"You are not so bad," Bunny caught his breath.
"Thank you," Jack, also winded from their friendly bout continued. "Winter' has some fencing skills that seem to have crossed over."
"You will notice some of that in your travels Jack," started Manny. "That some of your memories and skills will mesh because even though you and wintercrest are different souls you are in a sense the same person. Your desires will be the same and you will not even feel him there unless one of you does something that is against the others moral compass, which shouldn't happen."
"Wait! What time is it?" Jack scanned the room for a timepiece.
North divulged the time, Jack's face went pale at the realization that there was no way he would make it back to the ball in time to keep his promise to Elsa.
"What is it Jack?" Manny asked noticing the instant look of panic on Jacks face.
"I made a promise to Elsa that I would be back before the ball was over, if I left now I don't think I would make it, not unless one of your little moon beams could fly me back as fast as one of your letters."
"I got you one better mate." Bunny stood next to Jack and tapped his foot twice on the ground. In response, a hole opened and they fell through it, the next thing Jack knew was that they were behind a bush on the ground outside of the palace.
"That was quick," Jack said astonished.
"How do you think I make my elusive escapes," Bunny tipped his hat. "We'll be in touch Jack, I trust you won't tell anyone our arrangement."
"You can count on me, thanks Bunnymund."
Bunny tapped another hole in the ground and disappeared; Jack fixed his outfit and looked at his sword. It vanished with a subtle blink of light as it disintegrated instantaneously.
"I could get used to this," Jack then scaled the wall and made it back up to the balcony. Once at the top he brushed himself off and walked to the door to the ball, but something stopped him he turned around and walked toward the edge of the balcony and looked at the moon.
Jack put his hand over his heart and felt the fresh power of the stardust, his own frosty powers, and his love radiate as he made a promise to his Elsa, himself, and the powers-that-be: "I will always love you Elsa, and I will always find my way back to you."
For one short moment, he felt Elsa's presence near and knew in his heart that she had heard him.
He turned back toward the ball and in his heart he made another promise one that was uniquely 'Jack Frost', a determination that would not be phased by Gods, time, magic, or men. Elsa I don't care what it takes or what rules I have to break, I swear on all the powers that summoned me to existence and beyond, that nothing will stop me.
Once Jack crossed the threshold of the doors that led into the Tinsel Ball he would never be the same. At that precise instance the powers of Jack Wintercrest's unearthly mental prowess for schemes, disguises, intrigue, tact, and elusiveness (the very same prowess that had hidden him from the courts prying eye and gossip over the course of his life) and Jacks Frosts determination, defiance, awkward charm, and will-power combined in uniquely pervasive machine for toppling Monarchies and breaking time. Within the confines of Jack's mind a plan hatched so devious and brilliant that history itself shuddered. Jack had truly tapped into the infinite potential of the simple phrase: two heads are better than one.
Jack's smile went unheeded as he closed the doors behind him; that one simple smile that would change everything. He strode across the dance floor as the nobles started filtering out signifying the end of the Ball.
He easily picked Elsa out of the crowd, her fantastic light blue dress shimmered against the lights. She was dancing with a gentleman and had a less than enthusiastic demeanor as she danced with him. Jack could tell that he was trying hard to impress her but it obviously wasn't working.
Jack grabbed a glass of water and swam through the crowd of people as skillfully as a villain watching Elsa and her partner ever so carefully. On the way he grabbed Hiccup and pulled him along with him.
"Do exactly as I say if you wish to avoid an international incident."Jack whispered as he towed Hiccup behind him.
"It is good to see you are feeling better my friend, no hard feelings eh?" Hiccup responded.
Jack and Hiccup expertly flew through the crowd of nobles unnoticed, at least until Elsa looked up from her dance to spy Jack with a mischievous smile a split second was all she got as Jack nodded suspiciously.
Upon passing behind the gentleman dancing with Elsa Jack dipped his hands in his water glass and dribbled a few drops on the ground where he would step but as they fell from his fingertips they froze momentarily into marbles. Jack nodded at Hiccup giving him the signal, and while the gentleman was in mid sentence bragging about himself he slipped on the ice marbles. While the gentleman descended to the floor Hiccup seized Elsa from his grasp and saved her from similar embarrassment.
"Oh my," Elsa exclaimed. "Thank you for catching me your highness." She thanked Hiccup with a curtsey and begged her pardon form the fallen gentleman as he blushed tremendously. She looked for Jack who she found leaning against a doorframe raising his glass to her, the next moment as someone passed in front of her view and Jack had vanished.
Elsa excused herself and scurried though the doorway to find Jack standing over a plant pouring the contents of his drink into the pants soil.
"Who in the world would want to drink this awful garbage water!" Jack said to himself as he even set the glass in the pot.
"Excuse me," Elsa said startling Jack.
"Oh Frostbite!" Jack clutched his heart and the plant for support as he nearly toppled over himself.
"I believe that I was dancing with that gentleman, who do you think you are to wrest my attention so brutishly?" Elsa asked.
Jack took a step away from the plant and faced Elsa his face was shades of pink, green, and white. "You really have to stop scaring me like that." Elsa gave him the look that told him that he had broken some rule of etiquette, "Pardon my rudeness, Your Highness I did not mean to offend."
"For the moment I shall tolerate your folly but in the future I shall not be so quick to ignore propriety," Elsa said standing as gracefully as any other high born.
"I thank you for your forgiveness, I shall withdraw to avoid further folly in your eyes, excuse me." Jack made a move to retreat.
"No."
Jack paused and waited for her to explain.
"You assume much to think that I was dismissing you presence, after all I have not had a chance to properly inquiry as to your well being my lord Wintercrest."
Jack looked up to see a sparkle in Elsa's eye that said more than a wink ever could.
"Of course, I wish to express my deepest gratitude for saving my life; I only wished to return the favor."
"What make you think that I also needed saving?" Elsa asked already grateful he had intervened.
"I simply noticed how large the gentleman's ego was and how tight his pants were," Jack winked which caused Elsa to giggle.
Elsa leaned against the wall looking exhausted, "if I am flirted with one more time by another noble brat I am going to break his perfect nose." Elsa sighed in frustration, "Why must every gentleman I come across constantly brag about how perfect he is and talk about his wealth and inheritance."
Jacks blush never faded, "then allow me to accompany you in respectful silence, or better yet allow me to mention something completely unflattering about myself."
"My lord, you best be careful, it might just shock me to my wits end to find a Noble here that wasn't entirely perfect according to himself." She said her sarcasm flowed as easily as silk.
"Let me tell you about the time I witnessed a creature so heinous and shocking that in response my body failed, in an act of preservation I faked death so accurately that I almost lost the ability to breathe." Jack feigned astonishment with a gasp while placing one hand over his mouth. "Oh, beg my forgiveness my lady, that creature was you. I am deeply sorry for the unfortunate structure of your face, give you mother my condolences as I see that you have inherited none of her good sense to hide your face from those with weak constitutions such as myself."
Elsa could not control her composure any longer as she let a giggle slip the confines of her rose petal lips. "I see that your wit is intact, what became of your mysterious letter?"
"It was fascinating, but I could never reveal it to a heinous creature such as yourself," Elsa continued to laugh.
Elsa caught her breath, "Insults, and interesting development, ha I have not laughed that much in a while."
"I promise my lady, that when the time is right I will tell you everything that transpired tonight, but not a moment sooner. You have a nice laugh, but your smile is atrocious, and... is that spinach between your teeth?"
Elsa instantly covered her mouth and blushed, oh no, had she been dancing with stuff between her teeth all evening!
Jack laughed at her reaction, "I am just kidding, there is no food between your teeth, but you really could smile less it would save all of us the breath it takes to lie to you about your beauty."
She shook her head but enjoyed the ease of the talking with the young Wintercrest who was not trying to have his way with her fortune. Probably.
"My Lord, it is obvious that the parties of the nobles and their wine hold little interest for you, what is it that you do enjoy?" Elsa asked.
Jack construed his face so that it reflected deep and pondering thought, but the memories of his Elsa flowed easily into his heart causing it to pound. "Snowball fights..." Jack breathed as if caught in a daydream.
Elsa giggled, "Jack you seem to have escaped our conversation too eagerly, should I be jealous?"
Jack caught himself daydreaming and returned to this world's Elsa with a stupid smile on his face, "Jealous? What would a princess need with jealousy when every man with a title is throwing himself at her feet?"
Elsa giggled once more charmed by Jack's awkward and playful tendencies.
"Thank you once again My Lady, for saving my life, now if you will excuse me I feel faint, it may be the lateness of the hour or the wretchedness of the garbage water but I must be leaving now." Jack kissed her hand as custom dictated.
"I am sorry to see you go but I do hope that you do not slip on any 'garbage water' on your way out." Elsa giggled playfully.
"Your compassion humbles me princess, farewell." Without another word, Jack left to find his father and return home. It was true this had been an eventful evening and he might collapse should he dance one more time. There was still much to do and so little time to do it, he had much to prepare.
As Jack left Elsa realized that she was actually going to miss him and looked forward to their meeting again.
** ** **
In a place that has lost one Jack Frost the hero of the kingdom of Arendelle, one woman stood on a balcony. She pulsated with power as she commanded gentle snowflakes to cover the ground around the obelisk that stood in honor of her Jack. Her dress shimmered in the moonlight as the vision of her Jack was still firmly set in her mind and his love filled promised filled the once empty well in her heart to overflowing. She had heard his promise and knew that he was alive somewhere and she promised in her heart, without a doubt that he would find her, that she would be waiting. She would wait a thousand lifetimes for her silly snowman.
Elsa was officially done mourning, she wiped the tears away from her eyes at the simple thought: You can't mourn the death of someone who isn't truly dead.
Although everything told her that Jack was dead here, he was alive somewhere else and knowing her Jack, he would not stop until he returned.
"I'll be waiting Jack, and when you get back you have some explaining to do."