Chapter One, "Frozen Heart"
MY name is Anna. It is pronounced "Ah-na," more like. I am the princess of a kingdom in Norway called Arrendelle. My sister—Elsa—is the Queen now. Once our parents passed away, she was appointed as the new Queen—but she wasn't of age just yet—and due to her ascribed status, we had to wait. Now that she has been coroneted, she runs our kingdom with substantial influence and regard.
But my story is not about a queen who runs a kingdom with valor or eruditely status. My story is of how I discovered Elsa's ice powers, and how I realized the true meaning of love. You see, one night in the heart of winter, I was struck in the head by an ice crystal of Elsa's own conjuring. I did not know about it until I had discovered her powers and was engaged to my now husband, Kristoff.
To me, before I found the truth, the adventures that Elsa and I shared were of only natures doing. When she struck me in the night, my parents took me to a group of trolls, who fixed my condition and erased all memories of Elsa's powers that I had possessed. The Elder Troll told my father that had Elsa struck me in the heart, it would have been nearly impossible for him to fix, but lucky for me, it was a head wound. He replaced the memories with natural ones, such as: Ice-skating on a lake or sledding off of an indention in a cliff-side, as opposed to Elsa fabricating her own body of ice for me to skate on inside of the castle.
Before I retained this knowledge, I wondered why she was in seclusion. After our parents died, the castle was empty—besides the maids alongside Elsa and I, there was no one there. I guess you could say life was a little boring. I had my fun days, but overall my time spent before Elsa's coronation was far from exciting, which is where my story starts.
I walked through the halls of the large castle looking for Elsa one night before I went to bed. I wanted to show her a new idea I had for a snowman. Elsa and I had built a snowman in the past, so I found it appropriate to run my idea past her so that maybe she could help me build another.
Elsa had moved out of my room just two weeks before. She was moved to another room within the castle and, at the time, I thought that she was just too old to share a room with me and saw no problem in asking her to play. When she closed her door for the last time, I can remember her blue eyes looking at me from the doorway. She showed contempt, a bit of anger and even some sadness.
I did not know why she had looked at me in such a way. To me, it seemed as though she were just moving rooms. I soon realized that I was wrong when I knocked on her door to ask her to play.
"Elsa, do you want to build a snowman?" I asked her, "it doesn't have to be a snowman."
She tried to speak through the muffling of the door, "Go away Anna."
I did not know what to do at this point. Maybe she just wanted to be away from me for a while, or maybe she was sick, in which case quarantine was the only option. I looked at the floor with dismay.
"Bye," I muttered as I walked away.
I continued to ask her every couple of years, after seeing her occasionally around the castle—which gave me a hope that she could come out of her room. She never did—I didn't know why, and was beginning to wonder what was wrong with her. When I reached the sophomoric age, my parents left on a trading journey. On their voyage, they were shipwrecked due to a storm. They died amidst the storm and were buried soon after. I was the only one to attend the funeral—all of the servants and I that is, as Elsa could not leave her room.
Finally, once the funeral was over and I was back in the castle, I decided to try once more with my sister. I walked to her door and knocked—something I had become quite good at considering I had been doing it all of my life.
"Elsa," I paused and received no response, so I continued, "people are asking where you've been," again, no response so I went on, "I'm right out here for you. Just let me in?"
Elsa still did not respond. I heard a sniffle from the other side of the door, so I knew that she was listening—maybe she had a cold or something.
So I proceeded,
"We only have each other, it's just you and me, what are we going to do?" She still said nothing, so I asked the question I had been asking her for years with no response, "Do you want to build a snowman?"
I stopped and listened closely. I heard a faint noise, which sounded like someone crying and soon realized that it was my sister tearing up. I sat with my back against the door and closed my eyes, hoping that she would come out, but she never did.
Nearly three years later, it was finally time for my sister's coronation. It was a beautiful day in Arrendelle, a perfect day for her coronation ceremony. Seagulls flew over the fjord as guests began to arrive. I, however, was still asleep, until one of the servants woke me.
"Princess Anna," he yelled through the door, "sorry to wake you ma'm,"
"No no no, you didn't wake me, I've been up for hours," I said with a yawn.
I think I fell back asleep because the next thing I heard was another knock on the mahogany door.
"Who is it?" I asked.
"Still me, ma'am," he said, "the gates will open soon, time to get ready."
"Of course," I said, "ready for what?"
"Your sisters Coronation, ma'am."
"My sister's corneration. It's coronation day!"
Chapter Two "For the First Time in Forever"
LIGHT had been shining through my window, which covered most of the wall—it shined on the green dress, which I had picked out to wear just for this day. I pulled it over my body and opened the door to my room, looking out into the hall with wonder and delight. I walked past a maid who was carrying a dish of food, but it had a cover so I couldn't see what was held within.
"It's coronation day," I said to her out of excitement, nearly knocking the dish over with the whisk of air that came with my passing.
I continued through the castle and came across some servants who were opening the windows. I could not believe that the windows and doors—the ones that had once opened to let the fresh air into the castle—were still capable of this action. I moved toward the kitchen and passed a group of servants holding nearly eight thousand plates. I myself had no idea that we owned so many plates, but was glad we had the capacity to serve everyone who would be attending the coronation. I then came across a fact, the fact that I had been locked in the castle for nearly eight years, with no one to talk to or be with—except my sister who isolated herself for who knows what reason.
I made the conclusion that day, that it was a special day, not only for my sister, but also for me—because today was the day that I could actually interact, talk to people, and maybe even find love. For my sister, her coronation day was one of tension and worry—unknown to me at the time.
I strolled outside of the castle and onto the docks, admiring the people and life of the kingdom—because today, unlike before, there was nothing stopping me from interacting with the world. I walked down the western dock, facing the castle. I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my shoulder and the next thing I knew I was tumbling into a paddleboat that had been sitting on the dock itself.
The boat nearly fell into the fjord, but was stopped by an unknown force. In the confusion, some seaweed had landed on my face, inhibiting me from seeing whom, or what force had launched me into the water.
"Hey," I said.
"I'm so sorry, are you okay," an unknown voice responded.
I wiped the seaweed off of my face and looked up, the sun gleaming off of his red hair.
"Hey. I-ya, no. no. I'm okay," I said in response. He was extremely dreamy. His horse had stopped the leverage of the boat so that it did not tip over.
"Are you sure," he asked me, extending a hand.
"I'm great, actually," I said suddenly forgetting the entire incident, "yeah, I just wasn't looking where I was going, but I'm okay."
"Oh, thank goodness."
He offered me a hand, probably to help me up and I accepted it.
"Prince Hans, of the Southern Isles."
"Princess Anna, of Arrendelle," I retorted.
I guess he did not expect me to be royalty, because he looked surprised for a while.
"Princess…? My lady." He dropped to his knees and bowed out of respect, at the same time, his horse let go of its hold on the boat, throwing me on top of him. I was now on top of the prince, looking into his eyes.
"Hi, again," I said awkwardly,
"Oh boy."
I laughed, "This is awkward. Not, you're awkward, but just because we're—I'm awkward. You're gorgeous. Wait, what?"
Hans quickly rose to his feet and looked at me.
"I'd like to formally apologize for hitting the Princess of Arendelle with my horse—and for every moment after."
"No. No-no. It's fine, I'm not that Princess, I mean, if you'd of hit my sister Elsa, that would be—yeash! Because, you know." I walked over the horse and patted his mane, "Hello," I turn back to Hans and said with uncertainty, "but lucky you, it's just me."
"Just you?" He said, as if amused that I had called myself less than my ascribed status had presented me to be.
I sort of got lost in his dreaminess and forgot where I was. The bells started to ring, initiating the start of the coronation ceremony. I suddenly realized where I needed to be.
"The bells, the coronation, I'd better go. I have to—I'd better go."
I hurried away, hoping that I would not be late to the party. Hans could have very well been my love, based on our meeting; I already liked him a lot—so I turned around.
"Bye!" I yelled back.
Chapter Three "The Coronation"
I didn't know what to think of the events that had transpired. I had found the perfect prince, a caring, loving and gentle prince—one that I could spend the rest of my life with. He was perfect—but that day was about my sister's coronation ceremony, not me. As I walked back to the castle, I looked up at the tallest tower, thinking to myself about how lucky my sister was. The cobblestone under my feet clanked with every step. As I entered the castle I turned right and took a shortcut through the gallery. The paintings on the wall had been my only company for so long and since this was about to change, I found it appropriate to look at them one last time.
My favorite picture was that of Joan of Ark, riding atop her horse into battle. I looked at her painting for the last time and said,
"Hang in there, Joan."
I walked past the rest of the paintings and finally into the great hall where Elsa's coronation would be held. I took my place by her side and watched as the ceremony began. The Bishop motioned for Elsa to remove her blue gloves in order that she could pick up the orb and scepter, which would finalize her initiation into the throne.
Before the Bishop started the ceremonial oration, I noticed Hans in the second row. He gave me a wave, which I returned with a blushing smile.
"Sehm hon hell-drr in-um hell-gum ayg-num ok krund ee thes-um hellgah stahth,
ehk teh frahm fur-ear Uthear," the Bishop said, as Elsa replaced the two items on the pillow.
"Queen Elsa, of Arrendelle."
The initiation was over. My sister was now the Queen of Arrendelle for life. After
the ceremony, everyone was to be herded into the ballroom, to participate in the honorary
dance. First off, however, we were introduced to the guests.
"Queen Elsa, of Arrendelle," said one of the guards, "Princess Anna, of
Arrendelle."
I was unsure what to do. I did not expect to be categorized alongside my sister. So
when I was summoned to the stage, I stood off to the side a little to give my sister the
spotlight.
"Ma'am," said the guard, motioning me to take my place by my sister's side.
"Here?" I asked him, "are you sure?"
I was unaware that I was just as important as Elsa. I waved awkwardly and
Sidestepped over closer to my sister. Everyone in the ballroom was dancing to the music
at this point.
"Hi," said Elsa,
"Hi me?" I asked her, "oh, um, hi. "
"You look beautiful," she said,
"You look beautifuller, I mean, not fuller, you don't look fuller, but more
beautiful."
"Thank you," she retorted,
There was an awkward pause.
"So this is what a party looks like?"
"It's warmer than I thought," I said awkwardly.
"And what's that amazing smell?" She asked me.
We almost said in unison,
"Chocolate!"
We laughed together at our own awkwardness. I opened my mouth to say something else, maybe to ask her why she had shut me out all those years—I had so many questions to ask her, but was interrupted by a guard who presented a short white-haired man.
"Your majesty," he said, "the Duke of Weselton."
Chapter Three, "Love is an Open Door"
HE pronounced it, "Weaseltown," but the short stocky man corrected him,
"It's Weselton," he said, almost yelling, "Weselton," he said once more, correcting his almost exclamatory tone. "Your majesty, as your closest partner in trade, I see it only fitting to offer you your first dance as queen."
"Thank you, only I don't dance," she said to him, "but my sister does!"
She almost nudged me into the position.
"What?" I said to him, "oh I don't think—,"
"If you swoon, let me know. I'll catch you," he said as he grabbed my hand.
He had clammy hands that I could feel through his gloves. His gloves were the color of fresh snow and nearly matched his hair. He was a weird man, who wore a wig to cover up his balding.
The Duke was not very good at dancing—he performed a move that he called "The Agile Peacock." He landed on my feet.
"Ouch!"
"Speaking of which, this is such a lovely kingdom," he said, "why did they shut the gates in the first place?"
"I don't know," I said.
"Oh, alright then."
After the dance was over, I returned to my sister. She was still standing in the same place looking over the entire ballroom as if it were beneath her.
"Well, he was sprightly," she said to me as I stepped up next to her.
"Especially for a man wearing heels," I retorted.
"Are you okay?"
"I've never been better," I said to her, "this is so nice, I wish it could be like this all the time."
"Me too," She said, then, looking confused, continued, "but it can't."
"Well why not if—"
"It just can't," She said almost imperatively.
I was troubled at this, trying not to get upset. I tried not to show my emotions. For the first time in forever, I finally got to see my sister and interact with her—and now, it was nearly over once more.
"Excuse me for a minute," I said, as I walked through the middle of the dance floor toward the door.
On my way to the door, I was bumped by a large man and nearly fell—but I was caught.
"Hans," I said, looking into his eyes.
"Glad I caught you."
Hans and I began to dance together as a new song began. He was a lot better at it than the Duke of Weselton and a lot more charming. We walked through the rose garden and he noticed the white streak in my sunset-orange hair.
"What's this," he asked me.
"I was born with it," I told him, "although I dreamt I was kissed by a troll." (Which
I really was, come to find out.)
"I like it."
After the heartfelt conversation with the prince, we sat on the balcony of the castle and ate krumkake.
"The whole thing, all at once. You got it!"
We laughed in unison as he attempted to stuff the entire thing in his mouth.
"Okay—so, you have how many brothers?" I asked him.
"Twelve older brothers. Three of them attempted to pretend that I was invisible for two years."
"That's horrible!" I looked at him as if his family were nuts.
"It's what brothers do."
"And sisters," I assured him, "Elsa and I were really close when we were little, but then, one day, she just shut me out, and I never knew why."
He took my hand and leaned in closer to me.
"I would never shut you out," He reassured me.
"He's the one," I thought to myself as I looked into his pensive eyes.
"Okay, can I just say something crazy?" I asked him.
"I love crazy."
I continued,
"My whole life has been one big door in my face and well, now that
I've met you, I feel like it's opening for the first time."
"I've been thinking the same thing, because I have been searching for a while now
in order that I might find my own place in the world; I mean maybe it's the party or
the chocolate fondue talking."
"I guess with each other, our love is an open door," I assumed.
"Indeed."
"Can I say something crazy?" he asked me, "will you marry me?"
I was taken aback. I realized that he was a nice guy and he was dreamy—really, dreamy—but I wasn't sure. Then again, I had never been given this much attention in my whole life.
We stood behind a waterfall on a ledge that looked over Arrendelle. He was on one knee, holding my hands in his. The moon was full—the night was perfect and still somewhat young.
"Can I say something even more crazy?" I asked him as I looked at the castle's lights one last time. "This is it," I thought to myself, "It's now or never." I took a deep breath.
"Yes."
Chapter Four, "Let it Go"
HE was ecstatic—I mean so was I—but we had to ask Elsa for her blessing first. I
Was not sure if she would allow it, but I was not fearful of her response. We walked back
Into the great hall and rummaged our way through the mass of people.
"May I present, Prince Hans, of the Southern Isles," I said to her.
"Your majesty," said Hans, bowing.
"We would like—,"
"—Your blessing—,"
"—Of—,"
"Our marriage," we said, almost in unison.
"Marriage," she asked me, "I'm sorry, I guess I'm a little confused."
"Well," I said to her, "we haven't worked out all of the details, of course we
would have soup, roast, and ice-cream, and then—wait, would we live here?"
"Here?"
"Absolutely," said Hans.
"We can invite all twelve of your brothers!"
"No," said Elsa, trying to stop me in my speech.
"We must have the room." My sister stopped me in my tracks.
"Wait," she said, "no one's brothers are staying here—no one is getting married."
"Wait, what?" I asked her with dismay.
"Can I talk to you for a minute, privately?"
"Whatever you have to say you can say it to both of us," I retorted.
"Fine, you can't marry a man you just met."
"You can if it is true love!"
"Oh Anna," she said to me, "what do you know about true love?"
"More than you! All you know is how to shut people out."
"You asked me for my blessing, but my answer is no, now, if you'll excuse me,
she said as she walked away, "the party is over. Shut the gates."
"What? Elsa, wait!"
"Enough, Anna!"
I grabbed her glove as she tried to get away and it came off.
"I can't live like this anymore!"
"I said, 'enough'!"
At this point Elsa had reached the double mahogany doors that stretched up the
wall of the castle. With her words, she turned around and with a wave of her hand formed
a wall of frozen spikes, inhibiting me from advancing. I looked surprised.
"Elsa…?" I asked her, afraid.
She ran out of the castle gates and I followed with the single glove that I had pulled from her hand.
"Elsa, wait, please!"
Elsa began to run across the fjord, freezing it with every step. I tried to go after her, but slipped and fell. I realized that she had revealed her secret to everyone in the kingdom, that now, isolation was the only option—she had let it go, and could never take back what she had done.
I walked through the courtyard as snow fell on the gray, cobblestone ground. We were in the heart of summer, so this was a little bit weird.
"Are you alright?"
Hans looked at me with concern.
"No."
"Did you know?"
"No."
Chapter 5, "The Great Freeze"
"IT'S snowing," exclaimed the Duke of Weselton, "she must be stopped, you must go after her!"
"Wait, no," I said to him.
"Are you a monster too?"
"No, I'm completely normal."
"That's right, she is," Hans joined in on the conversation, "in the best way."
"My sister's not a monster," I assured him.
"She nearly killed me!"
"You slipped on ice," Hans retorted.
"Her ice!"
"It was an accident. She was scared. She didn't mean it. She didn't mean any of this—Tonight was my fault. I pushed her. So I'm the one that needs to go after her," I told him sternly, "bring me my horse."
My horse rode up and a servant gave me my winter cloak. I was still in my summer dress from the morning, so I was really cold.
"Anna," inquired Hans, "you realize how dangerous this is, don't you?"
"Yes, but she's my sister. She would never hurt me. I leave Prince Hans in charge," I addressed the crowd that had now formed to fill the entire courtyard.
"Are you sure you can trust her?"
"She is my sister."
Elsa had left me as the only heir to the throne—so given the circumstance I had the authority to appoint Prince Hans as the one in charge in my absence. I rode up into the mountains, the direction in which Elsa had fled. White snow covered the land.
"Elsa! It's me, your sister who didn't mean for you to freeze the summer," I yelled into the void. I received no response, nothing new to me.
"Of course this never would have happened if you would have just told me your secret," I said to myself.
A branch from a tree snapped under the weight of the snow and fell on me. My horse fled, frightened by the suddenness of the event and the shock of the cold water on its back. I fell under a leaning pine tree covered with snow. The pine tree broke as well and the next thing I knew, I was covered in the cold white substance.
"Snow, it had to be snow," I said to myself, "it couldn't be tropical powers that covered the fjord in white sand and warm—fire!" I noticed a trading post in the distance that had grey smoke emitting from its smokestack.
I was ecstatic and in my excitement I tripped and fell into a freezing stream.
"O-o-okay," I said, shivering.
I made it to the entrance at the post, but could not read the name of the sign hanging from the awning that covered the deck. I hit it with my hand and the snow fell off.
"Wandering Oaken's Trading Post," I read, "ooh, and Sauna!"
I walked in and looked around. Everything in the store was for the summer season. The walls were lined with bathing suits, sun balms and beach umbrellas. I looked toward the back and heard a voice that came from the back of the store—near the teller's counter.
"Hoo-hoo," he said, "big summer blowout—half off all swimming suits, clogs, and a sun balm of my own invention. Yah?"
"Uh, yes, for now how about dresses? And boots—winter boots?" I inquired, looking around.
"That would be in our winter department."
I looked to where he pointed and the only things there were a pair of boots and one winter dress accompanied by a pickaxe and some rope.
"I was just wondering," I asked him, "has another woman—possibly the Queen—come by here or, have you seen her?"
I placed my items on the counter and waited for a response.
"The only one crazy enough to be out in this storm is you, dear," he said.
The bell rang, indicating that another customer had entered the store. He was covered in snow, his outfit gleaming of it.
"You and this fellow," said the teller.
The stocky man walked over to the counter and stared me down. I began to whistle awkwardly, not knowing what to do in this situation. He wasn't saying anything, so I just returned his gaze.
"Carrots," he said under his scarf that covered his mouth.
"What?" I asked him, not sure I was hearing him correctly.
"Behind you," he said, now audible.
"Oh, sorry," I moved away from the counter, allowing him to reach under it and grab the carrots on the shelf.
He walked over to the winter department and grabbed the pickaxe and the rope. When he returned, he placed them on the counter.
"That will be forty," said the teller.
"No, ten," the man retorted.
"Oh dear, that's no good, you see, that is from our winter department and supply and demand have a big problem."
"You want to talk about supply and demand?" the snow-covered man asked, "I sell ice for a living."
The teller took the rope and pickaxe off of the counter. "Ten will get you this," he said, motioning toward the carrots.
"Where are you coming from?" I asked him.
"The north mountain."
"The north mountain—what was happening on the north mountain, did it seem…magical?"
"Yes, it seemed magical, now will you excuse me while I deal with this crook here?"
"What did you call me?" asked the teller.
He took the snow-covered man outside and almost threw him into the icy void.
"Sorry for this violence," the teller said when he returned, "I will add a bottle of lutefisk for good feelings. So just the dress and the boots, yah?"
I looked between my stuff and the Snowy man's. I decided to buy his items for him, so that maybe he would take me to my sister.
I changed into my winter dress and left the trading post. I heard voices in the shed next to the shop. It sounded like the man from the north mountain, so I entered. He sat up, almost startled.
"Oh, it's just you."
"I got your stuff."
I threw him the bag with the pickaxe and rope.
"You forgot the carrots for Sven." He motioned toward the reindeer that was sitting next to him.
I threw the bag of carrots at him, accidentally hitting him in the face.
"Oh, I'm sorry," I said.
"I was wondering—can you—take me up the north mountain?" I asked sternly, "please?"
"I don't take people places," he retorted.
"Look, I know how to stop this winter."
"We leave at dawn."
"I never caught your name," I told him
"It's Kristoff."
"Princess Anna." I extended my hand to him.
"It's a pleasure," he said, "now if you'll excuse me, I wish to get some sleep tonight."
"Right, sorry." I looked across from Kristoff and saw another pile of hay. I sat down on top of it—embracing its itchiness. The hay was less than tasteful to lie down on, but it would have to do.
Chapter Six, "A Palace…of Ice?"
THAT night, I thought of my sister; what she must have been going through and the pain she must have been feeling. No one wants to be alone, so I assumed that she was lonely in the mountains somewhere. I sat against the haystack across from Kristoff. I got up off of my hay and walked to the front of the barn. Kristoff must have heard me, because he woke.
"There's nothing out there but snow and ice," he said from behind me.
The fire had gone out at this point—all that was left were the sizzling embers.
"I know," I said, "I needed some air."
"Not used to sleeping outside the walls of the castle?" he inquired.
"No," I retorted almost insulted, "I just needed some air."
"Alright your worshipfulness," he said sarcastically.
"I thought you wanted to sleep?" I asked him.
"Yes, until you woke me. Can you tell me why there is snow on the ground in the middle of summer?"
"Uh," I didn't want to tell him my story, but I felt he needed to know. "I wanted to get married to a man I had met at the coronation—everything was fine—until I asked Elsa for her blessing."
"You're getting married to a man you just met?"
"Yes," I said then continued, "then she wouldn't bless the marriage, so I tried to reason with her and she kind of freaked and now," I looked outside and held out my hand, "this."
"Wow," he said.
"Yeah, this is all basically my fault." I turned to look into his brown eyes and he returned my gaze. We stared at each other for a long time and it didn't feel awkward at all.
"Well," he said, breaking the silence, "you should get some sleep. Big day tomorrow."
"Yeah." I brushed my bangs out of my face then walked back to my haystack.
"Goodnight," I said.
"Goodnight." I closed my eyes and fell asleep.
The next morning, Kristoff and I set a course for the north mountain. We walked across the icy plains that made up all of Arrendelle. I looked down upon the kingdom—it had been filled with shades of green, yellow, and red the day prior but now, all was shining white with snow.
"It's beautiful," I said almost to myself.
"Isn't it?" I heard a voice say. Kristoff must have heard it too, because he looked around just as confused as I. I continued walking hoping to find another person—a human being—but came across a living snowman.
"Oh now this is just ridiculous," Kristoff said in disbelief.
We stood in shock for a while, not sure what to do. Icicles were now hanging from the trees under which we stood.
"Hi," the snowman said, "I'm Olaf, and I like warm hugs."
"Anna."
"Kristoff."
"Olaf?" I had an epiphany at that moment. Olaf was the name of the snowman that Elsa and I had built as kids—this one was almost identical.
"Did Elsa build you," I asked him.
"Yes."
"Do you know where she is?"
"She's this way." Olaf pointed toward the north mountain. "Why?"
"We need to get to her—so she can bring back summer."
"Summer?" he asked, "I've always loved the thought of summer!"
"Should I tell him?" Kristoff looked at me with a smirk on his face.
"Of course not!"
"Tell me what?" asked Olaf.
"Oh, nothing," I said, "so you said Elsa is this way?"
I pointed toward the north mountain and started walking in its general direction.
"Yeah."
We left the canopy of ice and headed up a hill toward the mountain. Kristoff walked pigeon footed—something I noticed when we had first left. He was a large man—and for an ice-miner, he looked the part. We walked through the Frozen terrain and eventually came to a rocky Cliffside. Apparently—according to Olaf—Elsa was just at the peak of the cliff.
"We will have to climb," Kristoff said.
"I got this," I said with a smile.
I walked over to the cliff and began to climb its steep vertical wall.
"Am I almost there?" I asked him.
"Not even know, most people who move into isolation want to be alone."
"No one wants to be alone," I yelled back at him, "except for maybe you."
"I'm not alone, I have friends. They are love experts."
"Oh I'm sure."
He walked over to the cliff where I hung and helped me down. "Here, let me show you." He wrapped his arms around my body as if taking it over as his own and placed my feet on the protruding rocks. His body was warm against mine—something that almost made me question my loyalty to Hans.
"Hey guys," yelled Olaf, interrupting the moment, "I think I found a stairway that leads exactly to where you want to go."
We walked over to the left side of the cliff and entered through a crevice in the rocks. The crevice led to a cave, which was dark and cold. It contained icy spices that could have impaled one of us at any moment, but we made it through without a scratch. When we exited the cold interior, we feasted our eyes upon the most glorious and beautiful structure we had ever seen—Elsa's ice castle.
Chapter Seven, "We Can Fix This Thing Together"
THE castle was glorious, much better than the one I had left behind the day before. The ice itself reflected light like a prism, diffusing it into multiple spectrums of beauty. I had no idea that Elsa was capable of this. She had the power to create something so beautiful and this was only the beginning. Her power, however—soon to find out—could become dangerous.
Kristoff looked at the ice in disbelief.
"Now that's ice," he said in awe. "I might cry."
"Go ahead, I won't judge."
We walked up the staircase to the two large doors that marked the entrance of the castle. The steps were slippery, making it hard for Sven to get up them so he just stayed at the bottom.
"I think you should wait out here," I told Kristoff and Olaf.
"What? It's a palace made of ice! Ice is my life," Kristoff retorted.
"The last time I introduced my sister to a guy, this winter happened."
"Oh alright."
I walked to the door and tried to knock. I wasn't sure whether or not I should, considering Elsa had never opened a door for me in the past.
"Knock," Olaf said.
I knocked on the door and it opened automatically.
"It opened…that's a first," I said.
Olaf tried to follow me in, but I told him,
"Just give me a minute, okay?"
He started to count as he walked back outside.
"one…two….three….."
I soon heard Kristoff join him before the doors were shut behind me.
I walked into the main foyer area. There were two staircases, also made of ice, engulfing the main floor in a semi-circle. There was a frozen fountain in the middle that complemented the area with allure. I started to walk over to one of the stair cases and heard foot steps walking towards me. Elsa appeared at the top of the staircase, her overall appearance making me double take. Her dress was different from the one she had left the castle with. It possessed a gleaming shade of blue that mixed with a beautiful azure and dragged on the ground like a wedding dress.
"Anna," she pronounced, "what are you doing here?"
"Wow, you look…different," I said to her, "it's a good different."
"Thank you."
"Wow, this place is amazing, did you do this?"
"Yes. I guess I never knew what I was capable of."
"fifty-seven…fifty-eight…fifty-nine..sixty," Olaf said, entering the castle. Kristoff did not follow.
"Olaf," Elsa inquired, "you're alive?"
"Um, I think so…you made me…do you remember that?"
"Elsa, we were so close," I said, "it can be like that again."
"How?" she asked, "what power do you have to stop me? You're not safe here. You should leave."
"You don't have to protect me," I said, "I'm not afraid! Please don't shut me out again. Please don't slam the door. You don't have to keep your distance anymore."
"Anna," she said, "please go back home, your life awaits. Go enjoy the sun and open up the gates.
"Yeah—but," I said, interrupting her.
"I know, you mean well, but leave me be, yes I'm alone—but I'm alone and free! Just stay away and you'll be safe from me."
"Actually we're not," I informed her.
"What do you mean, 'you're not'?"
"I get the feeling you don't know."
"What do I not know?"
"Arrendelle's in deep, deep, deep, deep, snow."
"What?"
"You kind of set off an eternal winter, everywhere."
"Everywhere?"
"Yeah, but it's okay, you can just unfreeze it."
"No I can't, I don't know how!"
"Sure you can! I know you can! Because for the first time in forever, you don't have to be afraid."
"Oh, I'm such a fool…I can't be free. No escape from the storm inside of me."
"We can work this out together."
"I can't control the curse!"
"We'll reverse the storm you've made."
"Anna, please, you'll only make it worse!"
At this point Elsa and I were on the top floor of her castle, overlooking the entire snow-covered north mountain.
"Don't panic!"
"There's so much fear."
"We'll make the sun shine bright!"
"You're not safe here!"
"We can face this thing together. We can change this winter weather, and everything will be okay…"
"I can't!"
Elsa turned around in anger and waved her hands, forming a semi circle rotation around her waist. Ice shot out of her hands and struck me in the chest.
Chapter Eight, The Heart is Not Easily Persuaded
KRISTOFF burst into the room and instantly came over to me. He wrapped his arms around me while I struggled to get up, his warm body easing the pain that came with Elsa's strike.
"Are you alright?" he asked me, "she struck you."
"Yes. I'm—I'm fine." I stood up trying to hide the pain in my chest from Elsa.
"Who are—I don't care. You need to leave," said Elsa.
"Elsa please!"
"What? What power do you have to stop this winter, to stop me?"
"I'm not leaving without you."
"Yes, you are."
Elsa raised her arms and almost simultaneously erected a giant snow creature out of the ice-floor in an exhibition of power and strength. The snow creature grabbed all three of us in one swoop and threw us out of the castle. My heart hurt. It was a sharp pain that continuously made me feel colder and colder with every second that past, a symptom I probably should have paid more attention to.
"Don't come back," he yelled as he tossed us down in the snow.
He threw Olaf last, his snow hitting the side of a rock.
"It's not nice to throw people!" I yelled back.
I grabbed a handful of snow and started to form a snowball in my hands. It was cold against my gloves, probably because of the strike from Elsa, but I didn't care. This snowman—creature—thing—was going to pay. I raised my arm to throw the spherical object when Kristoff stopped me.
"Woah there, feisty pants," he said, "you don't want to make him mad."
"Okay. I'm calm. I'm calm."
"Good."
I calmed down until he released my arm and then threw the snowball with all of my might. It hit the monster and dissolved like nothing had happened, although it was enough to make the thing mad. He began to grow ice spikes out of his shoulder and knees, and growled in our direction starting to sprint towards us.
"Wow, you had to go make him mad," said Kristoff.
"We should probably run."
Kristoff and I took off, running as fast as we could down a steep hill. We left Olaf behind, sure of the fact that the snow monster wouldn't see him as a threat.
"Come on!" Kristoff yelled back to me.
"I'm going as fast as I can!"
The snow monster was on my heels now, almost in grabbing distance. I ran past an old pine tree that was bent over with snow and pulled it back. I let the tree fly and it hit the snowman in the face, temporarily stunning him. I felt a since of pride and satisfaction as I ran to catch up with Kristoff.
"Wow, good job," he said.
"Thanks."
I looked into his eyes and dozed of into the depths of the moment.
"Let's keep moving," he said, awkwardly trying to move the situation along.
"Yeah…"
We continued to run and came to a cliff that looked as if it were a one-hundred foot drop.
"It's a one-hundred foot drop," I said to Kristoff.
"It's two-hundred."
Kristoff began to dig a snow anchor in the white fluffy mess that covered the ground.
"If we fall, it will be like landing on a pillow," he said, looking back at me.
He finished digging and harnessed himself up.
"You ready?" he asked me.
"One…"
"Two…"
The monster threw the pine tree that I had hit him with and it knocked us off of the cliff.
"Tree!"
Me and kristoff fell off the cliffside falling for nearly five seconds before being jerked upward by the tension of the snow anchor.
"Wow. That worked," he said.
Olaf flew past us and fell into the snowy void.
"Hang in there guys!" he said as he landed snow against snow.
I felt the tension on the rope start to tighten. The snow creature was pulling us back up. When he had pulled us all the way up to eye level, he yelled at us, his snowy breath freezing our faces.
"Don't come back," he yelled.
"We won't." At that instant, I grabbed a knife that was in one of Kristoff's holsters and I cut the rope, releasing us to the wrath of gravity. I landed in the snow, almost being knocked out of breath.
"Wow," I said, "just like a pillow!"
Kristoff landed next to me. It looked as if his head had been hurt a little, but he was okay.
"Are you alright?" he asked.
"I'm fine. How's your head?" I said as we both stood up.
"My head? I have a thick skull." he retorted, "you should be worried about your hair."
"I don't have a skull—or bones," said Olaf.
"My hair—I just fell off a…"
"It's turning white!" he proclaimed.
I looked at my hair as he watched me.
"Does it look bad?" I asked him.
He hesitated.
"No."
"You hesitated," said Olaf raising his head off of his shoulders that we could see him.
"No. I mean it looks great—I mean…"
I looked at him. He was so cute. I mean, Hans was cute too. I was engaged to Hans. I could build a life with Kristoff, but I could also build a life with Hans. I really didn't know what to do at this point, so I moved on in the conversation.
"Oh no! I can't go back to Arrendelle without my sister, how is she going to undo this winter? And my hair!"
"I think I know some people who can help."
"Who? The love experts?" I asked sarcastically.
"Yes…they're more like family."
"How do you know they can help me?"
"Because," he said, "I've seen them do it before."
"Yeah, when I was really young my parents abandoned me and they took me in…kind of. I don't mean to scare you. They can be a little annoying, at times, and loud, and heavy—really—heavy."
He chuckled
"They sound great," I told him reassuringly.
We caught each others gaze and stared at each other for a while. I started to shiver.
He tried to put his arm around me, but pulled it back awkwardly.
"Uh…come over here."
He led me to a hot spring, that was letting off warm steam.
"This is nice," I said to him.
"Yeah."
Moments later, we left the spring and moved on toward the area of where he would show me his family.
"Alright," he said, "Say hello."
I looked around and saw nothing but rocks with moss on them.
"They're rocks…" My voice trailed off.
"It may take a while, but trust me, they'll warm up to you."
Olaf was standing in front of me now.
"He's crazy," Olaf said, "run—I'll distract them while you run."
I couldn't figure it out. His family members were rocks.
"Because I love you Anna, I suggest you run," Olaf said distracting me from my thoughts.
"Um..I'm going to go." I started to walk away and the ground began to shake. I had no idea what was going on and was naturally scared. I could hear the rubbing of stone against stone and soon saw all of the rocks rolling towards Kristoff. One of the rocks sprung into a little person, it's moss as its hair.
"Kristoff's home!" It was a woman. Probably the mother troll.
"They're trolls…" I said to myself.
They all looked at me with surprise, not acknowledging my presence at first.
"He's brought a girl!" the mother troll said, running up to me. The trolls all picked me up and shuffled me to Kristoff's arms.
"Uh…What's going on?" I asked.
"I've learned to just roll with it."
"She's so pretty," one of the trolls said.
"She's like a little cupcake," another interjected.
"Wait…wait," I interrupted them, "Me and Kristoff aren't…"
"What's the issue dear," asked the mother, "why are you holding back on such a man?"
"She is engaged to someone else!" Kristoff yelled. "Where is Grand Pobbie?" he asked them.
An troll that looked like a respectable, wise, man came out of the masses.
"There is strange magic here," he said, probably referring to my condition.
"That's what we need your help with," Kristoff said, looking into his eyes earnestly and hopefully.
"Where was she struck?"
"In the heart."
Everyone looked at each other; disconcerted.
"I can't fix the heart, if it were her head, that would be different but, the heart is not so easily persuaded."
"Come on," begged Kristoff, there has to be a way.
"Only an act of true love can thaw a frozen heart," he told him.
The mother troll spoke up.
"A true love's kiss, perhaps?"
Kristoff looked at me as if he were about to kiss me, then he looked away, sad and ashamed.
"Hans," he said, "We have to get you back to Hans."
"Hurry, she does not have much time," said Grand Pobbie.
At this point all of my hair was white and I had nearly passed out. I was tired and cold.
Kristoff carried me over to Sven and we got on. I rested my head against his warm shoulder as we rode. We passed tall trees and short pines, racing back to Arrendelle in order to save me from Elsa's curse. Kristoff took off his cap and put it on my head in hopes that it would help, but it didn't make much of a difference. If I were to die in his arms right then, I would have been completely content. I couldn't move. I couldn't think. I was Frozen.
Chapter Nine, "Erroneous Insinuations"
WE entered the city and crossed the bridge to the castle's gates. The gates opened and some servants came to collect me. Kristoff helped me off of Sven and into the gates. As soon as I was inside, the gates were shut and I could no longer see Kristoff's worried, loving face.
I was moved into the castle and into a common area with Hans.
"Hans," I said, "You have to kiss me."
"Woah, wait, wait, wait, tell me what happened." There was no time.
"There's no time, I told him, "you have to kiss me. Elsa struck me with her powers."
"I thought you said she would never hurt you."
"I was wrong."
He brought me over to a couch and sat me down. We looked into each others eyes with a certain adoration that had come with the.
"Only an act of true love can save me," I said almost whispering.
"A true love's kiss?" He almost answered his own question.
He began to lean in to kiss me, his warm hand holding my face closer to his. He leaned in all the way almost touching my lips, then stopped. I looked up. His expression changed from the head over heels adoration to that of a villain. I looked at him not sure what was happening.
"Oh Anna," he said, "If only there were someone out there—who loved you."
I looked at him with disgust. Was this some sort of joke? I couldn't believe what I was hearing and I refused to.
"I thought you did," I told him.
He stood up and began to put the fire out, the fire that was burning in the cobble stone fire place.
"As twelfth in line to the throne…"
"What are you doing?"
"There was no way I could have become king. So I knew, that I had to marry into the throne."
He went over to the window and looked out.
"Why are you doing this?"
"Elsa was my best choice, but no one was getting anywhere with her—then I found you. You were just bursting at the seams for love. You were so desperate."
He walked over to me and put his hand on my cheek again.
"Now that I tell them that your sister killed you, she will be put to death an I will be next in line."
I took my head away from his hand, even though I needed as much warmth as I could get at this point. He stood up and put his gloves on.
"You're no match for Elsa," I muttered in my weakness.
"No," he said, "You're no match for Elsa."
He walked out of the room and locked the door. I crawled over to the door and tried to open it. I got a chance to mutter the word "help" before I could no longer speak.
Moments later, I heard a rustling on the other side of the door.
"hel—help," I muttered.
The door burst open and Olaf pulled his carrot nose out of the lock. He walked in and looked around.
"Hi Anna," he said, ecstatic to see me.
"Olaf, help."
Olaf walked over to the fire place and lit a match on the mantle. He started the fire and helped me over to it.
"What happened" he asked.
"Hans never loved me, he only wanted the throne."
"So, you didn't get your kiss?"
"No."
Olaf started to melt.
"Olaf, you're melting," I informed him.
He looked into my eyes and said with all of his heart—or lack there of—,
"Some people are worth melting for."
I looked at him with a smile, one that took nearly all of the energy out of me to muster.
"I don't even know what love is," I said to him.
He was leaning up against me at this point, trying to keep me warm I guess, even though he was made of snow.
"That's okay, I do!" he said exited. "Love is putting someone else's needs before your own—like Kristoff did when he brought you back and then left you here.
"Kristoff loves me?" I asked him.
"Wow," he said, "You really don't know anything about love, do you?"
I thought about this for a moment. Kristoff helped me get to my sister. He helped me get away from my sister, even though I didn't want to. He warmed me up when I was cold. Kristoff took me to the trolls so that they might save me and then, he brought me back to Arrendelle so that Hans could save me. Everything Kristoff did was for me. It was all, for me.
"Wait, I'm getting something." Olaf was at the window now, using an icicle as a spyglass to look into the distance.
"It's Kristoff and Sven! I guess he really didn't love you enough to leave you behind."
"Olaf, we have to get to Kristoff," I said to him.
"Why?" he asked. "Oh, I know why! There's your act of true love right there! Riding across the fjord like a valiant, pungent reindeer king!"
The fjord was Frozen over at this point, probably Elsa's doing.
Olaf helped me up and we began to shuffle to the door. When we entered the hallway, the walls started to freeze over and icicles started to converge out of the walls.
"The path is blocked!" he yelled.
"Look over here."
We found a window and opened it. The snow had risen to the second floor of the castle, so it was safe to slide down. I put my foot outside the window and let myself down. I began to slide faster and faster until I was at the bottom and on the frozen fjord.
The wind had picked up speed and the snow was swirling around me. Me and Olaf trekked towards Kristoff. The snow began to carry Olaf away, but I kept moving forward, all the while thinking of Kristoff's warm lips against mine.
"Kristoff!" I managed to yell as I moved slowly toward him.
He rode faster and faster. We were going to make it.
I then heard a sword being drawn behind me. It was the sound of metal screeching against metal.
"You're sister's dead, you killed her," I heard Hans say behind me. I stopped, and so did Kristoff.
"What?" Elsa was there. He was about to kill her. I had to stop him. He could not be allowed to kill my sister.
He raised his sword to strike her from behind. She was now sad—crying—because of my loss.
I turned from Kristoff and ran over to my sister. I held my hand up as Hans brought down his sword upon me. I had started to completely Frozen over and by the time he hit me, my entire body was ice. I could not move. I felt myself dying with every second. I could not breath.
Elsa got up and came over to me. She looked at me with despair and wrapped her arms around me. Kristoff and Sven stood, watching, in disbelief. Olaf came up behind me.
"Anna?" Olaf asked, not sure what to do.
"Anna!" Elsa said, tears now streaming down her face and onto my ice covered body. I could feel my heart slowing down due to the lack of oxygen.
Elsa was now sobbing. I was glad that my last moments could be spent in my sister's arms. My sister who had shut me out all those years, was now there to comfort me in my darkest hour.
Chapter Ten, "The Great Thaw"
SHE grasped me even tighter now, refusing to let go. Then, something magical started to happen. I felt myself burning, not from her body, but from my heart. I was probably dying due to lack of air. All of a sudden, I felt myself melting. By the time I was fully thawed, I saw my sister, looking at me as if she had lost part of herself.
"Anna!" She hugged me again, crying into my shoulder. "You sacrificed yourself for me?" she asked once she regained her composure.
"I love you," I told her.
"Love," she said to herself. "Love will thaw."
I looked at her as she brought her hands up from her waist. The fjord began to thaw and I looked down. A ship was underneath us and we began to plant our feet on its slick oak.
Hans had passed out due to the shock when he hit me with his sword, but was now on the ship with us, fully awake.
"Anna?" he asked, confused, "but she froze your heart…"
Kristoff tried to walk over and teach Hans a lesson but I stopped him.
"ah, ah, ah," I told him, "I got this."
I walked over to him.
"The only Frozen heart around here, is yours."
I punched him in the face and he stumbled backwards over the side of the ship and into the water.
We all went back to the castle, and Elsa and I caught up.
"So you know how to control it now?" I asked.
"Yes. The perfect mixture of love can control any amount of hurt or anger."
"I think we need to give Kristoff a gift, for all that he had done for us," I said to her lightly.
"A new sled perhaps?" she asked.
"That's perfect," since his job was ice collecting.
"You can give it to him," she said, nudging me on the shoulder.
"What's that supposed to mean?" I asked her jokingly.
"You know what it means."
The next day, I met up with Kristoff outside of the castle gates. I gave him a blind fold and told him to put it on.
"No peeking," I told him.
I grabbed his hand and led him to the trading area of the kingdom.
"And, open them up."
Kristoff opened his eyes to see a new sled, right before his eyes, one that was far superior to his old one.
"Wow, you didn't have to…"
"Ah, ah, ah, Queens orders. No returns, no refunds, she has named you the official Arrendelle Ice Master and deliverer."
"What? That's not a thing."
"Sure it is. And look, it even has a cup holder…do you like it?"
I put one hand in the palm of the other, something I always did when expecting a response from someone.
"Like it? I love it," he exclaimed, "I could kiss you. I could. I mean I'd like to. I'd…may I? We me…I mean may we? Wait, what?"
I gave him a slight kiss on the cheek.
"We may."
I kissed him. A kiss I had been waiting on my entire life, a true love's kiss that would never get old or be forgotten.
We pulled away and laughed.
"So what now?" he asked.
"What now?"
"Yeah."
"I guess we wait."
"For what?"
"Frozen 2," I told him.