She leaned her head against the car window, feeling bone-weary and emotionally exhausted. Everything seemed like it was moving steadily forward, forced along on tracks that led directly into Jack's arms. She blushed at the thought, pulling out of her thoughts and lifting her head up.

She blinked, taking in the sights outside of the car. Glacia hadn't been lying. It really did look like what she was use to seeing. The main difference seemed to be the few...people she saw before the car quickly passed by. Some looked a lot like anyone else she might find on the street. Others were nearly eight or nine feet tall. A few had body parts of animals or their body seemed to be shaped in a way a human body couldn't accomplish in the least. She shuddered, biting back a cry of disgust when she caught sight of what looked like a slimy blob of goo crawling along a sidewalk.

She turned her head to look out of the back of car. In the distance she could see the place that she was evidently expected to call home now. The Winter Palace looked straight out of an icy fantasy. The sky above the palace had many heavy, snow-filled grey clouds, blocking out most of the sun and sky. Looking forward, out the front window shield of the car, she saw a place to the south that looked the exact opposite of the Winter Palace. From the large amount of distance that was between the car and it, she could see that it too looked like a medieval, fantasy castle. But instead of snow, it looked incredibly warm. Curious, she pointed forward, toward it. "What's that place?" she asked.

"That is the Summer Castle. It is where the royals associated with summer. To the east is the Spring Meadow, with royals associated with growth and new life dwell. To the west is the Autumn Hall, home of all things to do with slow, creeping death." Glacia explained in a bored voice.

"Oh," Nisha murmured. "I thought winter would be associated with death."

Glacia turned slightly in her seat to look at her. "Oh, it is. But it is mostly associated with cold. Autumn is the slow death of the world before winter sets in. If it helps, as far as the four main elements go, think of spring as earth, summer as fire, autumn as wind, and winter as water."

"O-okay. So what about the rest of the world? Not everything here can fall neatly into those four categories, can they? Also, you mentioned the royals of those seasons. So, what makes someone...uh, royal to begin with?"

The woman's brown eyes lit up slightly. "I'm glad you are showing such interest in your new home. Royals are those creatures who are not originally from the...modern interest of humans."

Nisha frowned. "Uh, what?"

Glacia sighed. "All of us supernatural beings are closely tied to humans. We are, essentially, created from the minds and myths of humans. Royals are the beings who have existed for a long time. But not only those who have existed for a long time. They must be powerful beings as well, besides long-lived. Examples of royals are deities, elementals, spirits, demons, yokai, the Fae, and dragons. Of course, this is not all of them, but it should give you an idea of what I mean. Beings who have only become part of main-stream culture as of the last century or so are not royals. Beings like slimes and other monsters from movies, TV shows, and video games. Besides the fact that they are such young creatures, most are not very powerful in the least."

Slowly, Nisha nodded. "O-okay. I guess that clears up some of the confusion, but I'm still confused either way." When the older woman sighed, she smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry."

Shaking her head, Glacia smiled apologetically as well. "Really, you do not need to apologize. You have literally been brought to a completely different world. It is only natural that you are feeling confused, overwhelmed, and uncertain. I don't mean to seem short with you."

Grace cut in. "To be honest, I could probably do with some lessons myself. This is our new home, after all. The better I understand it, the easier my life will become."

Nisha cut her grandmother a sharp, side-ways glance. Once again her grandmother surprised her. Was she truly okay with everything that was happening? Didn't she wish to return home as well, back to a world that made sense? Nisha couldn't understand what was going on in her grandmother's head.

"A wise idea, Grace. While Nisha is at school I will give you a few short lessons. It would be good for you to learn as well, as you said," Glacia said approvingly. "Ah, we are here. Go ahead and remove your coats, you two."

Nisha glanced out the window, taking in the European mansion. It looked like a less grand version of the White House, except it was made out a brick instead of being all white. She sucked in a sharp, nervous breath. I don't think I can handle all of this, she thought in terror. Quickly, she and her grandmother did as Glacia had instructed.

The servant stepped out first and opened the passenger door. Once he...she...it had helped Glacia out it moved to help Grace and then Nisha. She tried not to shudder at the strange touch of the Shadow person. It was very odd, almost like grasping something that was both at once thick and also insubstantial. Suppressing her initial reaction, she smiled and thanked the servant who answered with a bob of their head as the one before had.

By the time all three of them were out of the car, a person was coming forth from the school entrance. Nisha tried not to pale as a headless person came forward. Well, not completely headless. A thick, black, fire-like substance came out from where its head should have been. Its head was carried against its side and she was able to tell it was male. He wore a black shirt and pants. And though it was a little tricky to tell, since he was decapitated, he looked to be about forty-five, maybe a little older.

The wide, vicious grin on the man's face disturbed her and she tried not to scream as his mouth opened, revealing sharp teeth, like a shark's and a voice that made her think of horror movies and nightmares. "Lady of Winter, it is so good to see you," the headless man purred. His black eyes took in Grace and Nisha. "I assume the young lady is the one we spoke of?"

Glacia stepped forward. "Yes, Headmaster Blake. This is Nisha Caldwell, who is here to take her special assessment tests before she formally begins classes tomorrow, with the new start of the school week."

The man was unable to nod, but he let out a small noise that was a verbal affirmative. "Well, special circumstances being what they are...Still though, it is quite bizarre for a human to be enrolled into the Royal Academy. This is a very bold move you are taking, Lady Frost."

Nisha wanted to agree but stayed silent. "Yes, well, it is as you said. Now, let us get the enrollment out of the way," Glacia muttered.

The headmaster dipped into an awkward little bow. "As you wish, my lady. Please, follow me." Turning on his heel, he led the way into the school.

Nisha tried not to drag her feet as she followed behind Headmaster Blake, Glacia, and Grace. She glanced around the school. It looked a lot like any other school she would expect. In the front entrance was a place for students to hang up coats, hats, and to place things like umbrellas, so they wouldn't have to carry them between classes. Right past the entrance the hallway split to the right and left. Blake led the way to the left. With no other choice but to follow, she found that both hallways were filled with lockers. There weren't as many as she was expecting though. On the left side was only about a hundred or so. All the lockers were quite large as well, about four feet tall and two feet wide.

Eventually they came to a door on the right side of the hallway that said 'Office'. Blake walked through and moved to the very back room, into his personal office. Once he was behind his desk, he motioned with his free hand for the women to have a seat in front of his desk. His head still grinning, he cleared his throat. "Now, Miss Caldwell. It is my understanding that you known nothing about our world, correct?"

Nisha barely stopped herself from flinching at having his disturbing voice directed at her. "Um, y-yes, that's right, Headmaster, sir," she stuttered.

The man's grin grew at how obvious it was that he unnerved her. "I am the first dullahan you have encountered, I take it?" At her nod, his tone of voice somehow shifted into a smirk. "Impressed, are you?"

She cleared her throat. "I-I don't mean to be rude, sir," she quickly apologized.

He let out a sharp, half evil-sounding laugh. "My dear, my kind feed on the fear of humans. If anything, your fear makes me feel better about myself. Don't worry though. I won't do anything like throw blood on you, whip out your eyes, or call for your death. You have no need to worry about my carriage coming to a halt." At her confused expression, he laughed harder. "Perhaps you should do your research, child."

"I'm glad you are so laidback about my granddaughter's reaction to yourself."

The man's black eyes moved over to Grace. "Yes, well. It is not surprising really. What is surprising is how little of a reaction you are showing to this. Being as you are an old woman, I would expect you to be muttering in terror off in the corner."

Grace straightened her shoulders. "Oh, don't worry about me, sir. I'm built of strong stuff. It will take a lot more than a headless man to scare me that badly."

Blake's body dipped into another awkward bow. "I am impressed, grandmother. I can only hope your granddaughter has half of your spine, for she will need it. None of the students here have really ever seen a human before. And we supernatural beings are very prejudice against humans. Most of us see them as lesser beings. I, of course, will do my best to stop such thoughts, but I am only one dullahan. And no matter how much I ask others to behave, I cannot control how they think or what they believe."

Grace inclined her head in thanks. "I appreciate all that you can and will do to help Nisha along in her time here."

Blake turned his gaze to Glacia. "This woman is as proud and gracious as you yourself, Lady Winter. I thank you for giving me the pleasure to meet her today." He let out a sigh, turning back to Nisha. "Now, girl, we will begin the enrollment. What school were you going to before you came to this world?"

The next hour went by as Blake used the computer on his desk to fill out all her student information. Once that was done, he showed her to an empty classroom and had her sit down to take her entrance exams. Grace and Glacia sat in the desks a few rows behind her, talking quietly amongst theirselves. She was thankful that Glacia hadn't being lying and all the topics on her exams were things she recognized. It took her three hours before she was done. Then she sat back down while Blake began going through her tests, grading them. He placed his head on the teacher's desk and held the tests up in front of his face so that he could see them.

It took him another forty-five minutes to get done. Once he was, he let out a sharp laugh. "It's good to see that you aren't as dumb as you look, Miss Caldwell." Nisha blushed and Glacia coughed sharply, throwing him a glare. "I don't mean to offend, I'm just being honest. I can't say much for the things that you could not be tested on. But at least with what you were tested on, you did quite well. You scored an eighty-seven on your math, a ninety in your science, and a ninety-five in your literary understanding. Now, when you start school tomorrow, there are a few things that will be different for you. First of all, when everything that is different from the Human world is being discussed, you will be pulled out of class and to a separate classroom. During that time, you will be taught everything you need to know to get you caught up to what your peers will know and understand. Obviously, you will never be quite as good or knowledgeable in those subjects as you have not lived your whole life learning and knowing about them. But we will do the best we can in the two years we have until you graduate."

Slowly, Nisha nodded. "Alright. That sounds easy enough."

Blake rose from the desk. "Follow me. We'll go ahead and get your textbooks and also assign you a locker." The women stood as well, following him out of the classroom as he continued to explain things to Nisha. "This school works differently than your American schools. Students are placed into one designated class and their teachers are switched out, teaching different subjects. Obviously, you will be placed in 2-B, the same class as Jack Frost. I wouldn't want to break up you two, lovers as you are."

Nisha blushed harder at his words. Glacia cleared her throat. "Headmaster Blake, are such comments really necessary?"

Grace chuckled. "It's not like he's causing any harm. Besides, they are engaged. I assume nearly the whole Other Realm knows by now, or have at least heard rumors."

Blake came to a sudden stop, spinning on his heel. His head's eyes were very wide and his malicious grin was somehow...softer looking. His black gaze studied Grace. "Might I ask if you are currently seeing anyone, Mrs. Caldwell?"

The women all froze at his question. Nisha watched in amazement as her grandmother actually began to blush. "Well...I-I..."

His grin transformed into something that was somehow both dark and warm at the same time. It was a fascinating change. "If I was a good hundred years younger, Mrs. Caldwell, I would be asking you out to dinner. Though, I do hope one of these days you take me up on my offer."

Nisha's eyes grew wide. This...dullahan was actually hitting on her grandmother!

Grace blushed harder. "I..." she cleared her throat. "I appreciate the offer, but I don't think I will ever really date again. Besides, I'm much too old for that sort of thing."

He laughed; this too sounding less...menacing. "Mrs. Caldwell, I am two-hundred and thirty-eight years old. I do not think you can beat me on how long you have been alive. Besides, despite your age and the fact that you are a human, you are quite beautiful. And you are a very intriguing woman, one who I find both attractive physically and mentally. I feel like we could get lost in conversation over the smallest things."

Her grandmother took in a deep breath. "I thank you for the interest you have shown in me. But, I've only ever loved one man in my life and I will never be able to love another like I did him."

He let out a sigh. "Well, if you insist. I'll let it go, for now. But let me warn you, Mrs. Caldwell. I am both a very stubborn and patient man." Turning back to face forward, he continued on. Only now he was whistling softly under his breath.

Nisha glanced between the dullahan and her grandmother several times. She was still trying to process what had just happened by the time they had made it back to the office. On top of the secretary's desk were all her textbooks, which she hadn't noticed the first time they came through. Headmaster Blake came back a few minutes later with a slip of paper and a bag for her to carry all her books in. She followed him back out into the hall, this time going all the way to the right side of the entrance. He stopped about halfway down the hallway. "This will be your locker, Miss Caldwell, locker 237. Here is the paper with your combination. The way these locks work is three turns to the right, two to the left, and then one to the right again. Your combination is 14-25-7. Go ahead and try it out several times, until you get it down."

Nisha did as he suggested. It took her ten tries before it began to become almost second nature to her, memorizing the way the lock worked and the numbers she needed. She nearly jumped when his free hand patted her left shoulder. She had been focusing too much, besides the fact she hadn't expected him to touch her. "Excellent," he muttered. "Now, we'll go ahead and place your text books inside your locker. I assume you have a book bag?"

"Yes, I have already had all the things she will need purchased," Glacia spoke up. The woman had been quiet for so long, Nisha had half-forgotten that she was still there.

"Excellent," Blake repeated. "Well then. The only thing I have left to say is good luck tomorrow. Also, let me officially welcome you to the RoyalAcademy."

Nisha smiled, bobbing her head in a slight nod. "T-thank you, Headmaster," she said, slightly awkward.

His hand lifted from her shoulder. "Don't worry, my dear. You'll grow use to all this soon. Until then, I'm sure you'll be quite overwhelmed and confused. I will do my best to help though." The dullahan walked the women out, locking the academy doors behind him. "I only arrived half an hour before you three showed up," he explained at Nisha's curious expression. "Technically the school is closed today, but this was a special type of emergency, so I came to get things ready. Have a good day, ladies," he dipped into another bow.

The three got back into the car and began to drive back to the WinterPalace. Grace let out a soft laugh. "Well, that was certainly interesting."

Nisha watched her grandmother. "I still can't believe he asked you out, Nana."

Glacia snorted in laughter as well. "Headmaster Blake has always been the bold sort. Even so, that was definitely not what I was expecting either." She twisted in her seat, studying Grace. "He's a good man, despite appearances. You would do well to think over his offer some more. Even though being with a dullahan like him would have it's...challenges, I really do think the two of you could get along quite well."

Grace blushed again. "Well...I mean..." she took in a deep breath. "I'll have to think about it," she finally settled on saying. Nisha looked between the two women. She wasn't sure how she should be reacting to all of this. Both to the fact that a man had asked her elderly grandmother out, or that the man in question wasn't even human. Shaking her head, she stared out the window. It was a half hour long drive back to the palace. By the time they got back, it was already three in the afternoon.

Jack was waiting for them in the driveway. He waved excitedly as soon as he saw the car come to a stop. Nisha gulped nervously as she quickly began putting her coat, gloves, and scarf back on. By the time she was done, Jack was opening her door. "Nisha, you're back," he said happily. "You were taking forever. I didn't think you'd ever come back." She closed her eyes, fighting the temptation to tell him that she hoped she could one day say that and make it come true. "C'mon, I'll help you inside." He held out his hand to her. Slowly, she placed her gloved hand in his bare one.

He flashed a quick smile. "One blizzard-free trip to the house, coming right up!" he chuckled. He changed, whistling under his breath. His grip on her hand tightened and he placed an arm around her waist. "I know you said that you don't want me touching you, but I kind of create ice wherever I go when I use my abilities. For safety's sake, I'll have to briefly break the promise I made," he explained.

She nodded. Jack had somehow created a little bubble around them that blocked out all the cold, all the wind, all the snow. The only thing that remained was the ice under his feet. He seemed to have no trouble walking on it though. He walked on the ice like it was a dry, flat surface. Despite her apprehension at him touching her, she was truly grateful for his hold around her. Without his strong, sure arms, she was sure she would have broken her neck trying to walk over the ice he created.

When they enter the palace, she sucked in a deep breath. "I-if you can do something like that, why didn't you do it when we left my house?"

He smiled a little sheepishly. "I can honestly only do one thing at a time. Either push away all cold or bring it about. I can't do both at the same time and I needed to use my blizzard to transport us to the Other realm."

Slowly, she nodded. "Well, then, why did you have to use a blizzard? How could that even work as a type of transportation?"

He shrugged. "Magic," he said, as if that should be explanation enough.

She sighed, beginning to take off her coat, gloves and scarf. Midway through doing so, Grace and Glacia entered the palace. Her grandmother shivered slightly as soon as she stepped through the door. "Burr...Ah, that heat feels very good on my old bones..."

Glacia glared at her son. "I know you were trying to impress Nisha, but your little trick made it much harder on both Grace and I. She nearly fell several times trying to make it inside."

Grace glanced at Jack, who had turned pale at his mother's words. "I...well, it wasn't that bad. Jack, don't you worry. I'm a tough old lady."

He watched her for several seconds. Then, before anyone could react, he stepped forward and pulled her into a hug. "No, Mother is right. I should have stopped to think about my actions. Oh, Nana, if you had fallen and broken your leg or hip..." Jack's voice cracked with sorrow and worry. "I'm so sorry, Grandmother," he said formally, stepping back and dipping into a deep bow. "It was stupid of me to do that."

Blinking, staring at him in a mixture of surprise and uncertainty, Grace shook her head. "Really, you don't have to be that upset about it. I'm not, in the slightest. Like I said, you don't need to worry about it."

Nisha glared at him as well. "Nana, you really shouldn't be so soft on him. If you had fallen..." her voice dipped to threatening levels.

Jack spun on his heel, facing her. His face was filled with panic. "Nisha, hjarta mítt, I'm so sorry. I was acting like a child when I did that." His voice dropped to something that held an edge of pain. "Please, love, can you forgive me?"

She desperately wanted to tell him to stop referring to her by those endearments. She wanted to scream at him that she wasn't going to love him, let alone marry him. She didn't even want to live with him. It was only because he had taken her away from her home, her very world. He had literally whisked her away in a storm, forcing a life upon her that she didn't want to live.

Instead, she sucked in a deep breath, closing her eyes. In a voice that was mostly calm, she answered. "I'll forgive you, for now. But don't do something like that again, Jack." Slowly, she opened her eyes, looking directly into his eyes.

He nodded quickly, stepping forward, a little closer to her. "No, I promise I won't. Thank you," he whispered, true gratitude in his voice. "Thank you for forgiving me, Nisha. You don't know how much that means to me..."

Despite herself, she blushed. His voice, his face, his eyes. They were filled with that unnerving intensity once more. Though, somehow, it had increased since the last time she had seen it in his expression. He's acting like he would have died if I hadn't forgiven him, she muttered in her mind. Can someone really feel like that though? Jack really doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me, she sighed.