Melt for me

twenty three

                                                                    **Elsa**

Helen comes running out towards us, her usually neat blonde hair is unruly and stickling out from underneath her cap. She carries a cup of tea but her hands shake, causing the tea to spill every where. "My Queen.." Helene says with large day dreamy eyes.  I raise my eyebrows. Helen can be over bearing and can hover a lot but I have never seen her like this before. So wonder struck like a love sick teen.

"Helen are you okay? You don't seem well," I shift my books into my other hand and use my right hand to feel her forehead. No fever or sweaty forehead. Helen giggles and waves away my hand. "No milady. I'm fine, really. Its just that Lord Raven has arrived and he is.."  She giggles more, like a young school girl. "He is very handsome."  I roll my eyes. I should have know Helen would act like this.  I start walking foreword and Helen quickly tries to keep my pace.  Jack trails behind me but I can tell he is listening very intently. "Forgive me for speaking out of place milady but I think Lord Raven is an excellent catch."

"Is he now..?" I say, only have listening.  My mind is trying to calculate how to get away from Jack so I can read this book on him. I need to know who he really is. Not that Jack is a very secreted person who hides things, I just want more information. Maybe this can give me an insight on why he has ice powers. I would feel a little bit awkward just asking for his life story out of the blue. Its none of my business but.... I am extremely curious.  

"Queen Elsa..." Helen says more forcefully. "Huh?" I look over to Helen who has placed a hand on m shoulder. "Lord Raven wants to see you as soon as you are ready and I.... I want you to go in with an open mind. I know you don't want a husband until you are ready but the kingdom and I want to see you happy."  Her words don't seem recited or practiced at all in fact, Helen sounds sincere. Her big brown eyes are filed with worry. 

I sigh. I guess Duchess wasn't lying when she said everyone wants to see me happy. Although I want to send this Lord Raven character away, Helene's innocent eyes plead with me not to. I pat her on the back. "I'll keep my mind open for you." Helen shirks  and hugs me tight. I am surprised at this gesture and look at Jack with wide eyes.  I'm not really into the whole hug thing, the only person who has hugged me like this has been Anna. Even then I don't really know what to do, my parents where the hugging type or at least not towards me.

Jack is laughing at my lost expression, so much so that he has to hold onto the wall for support. I hug Helen back but not as tightly as she hugs me.  "Now lets see if you look presentable. The Duchess of Kent will get mad at me if you don't look good in front of your first guest." She fluffs my hair and tells me to do a turn around. "Lovely, simply lovely." Helen says clasping her hands together. 

The grandfather clock chimes one o'clock in the afternoon. Helen's back straightens. "We need to get you to the west wing.  Lord Raven is waiting for you!" Helen says in a sing song voice as she skips ahead of me. I smile. She reminds me of Anna, so care free and happy all the time. Unlike me, gloomy and so serious.  Jack walks next to me not saying anything until Helen is far enough so she can't hear.

"Lord Raven huh?" Jack says scratching the back of his head. I peek over at him; Jacks cheeks are flushed and his eyes are burning with something. Longing or pity? I shouldn't dwell on it too much, I am known for reading into things too much. "Yeah. A guest for my courting ball... Apparently its all anyone can talk about." I say sadly.  I am sick and tired of everyone talking about this ball. I want it over and done with but I know that I need to think wisely on who will be my future king. 

"Huh.." Is all Jack seems to be able to say back. I bit my lip. The ball wouldn't be as horrible if I had someone to talk to there. Someone to laugh with in the background as the suitors strut around like proud peacocks.  Someone who gets me and I can just be myself around. "Jack..."   He looks a me, his attention fully on me and me alone. 

"W-...W-..Would you like to come to the ball... with me?" I squeak out the question like a five year girl, even stuttering a bit at the end. Jack blinks trying to process what I just asked him. I fiddle around with my hair, suddenly feeling very self conscious. Jack gives me a toothy grin and shakes his head. "Nah.. Its not really my thing Elsa. What's the point when the other people can't even see you. Thanks for the invitation but we both know I don't belong there." My heart sinks and literally feels like it drops to the floor.

"Of course. No its fine Jack really, next time maybe," I say in a thin tight voice. Jack's eyes soften but he says nothing. Which somehow seems worse then anything else he could have done. I have had my share of closed doors but this just seems like a slap in the face.   

So I'll be alone at the ball.... nothing new.

"Elsa I-" Jack says reaching out to me.   "There's nothing to say sorry for Jack. You don't want to come and that's fine. End of story," My voice wavers at the end. Trying to keep my voice steady but failing horribly. Why am I acting like a spoiled child, honestly sometimes I disgust myself. I  lock myself away and put on my Queenly face.  Helen stands at the door, looking at me with confused eyes. Great now she thinks I'm crazy, won't be long now until everyone finds out.

Helen clears her throat; "Milady.."  She says opening the door.  I enter the room with grace and a lifted chin, letting everyone know that  will not be pushed around today. Anna runs up and hugs me tight, I don't even hesitate to hug her back. She smells like pumpkin spice, so different just like her. "Elsa your here! I thought you would never arrive. Oh right! May I present Lord Raven of Highmound."  I don't mention to Anna that the last time she 'presented me' to a guy, he turned out to be a power hungry killer. 

My eyes widen when the see Lord Raven, because Helen wasn't lying when she said he was good looking. Sharp liquid honey eyes and  black messy hair that he has pushed back but it suites him very nicely.  His face looks like it was chiselled  from stone, its too perfect to be real. "Your majesty," He says, giving me a curt graceful bow. 

"Lord Raven decided to come early because he lives so far away," Anna explains to me.  Lord Raven smiles, reveling a set of perfectly white teeth. I hear Jack huff behind me, clearly not amused.  Kristoff stands not that far off,  glaring at the back of Lord Raven's head, also not amused.  "I sorry my ball made you go out of you're way, Lord Raven," I say in a bored voice. I honestly don't want to hear how long and tedious his journey way, he didn't have to come to this ball and yet they always make it sound like its my fault. Ugh, men.

"Actually milady I wanted to get to know you before anyone else could. A little bit selfish I admit but-" He says taking my left hand and pressing it against his lip. It was such a swift movement that I don't even have time to react. Usually I  avoid the whole hand touching thing, I can't control myself all the time.  "Its worth it in the long run," Lord Raven says giving me a toothy grin. He turns my hands over inspecting them. Lord Raven's  "Such beautiful hands... so capable of many thing."  I take my hand away fast, flustered that he would say something so nice about my hands. The very things that have caused me so much sadness in life.

"Elsa I invited Lord Raven to go horse back riding with us. Do you want to come?" Anna is looking from Lord Raven to me, excitement is clearly written on her face.   I bite back the immediate no that is bubbling in my throat. If I say no, then I have to face Jack.   I don't want to talk to him... the very thought of facing him after he clearly doesn't feel the same way, makes me sick to my stomach. 

"Anna wanted to show me around but you don't have to come along if you don't want to." He sounds so sincere and polite, its refreshing from the usual way my suitors act.   Jack is silent through this and I know that he won't say anything. Not that I want him to. 

"I will gladly join you two." I can hear a huff, followed by a cold gust of wind. That was the biggest sigh I have ever heard Jack do. Not that I care or anything.