When Frost meets Ice (Jelsa)

Tinsel Ball

Merry Christmas everyone here are two chapters as my Christmas presents to my loyal readers and new readers.

Jack was able to shake off enough of the shock to get ready for the ball and found his dad surprised that he was ready to go when he was given the choice to stay behind.

"Are you sure that you are feeling well enough to go? You have been acting strange all day." Jack's father said at the door as he straightened Jack's tie. Jack never wore ties.

"I'm fine dad, quit fussing." Jack pushed away his dads meddling hands, Jack knew how to dress himself.

"Alright, but if you pass out again tonight, I am putting you in the hospital."

"Dad I'll be fine, can we please just go out to the car and leave already."

"Ok but if you feel sick or woozy, sit down or come find me."

"Really dad, I can take care of myself for one ball." Jack could see that his dad was still tense. "I love you too." Jack's father visably loosened up and smiled.

Jack and his father got into the limo when it pulled around and left for the palace. Jack watched the people in the streets and memories of them flooded back, like he had been there but not 'here' there. Flashes of different styles of clothing, there were more people, more cars, and more joy. Something felt, just wrong there, as if they were behind. Like some earth shattering movement hadn't happened yet. Memories of less nobles, shinier streets and less people glaring in resentment at others, especially him. Memories of flying came back, memories of not being seen standing right in front of people, memories of people walking through him on the street, literally.

His head didn't hurt this time but it felt like a daydream that took over and overwhelmed his reality for moments at a time. Like flashes into what should be, or at least flashes into what he has known.

"Jack!" Jacks father woke him from his daze. "We're here."

As Jack and his father walked into the Ball Jack was taken back by the glorious display of gaiety and wealth. He had only dreamed of coming to parties like this one. He had always been on the outside, looking in, at all sorts of people as they danced and had fun. No wait, he had been to this parties before there was nearly one ever week and with Christmas coming up there was nearly one every day. Regardless of how many parties he had been to this one seemed different. It felt new, like an unspoken wish fulfilled before his eyes. There was a miraculous display of all types of people dressed in the height of fashion.

His body walked naturally through the crowd of people and the sensation of squeezing and gliding past nobles was as familiar as it was fantastic. Although muscle memory moved his arms, shuffled his feet and shifted his hips, instinct told him that he could walk in a straight line through them as if the room were empty, filled only with the passing spirits of men and women. He reached the food table but stared blankly at it. Was there something that he was supposed to do there? Food? He had never really needed food before he took a nibble here and a snack there on his travels but never really felt hungry. No wait, he had never really been outside the castle walls before, not really, let alone be left to travel the world all on his own.

He grabbed a plate and put a few morsels on it but before he left. He nibbled at one of the pieces of food. The moment it touched his tongue his world exploded. This sensation of food enlightened his mind and his palette, and his empty stomach awakened and begged for the food that it had been lacking the whole day and within but a few moments Jack had devoured his tinsy tiny plate of morsels. He then stacked two plates with food to last. He stared eagerly at the food as his feet took him to a familiar place in which he could consume his bounty, with dignity of course.

Jack couldn't help but watch the party from outside on the balcony while he ate his food. On the balcony, looking in he finally felt a sense of being at ease with the world around him and the world in his head. As he finished the food he had gathered on his plates he watched the people though the glass as they danced like angels, it was funny he had never thought about them that way. But there was now something inside him that was yearning to join them, a longing he felt that had ached for centuries. He knew the dances he had been forced to learn them as a child. Dancing was something that was dignified and energetic. Although at one time he had felt that it was pointless he now felt the need to be invited. How could he? Nobody could see him. He hid outside because nobody but himself ever looked through the windows that the aristocracy took for granted. He was invisible and all too familiar with the feeling and although he had practiced the technique of never being seen, he now regretted it. He hung his head as he found himself conflicted with so many things that should have been perfectly trivial.

"Oy! You," the rough voice of a woman shouting at him caused him to lift his head to see who it might be.

"Huh," Jack lifted up his head to see a young woman standing with her arms crossed, she had flaming wild red hair, and a pretty round face. Her accent and her clothes placed her as one of the foreign families who came for the Christmas season. It took a few moments but he recognized her as the Scottish princess... Miranda, no Melissa,... Oh wait it was Meri-

"You ate all of my favorite chocolates!" her gaze of displeasure was one that might kill him where he stood. She tilted her head and looked at him. "White hair... You are Jack Wintercrest! I thought after the ice queen put you on your fanny you wouldn't dare show your face in proper society." she studied him over once or twice. "Yes, I know what you are going to do today as penance for all the chocolates you ate."

"What are you talking about?" Jack wasn't sure that he needed a punishment for eating chocolates, beside he was pretty sure he had left plenty and that the cooks would have plenty more. Something else was going on but until he figured it out he would go along with whatever she had schemed, it might even be fun he loved games.

"You Jack Wintercrest, the shut in of the French aristocracy, are going to dance all night with as many girls as you can and work off my chocolate." She didn't even give him a chance to properly respond as she grabbed him by the wrist, with impressive strength, and took him out to the dance floor.