Miles To Go Before I Sleep

Opposites

Opposites

...

There were only a few rare instances in his 300 years of solitude where Jack Frost had more than a one-sided conversation. And even those were just times when he had messed up something and the other spirits were having a go at him. But he would take what he could get.

Perhaps that was why he held the record on the Naughty List.

Through mainly accident, Jack had been made acquainted with the other seasonal spirits. The first one he'd met was May Queen; the spirit of spring. He'd been enjoying the last few days of winter when she'd shown up, melting snow and blooming flowers with a touch of her fingers. He'd been shocked to say the least when she'd turned to him and asked, a strange, almost disapproving glint in her eyes, why he was still hanging around. She had a sweet nature, but took her position as a spring spirit a little too seriously.

He had been following May's urgings to follow the weather when he discovered Ceres, the autumn spirit. She had not been happy when his frost had shrivelled the last of the golden leaves and covered the world in snow. She was not a fan of winter and, by extension, she hated him. She always put up such a fuss when he swept in and 'ruined all her hard work'. But, again, at least she spoke to him – well, yelled and complained, but close enough.

He often wondered about the summer spirit, never having personally met her. He had nagged May one day until she'd finally reached the point where she could no longer pretend he wasn't there and just told him what he wanted to know so he would go away. According to her, the summer spirit was called Lleu.

But, of course, being the embodiment of summer, actually getting the opportunity to meet her was highly unlikely. They were complete opposites and winter and summer were separated by spring and autumn. There was no way Ceres would take kindly to him passing through autumn in the middle of the season considering her hostility in what should have been a neutral time. And, while May was willing to put up with him between seasons, he didn't want to push her too far. So, for a long time, Jack never got to meet his opposite.

The weather was starting to warm up, the snow melting as the area got further and further into spring. May had yet to show up in Burgess, and Jack was fairly sure it was because she was avoiding the risk of running into him.

He had yet to move on with the rest of winter, opting to sit on the bank of his lake and watching as the ice slowly melted. He wasn't sure what stayed him – he really should have moved on by now. And yet, there he was.

A blast of hot air washed overhead, blowing his bangs out of his face.

"Hmm, white hair… frost covered stick… pasty complexion… you must be Jack Frost," an unfamiliar voice called from above.

"It's a staff," Jack corrected automatically, turning in time to watch a red-haired girl – a good couple years older than him in appearance – touch down a little ways away.

"Ooh, someone's touchy," the red-head smirked, straightening her wind-swept clothes.

"Who are you?" Jack asked in mild curiosity, although he thought he had a pretty good idea.

The newcomer raised a hand to her chest in mock offence. "What? You haven't heard of me?" Jack raised an eyebrow and the red-head rolled her eyes. "The name's Lleu; spirit of summer."

Jack felt a smile come to his face and he pushed himself to his feet. "What are you doing all the way out here? You know summer's not for another three months, right?"

"I could ask you the same thing. In fact, that's partly the reason I'm here," Lleu sighed and leaned her back against a nearby tree. "May's been whinging to me about a certain winter spirit who just won't seem to leave."

"So she sent you to get rid of me? Nice."

"Not really. Just let her think that. Honestly, I just wanted to get a glimpse of the infamous Jack Frost."

The remnants of snow that had been littering the branches and the ground around Lleu had all but melted by this point, and it seemed the heat she was radiating was starting to spread.

"Are you sure? It kinda looks like she just wanted you to do her job for her," Jack looked pointedly at the area around the summer spirit, leaning casually on his staff.

Lleu looked mildly surprised, glancing down at her feet. "Eh," she shrugged. "I'm the embodiment of summer. 'S bound to have some side effects against the cold. This is why I don't go where it's winter."

Now that he thought about it, Jack realised the air around them was starting to feel warmer, and he could feel perspiration starting to build on his forehead. Weird, he thought, raising a hand to wipe at it.

"What's the matter, Frost?" Lleu smirked. "Can't take the heat?"

Jack narrowed his eyes at the jibe. "You wish. What about you, not too cold are you?" But that was impossible. Anything of a low temperature thawed or melted after being near her for only a few moments.

Lleu waved her arms out in front of her. "Do I look cold?"

The wind began to pick up around Jack, swirling about him protectively, as if sensing his growing discomfort.

He could feel his shirt starting to soak up the ever increasing perspiration and almost moved to take off his cloak. But he didn't want to show any form of weakness to the summer spirit, especially since they were having a proper, two-sided conversation.

Lleu frowned. But it wasn't an 'ugh-I-can't-believe-I-have-to-put-up-with-you' frown that he usually received. No, this was more like she was concerned. But that was ridiculous.

"Look, not that this hasn't been fun," the red-head said with heavy sarcasm. "But I've got work to do, and so do you. You might want to head off before May shows up." Without waiting for a reply, the warmer wind lifted Lleu up off the ground and swept her away.

Leaving Jack to look up at the sky; alone once more.