The Snow Queen

Without Me

Mary stayed up late to watch out the window and see if her bird friend would come back—now that she knew where it had come from, she had so many more things she wanted to ask! How could Jack keep something so amazing as knowing a real-life enchantress from her? She wouldn't tell a soul! But if Jack was with her, did that mean he had powers now? Could he come home whenever he wanted? How would they explain it to their parents?

She knew Ansgar was a good person! Not like his father was. When Jack came home, she knew the three of them would all be friends for life! Them and the enchantress.

Someone knocked on her door and she quickly ducked under the covers and pretended to be sleeping. She heard it open and her mother whisper, "Mary? Are you sleeping?" She didn't move a muscle until Emily pulled the door closed and left.

Mary sat right back up and watched the falling snow—for the rest of her life, it would make her think of the enchantress. She knew just what kind of enchantress she was, and she had a message for her. "Snow Queen, I don't know if you can hear me... but if you know where Jack is, please help him come home. I know you're probably lonely... but I just want to see him. Just to hug him. I should've known you'd like Jack; he's the best big brother in the world." She waited to see if she'd maybe hear her voice, but there was nothing. "Sometimes, though, he's lonely too... he thinks I don't know it, but I see how sad he looks when he sees other people together. If you can't bring Jack home, then please, take me and my parents to your kingdom so we can all be together. You and Jack can be the king and queen, and I'll be a princess. I'll be the best princess ever, I promise. I'll be kind and fair like all princesses should be." She gave her words all the weight a solemn promise needed.

Outside, unseen by the innocent wench, was the bird of ice. Its crystalline wings flapped as it took to the skies.

...

Elsa was disheartened by what her messenger brought back to her.

She said not a word to Jack when she heard the pleas of his sister, of how she had placed a curse upon people as good and kind as he was. Yes, she could undo it with the snap of a finger, but what about the damage she'd already caused?

All day, Jack had not been able to move—he could barely breathe. He wheezed and shivered in front of the fire. His once glistening amber eyes were now dull and tired. Elsa had been watching as patterns of frost drew their way up his shoulders, chest, and cheeks. His hair was colored in patches of pure white.

Had she hurt the person she loved and sought to protect the most? More than the wolves far down the mountain had hurt her? She felt her throat balloon up, her chest heaved. How could she continue to let him suffer just because she didn't want to be alone anymore? Even if she got him away from there, would anything change?

It hurt. It hurt so much.

Jack had never known cold like this, so cold that he could barely stay awake, that he was fighting to remember where he was at some points. He tried to focus on the fire, the only source of warmth in this place... Dead Man's Peak. He should've known there was a reason why it had that name.

"E-El-s-s-" He tried to say her name, but it hurt to speak. He couldn't raise his voice past a whisper. He didn't know where she'd gone, but he just wanted her to hold him. Even if she would only make him colder, he would at least feel less alone. This wasn't her fault—she didn't mean for any of this.

Even though he was in agony, Jack didn't mind dying somewhere so beautiful, with something so exquisite. He couldn't bear to leave his family, though, nor Elsa... he had finally given her happiness and his own inability to adapt to her world would take it all away.