Chapter Text
In darkness, he awoke.
A boy as pale as ice and snow, who floated within quiet waters, with neither name nor memory to call his own.
He felt weak, far too weak to move or breathe and could do naught but stare at the ice-covered surface as he waited for something to change.
The lake was ruled by deafening silence, one which not even his absent heart could fill. Yet despite the loneliness this silence brought, he couldn't help the lingering feeling that he was not as alone as he thought. For deep down, even deeper than where he floated, sinister whispers could be heard.
They relished in the quiet, the dark his shadow cast and loved even more so the steadily growing fear that wafted off of him, as he took notice of their presence.
It was an instinctual feeling, this fear of the unknown, of danger right around the corner. But despite his instincts screaming at him to move, he could do naught but watch as the shadows rose around him and cut him off from the faint light above.
It was hard to describe them as anything other than grotesque, with their jagged fangs, uneven eyes and features that contorted in all the wrong ways. With each pang of fear that passed through him, they crept closer, their sickly yellow eyes narrowing in glee at the helplessness of their prey. Yet none of them reached him. For in this darkest moment, a bright, silvery ray of light pierced the ice and burnt a hole into the shadows.
One after the other, more rays followed like a joyous cavalry, until the boy was left at last within a sea of light. With his gaze transfixed upon the celestial object above him, he barely noticed how the water brushed along his limbs until his body breached the frozen surface and was gently placed upon the mended ice by the wind.
The chill of winter air rattled his weary lungs and spooked them back to function, whilst his limbs remembered to move with every breath he took.
"Welcome back, Jack Frost..." A gentle, faraway voice suddenly spoke to him. Its sound was whispy and faintly familiar, but just like dreams, it too quickly faded, and before long, he had forgotten the sound of it again. No sooner had those words been spoken, did the moon's glow dimm and his world returned to silence, where only the wind and twinkling stars gave him company, while the silver rays of light left the newborn spirit behind to fight off other shadows and keep the night at peace.
The boy, Jack Frost, carefully stood up, delighted to be able to move at last. Everything around him, from the dark towering pine trees to the ground around the lake, was covered in pure white snow. And yet, despite standing barefoot in the middle of winter, the cold did not bother him at all, for it did not feel threatening, but rather like an old friend.
Eager to approach land and explore his surroundings, Jack took a step forward and promptly stumbled over a long, thin staff. It was a shepherd's staff that was ordinary in every way except for the feeling of familiarity it carried and the instinctive knowledge that he should treat it with care. Tenderly, Jack took it into his hands and watched in shock as frost spread from his blue-tinged fingertips all over the wood. It twisted and curled in fern-like patterns that glittered in the light all the way down to the ice it still rested on, where the patterns slowly came to a stop.
A disbelieving laugh escaped him as he took in the sight, followed by a surge of raw and unfiltered joy. Emboldened by his discovery, Jack swiftly rushed to the nearby trees to test things out further. He raced around, touching every surface he could find to make frost bloom, and was so utterly consumed by his euphoria that his surroundings melted away; thus failing to notice the tall yet lithe figure that approached him from behind.
The very world shifted around her with every step she took, as if greeting a presence far larger than was contained within this form. It was unfortunate that she arrived right after the moon had claimed him, but no matter, in the end, he was still her child to keep. A soft cough sounded behind him, which caused Jack to momentarily freeze. Swiffeling around, he couldn't help but gasp at the woman who towered over him and whose imposing nature stood in contrast with her kind and gentle face.
She looked ancient, otherworldly even with dark wavy hair that sparkled like the night sky and a dress of ever-shifting leaves.
"Jack Frost, my child," She spoke, startling the young winter spirit from his daze. "I have come to take you home."
Jack blinked. "What home? Who are you? And how do you know my name?" He asked, an almost naive spark of curiosity lighting up within his eyes as he subconsciously leaned closer, proving just how young this spirit was.
A humorous chuckle left her lips, which reminded him of chirping birds and rustling leaves. "Why, I too can hear the man in the moon, though this is a matter for another time. My name is Seraphina, but you may call me Mother Nature. Or Mother, if you please. Come, take my hand, our journey to my abode won't take long."
Mildly hesitant, Jack looked at her outstretched hand, then at her face. Her expression was open and honest, carrying a genuine wish to keep him safe, whilst she awaited his decision with all the patience in the world. And after several seconds of thinking, Jack fought down the slight discomfort and decided to give her a chance.
Slowly, he placed his hand into hers, his pale skin in stark contrast to her warm, earthy tones. As soon as they touched, the very world around him shifted. It warped in on itself, sending his organs momentarily airborne and settled just as quickly with only the lingering vertigo to tell the tale. Only once he was certain that he would not fall, Jack dared to look around and gasped at the sight that greeted him.
He and Seraphina stood before the roots of the tree of Life, which was as vast as the presence of Mother Nature and stretched for miles into a sky, which was covered by its never-ending canopy. And just as its namesake suggested, it was brimming with life. All sorts of animals and fantastical creatures roamed the branches and roots, coming to and fro from all the corners of the world and disappearing or reappearing from within the tree.
Seraphina smiled at the awe in his ice blue eyes and gently squeezed his hand to guide him forward. This place was her sanctuary, a well-hidden abode from both human and spirit eyes to keep all those she considered hers safe from harm. Likewise, only those under her protection could access her palace, and now at last this little winter spirit was part of it as well.
Together they walked to the entrance hidden between the roots at a slow enough pace to allow her little spirit to look around as much as he'd like, though she was certain that he would get used to the sight soon enough. Once they passed the threshold, the innards of the tree revealed themselves. Winding upwards in a seemingly endless spiral, a staircase led to more doors than one could count. Each section of the tree served a different purpose and allowed different kinds of creatures inside, though if one did not know the layout, this palace would very quickly become a maze.
However, as amusing as her little spirit's awe was, Mother Nature did not wish to delay their meeting any further and swiftly led them to the upper section of the tree. There, they crossed an ornate door and entered a large room that was occupied by three spirits, who happily grinned when they stepped inside. This shared space was tailored for comfort with couches and pillows and all sorts of other things that represented each season, while behind each one was a small hallway that led to their personal quarters.
"Children," Seraphina began as she pushed Jack closer to the others, "please welcome your newest sibling into your midst. I know, you're all excited, but do try to keep it at the introductions. Tomorrow will be a long day for all of us, and you wouldn't want to be late."
A chorus of agreements followed her warning, and only after they all nodded did she feel assured enough to leave them on their own. Thus, as soon as the door behind her closed, their eyes zeroed in on him, and the blonde girl closest to Jack jumped forward to draw him into a sudden hug.
"Hi there! My name is Rapunzel, it's so nice to meet you!" She exclaimed with a smile, "We were so excited when Mother said a new spirit was going to join us! It's been so long, we almost thought it would never happen…"
"Exactly," agreed the red-haired girl whom he'd later come to know as Merida. "So, to cut to the chase, we are all the heralds of a season — as you can plainly see and now that you're one of us, you too will take over winter, which is what the next few days will be all about."
"What? I'll rule a whole season?"
"Yes," the only other boy in this room replied, "but don't worry, you'll have a lot of helpers to do your work. Your court has been taking care of winter for ages now, ever since the last heralds passed on."
"Then why is a ruler even needed, if they can manage things by themselves perfectly fine?" Jack asked, remembering very well where he had woken up just moments ago.
"Hey now, don't sell yourself — and us — short. Heralds are essentially the heart of the season. We shape what it is, was and will become. Without one, everything becomes stagnant and out of order, and there is no joy nor beauty to be found anymore."
Jack let out a thoughtful hum. He hadn't expected it to be this important.
"Don't worry, I know it's a lot to take in, but we'll be with you every step of the way. If you have any questions, you can come to us. Hiccup and I are the oldest, although grandpa over there with the dragon precedes even me." Merida chortled, earning herself a half-hearted glare and a huff from the Night Fury.
"Well, you probably can't believe how glad I am to no longer be the youngest of our bunch, but I am!" Rapunzel squealed, "Oh, I can't wait to show you around, it will be so much fun!" Jack couldn't help but share her excitement as he too was eager to get to know this place, however as happy as he was to listen to their tales, tiredness at last caught up with him and forced his jaw apart with a yawn.
"Oh, is it so late already?" Merida wondered aloud at the sound and promptly stood from her seat. "Come, Jack, we'll get you to bed." She said as she heaved him onto his legs and led him, together with the others, down the small hallway to his very own clean yet empty room and dropped him rather unceremoniously onto the bed.
"I know it's not much yet, but you'll have more than enough time to decorate it to your liking. For now, get a good night's rest. You'll have more than your fair share of excitement tomorrow!" She exclaimed at the door, which was followed by good night wishes from his other siblings that continued to echo in his ears even after the door closed behind them.
And as he lay there in the dark, a smile stole itself upon his lips. As, despite his silent heart, his chest was filled with warmth.
So much had happened within the last few hours since he awoke in that lake. So many new revelations and people he met. And even though he was slightly overwhelmed, he did not regret any of this. For if he hadn't made that choice, he would've never met his new family and found a place to call his home.
And with that thought, he closed his eyes at last and let himself fall into a deep and restful sleep.