Taken by the Ice King

Ep7: Daphne

Never once did his gaze leave mine as he whirls me around and around that dance floor. I almost forgot there are other people around. Almost. Subtle swishes of fabric that passes us every once in a while serves as a soft reminder of others present. I lost track of how many songs we danced to. I lost track of everything but him. I take time to memorize every line. Every curl. Every fleck of dark forest green among his bright emerald irises.

A fear nags me in the back of my mind. That this is all going to be snatched away from me, as every good moment has been by the past that haunts me. A past that isn't even my true past. It is moments and figments that I can't distinguish between dreams and reality. I force myself to push it back, back until I can simply enjoy being here with him. The music thrums through our bodies as he pulls me close to glide in a circle before dipping me. Our faces mere inches away from each other, our lips feeling each others feathering breaths. I take his cheek in my palm.

And then... As if right on cue... Its gone.

"There she is!!" an awful screeching sound echos through the hall and the music comes to a stop. Stomping feet are heard tapping from small pinched feet. I know that walk, that stupid stomping crescendo that emulates a toddler's tantrum. Jimmy.

How could he get past the guards? How did he know I was here? Why is he here?

Connor never breaks eye contact with me as he pulls me up from the dip, never takes his hands off me. As I look to see Jimmy huffing and puffing his way to me, Connor's large form envelops me in its shadow.

"Step aside, I need to speak to Daphne. She assaulted me, and she needs to face the consequences!" My blood runs cold. He can't be serious. As if my thoughts were broadcasted, two large deputies come through the door like they are on a crime show, like they've cornered the suspect. All of a sudden, I feel very trapped, even with Connor standing in front of me.

"First you will tell me how this 'assault' took place, next Daphne will tell her side, and then we will settle this matter like men and not like whiny children who fell down on the playground. Do I make myself clear? James?" I feel the vibrations of Connor's deep voice as I pressed myself into his back. I feel the tension rippling across the muscles of his broad back. I let myself think for a second that I can hide behind him for forever. I was a fool. A fool to think I could escape for long. The sheriff's department doesn't like my dad. They don't like me because of him, because of how I've defended him.

"You have no stake in this matter, stand aside and let the police handle this matter." Jimmy reaches his hand out to take me. I see the shadow growing across the floor and then, just as his slimy fingers with dirt-packed fingernails reach for me, his arm is gripped in a vice. That vice being Connor's grip.

"Where Daphne is concerned, I do have a stake. Now, we can either handle this with manners and all go home tonight, or... One of us can visit the ER. Which would you prefer, James?" Jimmy attempts to rip his arm out of Connor's grasp, but it only makes Connor grip down tighter, causing Jimmy to squeal in pain.

"Let go of me, you big oaf!" Jimmy swings his fist. But Connor was ready. He grabs Jimmy's fist and wrestles him to the ground. If it had stayed between Connor and Jimmy perhaps it would have been over quickly but one of the deputies joins. Connor's father and mother rush over looking like ice royalty.

"Stop this! Now!" Connor, Jimmy, and the deputy stop, turning to look at Connor's father. Mr. Fox. I see where Connor gets his stature and his frame from. Mr. Fox bends down and helps Connor up while Jimmy and the deputy pull themselves off the floor. Out of the corner of my eye I see something getting closer to me. Its the other deputy. He is inching his way towards me and has his handcuffs in one hand while the other is reaching for me.

I don't think. I just turn and bolt. I hear Connor, Jimmy, Sonya, the deputies, and Mr. Fox all screaming after me. I run to the door. I know if I slow down to open it the deputies will catch me. I can hear their thundering feet behind me. As if answering my silent plea for help, Mrs. Fox beats me to the door and opens it for me. She must have moved before I did because I swear she was right next to Mr. Fox.

As I run through the door she slams it and locks it behind me. I get to the end of the hall. Oh damn. Now what? Where do I go? What do I do? I can't run all the way home in this outfit in the snow. A loud band sounds through the hallway and I don't need spidey senses to tell me that I have about 2 seconds before the deputies make it through that door.

The courtyard. There are a million places to hide. Maybe if I hide long enough itll buy me some time to figure out what to do next. I throw open the doors and immediately regret my decision. That stupid cloak was still hanging in the foyer to the ballroom. Screw it. I look around me. No one else is out here even though the Fox family has decorated the courtyard as well. Twinkling lights are above me as well as blue and ice white garland that laces itself over the hedges.

The snow glitters like diamonds. It really is a winter wonderland. A shiver runs through me as a harsh wind blows my dress up to my knees. I wrap my arms around myself to try to stave off the cold but this biting wind seems to push right through me. I'm starting to doubt whether or not I can continue to hide out here.

"There she is! Stop right there! You're under arrest for assault!"

Yeah, yeah I can. I whirl around to see those two beefcake deputies bounding down the steps to the courtyard. There is a hedge that runs along the edge of the courtyard and beyond it lies a field that borders the forest that the Foxes own. If I can make it there maybe I can find my way back home.

I run with earnest to the hedge. Hoping. Praying. Pleading with whatever rules above us to let me make it to freedom. I've never been to jail and I don't plan on going. Unemployment I can handle, but jail... What would happen to Peps? I make it to the hedge and start making my way through. Its so hard to make my way through the brush and the snow keeps falling on me. Geez, some of it just went in my cleavage. Great, just perfect; my face is frozen, my feet are frozen and now my boobs will be frozen.

I hear the brush behind me moving. I turn and look fearing that the deputies somehow caught up to me. I keep walking backwards but I see its Connor. Relief floods me and I let out the breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Daphne!" He whispers and holds out his hand. But before I can even react my foot hits a branch and I fall backwards. I fall through brush, branches and snow. But then I keep falling as if I have fallen into a hole. You know when your stomach feels suspended when you dive down the hill on a rollercoaster? Okay, this is that x1000.

Finally I land on a couple branches, which roll me onto another couple of branches, which then roll me face first into a pile of snow. I look up, shaking the snow out of my hair and off my face but I cannot believe what I am seeing.