The Quest For Hope

The Escape: Chapter Thirteen

Jack hurled the map down in frustration. Throwing up his arms, he kicked the dirt around him. He had followed the directions step by step, but there was no sign of the mirror. After travelling all morning, it pained him to beat another dead end. First, he couldn't find the princess, and now he couldn't find a simple mirror.

His horse looked at him and whined his own frustration.

"All right, all right," Jack muttered under his breath, picking up the map. His horse pulled the reins frees and walked off towards a small grassy patch. Leaning against a tree, Jack shook the dust off the papers. 

"This has to be it," he said to himself.

Jack looked down at the map and then around him. He saw the mountains to the north, the deep forest behind him, and the lake in front of him. Everything lined up with the images on the map, just as Pabbie had said. This had to be the place.

The area he had been sent to was beautiful. Surrounded by towering pines, a secluded lake backed up to the cliffs. The grey stone walls reflected off the surface of the water. Bright stones lined the crescent-shaped shore. After enduring centuries of soft movement, the rocks were polished smooth. A grove of pines stood a few hundred feet back. Only the soft gurgling of the water upon the shore could be heard. 

 Despite his peaceful surroundings, he grew anxious. The mirror could be anywhere.

Jack started his search on the shoreline. Taking off his boots, he felt the soft stones beneath his tired feet. The rounded rocks and the cool sand felt good. He studied each foot of land, noticing strange etching on the driftwood. Water rushed up over the sand, smoothing out the shoreline. Under the gentle waves, Jack saw the something sparkle beneath a large chunk of wood.

The object was shiny and reflected the light, but it was just a polished shell about the size of his palm. He flipped it over amazed at how the sun bounced off its surface and reflected in a rainbow of colour. Smiling, he slipped it into his pocket.

 Jack continued walking along the shoreline until he reaches the eastern edge. The trees continued to the base of the rocky cliffs. He found nothing. He had searched every inch of the shoreline, and there was nothing.  

"Could the trolls have led me astray?" He murmured. The trolls were known for their act of treason. They had even used their persuasion on him. Friends or foes, they were too formidable a force to ignore.

"No," he shook his head, clearing his mind. "Pabbie promised he's lead me to her. He wouldn't lie about that. I'm just not finding it." He sat on the edge of the shore, feeling the water lap over his toes. "What exactly did he tell me? 'When you are ready, the mirror will show you your way.'"

He stood and brushed himself off. "I am ready to see," he yelled into the woods. "Show me the way." When nothing happened he fell to his knees, grimacing as the small pebble poked into him. "Please," he whispered in desperation.

A fish in the middle of the lake. Jack watched the images of the fish reflect off the lake's surface as it jumped, creating a perfect double image.

Of course.

He leaned forward to see his reflection. How could he have missed it? The lake itself was the mirror. He had spent the entire day looking for something that was staring right back at him. Shaking his head, he laughed.

"Show me the princess," he said, watching as the lake filled with colours.

Reds, orange, yellows-the sunset of Arendelle. Jack was silent, captivated by the transformations in front of him.

The reflections shifted into images and moving scenes. The college solidified, showing a clear image of the princess.

Jack jumped. "Princess Elsa, can you hear me? Are you all right?"

The image of the young women did not answer. Sitting with her back to him, rope around her arms. Around her, shadows of trees and men towered over her. Before he could shout out again, the scene faded.

"Wait! I wasn't ready! I need to see her again."

The lake answered his request with a new vision. More colours. Her midnight blue gown stained with polls of dark blood. Jack cried out, unwilling to belie this image. "That can't be all!" He shouted. "I've travelled all this way to find my princess. There has to be more! Help me find her first!" 

A new vision appeared, blurred by the stinging tears in his eyes. He saw an older version of himself. Deep lined etched his face as he gazed off into the sunset. The picture expanded, and he saw that on one side of his stood a dragon and on the other, a castle. As quickly as it appeared, it changed, showing a final image.

The sun almost set, and the lake filled with red. The vision seemed distorted. Jack leaned in for a better view and jumped as eyes appeared. The same Blue eyes that had haunted his dreams in the trolls' cave now fluttered at him in the lake. Their burning intensity capture Jack's heart so that he didn't notice how far he was leaning forward. A familiar persuasive feeling wrapped around him, bringing him closer to the water. He needed those eyes. Caught up in the moment of anticipation, he didn't notice the lake coming closer to his face. He closed his eyes, anticipation the touch of her lips, and yelled with surprise when he fell into the cold water. 

Jack gasped for breath. The lake chilled him to the bone. He looked back toward the shore and saw his horse staring at him.

"I know, I know," he mumbled to himself as he stepped out of the lake. He didn't feel his body shivering or the heavy weight of his wet clothes. He could think only of those Blue eyes.