The conversation had reached a lull, giving Elsa the opportunity to ask a question that had been lurking in her mind. "Were you serious when you talked about experimenting with my powers?"

"After everything I've done for you, you still doubt my sincerity?" Jack managed to pull off an impressive facade of wounded pride, but the twinkle in his eye gave it away.

Elsa let out a giggle at his dramatics before replying, "No, of course not." She'd only questioned the wisdom of such a decision. Still, Jack hadn't led her wrong yet. "Okay, what do you want me to do?"

"Anything you want," he said with an encouraging smile.

Elsa searched her mind for something new to try. She'd already created snow showers and molded a snowman as well. What else was there? Her mind flashed back to the last time she didn't know what to do, and inspiration struck.

"Follow me!" she instructed, beginning to run up the mountain.

She knew they were near the peak, and sure enough, cresting the next hill brought her to the edge of a cliff. There was no way forward. But above them and across the drop, a wide outcropping caught her attention. While escaping the palace, her magic had previously given her the power to cross an insurmountable natural barrier. Could it do so again? Elsa summoned forth her powers and sent them forward in a snowy rush; the base of a staircase appeared before her.

Jack's eyes flitted between her, the unfinished stairs, and the gap she was attempting to cross. "Are you sure about this?" he asked, a note of apprehension in his voice.

"Yes." She felt daring, fearless, full of anticipation. It was time to see what she could do, to test the limits of her powers. Still, a sliver of doubt wormed its way through her newfound bravery. "You'll catch me, won't you?"

Jack nodded. "I promise. I won't let you fall." He quickly flew around to the back of the stairs, already in position for her ascent.

She placed a foot on the snowy step and waited to see what would happen. It crystallized beneath her, turning into smooth ice. Her plan had worked! Elsa looked up—then she ran, flying up the stairs as magic streamed from her fingertips. She laughed, relishing the danger as she embraced the moment. With the wind racing through her hair, the chasm beneath her and the starry sky above, it felt like a dream come to life. Then an exhilarating realization broke through her exuberance, and her grin grew. "I'm doing this, Jack! I'm really doing it!"

"I know!" he hollered back, laughing.

As they reached the other side, Elsa stepped off the staircase onto solid ground—but her spirit was still soaring high on the pure winds of hope. She waved her hands; snowflakes danced through the night sky and Elsa twirled with them. She was free at last! Gone was all the shame, the secrets, the cruel words and bitter tears. She could finally open up and stop hiding from her true self.

"I haven't been this happy in years!" she confided with a grateful smile. "And it's all because of you, Jack—I never could've done this without you."

"I doubt that," he said, gently nudging her shoulder with his own. "It might've taken a while, but you would've figured it out. You're more capable than you think."

"I ordinarily might beg to differ," she began, "But this time, I'll simply say 'thank you'."

"The pleasure was all mine, Snowflake," he said with a wink. "So, what do you want to do now?"

The combination of her new moniker and an open-ended question prompted a recollection to surface:"So what are you planning to do when you get there? Live on the top of the mountain like some snow queen?" Jack had been jesting at the time, but the concept was sound. Time seemed unimportant here—years could pass as she dwelt in a silent kingdom of ice and snow, isolated from the world. The frigid air blowing against her face was more welcoming than a cozy armchair in front of a roaring fire; she was in her element, and truly happy. Elsa made a decision: she was staying here—permanently. And to do that, she needed a home, a place of refuge from the storms of the world.

She smiled at Jack. "I have an idea."

Elsa lifted her dress and stomped her foot, sending a sheet of ice across the snow. As her powers flowed outwards, the ice thickened and expanded to form a giant snowflake.

"Great job, Elsa!"

Her smile broadened into a grin as she held out a hand to silence his praise. "I'm not done yet."

She raised her arms, tugging at her invisible connection to the ice. Her magic poured downwards as it formed a platform that quickly rose into the air, supported by thick continuously growing pillars. An image began forming in Elsa's mind: a glittering palace made entirely of ice. Calling upon her knowledge of geometry and architecture (her two favourite subjects), Elsa was quickly transforming her vision into reality. Streams of power surged from her hands and into the ice; walls and arches formed at her command. Elsa reached deeper within, drawing the magic into shimmering ribbons that spiraled upwards. From the peak of the roof, a dazzling chandelier blossomed like a frozen flower.

Elsa's soul was one with the ice. She could feel it around her: a living creature that grew and flourished—until it stopped. Her design was complete. She beamed with triumph, feeling powerful despite the fatigue seeping into her body.

"Whoa…" Jack's voice broke the silence. His head was tilted back as he slowly spun to marvel at her creation. "You really did it, Snowflake. You built a palace made of ice." His attention shifted from the walls around them to her face. "I guess I'll have to call you Snow Queen now instead of Snowflake, eh?"

Elsa's smile faltered. She took off her crown and stared at it. It was her only remaining connection to her parents; she had left everything else behind. Homesickness overwhelmed Elsa for a moment. She ached for her family, longed for the beautiful life she'd once known. But she couldn't go back—and she refused to live in the shadow of a goodbye. Elsa flung the crown away as hard as she could. Without sparking a thought for where it landed, she set about removing all evidence of her former life. Elsa reached up to remove the pins from her hair, letting only the simple French braid remain. She smoothed her unruly bangs into place before pulling the braid over her shoulder. But what could she do about her clothes?

Even in Jack's wildest dreams, he never could have imagined Elsa would be capable of this. The staircase alone was an unprecedented use of magic, but this… Jack shook his head, still staring in awe at her creation. He hadn't spent much time experimenting with the utility of ice, but it didn't take a genius to figure out that Elsa was spectacularly talented—and powerful. The very air had sparkled with magic as she spun and danced like some whimsical winter fairy. The display was captivating, but the joyful smile on Elsa's face was… entrancing. Jack snorted.

Next thing you know I'll be dressed in a top hat and spouting sonnets.

Still, he couldn't deny that seeing Elsa so happy and comfortable with her powers gave him warm fuzzies.

Elsa rubbed the material of her coronation gown between her fingers. It was a lovely dress, but she'd rather be rid of anything tied to her past. Still, she wasn't in possession of another outfit and couldn't procure clothing out of thin air. Elsa sighed. Even if there were a village nearby, she had no money or goods to trade for apparel. Her powers were the only resource at her disposal. With that realization came an epiphany: she had already created a home, could she make a dress?

Elsa intently focused, ignoring the pressure building in her temples as she tapped into her magic once more. Starting at the hem would be wisest in the event of a mishap. She gradually raised her arms to channel the energy upwards. A lattice of ice-crystals grew on and in the fabric, destroying the original material in the process. It was working! However, an icy duplicate of her current attire would do little to aid her efforts to create a new identity for herself. In an impetuous act of rebellion, Elsa threw propriety out the proverbial window. A slit in the skirt would enable greater freedom of movement, though it also had the decidedly unladylike effect of exposing her ankles and calves.

Having finished altering the skirt, her magic continued to inch upwards toward the bodice of her gown. Elsa came to the realization that the final result would be a rather plain garment if she made no effort to add embellishments. Perhaps she could experiment with different textures? The crystals grew larger, creating interlocking panels the size of her thumb. It looked incredible, but using such a technique for the sleeves of the garment would restrict movement and be highly impractical. Was it possible to create something more lightweight and breathable for her arms? Such an attempt would be highly experimental in nature, but then again, so was everything else she'd done recently.

Deciding she'd never know if she never tried, Elsa reverted back to her earlier technique of ice-fabric making. This time, however, she expanded the gaps within the structure until it was nothing more than tentatively linked snowflakes. The result was a sheer material that resembled twinkling stars. Elsa raised her arms, one after the other, to examine the process in action. Despite her lack of practice, she felt surprisingly comfortable with this new application of her power. It was time to add some visual flourishes. She thickened areas of the translucent textile, creating borders and stylized designs that glistened like dew-covered diamonds.

Elsa studied her work. The gown was dazzling, but her black dancing slippers seemed woefully out of place. Furthermore, they were already deteriorating due to her extended trek through rough terrain. It seemed an adjustment to her footwear was also in order. She repeated the same process she used on her dress, transforming them into a pair of delicate icy heels. Her new ensemble was complete—and yet…

Jack was examining her from head to toe without saying a word.