Chapter 3: BANISHED

"It is quite funny how you chose to come late to the royal court, knowing fully well that you are going to face the consequences of your earlier actions," Zeus said, adjusting himself on his elevated seat. The other gods and members of the royal court—Hades, Poseidon, Apollo—sat side by side, each watching Jack Frost with beady eyes. Jack Frost swallowed. He had slept off his anger on the peak, reveled in the temporary comfort it gave him, and forgotten all about these gods. "It slipped my mind," he said, looking straight at Zeus, without paying half a mind to any other god, especially Apollo who was making faces. "So, we are so insignificant, so little in your sight, that you forgot about the royal court, the court in whose hands lies your fate." "Whether I was early enough to clean your thrones for you, or I refused to come, the judgement will not really change. So, just give me what you think I deserve," he said, his eyes cold, his body stiff.

Zeus gritted his teeth hard, and there were flashes of lightning in the sky. "You are so proud, Jack Frost. I still wonder why I brought you home." Jack Frost pouted. "You can throw me out now too. It is that easy. Apollo will feel more at ease, will he not?" He cast a glance towards Apollo before returning his cold gaze back to Zeus, who raised both brows and let them down in a sign of agreement. "So be it." Hades could hardly stop himself from cackling. "Jack Frost, the God of snow, winter, frost and mischief, is hereby banned from Olympus for as long as immortality lasts. He is still god of snow, winter, frost and mischief, but he can only conduct his business elsewhere and will not be seen as part of the gods of Olympus." Thunder clapped, and lightning struck violently. Jack Frost did not even bat an eyelash as he removed the royal coat he wore. Zeus had given it to him when he first came to the palace, and now that he had been banished him, he would give it back. It dropped from his hand and fell to the floor. He knelt and picked it up before moving to Zeus and handing it over. Zeus turned away from him while he kept it on the armrest. "Thank you for sheltering me," he said simply and walked out of the hall, not even looking back once. Apollo smiled to himself, loving the way it had turned out.

Jack Frost was standing in front of his closet, looking at everything he owned but did not belong to him. "You should have humbled yourself. You still have some time." Jack Frost nodded. "I know. I shall use that time to pack up." Zeus scoffed. "Why are you so obnoxious? Why are you—" "I am not anything! You just do not see it. You never did." He flicked a snowflake from his finger. "This was all you saw. Now, please. Let me pack up. No, wait. I do not really own all of this. I am leaving now. Farewell," he said, hugging his cloak, his worn-out boots on his feet, his wooden box in his right hand. "Jack Frost..." Zeus said, but he was nowhere near him anymore. He sighed, holding the door frame.

The snowstorm howled violently, a particularly strong force around the particular individual standing at the peak, ice cold drops in his eyes. The last time Jack Frost cried, he was drowning in the guilt of being responsible for his sister's death. And that was decades ago. Today, he was banished for almost the same thing, and the tears were threatening to fall. "This is not you, Jack Frost. You should not cry," he mumbled under his breath, and the liquid in his eyes solidified to ice crystals and fell to the ground, probably swept away by the storm. With one last look towards Olympus, he turned around and went the opposite way, so he and the gods of Olympus would never meet again.

"He is angry." "Do you care, Father? I am glad. The cold is heartwarming." Apollo laughed holding his sides, like he had seen a very funny comedy. Zeus was not amused. "Why did you set him up? You were not hurt." "You said it yourself, Father. What is really important, is the fact that he had used his powers on me with the intention of harming me. You saw it yourself, Father." "You talked about his sister. Officially, it does not count, but I, as your father, I have to reprimand you for it." Apollo furrowed his brows. "What are you doing to do then? You already banished him. Let us forget it." "Is it that easy? Not for me. Not for my conscience! I adopted him and brought him here with the promise of better times." "And that was your first mistake, Father," Apollo retorted. "You are not the purest of kings or gods, but I have always pretended not to see. I could not stand the mistake you call Jack Frost. And if I have to do it all over again, I would. A million times over," he said and left the open window where his father stood, looking more aged than he had in a millennium, seriously regretting his own pride.

Jack Frost trod hard, watching the snow around him as he moved, teleporting from one place to the other till he was sure he was far enough from Olympus. It was a beautiful sight before him—far enough and just perfect. He found a cave where he sat, holding the frame, the last gift his sister had bestowed on him, close to his heart where she and the rest of his family lay, and closed his eyes. Come morning, he will get to work, but today? Today he was going to sleep.