"Well..." Jack looks down at me. He scratches his head. "I am not sure what to make of that." He smirks. "I never thought I would see the Queen of Arendelle kneel before me-a simple commoner."
Red seeps into my cheeks. I blink quickly. I might cry in front of Anna, but I would never cry in front of this boy.
Jack holds out his hand. I slip my gloved fingers across his palm. He helps me to my feet.
"Are you okay?" He asks slowly, his eyes brushing over me.
"Yes." I bow my head, ashamed of my behavior. I literally fell to my knees and jammed my hands into my gloves.
Jack rubs the back of his neck. "I honestly thought that it would be better if we got rid of your gloves and took it from there, but perhaps it would be easier if we 'warmed up' a bit first."
"What do you mean?" I tangle my fingers together. Tears still threaten to slip through the cracks in my defenses.
"We need to find a balance. Right now you are either quiet and perfect or you are wild and free and causing epic ice storms."
I gape at him. "Uh..."
"You should be able to find some place in between. A place where you are comfortable with using your powers in a way that does not hurt anyone." Jack rubs his chin. "I have an idea...I want you to try to make that snowball again. But this time with your gloves on."
"I don't think I can. The whole point of my gloves is to not use my power."
"It can't hurt to try." He shrugs.
I lift my left hand over my right palm and bite my lip as I concentrate. A perfect, round snowball materializes in my hand.
"Jack! Jack, it worked! I can't believe it worked!" I laugh and look up at him. Almost on its own, the snowball flies out of my hand and smacks him in the face.
"Mmmph." Jack wipes snow off of his nose. "I can see it worked." His mouth lifts into his trademark grin as he tosses his own snowball in the air. "Now for some fun."
"Wait-" I say, but his snowball is already flying through the air towards me. I instinctively form my own snowball and thrust it at Jack.
The two snowballs collide in midair and powdery, white snow explodes across both of us.
I laugh. "Okay, okay, that's enough."
I know that fun can easily turn into regret. Images flash through my mind. Two small girls playing in this very ballroom years ago. One mistake and I almost lost my sister.
I back away from Jack. "I should go. Thank you for trying to help me."
"Aw, come on, Elsa, we barely started. Let's have a snowball fight." He grins, but I shake my head. Jack groans. "Elsa! You can't hurt me. We're just having some fun."
"I can't. I'm sorry, but there are too many memories in this room."
Jack's eyes brighten and he holds out his hand to me. "Then we'll just have to make some better ones."
"Thank you, Jack, but not this time." I back away until my shoulder collides with the door.
Jack picks up his staff. "I don't think I want to train you anymore. You're no fun at all." He pouts.
I shrug and open the door. Then I throw a huge wad of snow at him and slide outside of the ballroom before he can retaliate.
Jack's shouts of laughter bleed through the wood. I press my back against the door and smile.
Maybe training won't be so bad after all.
**
As soon as my eyes close, Pitch invades my dream.
"Go away." I whimper.
"Now, now, have you already forgotten that I am their enemy, not yours?"
"Leave me alone."
He walks toward me. "Your sister is such a delightful child."
Fire blisters inside of me. I clench my hands to my side. A tremble runs through my veins.
Pitch rests his heavy hand on my shoulder. His cold, long fingers rub against my loose, blonde hair. "But Anna knows darkness."
"Your darkness!" I snap. I shiver from his touch, but don't move away.
"Anna has not met me yet. She knows fear because of you, her own sister. You are silent, cold. All she ever wanted was your love, but you couldn't even give her that."
"I had to protect her. I had to keep her safe."
"And in the end, despite all your efforts, you still hurt her and froze the entire kingdom."
I grit my teeth and pull away from him. "Well, my storm has ended and summer has returned."
"Thanks to me. But winter shall come again if you break your promise."
Wake up, wake up. I should be able to make myself wake up, shouldn't I?
"Pitch, go away. You've already warned me multiple times. I know what is at stake."
"Yes, but you still do not understand why I need Jack."
Curiosity flickers inside me.
A bench materializes out of the darkness. Pitch sits down and leans forward. He folds his hands in his lap and stares past me. "I am telling you this not because I trust you, but because there is no one else to tell."
Is he...lonely? I stare at the cold, dark man. Surely not. But why else would he persist in visiting me through dreams?
Does he think-in some twisted way-that I understand him? The world has shunned us both, called us monsters, but that doesn't make us friends.
Pitch isn't surprised at my silence. He rubs his hands together. "All I asked was that you bring Jack Frost to me. I don't want to hurt Anna or your kingdom. But if you do not keep your promise, I will destroy all that you hold dear."
"I don't break my promises. Of that you can be sure." I whisper. "Is that enough to satisfy you? Will you go away now?"
Pitch stands up slowly and unfolds his long legs. He grins slightly and bows toward me. "Of course, my Snow Queen. I will leave you alone...for now."