Legends of the Ice Queen ran rampant through the streets of Arendelle. Young children were told if they didn't go to sleep when they were told the Ice Queen would come into their homes and freeze them all. The Ice Queen a myth that frightened so many was not real. At least Anna didn't believe it was. Like many of the young children, she'd believed the Ice Queen would stalk the streets in the dead of winter, hoping to find and kill anyone. But, a part of Anna felt bad for this woman. Maybe she wasn't as bad as most people thought; maybe she was just looking for friends. This leads Anna to explore the city streets in search of the Ice Queen, but as Anna got older she stopped going out as much and instead set her sights on becoming a palace guard.

Whenever the young girl went out she'd see the patrols. People dressed in dark blue robes and chainmail. Helmets covering much of their faces, large swords at their wastes, walking together in groups of two. Keeping the peace and carrying away thieves. Anna wanted to be them. These guards saved her father when she was quite young. One night he hadn't come home and her mother and she sat in front of the fire, hoping he was just running late. Sometimes his sled would become stuck in the snow and it'd take a bit longer to get home, but this time it was well into the night. Anna feared that the Ice Queen and befriended her father and taken him away. Her mother assured her that was not the case, but Anna couldn't help but think it. The sun started coming up when there was a knock on the door. Elise, Anna's mother leaped up toward the door. She opened it and outside stood two guards, supporting a tall redheaded man between them. Elise ushered them in quickly, motioning for the guards to lay Anna's father by the fire.

Ever since that night, Anna had admired their strength and courage and she vowed to become one of them, a saviour of the people she liked to call it.

So here she was. Age 24 years, red hair braided and pulled into a bun. But, instead of the dark blue robes of the patrol, she wore black. The colour of the prison guards. She'd joined when she was 20 and had worked hard, but her superiors had placed her in the castle prison instead. And here she'd worked for the past 2 years.


Anna paced down the long hall, eyes glancing into the cells on her left and right. Watching as the many criminals sat on their bunks, wrapped in ratty old blankets. Anna felt her heartache for some of these people. Being part of the guard, even if it was just a prison guard was not what she'd thought it would be. And many of the people she'd met were mean and hard-hearted. She didn't understand why'd they'd join. If not to protect and serve than what was the point of being part of the guard. She made it to the end of the cells and she turned left. Feet carrying her down a long hallway lined with torches. Dark stairs at the end curved downward in a spiral. Anna always patrolled the stairwell, though many of the other guards would skip it, saying that no one ever goes down there anyway. Anna knew that was mostly the truth, but felt it was her duty to keep everyone safe and she had to patrol everything…'it has nothing to do with the door at the bottom or anything' she told herself 'you're just doing your job.' Anna's curious side always won out. She stepped off the last step, eyes focusing on the single door at the end of the hall, the dark wood of the door was solid, there was no window to see in and Anna had never seen the door opened. But, she'd heard rumours from the older jailers that the worst criminal was kept in there. Whenever the redhead looked at that door she felt the urge to go down there. She did not have a key for the door and knew that once a day the head jailer would bring the prisoner food and slide it through the small gap that opened at the bottom of the door.

A scraping sound startled Anna, she jumped slightly. She'd been so lost in thought that the sound from inside the door startled her. 'Wait, from inside' she thought. Her feet moved her forward without a thought. The person inside had moved. Heart pounding she placed a hand against the wood. She was shocked at how cold the wood was. The castle prison was always cold even in the middle of summer. Jail guard uniforms reflected this in the thick wool and fur that lined the inside of their shirts and the thick hats they wore to keep the chill-out.

Anna chewed on her lip, 'the person inside must be freezing.' "Excuse me!" Anna called out, voice directed at the door. She stopped to listen. Soft shuffling could be heard from the other side. "Are you alright in there? This door is awfully cold" She stopped and waited for the person to speak back, but nothing just the sound of chains clicking. 'They must be the real evil to still be chained up inside a locked cell' Anna thought. She went to step away but, it sounded like the person on the other side had sat down leaning their body against the door. Anna stepped back toward the door, she knelt down hand pressed against the cold wood. "umm, I didn't know that someone was actually in here. I mean I knew, but I didn't really know…you startled me when you first moved" Anna chuckled. "But, I guess you are in there, locked up, chained and everything. I heard you were evil and-" Anna stopped herself. "Why would you say that Anna, you can't just say someone is evil" She mumbled to herself. She slumped down on the ground, back hitting the door with more force then she meant. She heard the gasp of surprise come from the other side. Anna kicked herself for scaring the person. "Sorry for startling you." She spoke softly. Head turned toward the wood.

Anna didn't hear a response, but she continued to talk to the prisoner.


It had become a routine where Anna would do her patrols and ends them sitting with her back to the door, voice carrying through the wood to the prisoner on the other side. Occasionally she'd hear the person chuckle at something she said, or gasp in shock along with Anna. This encouraged Anna to ramble on about her brother Olaf and her mother. She'd talk about her job and her friends. Anna would tell her about how her friend Kristoff and how he'd kissed her the other day and she'd forgotten to close her eyes. Anna explained that she just couldn't return his romantic feelings the way she should. She'd thought that maybe they could still get married, but they'd just be best friends, but whenever he'd touch her she'd feel uncomfortable and think of something to make it stop. She'd talk about how she wanted to be part of the patrol guards and it had been her lifelong dream. The prisoner never spoke back, but whenever Anna asked if they were still there she'd here shuffling and the clink of chains.


After 6 months, winter was setting in, and the chill in the dungeon was getting worse. Anna wore her thickest uniform. Leather boots lined with fur and thick gloves became the norm. The chill coming from the prisoner's cell had become much worse. Anna was concern grew rapidly as the air around the cell began to grow increasingly cold.

"Hey, are you alright. It's really cold out here and your door is way colder than normal. Do you want me to go get you a blanket." She didn't hear a response. "I'll go get you one, I know where they keep the thickest ones. I'll be right back." She leaped up, feet moving quickly down the hall.

Anna hesitated in her steps it had sounded like someone had said no, but it couldn't have been from her friend because they didn't speak. She brushed it off as coming from one of the other prisoners.

Taking two steps at a time, Anna rushed along the corridor. Most of the prisoners were in their cots attempting to sleep in the cold dungeon. Arriving at the guard station she saw Alec asleep on one of the chairs. Feet propped up on the table, chair tilting backward. Anna narrowed her eyes in irritation. Alec was the laziest guard among them, choosing to sleep through his shift rather than working. Leaving all the patrols to Anna. She didn't mind it now because she knew she could talk with her prisoner without being interrupted.

Moving quietly she reached for the large cupboard containing blankets and pillows for the prisoners. Pulling down the warmest blanket and the softest pillow she was about to move back when she realized she'd not be able to give them to the prisoner because there was no way to slide them through the small door at the bottom of the door. Stopping hands full she turned toward the head jailers office. She glanced back at Alec, his loud snores filling the room. Anna placed the blankets down by the door to the guard's station and moved toward the jailers office. She reached forward hand trying the nob. It was locked. Her face screwed up in frustration. How was she going to get in? Anna had seen Alec sneak into the jailer's office before, to steal some of his booze. He'd used his knife and slid it between the door and the doorframe. Anna pulled out her small dagger kneeling beside the door and as quietly as possible slid her knife into the small gap. She felt it hit something metal. She wriggled the knife until she felt it catch and give way. The door swung open. Anna almost leaped for joy, but last minute held her breath. Glancing at Alec one more time to make sure he was asleep she moved into the room sliding the door closed behind her.

Anna glanced looked toward the key cupboard. She'd been in the head jailer's office before and watched him as he pulled down a spare set of keys for her. Moving toward the small box on the wall she pulled the latch at slid it open. She glanced around for a key that was different than the ones she had but, didn't see any. "Of course it wouldn't be that easy" She grumbled to herself.

Moving over to his desk, she searched the drawers and found nothing. Anna stood back up and looked around. Where could he have hidden the key? Anna's eyes focused on a painting on the far wall. It was of Arendelle castle in winter. Anna's brows scrunched up. "Why do you have a picture like that." She knew the head jailer didn't like art, he complained about a number of paintings in the castle and how they were a waste of money. Anna's face lit up and she rushed over to the painting, her foot caught on the corner of the jailer's desk, her eyes widened hands coming up to catch her self as she tumbled forward. Anna's body almost slammed into a side table with a kerosene lantern on it. Anna held her breath, waiting to hear if Alec woke up. But, the loud snores continued. Anna let out a breath of relief. She quickly stood up cautiously and moved more slowly toward the painting. Hands came up and lifted the Winter painting from its hook. She glanced at the wall behind the painting, and nothing was there. She turned it around, and attached to the back of the canvas was a small silver key. Anna's face split into a smile. Grabbing the key she placed the painting back, before leaving the office and shutting the door. She grabbed the blankets and pillows and moved down the hallway back to the prisoner.


The door came into her line of vision and Anna jogged up to it. "I've got the blankets. I also grabbed you a pillow. It's the nicest one we have. I mean it's not the best pillow ever, it's kinda rough but hopefully better than the one you have."

Anna placed them on the ground; pulling out the key she fitted it into the lock. Before she could open the door she heard rapid movement from the other side of the door. The prisoner sounded like they were moving as far away as they could. Anna frowned in confusion; she wasn't going to hurt them.

Turning the key in the lock she opened the door.

She couldn't' see anything in the cell. The darkness was so thick. Anna grabbed a torch along one of the walls, picking up the blankets and pillow with her other hand she moved into the cell. She saw a person huddled into the far corner. Pale face peering up at her.

Anna gasped in shock. She had not been expecting to see a woman behind the door. Maybe a scary looking man with a scar on his face and an evil smirk. Not a woman, dressed in pale blue robes that sparkled like ice, whose body seemed so small and frail that she would break at the slightest of breezes. Anna's mouth hung open. This woman who was supposed to be the evilest of evil villains seemed to be the most innocent of beings she'd ever met. Anna closed the door behind her, careful so that it didn't lock her in as well. She moved closer, the woman huddled further away, curling her body ever smaller. Anna froze, she didn't want to scare her.

Anna moved to the side and placed the torch on the wall hook before kneeling down ways from the other woman.

"I've brought you the blankets." Anna held them out. She was even more concerned when she could see her breath puff in front of her face. Glancing around she saw that there were no blankets or pillows in the room. Anna's concern grew when the other woman could barely look at her. "I won't hurt you. Please take them?" Anna shuffled closer, hands holding out the blankets.

The other woman finally glanced up, meeting Anna's eyes. Anna was taken aback by how blue they were. Anna felt her heart speed up, her hands felt a bit sweaty in her gloves. Anna had been so focused on the other woman's eyes that it took her awhile to realize the woman had held up her hands. They were encased in metal, completely covering her forearms and hands. The metal was icy silver; frost had developed on the metal. Anna moved forward quickly, eyes going wide in shock.

Her hands dropped the blankets on the ground as her gloved hands covered the icy metal encasing the other woman's hands. "How could they do this! You must be freezing". Anna began to rub her hands over the freezing metal, hoping to warm the other woman up. Anna hadn't noticed the other woman gasp in surprise and stiffen.


Elsa watched as the young redheaded guard began to rub the metal vigorously while mumbling to herself. Elsa began to feel a bit of warmth seep into her fingers, she hadn't felt warm in so long she felt her body relax. The cold wouldn't kill Elsa, but the feeling cold and empty for so long had taken its toll on the woman. She couldn't stop her body from moving closer to the warm redhead. Her head tilting down to try and get closer, to feel the heat at least one more time before being taking somewhere else once they realized that one of the guards had opened her door.


Anna stopped when she saw the other woman lean into her. Eyes widening Anna realized that she must be freezing all over. Anna slid in next to the white blond haired woman. Pulling the blankets with her. She glanced up when she felt the body stiffen beside her, icy blue eyes stared at her. "I'm going to try and help you warm up. I don't want you to turn to ice while I'm on duty." Anna spoke; she had a slight smile on her face. She pulled the blanket over them both and draped an arm around the other woman's slight shoulders. Anna closed her eyes and leaned back, letting her mind wander.


Elsa watched the other woman. Her head had fallen on her shoulder a while ago, deep breaths from the redhead being the only noise in the room. Elsa had long since stopped counting the girls freckles, they seemed to be endless and disappeared beneath her uniform. 'How did this happen!' Her mind thought. 'When did a jail guard find her way in here and fall asleep on me.' Elsa hadn't moved to wake her though. The girl was giving off such warmth and comfort that Elsa couldn't bring herself to ask her to move.

She continued to sit there till she felt the shift in temperatures as the sun began to rise. Shifting to the side so she could see the other woman better she pressed her encased hands against the other woman's shoulder, trying to shake her awake.


Anna grumbled before opening her eyes. She was staring at the other woman when she realized where she was. Anna leaped up, but promptly tripped on the blanket and ended up sprawled on the ground. Groaning she rolled over.

Hearing slight giggles Anna glanced up. Her face turning red when she realized the other woman was laughing at her. Anna couldn't be embarrassed for long and she laughed quietly with the other woman. She sat up "I have to leave now, I don't want anyone realizing I was in here." She stood, and watched as the other woman's laughs stopped. "I'll be back tomorrow night! And I'll bring you some bread and stew." Anna had felt the other woman's bones sticking out when she'd sat next to her and worried that she might starve to death before freezing. Before Anna left she moved forward and placed the pillow behind the woman's back and draped the blanket around her shoulders. "I'll be back tomorrow. Don't you worry" Anna smiled, before turning and leaving.