When he came to again, he was lying on a straw pallet. Someone had covered him in two thick blankets. Jillian entered the room carrying with her a bag of healing herbs slowly moving towards Jack. "Are you an angel?" he asked.
"No, my brave knight. I am but a woman." Jack sighed with the simple pleasure of hearing her voice. It was rich and soft and musical. " My name is Jillian Ravensfort. I prepared this room for you when I first saw what they were doing to you. You should be safe for now but must leave by dawn. For in the morn they are sure to come back for the body."
The fever raged in him and throughout the night Jillian bathed the heat and sweat off his body. She bandaged the wound on his chest and prayed it had not been infected. As the night wore on the room got colder and colder and he shivered with its bite. Fearing for his life Jillian climbed into the pallet with him, hoping to share her warmth. She removed her gown and pressed herself into his body.
She must have fallen asleep. She awoke to find herself snuggled to the handsome knight. She blushed at their nude state and hurried to dress. She wondered who he was. He had been in no condition to answer her question. She thought he had to be someone important and obviously very powerful since he had defeated the Ice Witch. Besides she had seen the proof of his strength. Her was tall and had finely toned muscles all over. She especially liked his chest. She shook her head, now was no time for idle thoughts. She had to get the knight dressed and they had to flee to safety.
He had been drifting in and out all night. Each time he awoke he found his angel beside him. Her lovely blue eyes so full of concern, her gentle hands had cooled his fevered skin and she had warmed his body when chills had racked his bones. In her embrace he had slept, with her scent surrounding him.
Now, he awoke to that scent. He felt much better and the cobwebs had cleared from his mind. He remembered everything, the battle, the ambush and the lady who saved him. Jack being the cynic that he was could not comprehend why anyone would go out of their way to help a stranger. No, humans never did anything unless they could gain something. As the Winter Knight of the Fae, he had not only created winter wonderlands but also he had observed the humans during that particular season. It seemed that winter solstice was a time of celebration; it was one time out of the whole year when humans tried to be good to one another.
Yes, it appeared that people felt the magical of this time and understood the importance of the days leading to the Yule. But they then gave themselves leave to forget about charity, family, home and all the other things that made life worth living. Humans only showed the spirit of giving during this season then promptly returned to their selfish ways.
Strange, but that thought made him sad. The Frost Knight, who had no emotions was feeling sad. He did not want to think that the lady was selfish, he did not want his angel to turn out to be someone who thought that with one good deed she had fulfilled the spirit of the season. Silently cursing himself for his foolish thoughts, he began to sit up.
"Careful," she said. She walked to him and handed over some clothes that she managed to find. Once dressed, he felt in control again. He began making plans to move, asked questions and soon realized that he would have to take the lady with him. He needed a guide to show him the safest routes to take. He was not yet well enough to take on the shadow soldiers. Besides, he realized that the lady had no where else to go now that she had helped him she could not go back to being a maid to the soldiers. So, off they went as the first lights of dawn lit the dark sky.
As the rode across the snow covered land, Jack realized that he did not know the lady's name. Well, he thought she had introduced herself but his mind had not been all there. But thanks to his angel he was almost as good as new. Jack smiled his first smile in ages, he liked thinking of her as his angel. "What is your name?" came his query.
"I'm Jillian Ravensfort, you may call me Jillian." She was sitting astride in front of him, now she turned back to look at him. She smiled a friendly smile and asked him his name.
Jack told her his name and when she wanted to know more about him, he obliged her. He was pleased by her interest in him and even more pleased that despite her surprise at learning that he was a fairy she still believed him. It felt good to talk to her and to have her believe in him. Yes, he wanted her be interested in Jack the man not the powerful fairy knight. Maybe, just maybe Jillian was really his own personal angel sent to warm the heart of the Frost Knight.
He stirred feelings in her that she had never felt. When their eyes had met she had felt dizzy with excitement. He pulled her closer against him when crossing a particular icy area. She held her breath. My goodness she thought, what is happening to me? I have seen attractive men before but none effected me like this. Was this lust? Yes, she decided she definitely felt lustful towards Jack. But she felt so much more. She liked his name, she was fascinated by his fairy heritage, she admired his courage and she wanted to make him smile. She sighed, she was falling in love with Jack Frost.
They rode hard and fast riding all day and well into the night. They headed north where they could find passage out of the isle. In the wee hours of the night they decided to set camp and rest a while.
Jack thought Jillian was amazing. She had not once complained about the harsh pace he had set. Instead she had helped him think of a way to break magic binding circle. They had agreed that the best way to do so would be by magic so they had to leave the isle and go to the land of the land of the fairies. Jack was excited about taking Jillian to fairyland. It was his home and he wanted her to like it, no more than that he wanted her there with him. He finally admitted to himself that in the space of a few days his angel had melted the ice surrounding his heart. Now, that he had found her he had no intention of letting her get away.
