[Ash]: 102.Jack Frost.09

Cassandra led Marylin through the pass and to the bottom of the woods, “see that takes about a half an hour in itself. My home is on the edge on a small swamp, but it’s not deep, you can see the bottom all the way through. I have a pet fish in their, his name Bruits, I think you’ll like him.”

“A talking fish?” Marylin asked catching up with the tall witch, “how can they talk?”

“When they have something to say you can see it in their eyes, so you say speak, and they talk.” Cassandra didn’t think Marylin need to know the full version of the story so she kept it simple. “Okay first lesson, what things will help, and what will harm.” Cassandra walked over to a tree with three very different vines on them and began pointing things out.

“This is called the Arrowhead Vine, it does nothing, but this is called Aeroxmina, it’s a deadly poison, good for killing things big and small. Than this,” she said yanking on a piece of yellow vine, “is called Sun Rope, very common and can help with burns and irritation.”

“Why do I need to know this?” Marylin asked shrugging her shoulders and cradling one arm in the other.

Cassandra thought for a minute than sighed, “I’ve been witch of the woods for three hundred years, and it’s only because I have to because I can teach anyone. Once I start teaching others I don’t need to live forever.”

“Will Jack live forever?” Cassandra nodded and slowly walked toward a tiny little cabin across a small marsh.

“You are never going to be able to do that spell Jack Frost.” Shyna’s voice repeated over and over and over to the point where Jack was thinking about just beheading Elizabeth and letting Shyna be stuck in this plain.

“I’m not listening to you, you killed my wife and attempted to kill my daughter and my second wife, correction you killed my second wife also.” Jack turned another page in the vast book and read, “Remedies for Death, Remedies of Life, Re-Possessing a Spirit... I found it.”

“You can’t do it you silly boy. I’ll kill her.” The voice threatened making the body thrash some.
Jack slapped the face, “she’s already dead to me. Let’s see. ‘Recall, recall this spirit forth, and bring into light the dead, make all as should be in it’s course, and spirits repent, repent.’ “

Jack looked around, nothing. “Told you stupid, boy you don’t have the magic”
Jack sat down in the glen and though, the glen has magic, could he get that, what about his winter magic.

“Jack! Summon magic from the sky!” Elizabeth’s voice called out through her body. “Dam you, you came back up! You still can’t do it!”

Jack raised his hand and this time make a tornado of snow in his palm, “ ‘Recall, recall this spirit forth’,” he yelled over the roar of the winds, suddenly thunder sounded and Shyna started screaming, “ ‘and bring into light the dead, make all as should be in it’s course, and spirits repent, repent.” Shyna gave one last scream and than a purple essence came out of the body and into the tornado. The winds ceased and everything had halted. Silence.

A breath, coming from Elizabeth’s body. And another. “Jack....” Elizabeth said opening her eyes and looking at him. “I died didn’t I?” Jack nodded slowly and looked over at her again.

“Yes, you died twice. And now, you must died again or live here forever, I am at fault for that, I’m sorry.”

“Jack Frost, you saved me from death twice, you owe me no apology.” Elizabeth sat up off the slab and gently slide on the ground. Elizabeth kissed him and than backed away. “I was meant to die Jack, I am the one who is sorry now.”

“You don’t have to die, live here, forever, with me.” Jack grabbed her hands and held them.

“Your heart is as warm a hearth, but your touch is colder than death. I was meant to die, I was meant to die so you would live and save her.”

“Her?”

Elizabeth smiled, “all in due time Jack Frost.” Elizabeth let go of his hands and began to cry. “Good bye Jack Frost, king of Winter. Husband.” Elizabeth’s body fell to the ground in a life less heap and Jack fell to his knees next to it. He felt weak. As if standing were the impossible. He used his powers to make the wind lift him up and slowly take him back to his Ice house, where he would remain, alone for all time, never getting to see his daughter again.