Jack Frost: King of Thieves

Prologue: There Is A Future

It is a new life—for me, for Jack, for all of us. We are building it ourselves, with our own hands, taming a small corner of Graywood Forest, turning the wild into a village, and allowing our village to embrace elements of the wild.

It is strange for me, and wondrous, and also perfectly natural. For so long I have been Lady Elsa, Elsa of Overland, the mistress of Burlington Manor. Here I am just Elsa, which is as it should be.

I watch as Jack rides into the village, our home. He dismounts, strolls among the people who have followed him here, who have trusted him to guide us as we create this new world. His smile comes easily, his laugh rings through the wood. He greets a group of boys, tossing one into the air and then catching him again and setting him on the ground. He tousles the boy's hair and moves on. This place is remaking him, too, and it pleases me to see it.

Friar North stands near a large cooking fire, tending to his bees and roasting venison for our evening meal. Bunmand Ester hangs game to cure while speaking with a new man, whose name I have not yet learned. Ester's woman stands nearby, watching Ester with an admiring smile, a smile he returns warmly. He goes to her and kisses her.

Sinbad makes arrows for the morrow's hunt. Peter Pan teaches a boy how to make arrows of his own.

And others join us every day. Our village is growing.

Sun filters through the leaves and boughs overhead, angling through the pale smoke of the fire, casting dappled patterns upon the forest floor. There will be cold days, rainy days, hard days. But we will face them as we face all things: together, as a village, as a people.

Jack sees me, and we share a smile. He walks toward me and when he reaches me we turn a circle as if dancing, his arm around my waist, mine around his. Then we face each other and he lifts me above him as if I am as light as air. And perhaps I am. He lowers me to the ground again, kisses me, reminding me that there is love in this new world we have created. There is a future for us; for Jack and me, for the friends who surround us, and yes, even for Southern Isles.

For the realm has good men who will defend those who cannot defend themselves, who will fight for causes that the wealthy and powerful would oppose. Men like Dymas Phrygians. Men like Sinbad Syracuse, and Peter Pan, Bunmand Ester and North. Men like Jack Frost—King of Theives—who has brought us together in this place to live a better life, but also to make a better world.

I rode out one morning with my man at my side.

The forest gods have heard my vow. Now they make me welcome. The Greenwood is the outlaw's friend: no tax, no tithe, nobody rich, nobody poor, fair shares for all at nature's table, and many wrongs to be righted in the country of King Hans.

Watch over us, Sir Sandy.

And this is how the legend began....