Mark bowed his head a little, watching his warm breath visibly puff over Nathan's chest. Nathan's hands ran through his hair, whispering out to him with a deep concern. "Are you cold?" Mark gently took ahold of Nathan's wrist, pulling his hand from his hair to kiss his palm. Then taking a slow deep breath, he whispered back to him. "I'm ok. The blanket helps." Nathan smiled, pulling the blanket up over his shoulders more. Kissing Nathan's cheek, Mark whispered close to his ear. "You don't have to do this with me... You can save yourself for someone..." Nathan's hands slid up Mark's shoulders, hugging him close before he told him in a breathless whisper. "I know... but I want it to be you. You make me feel... special." Mark brought his lips to Nathan's replying whole-heartedly. "Because you are, Nathan." Nathan smiled so beautifully that Mark thought he might cry from how those words seemed to make Nathan glow. Wrapping his arms around his neck, Nathan pulled him into a long slow kiss. Mark's hand moved across Nathan's stomach to his hip, coaxing him to bring his hips closer with the lightest of touches. He responded by arching his back a little and Mark slid his hand under him.

For a little bit, they just shared passionate kisses and held each other close. Then when Nathan found his courage, he asked Mark in a small hopeful voice. "I'm ready." Mark kept giving him fleeting kisses as he adjusted into position carefully. He moved slow and tried to hide how nervous he was to do this for the first time. He didn't want to ruin this moment for Nathan but wanted it to be just as special for himself. Nathan cupped his face in his hands, kissing him tenderly and for the first time the words rolled off his tongue. "I love you..." Nathan closed his eyes tightly, biting his lip nervously like he'd ruined everything. Instead, Mark's heart skipped, and he whispered in a deep voice over his lips in return. "I'm falling for you too." Nathan let out a nervous chuckle, accepting his kiss. Pulling back a bit, he tried to spit into his hand but found his mouth too dry. Wincing, he blushed a deep red. Trying to look calm and confident only worked on the outside. Nathan took his hand, asking sweetly. "Everything ok?" Mark trembled a little, his voice breaking a bit when he reluctantly informed him. "I have no spit..." Nathan gave him a small smile, then pulled his fingers to his mouth. Kissing his fingertips first, Nathan told him just a little nervously. "I can help..."

Sliding his fingers into his mouth, Nathan shyly moved his tongue over his skin. It almost tickled from how gentle he was being with him. He didn't even put his teeth on him. When he moved his fingers out, Nathan asked through a heated blush. "Is that enough?" Mark gave him just a tiny nod before leaning in to claim his lips. He just couldn't stop himself from kissing him. He loved the rush kissing him gave him. While kissing him, his hand moved down and between Nathan's legs. As his wet fingers touched flesh, Nathan jerked under him with a tiny gasp. Grabbing his shoulders in a death grip, Nathan buried his face into his neck and panted out. "Gently..." Mark kissed Nathan's shoulder, answering in a deep soothing voice. "I will be." Prepping Nathan took a bit of time. With how nervous they both were, Mark didn't rush anything and stopped any time that Nathan even changed his breathing patterns. By the time he entered him, night had fallen, and Nathan's heavy moans filled his ears. Intertwining their fingers on the icy floor, they made love. Mark's heart soared so high into the night sky that he wasn't so sure that he wasn't glowing as brightly as a star.

Beneath him, Nathan smiled and hugged him close like he was afraid that he'd suddenly disappear. Even as sweat ran down Mark's chilled skin, Nathan kept kissing him and Mark savored every second that past. It was only when he started to shiver from his own sweat meeting the icy chill of the North Mountain, that Nathan stopped kissing him to ask with worry. "Mark? You're shivering..." Swallowing, Mark tried to keep his teeth from chattering when he whispered to him. "I know. But I want to hold you a bit longer." Nathan met his lips in another tender kiss, pulling the blanket up over his shoulders again to try and keep him warm. Snuggling with him, Mark spooned against Nathan's back. He didn't want to let him go. So, he held him until Nathan drifted off to sleep. Sliding his hand over Nathan's arm and chest, Mark smiled when he realized that Nathan had drifted off. His hand slowed as he noticed the icy ring on his finger, his heart filling with a little dread. He wanted more than anything to stay like this with him. He could imagine a life with him. Waking up next to him and being so happy. However, he couldn't shake who Nathan was.

Nathan wasn't a peasant like himself. Nathan had people that needed him. His heart twisted when he felt like he was unfairly forcing Nathan to choose. Leaning over him, Mark kissed his warm cheek and whispered into his ear. "I wish I could keep you..." Reluctantly pulling away, he kept Nathan tucked in and quietly got dressed. Instead of leaving the room, Mark ventured out to the open balcony to look up at the Northern Lights. He couldn't get enough of the view. Resting his arms on the railing, he whispered to whatever was listening. "It's just not fair... He's everything I want... and everything that I can't have." Bowing his head, he uttered out grimly. "Maybe I am cursed..." The Northern Lights seemed to shimmer more brightly, causing him to look up to see why. As he looked up at the peak of the North Mountain, the soft colors reflected off the snowy top in just the right way that it shined down on him and moved past him. Turning to follow the shimmering lights, he stood very still as the lights shined over Nathan's sleeping form. Mark watched the lights bathe Nathan in beautiful colors before it faded. He wanted to believe that it was someone trying to tell him something, but he felt lost and out of synch with himself. Torn between what he wanted and what the right thing was.

Nathan stirred a little in his sleep. His sleepy smile pulling at his heartstrings. Then he watched as snow seemed to fall over Nathan's body. The snowflakes sparkled like tiny stars as they fell, then swirled into figures that moved over his sleeping form. Inching closer, Mark grinned as he realized that Nathan was dreaming and his dreams were manifesting with the help of his power unconsciously. Mark watched a snowy version of himself ride through the woods on Donner with Nathan relaxing in front of him. The dream looked so beautiful. Donner kept up an endless prance as the scenery changed around them. Mark could see himself through Nathan's eyes. He could see how every kiss made his snowy body turn a soft warm pink. Could see how every touch was highlighted like it meant the most to him. The dream slowly changed. The figures swirling into wisps of snow before reforming to show them dancing. There was no scenery. It was just them. When the figures stopped to kiss, Mark thought he might cry. The figures abruptly puffed into snow though as Nathan sleepily asked him. "Mark...? Everything alright?" Taking a deep breath to fight off his tears, he slowly went down to his knees and leaned over him.

Nathan rolled onto his back, smiling as his hand went up to touch his face. Kissing Nathan briefly, Mark whispered to him lovingly. "I'm fine. Just got a little cold." Nathan playfully tugged him down onto the blanket, then snuggled up against his chest. Wrapping his arms around Nathan, he whispered into his ear as Nathan dosed back off. "I can't help feeling like the Northern Lights were leading me to you... but I don't understand why... How do I help you?" Keeping Nathan close, Mark eventually fell asleep beside him. Just before dawn, Nathan's hand sleepily slipped under the fabric of Mark's jacket, seeking out his warm skin under his shirt. Mark inhaled sharply as he woke up, expecting his hand to feel cold... but his hand felt... warm. Reaching out to touch Nathan's cheek, Mark mumbling out to himself in shock. "Holy shit. Nate...?" Nathan stirred a little, mumbling out still asleep. "I'm fine... Keep going..." Mark snorted, sitting up a little to remove Nathan's hand from his jacket. Mark put a hand on his shoulder to wake him, until he heard grunting coming from outside. Getting to his feet, he thought it was Donner. It was the only animal he knew that grunted like that. Was Donner talking to someone?

Leaning on the balcony, he listened closely. There was no other sound on the North Mountain. Not even the wind. Scanning the area, he looked for Donner but didn't see him. The grunting sounded again in a strange way that seemed almost like... a female? That wasn't possible. There were no reindeer in Arendelle anymore. He started to get a weird feeling of distress, when he saw Donner trotting out from the cave entrance to let out a deeper and more excited grunt in return. Mark's heart sank and he yelled down. "DONNER! DON'T!" Donner glanced up at him, but the grunting sounded again, and Donner let out a hopeful grunt in return. Donner turned toward the sound, trotting toward it. Banging his hand on the railing, Mark yelled out. "DON'T!" Whirling on his heels, he bolted for the door. Nathan jerked upright, asking in a panic. "What's happening?!" Mark didn't have time to explain as he said over his shoulder. "Hunters!" Nathan told him to wait, but Mark couldn't. Racing down the steps, Mark called out Donner's name. Bursting through the front door, he dashed across the snow as Donner trotted down the mountain in search of another one like him.

Mark stumbled in the snow but kept running as fast as his legs could take him. Behind him, Aputsiaq practically swam through the snow to keep up with him. Donner started to approach the wood line and Mark took a risk to jump off a ledge. Landing in the snow beside Donner, he grabbed his antler and yanked his head down in an attempt to turn him around. Donner bellowed unhappily, until an arrow whizzed through Donner's antlers and into the snow. Getting to his feet, Mark smack Donner's ass and yelled out. "RUN!" Donner leapt to the side from the hit but didn't run. Mark heard a few dogs start growling in the wood line and gasped in horror. He had no respect for hunters that hunted with dogs! Mark shoved Donner, telling him angrily. "RUN!" Donner hesitated, then let out a sharp bellow as another arrow went into Mark's shoulder! Unable to get Donner to leave him, he hopped on and steered him to run down the mountain. He didn't want to draw attention to Nathan and couldn't risk getting cornered up there. From a hidden spot, a hunter yelled out. "SEEK!" Mark glanced back long enough to see at least ten wolf bred hounds burst out from the bushes to chase them.

Donner stumbled over the deep snowy terrain, allowing one of the dogs to get close. The dog bared its teeth, snapping at Donner's legs. Right up until something burst up from the snow to attack the dog's face! The dog whimpered, stumbling into a snow mound. Mark wasn't sure what had happened, until he saw Aputsiaq slithering through the snow and tripping up the hounds by biting their legs. Mark felt a brief moment of relief, but the Hunter was riding in on his horse, his bow drawn and aiming at him. The Hunter fired the arrow and Mark shifted his weight to force Donner to weave behind a cluster of trees. The arrow struck the tree loudly, causing the Hunter to curse before calling out. "Keep running, Troll King! You can't run forever!" The Hunter stuck to the clearer paths, shooting his bow more accurately with every shot. Mark did his best to steer Donner clear of the arrows. Trying to predict the Hunter's shots, but he was doing the same with his movements. Resulting in an arrow shooting into Donner's hind leg. Donner let out a distressed cry, staggering a little but he kept running. Mark felt helpless and the Hunter was relentless!

Turning a corner to run around a rock wall, Mark screamed as an arrow went through his leg and into Donner's side. Donner fell to the ground with an exhausted and distressed snort. Mark laid over Donner, despite the stabbing pain in his leg, trying to protect Donner. The Hunter pulled his horse to a stop, then drew back his bowstring. Giving him a chuckle, the Hunter told him excitedly. "I guess your reign has come to an end, Troll King. Sad to say... I expected... more." Mark locked his eyes with the man fearlessly. He was so determined not to look afraid, that he didn't hear the crackling of rocks at first. Suddenly, the Hunter's face paled, and he lowered his bow as he blurted out in horror. "What the fuck...?!" Mark swallowed, turning to look at the rock wall behind him. The rock wall was moving to reveal a massive mossy head with sunken holes for eyes. The head turned to look at the Hunter, then the snow shifted as something started to rise before the Hunter's horse. A hand made of solid rock! The fingers outstretched for the Hunter and the horse bolted with him. The Hunter screaming 'TROLLS' at the top of his lungs before vanishing into the woods. Mark stared at the rock creature, before watching it settle back down and solidify into its new position.

Blinking, Mark reached out to tap the stony face, before he heard the soft chuckling of someone on the wall. Moving to the edge, Grand Pabbie chuckled out in his tiny and almost brittle body. "Serves ya right! You hooligan! I hope ya pissed yourself! I curse ya with nightmares!" Mark chuckled only in relief, before slumping down over Donner. His arm and leg hurt so bad that he could barely move now. Grand Pabbie hopped down to him, looking him over before putting a hand to his forehead and calmly telling him. "Easy, Son. We got ya." Mark heard more Trolls rushing down the wall, chatting aloud. "Grand Pabbie, you were right... They were after him. Why?" Grand Pabbie hushed them, saying quickly. "No time to explain. Just help him while we shield him from unfriendly eyes." To Be Continued...