Jack Frost: King of Thieves

CHAPTER XXIV: The Contract

Overland's widow led Jack to a bathing chamber near the back of the house. It was a small room, the walls panelled with dark wood. A candle burned near a copper tub newly filled with steaming water. As Jack followed Elsa into the room, another maid was placing towels near the tub. That done, she slipped out the door, leaving Jack and Elsa alone. Elsa dipped a hand in the tub, testing the water.

"I have laid out some of my husband's clothes. I hope you don't find that too disconcerting."

Jack thought it best not to tell her that her husband's clothes and armour had won him passage across the channel and an audience with the new king and Elinor of DunBroch.

When he didn't answer, Elsa started to leave.

"My lady," Jack said, stopping her. "I cannot remove this chain mail by myself. I will need help."

"Bulda!" Elsa called. "Kal!"

She waited several moments, but no answer came. Appearing to steel herself, Elsa helped Jack pull off his tabard. Then she began to unlace his coat of mail. Jack became very conscious of just how near she was to him, of the light touch of her fingers through the mail. He also recalled what the old man had said. You stink. He felt his face shading to red and he kept himself from looking back at her. He bent over while she helped him pull the mail over his head and then straightened once it was off.

Her gaze strayed to his chest and arms, lingering on his many scars.

"Thank you," Jack said.

Her eyes met his briefly, and then she left the chamber.

As much as Jack welcomed the feel of hot water on his filthy and travel-weary body, he did not tarry in the bath. He got himself clean, dried off, and donned Sir Jackson's clothes. Leaving the chamber, he made his way back to the main hall of the Overland home. A fire blazed brightly in a large stone hearth, and candles burned in two large, circular chandeliers and in candelabras standing throughout the room. Straw covered the floor. Several dogs lay near the hearth, gnawing on bones.

Sir Sandy was already seated at the head of a long wooden table near the hearth. Elsa, dressed now in a light blue dress, laced at the front, was placing a large bowl of stew on the table as Jack walked in. She looked up at him, before quickly turning her attention back to the food.

In addition to the stew, the table was laden with cheese, wine, and bread. It was basic fare—noble families in the Southern Isles ate this way every night. But Jack couldn't remember the last time he'd had such a meal, and after Sandy spoke a short prayer of thanks, they all began to eat. Jack was ravenous and for a long time, he simply ate. At one point, Elsa got up and left the hall, saying something about getting more cheese.

Sandy, meanwhile, had stopped eating and was holding Overland's sword, once again running his hands over the hilt and the scabbard.

"You have taken a long road to bring this to me," he said. "I cannot decide whether that makes you trustworthy ..."

"... Or manipulative?" Elsa finished for him, reappearing in the doorway bearing a plate.

"Elsa!" Sandy said, turning toward her as she returned to the table with a rustle of cloth and set the plate near Jack. "I am merely trying to gauge the quality of the man we have as our guest. Is he handsome?"

Elsa opened her mouth, closed it again, her cheeks turning bright red. Clearly, this was the last thing she had expected the old man to ask.

"In the way that yeoman sometimes are," she said. "When they're sober."

Sir Sandy turned back to Jack. "Entertain us with the tale of your life. We don't get many visitors anymore, except tax collectors and beggars."

"I don't know where I am from," Jack told the man. "Only where I've been."

The old man wouldn't be put off. "I am starving for news of the outside world."

Remembering his encounter with the Knight on the Far Tower dock, Jack said, "Dymas Phrygians sends you a message."

Sandy laughed in a way that made Jack think that he wasn't at all surprised by this, that he might even already know what  Phrygians had told Jack to say. " Phrygians, eh? What does the old wolf have to say for himself?"

"He said to look for him on Spring's first black night."

"He calls a meeting?" Sandy nodded slowly. "It has been too long. I look forward to that." He paused, absently running his hands over the sword again. "Elsa, what colour are his eyes?"

Elsa didn't bother looking up from her plate. "I don't know yet."

"I have a proposal for you, young man," Sandy went on as if he hadn't heard. "You brought me this sword, which has great meaning. Give me your time." He held up the weapon. "It is yours."

Jack considered this. It was a fine weapon, but in the end, that wasn't why he agreed. He still felt the pull of this place, and he didn't know why. He would honour Sandy's request, but he would remain for his own purposes.

"I could stay a day or more," he said. "There is a question I'd like to ask."

Sandy smiled, apparently not surprised by this, either. "What is your question?"

"The words on the hilt of the sword. What do they relate to?"

The old man's smile deepened and turned sly as if they were gaming and Sandy had just made a wager he knew he would win. "I think I have much I can tell you," he said. "About history. About your history."

Jack narrowed his eyes. "That is very generous of you, sir."

Sandy shrugged. "Perhaps. You have not heard the other half of the contract yet. I want you to stay in Dorfeld." He looked toward Elsa, perhaps sensing that she was listening closely to all they said. "And for the time being become my returned son and therefore Elsa's spouse." He grinned.

She scowled at the man. "To what end, Sandy? You have had too much to drink." She reached forward and took the wineglass from the old man's hand.

Jack thought she might say more, but Sir Sandy raised his hand, silencing her.

"Now, in reality, woman, we both know that without a husband you will lose this land when I die. Do you dispute that?"

Elsa's mouth twisted sourly. "No," she conceded.

"If I say this is my son, he will be seen as that, and, so, as your husband." He turned back to Jack, and once more Jack was amazed at how this blind old man always seemed to know exactly where everyone was. "It is a fair contract," the old man said. "It is not as if I expected you to have children." Once more he grinned, clearly enjoying himself greatly.

This time Jack felt himself blushing; he didn't look for Elsa's response. He thought he could imagine it.

Sandy continued to eye him expectantly. "The sword for your time, Frost. Are you in agreement?"

The three of them sat in silence for several moments.

Finally, Jack said, "Yes," in a low voice.

Sandy smiled.

"Elsa," he said. "Go and tell the staff that my son has arrived and our home is whole again. Let them ring the church bells in celebration." He sat back, looking immensely pleased with himself, and held out a hand. "More wine, please."

Elsa looked decidedly less happy, but she gave the wineglass back to him. She glanced briefly at Jack, stood, and left the hall.