Chapter Text
Two months to heal from the wounds he received from Chaos.
According to Jacks and accepted by Chaos, Chaos now owes Jacks two additional Unforgiveable Debts.
One day of finding out Evangeline had no memory of him.
It’s for the best. It still worked out for him. He can now focus on getting Tella back.
A month begrudgingly repairing his friendship with Chaos
After all, it was Jacks’s fault he was what he was.
Four months dragging Chaos around to look for alternatives to travel back in time.
He was still convinced Tella was the love of his life. Evangeline is still a good asset to keep with her special ability and the last kiss she owed him. That’s why he used the stones on her. Nothing. More.
Three months in the Meridian Empire.
The weather was pleasant.
Two months preparing his return to Magnificent North society.
Apollo was close to introducing the Valor family back to rule as they regained their strength since the opening of the Valory Arch.
He had kept tabs on Evangeline through whispers and scandal sheets. The scandal sheets wrote about how she was a very kind Queen who did what she could to help elevate her people. She was involved with a lot of outreach programs and helped foster good relations between the nations within a few months after taking time off to heal.
The world was sympathetic to her lost memories. She has yet to regain them.
The whispers, however, spoke of the troubled marriage. That’s all Jacks knew were the rumors how Queen Evangeline threw herself in her charitable work to escape King Apollo’s control. The comments about being in love that were a touch bitter and more sarcastic upon second glance were not missed by him.
She was once quoted saying, “I have so much love to give that I can’t bear to keep it all so I give it to the world who is more deserving of it.”
He would be lying if he didn’t enjoy the once love-will-conquer-everything Evangeline started to see the world through his jaded eyes.
When he heard that Apollo was planning to introduce the Valor family back to rule, he was tempted to continue staying in Valenda. The weather was nice, he could keep an eye on Tella and he had full control over his powers. Plus not seeing Evangeline was an added benefit.
When Chaos said he found something worth exploring into, it prompted Jacks to go back to the Magnificent North.
It had been a little under two months since his return and Chao’s findings sound promising. He was in the middle of setting his house in order when a royal invite arrived through the mail. The birthday gala for Queen Evangeline. He couldn’t resist the opportunity. He had to see her for himself.
Today was his first appearance back into the Magnificent North Court.
“Are you even ready to see her?” LaLa asked as she sipped her tea. Jacks checked his reflection on a full-length mirror.
“I won’t be there for long,” he stated. “I am meeting with Chaos tonight.”
LaLa raised her eyebrows, taking another sip. Jacks rolled his eyes, knowing what she was implying. She laughed in return and then said, “So remind me again why didn’t you just use the stones to go back to Diana?”
“We’ve been over this,” Jacks said flatly. “Chaos would have killed her regardless since she will never learn any sense of self-preservation. Doesn’t change that Donatella is my one true love.”
LaLa got up from her seat and walked next to Jacks, admiring his choice of attire. She nodded in approval before looking at Jacks and teased, “Do try not to fall in love and make sure she doesn’t too.”
***
Jacks entered the magnificent halls and groaned upon the decor chosen. Of course, Evangeline would pick a Ballad of the Archer and the Fox theme. There were themed food and drinks, spectral foxes running around with servants dressed up as archers, an archery range outside - complete with apples for targets.
“Hello, Lord Jacks,” a lady approached him. “We’ve been missing you.”
Jacks eyed the lady down and walked away. He walked around the room, ignoring most who greeted him. He dodged needy lords wanting to strike a bargain with him. He scowled at the sight of Marisol talking to different guests. He refused to entertain any lady who spoke to him.
He told himself he wanted one glance of Evangeline and then he’ll leave to meet with Chaos to get back what he was owed.
He approached a corridor when he heard a voice of someone he hadn’t heard in months. The ring of defiance and stubbornness flooded back so many memories for him that he can just imagine the faces that would accompany the words.
“It’s my birthday,” she said. “You had to invite her to my birthday?”
“My heart,” the male voice tried to soothe the angry voice. “It wouldn’t look good if she wasn’t here.”
“Don’t My Heart me,” she seethed. “I asked for one thing for my birthday and you couldn’t even promise me to act like a loving devoted husband for one night.”
“No,” King Apollo said slowly. “You asked for the Ballad theme, which I still delivered despite –”
“Despite what? I lost my mem-mor-rees so you’re going to spell it out more carefully your specific problem with it.”
“You’re impossible,” King Apollo said as Jacks heard boots stomping farther away from him.
“So much for trying!” Evangeline called out to him. Jacks stayed where he was when Evangeline emerged from the corridor. He held his breath by the sight of her. Her features were more defined now that she had gotten older. Her rose gold hair swooped up to a messy bun, exposing the shoulders and neck he remembered kissing and licking.
She grabbed a goblet from a passing waiter and knocked it back in one movement. She made a face as she swallowed and muttered, “I specifically asked for something other than the Taste of Love drink.”
“What does it taste like?” Jacks asked her, reacting as he normally does to her. He kicked himself mentally for engaging in a conversation. But like a moth, he knew how little restraints he had towards her.
She eyed him with annoyance, “It changes for everyone.”
“I know that but what does it taste like to you?”
As another server walked by, she traded her empty goblet for a full one and downed it all the same. She didn’t grimace when she was done, almost accepting that the flavor will never change for her.
“Like apples mixed with something like blood,” she said, admiring the goblet’s design of tiny foxes dancing.
Jacks grinned, showing off the dimples on his face, “So not your husband.”
“Don’t even get me started,” she groaned. “If you heard our little argument, please keep it to yourself.”
“Not as Happily Ever After as you thought?”
She turned to face him and said with a smile from the perfected skill of someone in the public eye, “Every marriage has its trials.”
“Right,” he drawled.
They stood next to each other, both unable to move. Evangeline surveyed the room critically. There was laughter and dancing but it seemed like no one seemed to pay much attention to the Queen. Jacks reached for an apple in his pocket to munch on, still unable to tear his eyes from her. A year ago, Evangeline would struggle to find her footing and didn’t know how to handle being the attention - this Evangeline was more secure with herself, fully knowing her worth.
A few stretches of silence later and Evangeline sighed, “I have to be a good hostess. It was nice talking to you, Lord?”
Before Jacks could lie his name, King Apollo appeared before them, red-faced and almost lost all sense of composure. Jacks could tell he was angry because he was scared, which Jacks thought was unusual for him.
“What are you doing here?”
“I’ll be leaving soon but I was invited,” Jacks drawled.
“By who?” Apollo said, with his hand ready on his sword.
Jacks realized his invitation was a fake and there was only one mastermind who was gleeful he took the bait.
“By me,” Evangeline lied.
Jacks caught Evangeline's slight flinch as Apollo turned towards her, his deep set eyes on fire. He decided he didn’t like her reaction, surmising that Apollo did it often to her when they were alone. Without realizing, he grabbed Evangeline’s hand and pulled her behind him to shield from the irate King.
This made Apollo even madder, now visibly shaken. Jacks turned his head and saw Evangeline with her eyes closed, taking in some deep breaths.
“I will have you thrown out!’ Apollo spat.
“You will do no such thing,” Jacks said in a low voice.
Just as he was about to will Apollo into allowing him to stay, Evangeline took a step from Jacks’s back to face her husband. She looked up to him, matching his anger that has been stewing far longer than any one has realized.
“He is my guest,” she said flatly.
The way she carried her tone was enough to cause people’s heads to turn. The anger from Apollo’s face switched to panic as he glanced around. Jacks knew how important Apollo’s image was to him - even if it extended to people believing their marriage was a perfect one.
“What are you doing?” Apollo whispered.
Her voice was just as low, “Surely you can allow me to talk to one man who I don’t even know while you openly flirt with others in front of me.”
“He is dangerous.”
Jacks heard her continue, “Don’t mistake me for a fool, my heart. I know about your trips to visit Serendipity. I see the way you eye that Darling twit and I hear the promises you make to Marisol so unless you tell me why I shouldn’t talk to this man, I will.”
She took a step back and cleared her throat. She smiled pleasantly at Apollo. “My heart, are you kicking out my guest on my birthday?”
Jacks couldn’t help the smirk as Apollo stammered, trying to find a good reason. He relented and shook his head no, focusing on Evangeline.
“I apologize, my heart,” he said with resignation. “I must have mistaken him for someone else. He is, as you say, your guest, after all.”
Both their smiles dropped as soon as the crowd went back to having their fun at the party. He watched Apollo grab Evangeline’s arm, squeezing it tight as he dragged her closer to whisper something Jacks couldn’t hear. Jacks focused on his hand to get it to loosen his grip. The urge to do so much more came stronger that he produced an apple to calm himself. Apollo gave him one more murderous look, shoved Evangeline away and then walked off.
It took a few seconds before Evangeline turned around. She smiled at Jacks, “Don’t worry about him. He’s been a little erratic since he heard someone is back in town. Please don’t leave because of him. Enjoy the party for as long as you want.”
“He is right about me,” Jacks said coolly, looking at the apple. “I am dangerous.”
Evangeline rolled her eyes, “so is half this room and yet here I still am.”
He looked down to Evangeline and extended his arm out to her, curious by the shift of her attitude from a year ago. He should have left by now to visit Chaos but still, the pull towards her was stronger. He vowed that he’ll leave when she would but the curiosity to meet this Evangeline was more interesting than whatever Chaos had to say. She surprised him by linking her arm through his and they started walking.
“The garden is wonderful to visit,” she said. “If you haven’t yet.”
“Did he hurt you?” Jacks asked as he leaned into her, surprised by how tender his voice was.
She looked up to him like she had deja vu, temporarily unsure how to answer. She seemed like she was trying to piece where she had a similar interaction, knowing it was not from the past she knew.
Her response made him angrier than he anticipated. “Nothing out of the ordinary.”
They were stopped by Kristof Knightlinger who asked for a comment. Jacks tried to maneuver Evangeline away from the prying writer, remembering the lengths Evangeline went to avoid him. But now, she told him that she would love nothing more than to catch up with an old friend. Kristof asked about their argument and she offered a response that planning an event can get hectic and misunderstandings can happen.
“So, Ballad of the Archer and the Fox,” Jacks asked as they left the great room to go to the enchanted garden where the snow stayed but the cold didn’t.
“It’s my favorite story growing up,” she explained. “I used to wish to know what happened at the end but now, I think I like not knowing.”
“I can tell you what happened at the end.”
“Go on?”
“He caught the fox and he killed her,” Jacks said flatly.
He expected Evangeline to argue with him, like how she used to so steadfastly before piecing together they were the same person. He expected her to tell him he was wrong and that there were so many possibilities that could happen in a story that had no end.
“Perhaps,” Evangeline said as they both sat down on a garden bench. He brought down her hand from his arm into his hands. He didn’t want to let go of her. She let him. He turned her wrist to face him, looking at the last scar he left on her.
She thoughtfully looked up to the starry sky. She had spent a lot of time thinking of the story, taking it on like it was a life mission to think of all the possibilities of the ending.
“He definitely killed her.”
Now it was her turn to look at him. She said with a wistful smile, “The story has no ending because it is still ongoing.”
“I can say for certain that he killed her.”
“Then he got the wrong fox,” she said with a shrug. “Maybe the archer misunderstood the curse. The archer may have loved the fox but that doesn’t mean she was his true love.”
Jacks offered no response, since it was something he pushed away in his mind. They both looked up at the sky and she continued, “The fox could also have been happy that she was killed because that moment with the archer is better than a lifetime without.”
The image of Evangeline dying his arms, the smile on her face when he was with her in her final moment was too much for him right now. LaLa was right, he wasn’t ready to see her. Even after a year, and a changed destiny later, it felt too soon too raw.
“Stop.”
Evangeline turned to Jacks with surprise, “I apologize if I made you uncomfortable. I just spent a lot of time thinking about this with no one to talk to.”
Jacks grounded his jaw and let his hands go from Evangeline’s. He crossed his arms over his chest, not wanting to be there anymore but still not wanting to leave her side. She rested her hands on her lap and went back to looking at the sky, observing the constellations that adorned the space.
“I used to be much more hopeful once.” Evangeline confided.
“I remember.”
She turned to face him, “So you do know me.”
“You're the Queen Evangeline,” Jacks drawled. “Who doesn’t know you?”
“Apparently, I don’t know me,” she said. “Apollo said he loved that hopeful side of me but I couldn’t find it back.”
“Will you tell me what happened between you two?” Jacks said, a little more bitter than he intended, now angry by the way Apollo had handled her.
“Will you please tell me your name if I do?”
Jacks nodded, despite his wanting to leave. He hadn’t planned on staying this long. But he was also worried what would happen between her and Apollo if he left her.
“Losing my memories took a huge part of me and my identity,” she said sadly. “I just remembered being in a great deal of stress while it happened. On top of the other big losses that I couldn’t explain, it just carried on through the whole year. Apollo and I tried but well, he couldn’t quit other women and I am also quite jealous.”
“Oh, I know.”
She pouted at him and he laughed. He realized that Evangeline didn’t change - not completely. She did grow into her own as beautifully as her features had. Her face no longer had that girlish charm with the more sculpted cheekbones and fuller bow-like lips. Her stormy eyes were now optimistic as opposed to idealistic. Everything he knew about her was there. It just grew up with the rest of her.
“It’s Jacks,” he finally said.
“So I do know you. Or rather, my former self knew you.”
They turned to look at each other, Jacks’s confused face to her serene smile. She reached for his hand to squeeze and this time, he allowed her to do so.
“I saw a letter on my dresser,” she said. “It said for me to trust Apollo and not to trust you. If I may be candid, Lord Jacks, it seems like my former self may have been a tad in love with you because the letter heavily complimented your appearance.”
“I suspect she was,” Jacks said flatly. “She definitely was a pain to me considering how many times I’ve saved her - your - life.”
Evangeline removed her hands from Jacks’s to use them to cover her mouth as she laughed, feeling a blush creep up on her face.
“Was I that bad?”
“The worst,” Jacks insisted. “You had absolutely no sense of self-preservation.”
“Oh, come on,” she said. “She called you a manipulator.”
“Have you learned how to swim?”
“No, why would I?”
“See,” Jacks said as he shook his head. “The worst. I thought it was bad when you nearly got bitten by that boyfriend vampire the first time but not as bad as when I had to jump off a cliff because someone didn’t know how to swim.”
He turned around to face her and she did the same to him. He placed his hands on her chin so that she could be focused on him. They gazed into each other’s eyes, feeling like time had stopped. His eyes trailed her laughing eyes to her perfectly kissable lips and then to the crook of her neck.
“A nightmare,” he said.
“Well,” she said. “If you have saved former me with the same amount of care as the times you’ve saved me tonight, I too might be a little bewitched by you.”
Jacks said with a smirk, “you still need to be careful with your words, Little Fox.”
As soon as his nickname for her left his lips, he watched her furrowed her eyebrows in confusion. He watched her shake her head and take a couple of deep breaths, as though she had woken from a nightmare. She broke away from his gaze and faced completely forward. She fanned herself with her hands while muttering something like what is going on or this can’t be happening . She got up and started pacing back and forth with her hands on her temples.
“Little Fox?” He asked with hesitation.
“I - I need to get back,” she stammered. “People will start talking since we’ve been out here too long.”
She turned around to leave but he reached out for her wrist, holding her still. He implored her with his eyes and she refused to look at him. He watched her steadying her breathing, her head was low and her shoulders were slumped.
“Little Fox?” he repeated, a little more nervous.
“Why are you here now?” she asked, almost ashamed she spoke. “I thought you’d be with Tella by now.”