saw him. Jack and I head off for the woods, the crisp night air not bothering me...but it would soon hurt Jack more.

I could hear his grunts of pain as I hurried to the woods. I knew he was in pain, but I couldn't slow down. Not while death was at our heels.

"I'm sorry I'm hurting you, Jack. I'm sorry for everything." I say softly as we head past the lake where he found out about my powers. The day where everything changed.

"No, it's okay. There's nothing...to be sorry for." He whispers, and I glance down at him a bit as we finally reach his home. His mother opens the door, immediately coming to my side to support him.

"What happened?" She said, her voice so worried that my heart broke.

"I'm sorry. It's my fault. The head maid caught him...they beat him for associating with me. And now you have to leave Arendelle before they kill him. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry." I say in a rush, tears falling down my cheeks in heavy drops.

She looks up at me. "Elsa, sweetheart, you made him happy. Him returning to us is a gift in itself. Bless you." She leads him inside, putting him on the table. She treats his gashes while Emma clings to my leg, weeping for her brother. I kneel down so I am eye-level with her, and I pull her close.

"I'm so sorry, Em."