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It was a couple days before a portal actually opened up. To say that North was relieved would be an understatement. He had been starting to worry about if the girl would show up or not. Sure, he had wanted to think for the best, but what if something went wrong with his plan. Maybe her parents had snuck into the room and taken the present that he had left specially for her.
Or, the more logical reason, the family cat decided to get on the desk and play with the ‘toy’ that was laying on the desk.
That was why, when Phil hurried into the room and yelling about some human appearing in the workshop, North had felt a rush of relief fly through him. Gwen had to be the one they were referring to, right? No other human - or legend, for that matter - had any way straight into the heart of Santoff Claussen. She was the exception; most likely will be the only one in history.
Seeing as there was no real reason for anyone else to be there, the Russian was the only immortal currently at the Pole. The youngest Guardian wasn’t even there, as he was certainly lounging around on his lake or playing games with the children of Burgess. It wouldn’t be unusual, seeing as it was the beginning of his season and those kids had a special bond with all the Guardians.
“Um...You’re St. Nick, right?” The hesitant voice broke him out of his thoughts and he looked at the young girl that was standing in the middle of the room. She appeared nonchalant, but her the nervousness in her eyes and stiffness in her shoulders told the truth of her feelings.
“Call me North.” The large man said as he nodded. Then he added a gentle smile to try and make the girl less uncertain about this. Then again, how could she not be?
After all, she had just travelled through a magical portal to find herself surrounded by large, hairy animals. Of course she was going to be uncertain about this.
“And you can call me Gwen, but you probably already know that.” The teenager said, seeming more certain already. That was good. Her voice was still quiet, however. Maybe that was how she always was? The Guardian of Wonder could truthfully say that he had never actually gotten too close to children. If he did, it certainly wasn’t as close as Jack got to them. North just wasn’t used to being around children anymore.
Speaking of that made him certain of one more thing. He really wasn’t used to conversing with teenagers either. Jack was the only teenager that he had conversed with within the current century. Within the last couple centuries, actually.
“What’s with the name, if I may ask? I thought your name was Old St. Nicholas, or something like that.” Gwen was saying. It was almost like she had suddenly become more talkative. Then again, it was probably because she was in the presence of one of her childhood legends.
“You are half right!” His answer boomed throughout the room as he spoke. Gwen, who was not used to it, took a small step back. However, it being so small, it went unnoticed by the Guardian and he continued on without a second thought. “Name is Nicholas St. North.”
“Well, that’s a new turn on things.” She murmured. “Thank you for the gift. I wasn’t expecting it.”
“Was necessary.” North gave her another small smile. “Wanted to talk with you. Special girl.”
“Eh...” A small blush dusted her cheeks and she fingered the chain that was around her neck. On it was a large orb that was still small enough to fit in the palm of her hand. She had the habit of messing with her necklaces - if she wore any - when she was embarrassed. Normally the orb - along with the chain that she had put it on - would have been underneath her sweatshirt, but that wasn’t how it was this time.
Well, she really had no choice in the matter. Considering she couldn’t really activate the orb when it was in her clothes.
“Thanks. But I’m not that special. I’m..” To tell the truth, the teenager had been planning on saying that she was normal, but that wouldn’t go very far. It certainly wasn’t true. “... Unique?”
“Means same thing.” The large immortal was grinning again. “Now, let us talk. Important business to discuss. Take seat.” He gestured to one of the seats as he sat down himself.
“We have business to discuss?”
“Da.. Did you not read note?”
“Oh! Well, about that... I read it... Just not enough to remember it...”
“No problem.”
“All right... What do you want to talk about?”
“Jack Frost.”
“Jack Frost?”
“Da!” Of course, North wasn’t going to jump head first into this. Back to the problem of not really talking to teenagers... And then how to go about bringing up this topic. Would it be a little much to ask the girl? After all, it was his first time talking with her, and the first time she had ever seen him. Maybe it would be a bit much to ask of her. But then again... It was for Jack.
“What about him?” Gwen asked, beating the much older man before he could say anything. It wasn’t as if he was just opening his mouth to say anything. Actually, he had just been sitting there, waiting for the elves to bring over a tray of cookies. The yeti’s could get the hot chocolate. This time he actually was about to open his mouth when the girl spoke once more. However, it was more towards the elf who had just brought over the tray. “He’s so cute!”
The elf, it seemed, greatly appreciated the comment. He moved over to where he legs were stretched out on the floor and he wrapped his arms around one of them. North was just glad that he had been able to see her eyes light up.
He hated to do it, but he purposefully coughed into his hand to take her attention away from the elf. He knew that the little one didn’t like it, but he needed her attention right now. If the brunette still wanted to, there would probably be time to spend with the elves after they had a very serious conversation.
“Jack Frost, is, ah, troubled with some things.” He started out once he was sure that he had her attention. Her greenish-blue eyes were wide as she looked at him. “Reading your letter struck something in myself. Made me realize Jack is still teenager. As he has been for centuries.”
North didn’t want to admit that he didn’t know how to understand Jack. Especially to someone that he treasured. He had never talked with Gwendolyn before, but that didn’t mean that he treasured her any less. She was just like any other child that he vowed to protect. But, it seemed that he didn’t have much of a choice here.
“Okay...?” Gwen trailed off. Santa- er, North, had just stopped in his explanation. She was never one to like stuff like that. It was a puzzle as to why you would just stop in the middle of a conversation. Especially when one was pretty serious!
At least she thought it was serious.
“Jack has been teenager for three centuries.” North said simply. That was a good start of things. Maybe all he needed to do was get to the major point more quickly. That way everyone in the party could follow and not have to prompt him to get on with it.
It seemed, however, that this young lady seemed to have already caught onto what he had been trying to get at. Maybe, in the pits of her mind, other thoughts than just his were spinning a web.
“...Oh. That might be cause for there to be more than a few problems.”
Jack Frost, the very spirit of Winter itself, leaned against the wall as he listened to the voices of the Guardian of Wonder and the newcomer. He knew that eavesdropping was frowned upon a lot of the time, but what could you expect from him? He had heard his name as he had been coming in; there was a new voice that he hadn’t heard before; and one of the elves was going around like it was on cloud nine...
The sprite just felt saddened by the fact that it was clear North didn’t know this girl well, but he was telling her important stuff about what he was thinking.
More importantly, those things were about Jack.
It had him feeling more than a little dejected and angry. He couldn’t help himself, so he just stayed put. He did his best to listen in on their conversation without making a sound - he was pretty good at that - and wouldn’t let his mind stray to worse things.
Finally, the white haired youth had enough of listening to it. They had stopped talking about him a little bit ago, but he had stayed anyway. At least he had heard enough from them. He had heard the girls name. Gwen something... Jack wasn’t paying too much attention.
It looked like someone was going to be getting a visit tonight. He had some questions that certainly weren’t going to be answered by North.
----
What was wrong with the girl?
She was just sitting on her bed with a book on her lap and her eyes were closed. Who had a book with them but kept their eyes closed? You can’t read a book like that... Though, no matter how weird that was, that wasn’t the weirdest part. All she was wearing was a tie-dyed tank top - though, Jack had to admit the purple and ice blue melted together nicely - and a pair of purple capri’s; something like a mix of magenta and purple.
Wait.
Stop wondering about what is wrong with her, and start worrying about what is wrong with yourself. Jack scolded himself mentally. Why had he just been sitting there, outside the open window and watching the brunette? Well, she had been the one that had been talking with North about him....
But he had still been observing her odd habits. Like her wearing a tank top and capri pants during the coldest season - it was only the beginning, but still! - and why she had her window open...
“I’m pretty sure that you’re mentally insane.” The lithe spirit said, finally making his way into the room and his presence known.
“Yeah... That’s pretty much a known fact.” The pale girl opened her eyes and looked straight at the immortal that had just invaded her room. “You’ll figure that out soon enough. Are you Jack?”
“The one and only. Are you Gwen?”
“The one of the many.” She huffed, blowing a stray hair out of her face. “What are you doing here? And, not trying to be rude, but how do you know where I live?” It was an honest question actually... At least North had an excuse to know where she lived. Even Tooth had an excuse to know where she lived.
“I happen to be a highly skilled tracker.” Jack deadpanned as he met her eyes evenly. “And I overheard your conversation with North. Why were you both talking about me? And why was he talking about me to you?” She chewed on her lip a little bit, seeming to be a little worried about something.
“I don’t think he meant for you to hear that...” She murmured. “Um, and I think because... Something about me and my... uniqueness? I don’t know! I’m me, and I don’t know why he was talking to me instead of the girl in my year that lives down the block.”
“But why were you talking about me?” The sprite questioned again.
“I don’t know!” Gwen exclaimed loudly. She muttered something under her breath that sounded like something about her parents being used to that before she spoke to him once more. “North seemed really worried about you, Jack. You’re not opening up to them like you should.”
“And let me guess, he thought you could help?”
“I’m guessing so.” The brunette replied with a shrug. “You’re a teenager just like me, so... Why wouldn’t I be able to help? Other than the obvious answers, of course.”
“I don’t need help.”
“Don’t be silly. Everyone needs help. Even if you’re not wanting to show it, it’s still clear to those who know the truth.”
That was a little too deep for Jack’s taste. He didn’t much care for talking about him much. .... Then again, that actually might have been part of the problem in the first place. He just frowned before changing the subject.
“Why are you dressed like that with your window open? Aren’t you cold?”
“Not really. I was working, so I put on my work clothes and opened the window. I tend to get over-heated with the chore.” At least she seemed to take the hint and went on the different subject. So far, she seemed pretty smart. Maybe... For now, at least.
“Working on what?”
“Look behind you.” She said simply and he complied, turning his head to look at the two bookshelves lining the wall. Both were filled with books, and of many different kinds too. From supernatural romance - the Night World and Vampire Diaries - to some pretty difficult difficult poetry - Shakespeare and Edgar Allen Poe. “It takes quite a while to arrange them the way I like, and even then I didn’t get them quite right. I’ll try again in a few months, but... It makes me work. I sweat a ton.” She sounded almost proud. She sounded slightly hesitant as well, but proud more than anything.
“You like to read, I take it.”
“Like it? Are you crazy?! I love it!” Jack didn’t even bother to come up with a retort as he continued to look at all the different books. He couldn’t find it in himself to argue with her at the moment. He had found a fellow book lover.
“I’ve read some of these.” He commented as silence fell upon the room.
“Not all?” He heard some laughter in her voice. “I would’ve assumed that after a few hundred years you’d have all my collection down, at least.”
“Hey! I’ve read a lot, but I also have to work! I can’t just spend all my time reading.”
“Wish you could though, huh?” Apparently she hadn’t missed the wistful note that his voice took. Darn...
“Sometimes.” He agreed. “I’ve read Tolkien and Poe.. A little of that Shakespeare, but it wasn’t really up to my taste.”
“Too advanced?”
“Too... Confusing. And stupid. Romeo and Juliet was pointless.”
“Eh, very true.” Then she smiled. “Feel free to read any of my books, Jack. I don’t have any qualms about it, and, as long as I get my books back in one piece, we’ll all be fine. Any certain genre you like?”
“Nah.”
“Alright then. Um... I suggest that, if you’re a blushing bride, don’t read the Song of Ice and Fire series. Maybe you’d like Fablehaven... Oh! I think you’d like the Bartimaeus trilogy! I suggest reading those first unless you have already?” She voiced it almost like a question but swept on. “Maybe the Spiderwick Chronicles..”
“Hold on!” The spirit of Winter laughed. He was already laughing with her? Well, well. Where did his anger vanish to? “I haven’t read any of those.”
“Alright.” This time the smile reached her eyes. “Then you can choose from any of them.”
“I’ve got an idea...” Jack trailed off, twirling his crook around. At least the room was large enough that he didn’t hit anything in the process.
“And?” The brunette prompted.
“How about you tell me what all your books are about and I’ll tell you if I’ve read them? Granted, I really am not up to the new stuff out...”
“That sounds like a pretty decent plan, actually.”
“Hey!” Jack complained. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“I think I can tell you most of them tonight. Maybe.” She bit her lip as if thinking was a difficult chore as well. “If that’s alright with you, that is.”
“It was my idea, wasn’t it?” He laughed. “Let’s start. I have all night.”
“That’s good. We might just need all night. You might have to come back tomorrow night though.”
“I’m cool with that.”
“Great! Oh, and Jack.”
“What?”
“You will be reading the Mortal Instruments, and that is that. Trust me, you’ll love it.”
“..Okay..?”
----
True to his word, Jack Frost did have all night. And all night in a town that he normally was never in, and that was why, when the Sandman made his rounds in Charlestown - a town a couple hours away from Burgess - and felt the presence of Jack, he went to investigate.
Of course it was Winter here as well, but Jack Frost wasn’t known to have visited this particular settlement. So, Sandy thought that something might have been up. He made sure all of his tendrils of dream sand spread to the right places as he followed the trail that would lead him to the youngest Guardian.
It had taken a while to perfect the technique, but the dream maker was able to sense the presence of another spirit. If he knew them well enough, he would also be able to tell who they were and would be able to find them. More often than not, even if he didn’t know them well, he was able to figure out what type of spirit they were.
The magical essence that made up Jack’s trail stopped at an open window and he cautiously looked in through it. What he saw made a smile grow on his face. As silent as ever, he took in the image that lay before him. On the floor near the bed, a teenager with brown hair and pale skin was huddled up in a comforter that had obviously been taken off the bed, and, also on the floor but a little closer to the window, lay the boy that the Sandman had tracked.
The sight left an imprint on Sanderson’s heart, and he left turned to leave. The only sign that he had been there was the extra dream sand that he sent into the room.
After all, it was clear that Jack needed to get more sleep than he did, and a true restful sleep was rare to him. It was clear that this girl had done some good, and it would be a waste not to use the opportunity. She, of course, got some extra good dreams as well.
Though, Sanderson did have to wonder what Jack was doing in the girls room; even if he was getting a restful sleep.