Jack had never remembered dancing to be so much fun, at first he danced with the red haired scottish princess, but as the night went on other girls not only accepted his invitations to dance but they approached him. It had been years since he had actually danced at one of these balls, he wasn't really that good at it back then but of course he didn't really care for it before. Today however, was a completely new day and he loved it. He was not only touching people he was holding girls. Not just that, he was caressing them, and spinning them as the music played, and they held him. It was magnificent. He couldn't contain his joy, he smiled and laughed as he flew along the dance floor with the grace of a snowflake as it glided on the fleeting currents of the wind in a tangled spectacle of motion and order. His presence and his laugh was contagious as his presence on the dance floor stirred the masses from their somber chit chat to a full crowd of lords and ladies joining the dance. Nobody could begin to describe the magic of dancing with Jack or his hearty joy.
The background music of the idle chatter was replaced by glorious instrumental ballads and a chorus of honest joyful laughter. There were times when Jack danced with two or three people at the same time. His presence on the dance floor was magnetic so much so that not even Jack's father could resist the invitation from one of the foreign royals that noticed him.
"That's a mighty fine dancer you have there, where have you been hiding him?" the woman giggled as the music picked up in pace.
"To be honest, he has been hiding himself, but I am glad that he finally came out of his shell. This may be the first of many, we can only hope." Jack's father was pleased to see that his son was finally enjoying himself, there had been too many lonely nights since he had last seen Jack really smile or laugh.
Jack himself could not remember a time that he had so much fun. There were so many people, and he was able to meet them and so many people that could meet him. He looked into countless girls eyes and found them sparkling with a certain fun that he felt they had missed out on. A certain magical type of fun and although he didn't notice it, many eyes were on him and noticing same magical transformation of his dance partners.
After an hour of dancing nonstop the music finally died down, and the guests clapped as the musicians and the dancers caught their breath.
Then a noise caught everyone's attention and the entire ball gazed at the French King and Queen who were hosting the entire affair.
"Announcing the King of Fance, Prince Adam and his lovely bride Queen Belle!" One officials shouted over the room. The King and Queen rose from their thrones to address the crowd.
"I would first like to thank you all for coming!" The king smiled as his voice boomed perfectly over the silent crowd. "I must also thank the youth at this time for your magnificent dancing." All at once the crowd surrounding Jack turned to him and those who we dancing with him and gave them a dignified applause. But a few raps against the ground with a rod echoed and got the attention of the room back towards the King. "I must say thanks to the youth for their energy I am inspired to dance myself, however I don't think my old bones will allow me to keep up with the tempo of the last song as our own Jack Wintercrest gave the musicians a run for their money I'm sure." the room responded with a polite laugh. The King held out his hand to the Queen, she took it and followed him out to the dance floor, the music picked up slowly as it elegantly filled the room and the King and Queen danced.
Once the music started, Jack could hear people whispering gossip under their voices.
"He's not fooling anyone with that 'old bones' bit, he's the best warrior in all of France."
"I hear the locals call him the Beast King of France, and that before he met Queen Belle his anger was cause of several disappearances of the staff."
"I heard he got the name The Beast when he killed a dozen men with his bare hands in the last war before his men got to him."
On and on the rumors and gossip spread in that fashion, but Jack decided to take this opportunity to take a breather and slip out unnoticed by his captors. He loosed his tie and made a break for the balcony, he looked forward to the chill night air cooling him off before he could be found for another dance.
He hadn't taken more than two steps outside before he heard someone clear their throat to get his attention.
"Listen Princess Mer-" Jack stopped before he could finish as he saw that it wasn't the Scottish Princess but Princess Elsa. "Princess Elsa my sincerest apologies I thought it was-"
"I am fully aware of whom you thought I was. You're not going to faint on me again are you?" Princess Elsa teased as she closed the balcony door behind her.
"No,"
"Do not worry I am not here to ask you to dance although you have proved yourself very capable. I merely wish to talk and check on your health."
"I am doing well thank you, if not for you I might have been left out in the cold to freeze, and for that I am grateful."
"You're very welcome, of course it surprised me little to see you on the dance floor this evening as Prince Hiccup and lady Astrid made their plot known to me on how to keep you out of the cold."
"Of course, I should have known from the start that Prince Hiccup was behind it."
"He and a few of the other nobles children hatched a plan to maintain your actual presence at the ball, of course no one could have guessed that you would be so energetic about it let alone so naturally talented. I say, a few more than planned took a liking to you."
"I see, I wonder if some of those feelings may be in my presence at the moment."
"I admit your love for yourself seems uncanny yet modest, I for one look deeper than first impressions before I decide my fancy. It has earned me a few unpopular labels."
"Like Ice Queen?"
Elsa glared at him before she moved to the railing and leaned against it looking at the night sky. "Yes, I see my reputation precedes me once again."
"I am sorry I didn't mean to offend you."
"It is not your fault, we are two peas in a pod you and I, the Ice Queen and the Snowman."
"Snowman?"
Elsa giggled, "I think it suits you as I hear you spend all your time at parties outside in the cold where no one will approach you. Of course if you prefer I could call you the old snowman, because you might as well been turned into one had I left you out here the other night."
Feelings in Jack's heart pangs when she called him an old snowman. Something familiar and lovely seeped into his heart. No, no, he must focus, he was not going to pass out again.
"If I might be so bold, how did you acquire the title: Ice Queen. I can't imagine it would be that you like to spend your time on balconies in the cold."
Elsa giggled, Jack couldn't believe her giggle it was so cute and on top of that he was having an actual conversation with a noble, a princess even. "I get it from how many suitors I've turned down." She turned around to look at Jack with her deep blue eyes. "Do you know how many suitors I've turned out to the cold?"
Jack simply shook his head. There was something that surpassed just beauty in the Princess Elsa, a feeling of something long gone but recently lost.
"Eighteen, can you believe that, eighteen royal delinquents showed up at my door showing only their wealth and desire for power. Eighteen came to me with their best for my hand in marriage and eighteen I found wanting. That's when they started calling me the Ice Queen, like my heart was frozen and couldn't be thawed by the most handsome and powerful in the land." she turned around as her eyes began to well with tears as all her wicked nick names and taunting echoed in her ears.
Jack leaned against the railing with her, "For what it's worth, I am not after your status or power." Jack heard her laugh but it was more of patronizing chuckle to hide her pain. "After my I turned 16 a couple years ago my dad let go of the arranged marriage idea after my mother passed away because she hated it, she believed that we should be able to find love and not be assigned to it. Of course, she had an arranged marriage, but luckily my dad wanted to earn her love and not just expect it, it was like his honor was at stake or something. He courted her and right before they were married my father admitted his love for her and asked her to marry him as if he was giving her a choice. My mother said it was the most romantic thing anyone had done for her and she married him with a smile on her lips and true love in her heart."
Elsa sniffled and wiped away a tear that hadn't formed yet, "that's beautiful, who would have thought you'd be such a charmer you old snowman."
"I think what I'm trying to say, but I'm not doing a very good of saying it, is that maybe you just need someone to be your friend before they try and be your king." Jack rubbed the back of his neck shyly. "Heaven knows that I'm not looking for a Queen, but you can never have too many friends."
"The price of a good friend is beyond all the riches of the world." Elsa looked up at Jack who was blushing, she didn't know him very well yet, but she impressed with how down to earth he seemed right now.
Jack extended his hand out to her, he wasn't sure how to get the words out, he had never been so nervous talking to a noble before. Elsa just looked at his hand and waited for what he had planned on saying, a little skeptical at his intentions but charmed by the sincerity of his nervous behavior. "I would like to ask my lady Elsa to just one dance, as friends."
"But you can't hear the music out here."
"Real friends don't need fancy music for one dance." Jack gulped nervously as he started feeling foolish while she just stared at his hand. But after a moment she took his hand and let him lead her.
"Indeed, I think I think I can spare just one dance, for a friend of course."
Jack and Elsa danced slowly under the moon light as the wind played a soft hymn that rivaled even the greatest of symphonies. When they finished their dance both of them were reluctant to quit, but Jack bowed a low bow and kissed her hand but before he could thank her for such a marvelous time something caught his eye, something that wasn't there before. Jack slowly rose from his bow unable to speak as a folded piece of paper sat on the railing lit by a ray of moonlight.
Cautiously, Jack walked toward it, there was no way it could be there, no one had come or gone, and it hadn't been there a moment ago.
"Jack, what is wrong," Elsa asked at Jack's sudden change in behavior.
Jack looked around, they were too high up for someone to place it there from the ground and the trees were nowhere close to it. Who could have put it there and when could they have done it? Jack picked up the piece of paper, it was folded in half and Jack unfolded it to read its contents written in almost silver ink...
You do not belong here Jack Frost.
-TL