"That was beautiful!" Anna claps.

"Why aren't you dancing with Kristoff?" I ask. Most of crowd has begun to dance by now.

Anna tosses her head, her long, red curls bouncing around her shoulders. "I had to congratulate you first. You danced so well!"

I blush. "Thank you, but I am still mad at you. I almost thought that you were going to abandon me in front of everyone. I was about to dance alone and that would not have been a pretty sight."

"I told you to trust me. I wouldn't let you down like that. Speaking of the dance, where is Jack?"

"I'm not sure. He was right here a moment ago."

"Excuse me!" Someone tugs on my dress.

I look down. A little girl, maybe five or six years old, waves up at me. "Miss Queen Elsa?"

I crouch down so that I am at her level. "Hello. Who are you?" I am glad that I no longer have to fear my power getting out of control. Without hesitation, I lay my gloved hand on her arm.

"I'm Lacy." She smiles at me. Her shy, happy eyes crease at the corners. "Can you help me, please?"

Anna sits down next to us. Her soft pink dress folds around her. "How can we help you?"

I wonder what people will think of both the queen and princess of Arendelle sprawled on the floor in the middle of the Queen's Ball.

I shake away the thought. Why am I always so worried about what others think of me? Perhaps they don't even judge me as harshly as I think they do.

And even if they do, that is their problem-not mine.

I shouldn't care if anyone sees me like this. Life is too short, too precious to waste on embarrassment.

The little girl twists her fingers through her short blonde hair. "The funny man is throwing snowballs at us. And he won't stop!" She whines.

"Funny man?" Anna coughs. Her eyes shift to mine and she raises both of her eyebrows. "I wonder who that could be."

"Did he have white hair?" I smile at the little girl, anticipating her nod.

But instead of nodding, she squeals and ducks behind me. "There he is! Run!"

"Wha-?" Anna turns her head and is promptly greeted in the face with a snowball.

Lacy wraps her arms around my waist. "Help me!" She giggles.

"Don't worry." I raise my voice. "The funny man doesn't scare me." I form a snowball of my own.

A splinter of fear works its way into my heart. But I ignore the tremor in my hands.

Fear is no longer my enemy.

I am in control. It doesn't matter if Pitch returns tomorrow or even tonight.

Nothing matters because fear has no hold in my life. Only love remains.

"Oooh!" Lacy touches my snowball. "Can I throw it?"

"Sure." I fold her small fingers around it.

I stand up and lift my gloved hands. "Stop hiding, funny man."

The crowd continues to dance and flirt mere feet from us, oblivious of the carefree adventure of snowballs in summer. I realize that this is the gift that Jack brings to our world. He truly is the guardian of fun.

A snowball swipes my arm. Jack hovers above me. What a show-off. At least most of the people are used to magic by now.

If they weren't, then a flying, white-haired, snowball-throwing boy might alarm them.

Jack drops onto the ground. "You're calling me funny?"

"Hey!" Lacy calls out.

Jack's face breaks into a grin. He leans down and rests his hands on his knees. "Hi there-"

Lacy thrusts a snowball at his chest. Snow sprays across Jack's shirt.

He stumbles back a step. "Whoa-"

Lacy giggles and runs off, her bright yellow skirt bouncing with each step. Anna skips after her.

Jack brushes snow off of his nice shirt. "Your accomplice, I assume?"

"I might have supplied the ammunition, but I didn't put her up to it, if that is what you are implying."

He laughs.

I know his laugh. I have heard it often. I think that it is a good thing for someone to be known for his laughter. Better to be known for joy than sorrow.

I smirk. "Perhaps all girls just naturally dislike you."

"That's not what it seems like to me. I would think the opposite actually." Jack leans toward me.

The depth of his blue eyes throws my thoughts off balance. "Uh, well, you sure are arrogant."

"Perhaps I am arrogant, but you don't seem to mind." Jack winks. "Shall we?" He holds out his hand.

I blink, my mind a blur of tangled thoughts. Heat flickers inside me. What did he mean by that? Does he think that I am attracted to him? And why is he holding out his hand? Does he want to dance with me?

Boys, especially mischievous blue-eyed ones, should come with a manual.

"I'm waiting, princess. Are you going to join me or not?"

"I'm not a princess." I slip my gloved hand onto his. "I'm a queen."

Jack ducks down and drags me behind a bush.

"Jack?" I whisper. "What are you doing? I thought we were going to dance."

"How can you think about dancing at a time like this? We have a kingdom to protect!" Jack lets go of my hand and forms two snowballs. He points at Anna. She stands next to a hidden fountain with Kristoff and a small gathering of children.

Jack hands me a snowball. I could make my own, but this time I don't argue. He reaches for my hand. "Ready?"

"Of course." It is my turn to wink. "Are you?"