The Snow Queen

Torture

"To go up the trail this time of year would be suicide." Mused one of Elrond's colleagues. "It's not just the cold, but the climb, the terrain, it's at its worst this time of year."

"I know that." He answered. "I've seen those mountains during winter plenty of times. It doesn't get any easier, but it doesn't get any worse either. With these plans, we may be able to reach the pass leading to Dead Man's Peak in under a week."

"Must you make things so complicated? We've lost so many men just this year!"

The door opened, interrupting the conversation. Ansgar stepped inside and hurried to shut the cold out. "Sorry." He said quickly.

"Ansgar, would you brew us some coffee?"

"Yes, Sir." Ansgar quit to the coffee pot where a burlap sack of beans sat next to it. The conversation went on as if he weren't there.

"Elrond, I know there's no getting to you, but after thirty-two years of failing to capture this thing, aren't you ready to let up? It hasn't done harm to our village. All we've done is antagonize it."

Another hunter said, "Men should be better than monsters."

Ansgar normally ignored such discussions, but now he couldn't. He went on quietly grinding the beans as his father spoke. "There are plenty of monsters among us already. Don't we all do monstrous things to prevent far worse ones from taking over? I've pursued it since it brought the winter that wiped out my hometown. They had hunted it to study it—that was their mistake. They should have killed it." The water was boiling, so Ansgar had little to do but wait and listen. It was near impossible for him to believe that they were talking about the same creature he'd seen learning to dance just minutes ago. She had emotion. She was smiling. She was looking into Jack's eyes... for his father to learn that the Overland boy he talked so lowly of was probably the first man alive to get close enough to gaze at her that way... He poured them their mugs and served them out like the silent butler he was. No thank you's, it was just expected from him.

"I'm going to bed now." He announced, not expecting any reply. Ansgar did indeed leave to his room, but the men talked for what felt like most of the night about their plans to reach Dead Man's Peak before the solstice... but the creature wasn't at Dead Man's Peak. She was here. They were on a suicide mission with no reward waiting at the end. Ansgar knew there was no dissuading his father from going at all, but he couldn't bring himself to speak of her. Did his father know that this creature could feel emotions? Understand them?

If he even had the patience to recognize such, would he let her go? Or would he try to find 'better use' for her like those before him had?

And Jack... how had he managed to tame the supposedly hostile creature? How long had he been interacting with her? They seemed all too familiar with one another with how closely they gazed at each other. It was a look one would expect from a pair of lovers. Would he say something to Jack? His father? Both? Neither? Part of him wanted to bring his father some damn peace after three decades and spill everything... but he'd never seen Jack so happy either. He didn't even fully understand the details of their relationship and yet there was something so sacred about it that it felt almost heretical to tear them apart.

Maybe something would happen on its own and he wouldn't have to make any sort of decision. He prayed for that as he fell deeper and deeper into sleep.

...

For some reason that night, the voices of every disgruntled adult he'd encountered rang through Jack's dreams.

You stupid little boy! You never follow directions, no wonder all the children hate you! One day I'll catch you lying or stealing and throw you out in the cold. Your parents ought to have sent you away to learn some decency!