Archive of Our Own

Elsa decided to go on a little stroll through the forest, just to get away from everything. She just wanted some time alone, just some time to get some fresh air. This was her first winter with the Northuldra and the snow was beautiful. It wasn’t like Arendelle, here it was more enchanting. The sun shining through the trees and the snow sparkling made the scene even more beautiful.

Suddenly, she felt a light breeze blow past her.

“Gale, is that you?” she asked aloud, no response from the wind spirit. Instead, there was another breeze. She looked around her then just shrugged and decided to just let it go. Maybe it was Gale playing a small trick on her.

Then one of the branches near her creaked. She looked up and swore she saw something sitting on a high branch fly away. It could have been a bird, but it was too big. If she didn’t know any better, she swore it was a person.

Then she heard whispering, too faint to hear it clearly, but it was there. Someone was there with her.

“Whoever you are, show yourself!” she called out. She looked around, keeping an eye out for her whoever was in the forest with her.

Then she heard it, a young man’s voice nearby, “Can she hear me?”

“I heard you! I said show yourself!”

Then she heard footsteps in the snow behind her. She swiftly turned around to see someone duck behind a tree. She slowly approached the tree, holding out her hand and had an icy aura illuminate from her palm. There was no more sound of snow crunching other than under her own feet so whoever it was wasn’t moving. She placed her hand on the tree and began to look around it to see who it was.

There he stood, just about her height, even without his shoes and supported by a shepard’s crook. His clothes were older and tattered and he wore a cloak. His skin was all but pure white and his hair was frosty. His eyes were a beautiful shade of blue. He looked about her age, maybe younger.

Cautiously walking closer to him, she asked him, “Who are you?”

The young man was acting strange. When she asked him who he was, he drew back in confusion before looking behind himself. Looking back at her, he asked, “Are you…talking to me?”

“Of course I’m talking to you. You and I are the only ones out here.”

The young man took another glance around before saying, “I guess we are.”

“Now tell me, who are you?”

The young man only gulped before asking her, “You really can see me?”

Elsa groaned, “Of course I can. Why do you keep asking me that?”

In response the young man only laughed, confusing Elsa. Then he placed his crook against and embraced Elsa by the waist, picking her up and spinning around. As he laughed, Elsa only screamed. After a moment, he placed her back on her feet. She took some steps back and placed her hand on her chest, feeling her heart pounding.

“What on Earth has gotten into you?” she shouted at him.

The young man calmed himself down and said to her, “I’m sorry, I really am! This is their first time someone’s seen me in a long time!”

“Well maybe if you didn’t sneak up on people and scare them, you might have a better chance.” She took a breath and regained herself, asking the young man, “Okay now lets start over, who are you?”

Losing his smile as he cleared his throat, he chuckled, “I’m-I’m Jack.”

“Jack who?”

“Jack Frost.”

She raised her eyebrow at him before telling him, “Don’t mock me.”

“Don’t ‘mock’ you?” Jack retorted. “What does that mean?”

“Jack Frost isn’t a person, he’s a spirit.”

“And how would you know about Jack Frost?” Jack asked, picking up his crook. Swinging it across his shoulders, he asked, “And how do you know I’m not a spirit?”

“I know spirits and you’re not one of them.”

“You sound certain. Maybe you’re not as knowledgeable about spirits as you think you are.”

“Excuse me?” Elsa gasped. “I’ll have you know that I know plenty about spirits.”

“Oh yeah? Prove it.”

Elsa only glared at him, annoyed by the mocking smirk he gave her. She rolled her eyes and called out, “Gale?”

Then the breeze blew past them, blowing some snow dust around them. Elsa smiled at her friend before looking back at Jack, hoping that this would at least put him in his place. Instead, he was chuckling with delight as the Wind Spirit danced around them.

“Hey, Wind!” he greeted. He then looked up to a top branch and said, “How about we show her what we can do?”

Then Gale lifted him up to the branch, much to Elsa’s surprise. She watched him fly with her mouth open in awe. Gale was obeying his command. Jack planted his feet on the branch before turning to face Elsa down and squatting down.

“What do you think of that?” he asked, cocky in his convictions. He then held out his hand and asked her, “Does this prove that I’m Jack Frost?”

Then, making Elsa’s heart flutter, Jack blew into his palm, a sparkling and icy mist blowing through his lips. With his breath, a snowball appeared in his palm. Elsa was all but quivering.

“Someone like me.” she mutter quietly.

Then she felt the snowball hit her on top of her head. She was too much in shock that she didn’t realize that he threw it at her.

Scoffing, she shouted at him, “How dare you?”

“Well, I did tell you that-” Jack was cut off when a massive snowball hit him head on, knocking him off the branch and knocking him back to the ground. He was buried between the soft snow on the ground and the massive snow mound that hit him. He pulled himself out of the snow, shaking it out of his hair and tapping the side of his head to get some flakes out of his ear. He looked up to see her standing there, her hand on her hip and in the other a regular snowball that she tossed up in the air a few times, all while having a cocky look on her face.

“Y-You?” he stuttered. “You made that snowball?”

She only confidently raised her eyebrows at him.

“How?”

With a flick of her wrist, the snowball turned to snow dust and she said, “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Elsa, the Snow Queen and the Fifth Spirit.”

“The Snow Queen?” Jack gasped. He pulled himself to his feet and knelt before her, telling her, “My apologizes. I-I had no idea.”

Taking aback by Jack’s reaction, Elsa asked him, “What are doing?”

Jack tightened his eyes close, feeling embarrassed by his action, telling her, “I’ve been told of tales of the Snow Queen and I vowed to show nothing but respect for her.”

“You’ve been told tales? By who?” Elsa asked, even more confused.

Jack looked up at her, stared quietly before looking up to the sky and saying, “The only friend I’ve had for many years. The Man in the Moon.”

“The Man in the Moon?” she repeated him. Lightly shaking her head, she asked him, “I don’t understand, who are you talking about?” Jack was about to explain, but Elsa stopped him, saying, “You don’t have to kneel.”

“But I-”

“Please, I insist.” she told him with genuine sincerity. She was honored that he treated her queenly, but she’d rather let him speak on his own accord. Once he was up on his feet, she asked him, “Please, explain.”

Rubbing his head, Jack said, “The thing is, I don’t quite understand it myself. I just woke up in the world one night, not knowing who I was. I just remember darkness and being scared.”

“Oh.” Elsa gasped. She could hear the fear in his voice as he explained, feeling sorry for him.

Jack then smiled and said, “Then the moon appeared and it chased away the dark and I wasn’t afraid anymore.”

Elsa smiled with him glad to hear the joy in his voice again.

He looked back at her and said, “It even told me my name.”

“Jack Frost?”

“Jack Frost.”

Elsa sighed and said, “I’m sorry. I just heard that Jack Frost was suppose to be an old man. You know, ‘Old Man Winter’?”

Chuckling, Jack told her, “Well I’ll admit, I’m a lot older than you are, maybe.”

“What?” Elsa laughed. She looked him up and down before saying, “I’m sorry, but you look like you’re about my age.”

“Well, how old are you?”

“Excuse me?” Elsa smirked, deciding to joke back at him to get back at his pranks. “I’ll have you know that you should never ask a woman her age.”

“Can I guess?”

“You can try.”

Jack looked her over, observing her features. He smirked and asked, “If I had to guess…not a day over eighty?”

“Jack!” Elsa laughed. She knew he was joking but that was a bit too far. She laughed so hard that she even gave a cute little snort, making them both blush, her out of embarrassment and him because he thought it was cute. She cleared her throat and said more collected, “I’m actually twenty four.”

Shrugging shyly, he told her, “Well, either way it’s still younger than me.”

“What?” She looked him up and down and asked, “How old are you exactly?”

“Mmmm, over a hundred years old.”

“No you’re not!” Elsa said, but the look he gave her said it all. Realizing it, she moaned, “You are.”

“I am.” Jack then strolled around with a sigh and said to her, “And I’ve been alone ever since.”

“Alone? For one hundred years?” Elsa gasped. She watched him stroll and nod his head. She said, “Jack, that’s terrible! You had no one?”

“No one, until now.”

Elsa covered her lips, holding back her sobs. Despite his pranks, Jack was a kind person, she could tell, and he didn’t deserve to be alone for this long.

“What?” Jack asked, confused by her reaction.

“Jack, that’s horrible.” Elsa said, sorrow in her voice.

“What is?”

Elsa couldn’t believe how nonchalant he was being about the whole thing, like being alone for one hundred years wasn’t anything. She knew isolation and once she reunited with her sister, she knew how terrible isolation truly was and for someone to be alone for a century must have been torture. How can he be so detached?

“Jack, how can you be like this?” she asked him.

“Like what?”

“Jack, you were alone for a hundred years. That’s a fate worst than death.”

He just smiled, “Some days are easier than others.”

“Jack, stop.” She moved closer to him, taking his hand. It was cold, just like the air around them. She held onto his hand and told him, “Look, I know we just met and this may be a bit odd, but I think it’s cruel that you suffered this life.”

“Seriously, I’m okay.”

Elsa looked into his eyes, reading his emotions. She shook her head and said, “Your eyes tell another story.”

Jack looked away and softly took his hand back. He turned away from her and leaned himself against his crook, laying his head against it. Elsa just looked at him, worried about him. The two took a moment and said nothing.

“If I could just have one person see me, that’s enough.” he said to her, not turning around.

Elsa stepped forward and placed her hand on his shoulder. For a moment, they stood still until he reached up and placed his hand on hers.

“Your hands are cold.”

“So are yours.” she told him, finally breaking into a smile.

He finally turned around, letting her hand slide down his arm and taking his hand again.

She said to him, “Let me try something.”

“Elsa…” he groaned, not wanting her to do anything on his account.

“Please, I can’t let you live alone.”

“I’m not alone. I have you now.” he replied slyly.

Rolling her eyes and chuckling, she told him, “I might have an idea on how to help you.”

“I really don’t-”

“Then let me do it for me.” she insisted. “It’ll help me sleep better at night.”

Jack rolled his eyes and took a step back, laying his head against his crook again. Taking a moment to think, he looked back at her and asked, “I’m not getting out of this, am I?”

She just smiled and shook her head.

“Fine, but don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

She reached up and place her hand on his cheek, assuring him that she truly wanted to help him.

“I’ll be back in a few days.” she told him before turning and walking off.

She went a little ways towards the river before turning back slowly and shyly waving farewell to him. He replied and watched her walk off into the forest.

“Good job, Frost. The first attractive woman who sees you and you made her feel sorry for you.”

Elsa made her way back to the Northudran village and was greeted by a few villagers. Honeymaren was tending to the fire when she looked up to see Elsa return. Throwing in a log, she stood up and went up to Elsa and asked, “Is everything okay? You were gone for a long time.”

Elsa reassured her, “I’m fine, I just got distracted.”

“I’m sure it’s a beautiful sight for you, the snow in our lands.”

“Yes, it is.” Elsa said taking a look around. Honeymaren also looked off at the scenery, looking at the sparkling snow. Elsa turned back to her and asked, “Honeymaren, what do you know about Jack Frost?”

A few days had past and Elsa returned to the forest like she said, but Jack was nowhere to be seen. She called out his name, her voice echoing into the trees.

“Jack? It’s Elsa, I’m back!” she called out. “Jack? Show yourself!”

There was only silence along with her echo. However, she did remember something about Jack.

“Jack, if this is another one of your games, it’s not funny!”

“What’s wrong with some games?” Jack asked, swinging upside down right in front of her, startling her. He was hanging upside down with his legs wrapped around a low hanging branch.

Elsa smiled with her annoyance and told him, “Come down from there.”

He reached up with his free hand and grabbed the branch as he unraveled his legs, adjusted himself and set himself on his feet.

Shoving her finger into his shoulder, she playfully told him, “You’re in big trouble, Mr. Frost.”

“What did I do?” he confusingly asked.

“Why didn’t you tell me the reason why people couldn’t see you was because they needed to believe in you to see you?”

Jack drew back and furrowed his brows in confusion, asking her, “How do you know about that? I never got a chance to tell you.”

“The Northuldra.” she told him, sitting down on a log, lifting her legs up and hugging them. Jack sat down next to her and he let her continue, “They told me legends of spirits that can only be seen by those who believe in them. Their leader is the Moon Spirit. He picks special people to become these spirits when they die.”

Jack just scoffed and said, “Yeah, it’s some sick joke he’s got.”

Glowering at him, she said to him, “That’s quite some gratitude you have there for being brought back to life.”

“Only to be invisible.”

Elsa forgot that he was invisible, feeling a tingle of shame going up her spine. She didn’t mean to upset him, she just figured he’d be more grateful.

Then she figured how she could cheer him up, “You want to know why you’re not invisible to me?” He just looked up at her. “When I was a little girl, my mother told me stories of a winter spirit named Jokul Frosti. He was a rambunctious spirit who would make it snow and would spread winter joy where ever he went.”

Chuckling, Jack said, “Well, your mother isn’t too far off. Never heard that name though.”

“Well, when she would tell me the story, I’d dream of a young man taking me away and into the night, off to see the world.”

Jack looked down, grimacing, “Sorry for the disappointment.”

She looked at him and asked, “What do you mean?”

“Well, I’m sure you’d expect a handsome princely guy. A guy on a magical horse that will ride off into the sky and take you to see the world.”

She flashed him a smile and lightly grabbed his chin. He just looked up at her wide eyed, confused as to what she was doing. She tilted his head about, looking his features over. She let him go only to rustle his hair, making him laugh.

“What are you doing?” he asked her, waving her hand away.

Coyly lowering her head to rest on her knees, she told him, “I can’t say I’m disappointed. I think you’re pretty handsome.”

Jack blankly looked at her, his cheeks turning darker. He regained himself and said, “Y-You’re just saying that.”

“No I’m not, stop it.” she said as she playful shoved his arm, both of them laughing. She told him, “I’m serious though, Jack. You really are handsome. I just wished we met sooner.”

“Yeah, me too.” he said.

The two just smiled at each other, both lost in each other.

He really is handsome…very handsome.

She’s so beautiful.

Breaking the silence, Elsa cleared her throat and said, “Come with me.”

She stood up and took his free hand with both of hers and tugged at his arm.

“Wait, where are we going?” he asked her, anchoring himself to the log.

“It’s a surprise.” she told him, a hint of excitement in her voice. Giving him another tug, she begged, “Come on, lets go.”

“Okay, okay!” he chuckled, standing up from the log. She continued to lead him through the forest, Jack still curious and asking, “So, where are we going?”

“I told you, it’s a surprise.” she told him.

They continued on until Jack could smell burning wood. They went over the hill and Jack could see the wood tee-pees of the Northuldrans. She was taking him to the village.

“Uh, any reason we’re here?” Jack asked.

Turning back to him, she tells him, “I want to introduce you to everyone.”

Jack planted his feet firmly on the ground, stopping them both.

Elsa asked him, “What’s wrong?”

“Elsa, I hate to tell you this, but they won’t see me.”

Clapping her hands on his cheeks, Elsa smiled and told him, “Trust me.” She took his hand and lead him again.

In the village, some children were playing when they looked to see Elsa coming back.

“Queen Elsa!” one of them cheered and ran up to her. She greeted them as Jack looked on, smiling at the sight of the cheerful children. Then, they did something that seemed odd to him. They all looked his way, one of them asking, “Miss Elsa, who is that?”

Jack couldn’t believe it, they could see him. Unless there’s someone behind him, but he turned to see no one there. He turned back around and asked them, “Can-Can you see me?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t we?” one little girl asked.

Jack was in utter awe, they could actually see and hear him. He looked over to Elsa, who was smiling sweetly at him.

“Wait, I know who you are!” one little boy called out. “You’re Jokul Frosti!”

That name again. It was his name, at least to the people of these lands. They knew who he was.

Looking up at him, another child cheered, “It really is!”

“Wow, the Winter Spirit!”

“It’s really him!”

Jack couldn’t hold back his laughter. They could actually see him.

“Children, what’s going on over here?” one of the older Northuldran women came to see the group. They stopped when they saw Jack and asked, “I’m sorry, but who are you?”

“Mother, it’s Jokul Frosti the Winter Spirit!” the little girl said as she ran up to her mother.

The woman looked back at Jack, looking at him for a moment until realizing, “Oh my, it really is!” She turned to the tribe and called out, “Everyone, the Winter Spirit is here!”

All present Northuldrans came to see, all in awe at the sight of Jack. He was nervous, having all these eyes on him. He had never had this many people lay eyes on him. With the look of wonder in their eyes, he couldn’t help but wash his nervousness away with a smile.

“Oh, Honeymaren! Ryder!” Elsa called out, waving two her two friends in the distance. They came running to see their new guest. They both looked at him with the same look as everyone else. Elsa introduced them, “Jack, this is Ryder and Honeymaren. Everyone, this is Jokul Frosti.”

“Uh actually, I prefer Jack Frost if nobody minds.” Jack added. He leaned over towards Elsa and said, “I swear, I have no idea where that name came from.”

Elsa only giggled in response.

“Excuse me, may I pass?” an older woman asked as she came through the crowd. She looked up at Jack when the two were closer, observing his features. She said to him, “You’re not exactly what I pictured.”

Nervous, Jack asked, “What were you expecting?”

“Taller, less lanky, older, but I guess some of the stories could be wrong.” She held out her hands. Jack looked down at them, then to Elsa. Elsa nodded. He looked back at the woman, wrapped his arm around his shepard’s crook and reached out for her hands and they linked their fingers together. The woman said to him, “I am Yelana, leader of Northuldra. Welcome, Jack Frost.”

Jack couldn’t help but give a quiet chuckle.

“What’s funny, Jack?” she asked.

“I’m sorry.” Jack said, his voice shaky with slight laughter. “This is the first time in…well ever that this many people have seen or spoken to me.”

“We Northuldrans have told many tales of the Spirit World. We’ve seen too much to just not believe those who the Moon Spirit has chosen to guard our lands.”

Jack’s laughter turned to sobs, making everyone worried.

“Jack, what’s wrong?” Elsa asked, placing her hands on his shoulder.

“It’s nothing. It’s just…” Jack gasped. “I…I’ve never felt…It’s just too much right now.”

“Oh, Jack.” Yelana cooed as she reached up to wipe his tears. He opened his eyes to she her giving him a sweet smile. She cupped his face and said, “You don’t have to be alone anymore.”

“She’s right.” Ryder added, stepping forward with Honeymaren.

“You’re welcomed here, Jack.” Honeymaren told him. She took one of his hands from Yelana and held it.

Then there was a chant around him.

Jack looked around as the whole village sang to him. Honeymaren sang as she took Elsa’s hand. She than looked back and forth between Jack and Elsa, a hint of a smirk. She stepped back, but not before pulling Jack and Elsa closer to each other and linking their hands together.

Jack and Elsa were both surprised, looking down at their hands then to Honeymaren. She couldn’t stop her smile but still sang. They then looked at each other. There was that moment again when they were just lost in each other. Jack gave her a small smile, Elsa smiling back at him. They moved closer to each other and looked around at the singing tribe. Jack, like Elsa, was one of them. Jack was no longer alone.

Gale blew a letter into Anna’s office. She knew who it was from and smiled down at it before thanking Gale. She picked it up, opened it and read it.

Dear Anna,

I hope you’re doing well. I hope we’re still up for charades this Friday. I wish you could be here. The winter here is beautiful. I’d explain it to you, but it’s too beautiful to explain. Everyone here says they miss you. By the way, when I come this Friday, I have someone I want you to meet. His name is Jack and he’s really nice. I’m certain you, Olaf, Kristoff and Sven will love him.

See you Friday. I love you, sis.

~Elsa