Secret of Frost and Moon

A 'White' Wedding

Alaia Skyhawk: lol, I accidentally missed Dig out of the party in the last chapter, so the first 300 or so readers haven't seen the fix. The "fix" being that Dig was passed out under the table, having drunk too much eggnog (which was not alcoholic. Jack would never give booze to two under-age teens). Yep, Dig's such a lightweight that he can become sozzled on non-alc eggnog :)

Disclaimer: I don't own Rise of the Guardians, the Guardians of Childhood, or any related characters etc. This story is written purely for entertainment purposes.

~(-)~

Chapter 48: A "White" Wedding

It had been heart-warming to see the bond between Craig and Laura, as they had progressed through the rest of high-scool and graduated. He'd smiled as he viewed those events through his Ice Mirrors, during the seasons he wasn't in Burgess, and contented himself with the letters the family and Laura would leave for him on the high shelf in the Bennett House's living room.

He'd watched with pride as both youths had spurned the choice of leaving Burgess to go to college elsewhere, and had instead taken up apprenticeships. Laura now worked for Marie Bennett, in her accounting business, and was studying from home a degree in mathematics and finance. Craig was apprenticing under his grandfather, at the Burgess Museum, to become the next curator. Something the family could get away with, after trading part of the land they'd owned in The Village.

They'd given it to the town, to build a new junior-school on, in exchange for half-ownership of the museum. No one had questioned it, not once Andrew and Craig began to plan an expansion of the popular public building, and new exhibits to show off the more recent history of the town. They were also planning to add a café in the extension, and a facility for school groups. With luck, both would draw in people from the surrounding towns, and perhaps even further afield. Because Burgess was unique, in ways that in these modern times were starting to draw more and more attention. People beyond the town were starting to take a greater interest in its mythical and yet apparently real patron; Jack Frost.

Burgess was once again changing, if only in a small ways, and a new school for kids thirteen or under, in the neighbourhood close to the park, was always going to be a plus for Jack. Until now they'd been in the slightly decrepit old buildings on the other side of the town. And more people, tourists or otherwise, being drawn in wouldn't hurt either. Knowledge of his existence beyond the bounds of his current Range of Belief, would be important once that restriction was lifted. Those stories of him would be kindling spark for the belief of the world's children, when the day came that he could at last step forward as a Guardian.

But of all the events and developments of recent years, there was one that Jack had been looking forward to the most... The day Craig finally asked Laura to marry him.

It had happened just a couple of days before the end of winter, just that short while before Jack was due to leave, nearly six years to the day after the birthday party that Laura had insisted on. It had been a running joke for Jack, to tease Craig about how long it was taking. Craig's argument had been that he'd wanted a secure job, to support her, before taking that plunge. And that was when he'd asked her, the day after he succeeded his grandfather as the curator of the Burgess Museum.

That had been a few months ago, what with it now being the middle of Northern Summer in the year 2000. A new millennium, that so many of the people of the world looked to as a chance of a fresh start. To strive forward and succeed, and that was just what Craig and Laura were setting out to do. They were already planning their wedding, and knew they wanted it to be during winter. And that was what now had Jack sighing, as he set aside the letter he'd just collecting using an Ice Mirror.

Laura wanted the wedding to take place on the day of the Festival of First Snow, and had asked if he could tell her what date it would be.

Jack ran a hand over his face, before getting up out of the chair in his bedroom within the Ice Palace. For a problem like this, sending a written reply wouldn't be enough. And so he conjured an Ice Mirror large enough to step through, and passed through it to enter the Bennett House. Middle of summer it might be in the town, Achieng wouldn't mind a passing visit if by slim chance she noticed he was there.