The Snow Queen

Dead Man's Peak

Nicholas and Emily were among the denizens who were absolutely bewildered by the changes in weather outside, but they only gazed out their window just as the snow had calmed.

"Was that a storm?" He asked.

"I don't even know."

Mary came to the doorway, "Mom?"

Emily turned to her daughter. "Don't worry Mary, whatever's happening seems to be—"

"Where's Jack?"

Both of their eyes went wide. "What do you mean 'where's Jack?'"

"He's not in his room."

...

"Jackson?" Emily was frantically calling as she scrambled down the roads.

"Excuse me, have you seen Jack?" Nicholas asked around, trying to keep calm. Mary was clinging to his side, eyes peeled for her brother. No one recalled him being out there when the storm passed through. People didn't seem all that concerned; they were more focused on the shouting at the front of town hall between Elrond and the mayor. Nicholas heard whispers that a man was being treated for frostbite, but some were saying they thought they saw his hand completely frozen!

What a strange night.

Emily found them again, "No one's seen him." She was fighting tears.

"Em, it's all right." He tried to subtly remind her to not panic Mary. "He's somewhere. Wherever he is, he'll find his way home."

From his front porch, Ansgar watched the Overlands. Where was Jack? Surely he'd be back by now. He saw his father going at it with the mayor, though it was nothing more than a temper tantrum at this point. He shouldn't have been so dumb! How did he explain the missing gun now? He placed it somewhere probable enough for Elrond to believe he'd left it there by mistake, but he never questioned his memory. Then he thought Elrond wouldn't even care about the fucking weapon; his catch had escaped! He probably assumed some master thief that had listened in on one of his ramblings had done the job, not two little shepherd boys.

He snorted at that. If only he knew. The town trickster and the homeschooled boy just freed your precious little trophy.

"Everyone, get back inside!" The mayor had, at last, pacified the enraged hunter. "Put on extra layers, start your fireplaces, anything you must to keep warm."

Ansgar started back into his home, not before he looked up off at the mountains... he didn't know where they'd gone, but Ansgar found comfort in one thing: she wouldn't hurt Jack.

...As for them, he wasn't sure.

...

Something was pressed against his chest, giving him the gentlest of shakes. It was cold and it made him stir and moan as he reached for consciousness.

"Jack?"

His moaned in pain again and his eyes fluttered open. His vision adjusted and once everything was clear, he saw the woman, back in her 'human' form, gazing over him. It felt like he'd blacked out for only half-a-second.

"I'm fine." He groaned, holding the bruise on the side of his forehead. "Motherfucker..." He grumbled in pain. He felt her gentle fingertips push his bangs back to look at the spot. She winced at it. "Don't worry about that." He looked around into the darkness; he was laid against a tree. "I guess we lost them." He sighed as he stood up, a little wobbly at first.