Chapter Text
She was 10 when she first saw him outside her tower. He was bounding around his flock with a spring in his step and a laugh that floated gently on the warm air of Spring. She didn’t know why he strayed so far from the edge of the village…no one came up here, not that she could recall. What was he doing here? Green eyes blinked curiously at him, watching him twirl and dance and tap his crook in the dirt, just bathing in the warm sun.
The boy stopped suddenly, as if he somehow knew he was being watched. Her twirled the crook, resting it across his shoulders and turning to look up at the tower, just as Rapunzel retreated back into the shadows. Did he see her?! Was he some sort of ruffian Mother spoke of? Did…Did he come here to steal her hair? She scampered to the kitchen, letting out a small squeak of effort as she tried to lift one of the small frying pans, and half dragged it to the window, sneaking a peak back outside. The boy was…was gone?! But just as she wondered if the boy even existed at all, she heard the soft grunt of exertion, and risked peeking over the edge of the window. What she saw shocked her to her core. The boy was CLIMBING the tower! No rope, no assistance.
For what seemed like an eternity, she hoisted her newfound weapon up, listening to the words of the little boy as he muttered to himself, “ Who makes…NNGH…a tower with no door?! Crazy….”. There was the occasional exclamation when a foot slipped on the rock. She covered her mouth to prevent her cry at the sudden loud noise, as a loose rock fell down with a hard THUD to the grass below.
She saw his hand grab at the ledge, and hid beside the window, clutching the frying pan to her chest. She frantically tried to quell her hammering heart, raising the pan just as he entered. He had a moment to peer at the homely interior, and the lengthy blonde hair littering the floor, before a sharp smack on the head put him in the dark. She watched his body flop to the floor with a groan, frozen to the spot! He didn’t LOOK dangerous. She tiptoed around the body, before leaning down to poke him with the frying pan. Nothing, safe for the soft breathing from his parted lips.
With a small grunt of exertion, she lifted the boy’s thin frame and set him in a chair, before wrapping her long blonde locks tight around his body!
It didn’t take long for the strange boy to wake up, and the first thing she noticed were the shining chestnut eyes fluttering open, the soft twitching of his hand. “Ohhhh my head…I- wait wha? What is this?” he mumbled, still dazed as he bucked and pulled, but those golden restraints wouldn’t budge. Taking a breath, she stepped forward into his vision, trembling hands holding the frying pan up, “Wait…who are you?”
Rapunzel took a breath, “I-I’LL ask the questions! Who…who are YOU!? A ruffian? A thug?! You here to steal my hair?!”
The boy looked positively baffled, head cocked to one side, “What are you TALKING about? I thought this place was abandoned! Like a silly ghost story!”
Rapunzel blinked, her pan falling by her side as her green eyes widened ever so slightly, “S-so you…aren’t here for my hair?” she asked slowly. The boy rolled his eyes, “Look blondie…I don’t know WHY you think I’d want your hair. I think my own hair is good enough as it is!” he huffed, blowing his bangs out of his eyes, “And why did you have to hit me with a PAN!? That hurt!”
It took some convincing to finally get her to release him from her tangle of hair, but she felt that this boy was at least honest. She didn’t know why she felt she could trust him. Was it that spark of sincerity that seemed to leap behind his eyes? The warm smile? She honestly couldn’t say, but she did release him, letting the shepherd boy walk around the tower with his mouth agape and his eyes wider than dinner plates!
“So…you live here all by yourself?” he asked, turning to look at her. Rapunzel’s feet shuffled uncomfortably, “N-No. Mother lives with me, but she said I can’t leave this tower…”
The boy perked up, “Wait….you’ve never been outside?” he asked her, to which she could only shake her head silently, “Do you have any friends?”
Another sad shake of her head, and this time he could see the subtle tells of a tear welling up in her eyes. Thinking fast, he strided over and stuck his hand out, “Well…how about I be your first friend? The name’s Jack! Jack Overland!”
Rapunzel looked down at the hand, smeared with dirt from his work outside and his rough climb, before she clasped it gently, shaking his hand, “M-My name is Rapunzel.”
And so it began. Whenever Rapunzel felt the pang of isolation, Jack always seemed to be there. Whether he sat at the base of her tower to exchange stories with her, entertain her with his flock, or make the climb up to spend time with her in her tower. When she was 11, he made the climb, with a sack hanging over his shoulder. It took a bit longer to reach her, but it was worth it to gift her sweets from his village, even with a scraped knee.
She gasped when she saw him bleeding upon entering the tower, “Jack! You’re hurt!”
He gave a wave of a hand, “Ah don’t worry about it Punzie.” He replied, using his nickname for her, “I’ve had worse scrapes before.”
But she had her hair bundled up, slowly reaching for his wound, “Uh…Punzie? What are you doing?” he asked. Was this some strange custom with long hair?
The strange girl gave an apologetic smile, “Promise you won’t freak out?” she asked, before slowly wrapping a portion around his knee. Jack raised an eyebrow, before looking down. She tied a soft knot to keep it secure, before closing her eyes. It took a moment before she started to sing softly. Just as Jack was about to swear he was fine, his face became illuminated by a brilliant golden glow! It treaced it’s way from her scalp all they way toward her little knot. His knee felt this surge of warmth, not unlike he was bathing in the warm sun of a summer afternoon. His mouth fell open as she continued to sing.
“Flower, gleam and glow
Let your powers shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine
Heal what has been hurt
Change the fates' design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine”
When she had finished her song, Rapunzel gently untied the knot, revealing Jack’s knee was perfectly healed, like he hadn’t fallen at all! The shepherd boy gave a quick test, being his leg forward and back, and even giving an experimental knock on his kneecap, prompting a shy giggle from her.
“Holy cow,” he murmured, looking up at her, “Have you always been able to do that?”
She hugged the flowing golden river of hair close to her, “Long as I can remember. She taught me the song, and I help her whenever she is sick. Mother is…not well. So I have to keep using it to make her strong again. But please Jack, promise me you won’t tell anyone about this?”
He thought for a moment, but it was just that, a moment. His teeth, which seemed to sparkle like freshly fallen snow, shined as he smiled once more, “Yeah Punzie…I promise.”
The next year, just after the Lantern Festival in Corona, Jack and Rapunzel, now 12, made one of the biggest discoveries in the tower! It was in the form of a little baby Chameleon that was snooping around some of her paintings! For weeks little footprints had been showing up on her drying art, and for the life of her she couldn’t figure out what it could be! A search ended when they caught the culprit red..ehr…blue..no green handed! The reptile was well and truly cornered, and after some rather painful bites, Jack FINALLY managed to catch the little guy in his hands.
The animal squeaked and trilled, it’s big eyes moving from child to child. But Rapunzel’s smile only widened, “Oh my gosh! HE LOOKS SO CUTE!”
Jack raised an eyebrow, looking down at him, “Yeah I suppose he’s kinda cute, if you’re into chameleons.”
“Ohhh can I keep him Jack? Can I keep him?”
The boy blinked as two pairs of eyes focused on him. Why she would ask him, he had NO idea. But he couldn’t say no to those big eyes….the human ones, not the reptile’s. He reached out, opening a hand, “Heh. It’s your tower Punzie. He’s all yours.” The animal squeaked in Jack’s hand as it looked to Rapunzel’s kind face.
“Well…what do we call him?” he asked, as he and the reptile blinked at one another. Rapunzel peered at him before exclaiming, “How about Pascal?”
Pascal turned at his new name, taking the leap to the young girl’s hand and crawling up Rapunzel’s lavender dress to lay on her shoulder, earning a giggle from them both.
Over the next two years, their friendship only continued to bloom. It was here that Jack began trying to convince Rapunzel to come outside the tower. He tried everything he could think of, but the answer was always the same. That uncertainty, even a trace of fear flashing through her eyes. It felt like a knife had plunged into his heart when she looked at him like that.
“What are you so scared of Punzie?” he asked, moving closer to her. He had grown taller now, causing Rapunzel to tilt her head up gently to meet his gaze, “M-Mother would be furious if I left.” She managed, and Jack’s face hardened ever so slightly. He didn’t know much about this ‘Mother’ of hers, only what he could observe from afar. But whatever she told her daughter clearly had a troubling effect on her, and Jack’s own rebellious streak wasn’t exactly helping his opinion of this ‘Gothel’. He would have pushed the subject, but he never wanted to make Rapunzel upset. Reaching out, he gently pulled her into a hug, and the topic was soon forgotten.
It didn’t take long for him to get a clearer picture of what exactly a normal day was for Rapunzel when they met after her 15th birthday. They never expected her to be back so soon…too soon for Jack to climb down the tower without being seen. Rapunzel looked terrified, more scared than Jack had seen in the years they have known one another.
“Rapunzel! Let down your haaaaaaaaaiiir!” cried the singsong voice, and the pair felt their hearts sink into the pit of their stomachs. Pascal squeaked, scampering about and biting the edge of Jack’s brown cloak to tug him away from the window. Rapunzel grabbed his wrist, tugging him to his feet and tossing the sack of food into his arms, “Quick, follow me!”
“Rapunzel! I don’t like to be kept waitinggggg” Gothel called again, with a slight hint of an edge to her voice
She shoved him into a closet, half buried in her clothes with his bag. Jack pressed an eye to the crack of the door, making out Rapunzel tossing her impressive length of hair over the hook, and down to her Mother. He held his breath as shadows passed by the door, feeling a chill sweep over his flesh when he heard Gothel speak, “My dear flower….who on earth were you talking to? I could have sworn I heard something ”
“I was..just talking to Pascal!” she lied, smiling bright and hoping beyond hope that Gothel wouldn’t look at the closet. Please don’t…please just accept it. She fought to repress the sigh of relief when Gothel rolled her eyes, “My dear child, you MUST stop talking to that animal. You know it can’t understand you~”
“But he’s my friend Mother-“
“You do not need friends Rapunzel…you only need me beside you, to take care of you and your beautiful gift. If any man found his way here, why, they’d steal you away and cut your hair for themselves! Man is selfish and cruel. We are better off without them. Now come here my flower…Mother is exhausted and needs to hear your lovely song~”
Jack remained in that closet for a full night and half a day before he saw the light again, but in that time he could hear EVERYTHING. How Gothel condescended towards Rapunzel. With every moment, she could feel the usual warmth in her voice drop. It was subtle, but having spent the last five years sneaking into her tower, he knew the difference when Punzie was forcing that smile. By the time he made his way back down, he knew that he HAD to get Rapunzel as far from the tower as possible. What he didn’t notice on his run back, was a pair of yellow eyes gleaming from the darkness of the black forest.
The next 2 years saw the most change in them both. Rapunzel’s hair had grown longer than ever, and Jack had finally started to grow into a fine young man, with features handsome enough to shine through the dirt that sometimes covered his face. It was then when he felt the pang in his heart. He wanted to spend more time with her, and he caught himself staring a bit too long at her, and how fair and beautiful she had become. For her part, she would steal glances at him as they baked, played, and dreamed of adventures together. She saw the way he danced about her, even sweeping her off her feet for a dance together while Pascal trilled on the dresser. She adored his smile, and his hugs seemed to warm her very soul. Every visit, they would lay next to one another, staring up at the numerous paintings on her wall and ceiling, just talking of a future….any future.
“I wish…I wish I could see the outside Jack…see the towns, the mountains, the ocean.” She mused sadly, reaching up to the ceiling. He hesitated, before his hand reached up to softly grab her own. She gasped, turning her head to look into those chestnut eyes of his, “What if you did? What if WE did? Together?”
“Jack you know I can’t. We talked about this…”
“I can protect you Punzie!” he insisted, rolling onto his side to look at her imploringly, “I’d never let anyone hurt you…I care about you.”
There was a silence between them both, before she made the first move. In truth she didn’t know what drove her forward, but her free hand cupped his face, and their lips met in a soft kiss. He froze in astonishment, before his arm wrapped around her waist, prompting a very bashful change from Pascal to a bright scarlet, covering his eyes. After a few moments, they pulled apart, their cheeks dusted a bright pink from the sudden lip lock. For the first time in their friendship, it was JACK who was speechless. His fingers touched his lips, and Rapunzel buried her face in his chest, inhaling the scent of grass and fresh pine that seemed to cling to him wherever he went.
“Rapunzel…” he breathed, looking down at the golden river of hair, his heart hammering against his chest, “I…I-”. He stopped when a finger pressed up against his lips. It caught him off guard, to see Rapunzel taking the initiative. Her green eyes seemed to bear that mischievous little spark that she always saw in him, “Shhhhh….I know.” She whispered, hugging him close to her.
Jack pulled away, resting his head on hers, “We’ll escape together. Run away into the country. We’ll see as much of the world as you want…I promise.”
Her heart leaped in her chest at the thought, both exhilarated and terrified at the thought, but the safety of Jack’s arms kept her from sinking into the panic, only nodding her head, “O-Ok.”
Once again, neither noticed a pair of yellow eyes gleaming from the darkness. This was an unusual turn of events, but perhaps most fortuitus for his own gains. It was true, he desired the power of the sundrop for his own selfish gains, but this boy, his spirit….he could prove quite valuable. All he had to do was simply…push the pieces in the right direction. It wasn’t long after the pair had parted for the night that the stranger materialized out of the shadows of the tower before Gothel. Rapunzel had been fast asleep in her bed, and Gothel was well on her way when the man slinked in from the darkness. Despite his frightening appearance, the woman did not seem particularly phased, “Why Pitch~ It has been some time since you last paid me a visit.”
The Nightmare King chuckled, running a hand along a new mural Rapunzel had painted, of a gentle snowfall, “Unfortunately…my visit is bearing unpleasant tidings my dear. You see, you failed in your mission to keep the sundrop a secret.” He mused, voice slowly being tinged with an edge. The revelation made Gothel’s heart stop in her chest, “I-Impossible. No human has set eyes on her, let alone entered this place! The peasants believe it to be haunted.”
“And yet a boy has been finding his way up here…for six. Long. Years.” He replied, doing his best to hide the subtle smile that tugged at his lips, “You of course remember our agreement? The sun drop cannot sustain you for long, and once she is handed over to me when she comes of age, I will grant you true immortality. However this would be quite…ah…problematic if a shepherd boy whisked her away into the world.”
Gothel’s eyes grew cold, her gown faintly blowing from the chill air circulating around him,Then I’ll see to it that the problem is taken care of. That boy will never lay a hand on her again.”
It took some planning, but Jack had managed to make all the preparations for their escape. He was finally of age, ready to bring the woman he loved on the greatest adventure of her life. Hitching the horses to a tree, he made what he thought would be the final climb of this tower in his life. He hooked his crook in the window, pulling himself up to the window, “Rapunzel?” he called, looking around, before a woman emerged from the shadows, removing the hood from her face to reveal the cold eyes of Mother Gothel. Jack gasped, backing to the window as his shaking hands found his staff.
“Hello Jackson~”
“But…But how? I saw you leave the tower-“ he stammered
“Foolish boy. Do you think I was unaware of your intentions for my daughter? You wish to steal her from me? Steal her gift?”
It then began to dawn on him, and his eyes narrowed in righteous fury, “Y-You don’t care about her…you just want the hair for yourself! You treat her like nothing, and made her terrified of her own shadow!” he growled, leveling his crook at her. But the closer she got, the more he felt the pinpricks of fear roll up his spine. But he couldn’t back down! He needed to get Rapunzel away from her.
“And you wouldn’t?”
“I’d die before I’d ask for her to sing that song again-“ he began, when Gothel’s fingers wrapped around his throat! He gagged, grabbing at her unusually strong hand, struggling to breathe!! She smiled at his struggles, leaning forward and whispering in his ear, “Then be proud that you didn’t break your word.” She hissed quietly, before she shoved him back through the open window.
His eyes wide, he reached for a lifeline that wasn’t there. All he saw was Gothel’s sinister smile as he plummeted out of the window. He just kept falling…..and falling….and falling…until he felt a sharp pain in his body, and he lay still. His eyes reflected the starry sky, and the dull glow of the moon, which almost shined brighter for a moment, before a shadow seemed to envelop his vision. For a moment, he just allowed his tired mind to focus on one last bit of light in his life, with Rapunzel’s smile. He just wanted to tell her…that he loved her. He felt himself growing weaker, the darkness overtaking his vision, as he slipped into the void.
“Sorry old friend….but this boy is MINE.” a voice slithered out from the darkness, as black tendrils pulled the dead boy down further and further, staining his hair a dark black, tinging those warm eyes a sickly yellow, and dirtying his skin an ash grey.
Rapunzel had made all the preparations, as Jack had requested, but to her surprise, she did not see her shepherd boy for quite some time. She brushed the doubt aside, watching longingly out her window at the hill where Jack would tend to his flock, but she saw neither head nor tail of him or his sheep. The days stretched into weeks….and the weeks stretched into months. The longer time dragged on, the worse she felt, as Pascal gave her a sympathetic squeak, rubbing his head against her cheek. It was on the eve of her seventeenth birthday when another surprise landed in her lap.
Mother was gone without a word, not even looking in her direction as she descended from the tower. Not even an hour after the sun had began to set, then a cold chill swept through the interior, causing Rapunzel and Pascal to shiver. A soft laugh caused the young woman to spin on the spot, where a tall man sat in her Mother’s chair, “Oh my dear Rapunzel, how you have grown.”
“Who are you!?” she asked, a trembling hand finding her trusty frying pan. The same pan that she had used on Jack when they first met, she realized, as she raised it toward the man. The stranger did not appear phased, “Rapunzel, there is no need for violence.”
He rose from his seat, approaching her and smiling, “My name is Pitch Black, and from now on, you belong to ME.” The princess gasped, before taking a swing with her pan! The blow never connected, as a blast of intense cold ripped the weapon from her hand! The frying pan fell with an odd crunch, and she turned to see it frozen solid within a thick coating of ice.
“Ahhh a shame. I had hoped you would be more receptive. No matter. It’s why I took the liberty of finding you a…guardian. Someone to keep an eye on you while I attend to important matters.” He gestured to the shadows, where a staff extended from the void. A soft clap of skin on stone echoed around the tower, as a young man slowly came into the light. His hair was as black as a Raven’s wing, skin like it was bathed in ash. A smile tugged at his face, as Pitch laid his hands on the young man’s shoulders.
“Rapunzel…this is Jack Frost.” He hissed, unable to repress the cruel smile, “I feel you will get along just fine~”
Chapter Text
“You must eat Rapunzel.” Jack’s voice slithered from above the smoldering fire, distorted and alien to her ears, “Pitch would be most disappointed if you fell ill at such a crucial time.”
Rapunzel stared down at her food, her breath coming out in a faint fog amongst the chill air of her tower. She looked up her so called “Guardian”..no…this Jack Frost was nothing more than a jailor. He kept his dark black hood up most of the time, shrouding his face enough to keep his features hidden from her curious gaze. But those yellow eyes never failed to shine bright, even within the recesses of the darkness.
“What do you care?” She answered softly, pushing the plate away from her. Pascal hid in the folds of her golden hair, glaring at the intruder, “What do you even want from me?!”
A frown tugged at Frost’s lips. Hopping down to the floor, he took slow, measured steps toward her. Everywhere he went, the chill and bitter cold followed him, as he traced fingers lazily over her paintings and coated them in black ice. She was rooted to the spot, even as a hand gently took hold of her golden hair. He did not pull her, nor did he make a move to strike her. For all the intimidation he held, she wondered if he could even bring himself to follow through should she disobey him. But Rapunzel was not willing to tempt fate just yet.
“It’s not what I want…” he replied, focusing on the silky strands in his hand, “It’s what Pitch wants. He is the one who gave me life. Heh….I suppose you could say that makes me more of a son to him, don’t you?”
She held his gaze, looking defiantly up at him, prompting a raise of his brow, “Oooh such fire in those eyes. I only hope you are strong enough when the time comes. Once you’re of age, you’ll be like me Rapunzel. You won’t feel the cold…or the loneliness. In fact, you’ll feel more alive than ever, and I can show you such wonderful things.”
Rapunzel gasped, standing up and ripping the hair from his grasp, backing against the wall. Jack’s expression did not change at first, eyes still fixed on where the golden hair had been pooled in his palm. Then his gaze grew colder, levitating up with a frigid gust that forced her to shield her eyes, “Please..you don’t want to do this.”
He froze for a moment, eyes searching her face for something. A hand clutched at his temple, and the spirit gritted his teeth. A splitting pain lanced through his skull, eliciting a cry from his lips. A faint memory seemed to call back to him, but it felt foreign and strange, and very much unlike him. A hand grasping at the rocks of a tower not unlike this one, and a young girl that radiated sunlight calling out to him, “Jack! You came!”
A snarl was ripped from his mouth, swiping a hand in the air as if to banish the vision from his mind, “My job is to keep you HERE.” He panted, leveling the staff at her. But as they stared at one another, she could have sworn she saw his eyes change for the briefest of moments, to an icy blue.
For weeks she would observe him silently, her quill gently scratching at one of the bare pages of her sketchbook. The parchment crinkled under the pressure, but she never took her eyes off of him. She would watch him sit atop her windowsill, his bare feet idly kicking into the air as he waved a hand lazily above his head. Answering his whims, the wind and clouds twisted and morphed, swirling around the tower and pelting the ground with ice and snow. The peasants believed a curse had been placed upon the land, and they fled from the storm, much to Frost’s amusement.
On occasion, Pitch would darken her door, making sure his ward was acting as instructed. Jack would remain still, never moving an inch as the Nightmare King let a hand glide along the black folds of the cloak Jack bore around his shoulders, “Such a pity Rapunzel…I had hoped Frost would be a welcome companion for you. Do you not value his presence?” he asked, leaning down at look at her.
She looked from him to the being he created for her, “You want me to thank you?! For locking me in a cage? Just wait….I know Jackson will come for me.”
That name made Frost blink momentarily, perking up at the name, but Pitch snapped his fingers, and his ward returned to his statuesque position, “Oh…you mean the shepherd boy?” he asked, gliding around her, “I believe I DID see him once.”
There was a glow of hope in her heart, and for the briefest of moments, she dared to believe that Jackson Overland was out there!
“I believe he was in the arms of a beautiful maiden, somewhere out in the countryside,” Pitch thought aloud, “Much easier to wed a peasant than a flower locked away in a haunted tower.”
And just like that, she felt her heart begin to break once more, “Y-You’re lying….” She shot back, her voice straining, but Pitch seemed to REVEL in this newfound pain he was inflicting upon her heart.
“Am I? Don’t act like you haven’t had that thought yourself Rapunzel. If this Shepherd truly loved you…then why hasn’t he come to rescue you?” he whispered in her ear. Her breath caught in her throat, and she felt the tears start to well, but she couldn’t. NO….she wouldn’t let this monster see her cry.
“If there is one thing I know….it’s people’s greatest fears. It keeps you up at night doesn’t it? You toss and you turn, hugging that dream of a better life to your heart. But all you see is him with another girl, or him buried in a grave.” Pitch hissed, his voice seeming to come from every direction at once.
“Stop it….stop it…” she begged, covering her ears as she fell to her knees, trying to block out the truth of his words. She did fear that Jack had abandoned her, despite everything they had been through together. Was that all a lie? Did he ever love her to begin with?
Cold laughter enveloped her, and she backed away into her room, with Pitch looming above her, “The truth, my dear, is you are well and truly alone. No heroic knight will save the princess from this Nightmare. But know that soon, all that pain and sorrow will be washed away, and you can see this world through a new set of eyes”
With a cackle, he gestured with a finger, and black sand slammed the door shut, locking her in her room! It was then where her defenses crumbled, her body being wracked with sobs as the inevitability of her situation seemed to bear down upon her. But beneath all the despair she felt, a burning desire still remained. For Jack’s sake, she vowed to be free of these shackles. Break these chains and escape into the world. If he was out there, she would find him.
Over the course of a year, she meticulously studied Jack Frost from afar. He rarely left her alone in the tower for more than a few hours at a time. Where he went and what he did, she could not know. She realized right away that if she wanted any chance at an escape, fighting Jack wouldn’t be an option.
Jack had been seemingly inconsistent over this period of time as well. Ever since Pitch mentioned Jack Overland, it seemed to strike a chord with the spirit. Every now and then, he would wander aimlessly through the tower, as Fearlings roamed outside the base, and the winter storm howled outside. He approached a painting that Rapunzel has done, almost 6 years ago. It was simple, elegant, not unlike the artist herself. Fingers traced over a small boy, scaling a mighty castle tower. He was dressed in the simple clothes of a peasant, with a crook strapped to his back, looking much too big for his small frame. While ice crystals outlined the boy, he thought her heard a voice call out, “Jack, be careful!”
Whirling around, he aimed his staff at the dark recesses of the room, amber eyes wild as they darted from point to point, “Who said that?!?!” he demanded, before feeling a burning sensation at the back of his head. His legs buckled, one hand grabbing at his black hair as he struggled to block out the pain, “G-Get out of my head!!!”
Rapunzel backed away from her door, not sure what was happening to him, when his gaze fixated on her. Eyes narrowed, he flew towards her and hovered just enough to tower above the princess, pointing the tip of his staff to the painting, “W-Who…..is….THAT….” he breathed, a mix of fury and pain on his face, and once again she saw the shade of his eyes begin to flicked. Amber, to blue, and back again. She backed against the wall, before looking at the painting, recognizing it in an instant.
“That’s…Jackson Overland.” She replied, trying hard to hold back the wave of sadness that seemed to crash against her like an ocean wave, “A shepherd boy from the village. He found me when I was only 10.” She explained. Bit by bit, Frost’s face began to calm, looking back at the painting, “Him again. I keep hearing this…voice. In my head.” He said softly, wincing as the pain continued to wrack at his skull.
Rapunzel couldn’t stop herself. Before she realized it, the words had slipped free from her mouth, “Are you hurt- ” She inwardly cursed herself for even offering aid to someone connected to Pitch, but she was a good person at heart. For a moment, there was silence in the room, as the spirit looked down at her, “It’s just..my head. Sometimes it feels like a brand is being pressed into my skull.” He muttered, and in response he doubled over, his staff clattering to the floor. His vision began to swim in and out, and for a moment he saw two children sitting beside the window of the tower.
The boy munched on a soft piece of pie, looking out at the snow outside, “Ah…thanks for the pie Punzie! Really helped warm me up.” He chuckled, rubbing his arms as the blonde girl tapped a bare foot on the stone floor, “You gotta be more careful Jack! You’ll freeze out there if you don’t bundle up!” she insisted, waving her arms. The boy turned, revealing dirty brown hair and chestnut eyes. He looked familiar to the spirit, who raised a hand and tried to move forward, “J-Jackson…” he groaned, ashen fingers trembling. But he barely moved an inch when the vision dissipated into the air, returning him to the dimly lit tower!
“No…no no no!” he yelled, and unleashed a blast of cold at the spot in anger, causing icy spikes to just out from where the boy sat. His body jerked as a searing white flame seemed to set his brain on fire. Frost screamed, tearing at his hair and falling to the ground.
Rapunzel was torn, looking from the agonized spirit to the window. She could escape now. This was her best chance to leave. She could run now, leave Frost to his pain. But could she do that? She took a step toward the window, before she paused. Taking a breath, she turned toward him. Whatever this creature was, it wasn’t his master.
She knelt down beside him, taking a part of her long hair and gently putting it to his skull. His eyes looked wild, turning to look at her, “What-What are you doing?!”
“Shhhh. Shhh. It’s going to be all right Jack.” She reassured him, and for a moment, he saw her face. But something was wrong. She looked far younger than she should. It was a little girl of 12 offering her hair to him, “Promise you won’t freak out?” she asked in a small voice, placing the hair over his forehead. He looked stunned, as her voice seemed to echo with this angelic cadence in his ears.
“Flower gleam and glow,
Let your power shine…”
Rapunzel gently brushed her hair over his cold skin, soothing him as the glow began to creep up the length of her hair. Frost’s body began to act strange, however, when the glow reached him, his skin began to grow pale, and the tips of his black hair became stark white. Even Rapunzel was taken aback by this change, when Jack suddenly screamed, the hair pulsing with a golden glow that seemed to be burning him! His body thrashed, backing away from her and cowering in the safety of the shadows.
“W-WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?!” he screamed, his face a mismatch of light and dark, as anger flooded his eyes, “You were trying to kill me?” he growled, a hand grabbing his staff. Rapunzel backed away from him, “Jack I promise I had no idea what would happen!”
“Get AWAY FROM ME!” he yelled, slamming Twinetender on the ground. Ice spiderwebbed over the floor, scaring her and Pascal back and forming into wicked spikes of ice. She looked horrified, dragging her hair back from this creature, before running to her room. She slammed the door behind her, chest heaving as her heart threatened to break free from her ribs. Pascal scampered down her arm, pushing a tiny rock to the door as if trying to barricade it. Well…A for effort she supposed. Slowly, she fell down to a sitting position. She drew her knees up to her chest, and buried her head, as she could hear the crackle of ice below.
Jack wrenched a mirror off the table, holding it up to see his pale sections bleeding back to their dark grey color. The dull pain continued to throb, as he stumbled across the tower and saw ghostly images haunt him. Two children running around, playing tag, baking, lying on their backs to watch the gorgeous work of art they slaved over.
“Are you starting to see now?” called a voice, and he turned to the mirror in his hand. In his frenzy, the glass had been cracked, but he could see the young peasant boy looking sadly back at him.
“S-See what!?” he growled low, glaring down at the reflection, “The Princess cursed me! Making me see things that aren’t there! What are you anyway?! Some blasted ghost?”
The boy’s expression was hard to read with the fractures in the mirror, but one could see the sadness on his face, “I know you don’t believe that. That’s why for all your words and anger, you’d never hurt her. Something keeps you from giving in to the darkness Pitch wrapped you in.”
Frost’s grip tightened on the mirror, causing more cracks to form on the glass, “How do you know any of this…WHO ARE YOU to me?!” he demanded, but before the boy could answer, the mirror shattered in his hand. For a moment, there was nothing but silence, before he let out a pained scream, flying out the window and taking a mighty snowstorm in his wake. Wind rattled the wooden shutters, and caused the cold floorboards of the stairs to pop and snap.
It had been over 2 months since the incident, and she and Jack had barely spoken. He kept his eye on her, but made sure to keep quite enough space from her hair, like it was acid to his skin. He would take longer trips out into the forest, creating spikes of ice and whirling blizzards to vent the anger and pain from seeing the ghostly images. But this could be a blessing in disguise for the princess. Today was now her 18th birthday, and with Jack and Pitch nowhere in site, this left her with an all too brief window to escape. She had planned this out meticulously. Chipping away at the tower wall near the head of her bed, a bag stashed under the dresser full of food and supplies. Even some thick winter clothing she had meticulously sewn herself to protect from the cold.
She scooped up Pascal into her pocket, where he nestled himself comfortably within the thick padding. She strapped the back to her back, and slowly wrapped the length of her hair into a makeshift scarf, leaving her green eyes visible to the world. It took her a few moments to pry the stone free, leaving a gap wide enough for her to squeeze through, “Sorry Pascal…. Can’t risk the window this time.” She said, before finding herself outside the tower. Taking hold of her hair, she whipped it up, aiming for the top of the tower’s spire, but the wind blew it off course! Growling in frustration, she took hold of it again, taking careful aim before whipping it at the spire! The river of gold wrapped snug around the metal, and after a brief pull to check, she slowly lowered herself down. Her oversized boots creaked as they slipped on the ice coated stones, but she kept her grip steady. ‘Ok Rapunzel….breathe’, she thought, ‘You can do this.’
~ It took time, but soon she heard the satisfying crunch of freshly crushed snow under her boot. Adjusting her pack, she took off at an unsteady run. Well, as much of a run as she could with her legs sinking into the drifts. Nevertheless, she persisted, batting aside branches and panting hard, feeling like her lungs were burning with the effort to keep pace in this storm. Crystals clung to her hair, and Pascal could only risk a glance for more than a moment before retreating back into the pocket!
She had been at it for over an hour, before there was a flash of movement among the drifts. Rapunzel froze in her tracks, her mittened hand grabbing her frying pan as she looked around, “Who’s there?” she called, turning in the deep snow. Green eyes widened in horror as a skeletal black hand creeped up, cutting into the bark of a gnarled tree, as glowing yellow eyes blazed through the inky darkness.
She only caught glimpses of the Fearlings before from the top of the tower. They only obeyed Pitch, and with him gone to fight his enemies, they were left to stalk the woods without any to bring them too heel. Not even jack could control them.
“It’s ok…It’s ok.” She calmed herself, backing up a bit, “It’s just one. Not all that bad right?” she asked herself, when more Fearlings broke up from the surface of the snow, turning their hungry gaze on her. One lunged forward, only to meet a hard slap with her frying pan. The blow stunned the creature, sending it into the snow, but it was back up again, hissing at her and slashing with it’s claws! There was a screech as it struck at her, collapsing into a bank, now with her precious flying pan shredded by the attack. Another lunge knocked the remnant from her hands, the handle spiraling into the woods. A claws hand snagged her thick coat dragging her down into the deep snow. She kicked at the creature, shielding her eyes when the Fearling was suddenly torn from her. Looking up, she saw Jack standing between her and the Fearlings, letting out a primal scream as ice sprung from his mouth, freezing the creature solid.
“Jack?” she asked, looking up as he tossed the frozen monster into the tree, where it shattered. He crouched over her, his black cloak rippling in the cold wind. The snow circled around them both, as the Fearlings turned their eyes to Jack. If they hoped the presence of Pitch’s servant would scare them away, they were mistaken.
Jack gritted his teeth, before lunging at the assembled creatures. Snow kicked up in the melee, as Jack and the Fearlings thrashed about in a small storm of ice and claws! They crawled over Jack, tearing and scratching at what they could! For his part, Jack fought through the pain, ripping them off his body and freezing them solid! Rapunzel could only watch in awe and terror as such brutality unfolded before her eyes. She pressed up against the tree, watching Jack Frost slam another Fearling into the ground, dispersing it to ash. His body hung low, chest heaving, and he let out a pained roar of defiance at them, supported by a howling wind that sent the rest of the dark creatures fleeing into the woods.
Slowly, the spirit turned to face her, and Rapunzel covered her mouth as she saw the fresh wounds along his body, some glistening red. He took a step towards her, before his body collapsed into the snow, like a puppet who’s strings had been mercilessly cut down.
She would have turned and left right then and there, when she looked back at his body, snow already covering the black tattered fabric of his cloak. Her face looked torn, before she stepped closer to Jack and gently turned him over. His wounds were deep, and despite clearly being inhuman, he didn’t look like he had the strength to stand, let alone survive on his own after that. Pascal gave a squeak, pointing to the woods, to her possible chance of escape from this nightmare.
“Pascal…he risked his life to save us.” She said, looking down at him, “I don’t know why but, we can’t just leave him to die out here.” She explained, before carefully taking a limp arm and pulling him up to support his weight. He was far lighter than she thought, taking slow steps out of the clearing and into the wood. It took a short time to be clear of the deep snow, as the pair stumbled and limped into the entrance of what once was a beautiful lakeside cave.
She set Jack against the wall, with his wounds reflecting the dim light of the sun, “Nnngh….w-where am I?” he asked quietly, eyes glazed over. She peeled back the cloak, trying hard not to grimace, “Y-You saved me. I wasn’t going to leave you out there.” She explained softly, brushing a strand of raven hair out of his tired face, “But why did you save me? I thought you wanted nothing to do with me.”
He tried to sit up, but his face contorted in pain again, clutching his chest, prompting Rapunzel to gently press on his shoulders, “Hey..don’t move ok? You’re hurt.”
He took a few deep breaths before speaking, “I…felt something. Maybe a vision, maybe a memory.” He admitted. “Whenever they come, I get this pain…in my head. Then the image fades before I can learn much else. But what I do remember,” he continued, looking at her, “Is this voice. This promise. To keep you safe Punzie.”
She froze, turning her wide eyes back on him, “W-What did you call me?”
Frost blinked, trying to recollect something, “I think it was…P-Punzie..” he strained, looking a bit lost for a moment before the pain lanced into his brain once more, making him hiss. But Rapunzel took his face into her hands, staring into his Amber eyes, “Only one person in my life has called me that, so please Jack, I NEED you to try…try and remember if you are who I think you are.”
Jack’s mind was ablaze in agony, fighting back tears that pricked at the corner of his eyes, “G-Gnngh….it…it hurts…” he admitted, and she could feel his body quake, “I know. I know it does but please try.” She said, leaning her head against his, like how Jackson did after their first kiss. He shut his eyes, breathing heavily when suddenly something came to him. He opened his eyes, only to see Rapunzel laying beside him on her bed, with a warm hand combing through her golden hair.
“Rapunzel” his voice came out wracked with nerves, “I-I…”
His vision snapped back to the present, and for the first time, his voice came out clear, “I love you.” He finished aloud, his eyes wide, he looked at Rapunzel closely, a weak hand brushing her hair, “Punzie?”
Rapunzel’s eyes were wet with tears, but for the first time in what felt like ages, she smiled, gently cupping his cheek, “Jackson? Is that you?” she asked softly. He nodded, grabbing his ribs a little, “I…I think so. It’s so hard to remember.”
She quickly tore a piece of fabric from the extra clothes inside her bag, wrapping it over his arm, “What happened to you? You look so..different.” Jack shook his head, “The last thing I remember was coming to the tower. We were going to run off to the country when….” He froze, before his amber eyes glowed with anger, “Gothel.”
“Mother?” she asked, a bit uneasy, “W-What happened?”
“She stopped me from getting you, and she…” he hesitated, “Punzie, she pushed me from the tower. I think I-“
“Died.” Called a silky smooth voice, and both turned to see Pitch emerging from the shadows, his expression unreadable as he looked at them both. Rapunzel glared at him, standing between Pitch and Jack, “You won’t lay a FINGER on Jack again.” She yelled, prompting a chuckle from the Nightmare King, “Why on earth would I want him, when you are the far richer prize.”
He moved forward, and when Jack struggled to his feet, Pitch brushed aside with a finger. A tendril of black sand jutted out from the shadows, slamming into Jack and knocking him away.
“JACK!” she cried, before Pitch slid between them, reaching a hand for her. Grabbing a fistful of her hair, she lashed it forward, cracking it like a whip against the Nightmare King. He snarled, the golden whip making a small explosion of light against his chest! The blow made his form disperse slightly, before reforming into a solid shape. His eyes burned with anger, raising a hand to strike her when something tackled Pitch from behind! Jack gritted his teeth, pouring everything he could into one last spell. Cold energy sparked from his hands, leaping to Pitch’s robes and starting to encase him in thick sheets of ice!
“NO!!” he howled, aiming a dagger of black sand at Jack’s chest, when another crack of Rapunzel’s golden hair vaporized his hand! The ice continued to creep up his body rooting him to the spot even as Jack backed away, beams of cold energy emitting from his staff.
Pitch gritted his teeth, pointing at the pair, “This isn’t over…and you can’t hold me forever!” he snarled, “I’ll be back for you both, and when I do, you’ll both wish you were dead!” he vowed, before he became encased in ice, a look of anger stuck to his face. For a minute there was silence, before Jack collapsed to the ground.
“Jack!” she cried, dropping next to him and slowly turning him over. His breathing was becoming faint, and she knew they only had one chance to stop this. Carefully, she draped her hair over his body, brushing a delicate palm over his face, “Jack…I’m so sorry…but this will hurt. But if I’m right, I can save you.”
His hand trembled, before gently grasping hers, “I-I trust you.” He whispered, trying to focus on those beautiful eyes of hers. With a small nod, she closed her eyes and began to pour her heart and soul into this one chance.
Flower, gleam and glow
Let your powers shine
Make the clock reverse
Bring back what once was mine
Her hair began to glow, much brighter than it ever had. It slowly worked up Jack’s body, before the spirit let out an agonizing scream. It hurt her to see him in such pain, but she saw it! His face, his hair….it was lightening! It was working…she hoped. Steeling her heart, she pushed on. Just a bit further!
Heal what has been hurt
Change the fates' design
Save what has been lost
Bring back what once was mine
What once was mine
On that last note, there was an explosion of light in the cave, blinding the Princess and leaving her stuck in a world of pure white. When she managed to blink back to reality, she looked down at her love, and saw him lying still. She reached to his pale face, framed now by snowy white hair, when he gasped, body jerking to life as fresh air raced into his lungs. His chest rose and fell frantically, eyes snapping open and revealing a crystal blue.
“W..What happened?!” he asked, looking up and seeing her, “D-Did it work?” he asked, looking hopeful. For a moment the Princess didn’t speak, before she gently ran those white hairs between her thumb and forefinger, “Well, I think so. You aren’t exactly how I remember you.”
Jack focused his eyes and for a moment was mortified, “Wait…white hair? Am I old, Punzie please tell me I’m not an old man! I don’t think I can deal with that kind of change!” he moaned, prompting a small smile from her, “No no Jack. You look…nice. But I don’t think I can ever return you to normal.”
He was quiet for some time, before his chilled hand took her own, “Life was never normal for us to begin with Punzie. After all, I did climb a tower for you.” He reminded her. She giggled, gently helping him to his feet. His legs were still wobbly, but he clung to her for support. They both exchanged a look as they saw Pitch frozen in Ice. With a small kick of a foot, Twinetender ended up in his hand, and he aimed it at the inside of the cave. With a though, ice blasted from the crook, sealing the inside with giant slabs of pure ice, hopefully trapping Pitch in there forever.
They both let out a breath they didn’t realize they had been holding, before he looked at her, “Punzie I’m sorry I-“
She cut him off by pulling him into a deep kiss, running her hands through his hair and holding him tight against her. His body melted into her grasp, and the pair stood near the frozen lake, all their troubles draining away, if only for this moment.
“What matters is,” she breathed, pulling apart and resting their heads together, “Is we’re free. Free to see the world, like we promised. What do you say, Jack Overland Frost?” she grinned at him. He thought over the name for a moment, but the longer he thought about it, the more it fit. Smiling, he took her hand, and pointed Twinetender to the horizon, “All right Punzie. Lead the way. Wherever you go, I’ll be there by your side.”