Prologue
The moon shone brightly off the mountains as the wind blew clouds of crystalline snow into the air. The ground was an unbroken stretch of white except for the long, dark line of round, lumbering figures moving slowly through the valley. It was completely silent save for soft murmuring coming from the front of the line.
"This must stop. This is the sixth home we've been driven from in the past moon! We have to strike back!" The voice was indignant, still clear and bright from youth.
"Patience, Silex," The second was deeper, rough with age. "All in good time."
"Father, I've been patient. For near a hundred years I've been patient! And I'm telling you, we cannot let these humans-" Silex spat out the word like it was poison. "- trample all over our pride. They think they can control us! We, the powerful Rock Trolls of the East! We, who drove out every evil from this land! We, who built Arendelle from the ground with our bare hands!"
"You were not yet born when our kind founded Arendelle. Do not speak of it as if you were there."
"But you were there, Father! Remember the stories you told me when I was still a young pebble?"
"You still are a young pebble, Silex."
"Young, yes, but not a pebble anymore, Father."
Their conversation was interrupted by another, smaller troll, this one female.
"Rupis?"
Rupis turned to her.
"Ah, Petra. What is it?"
"The little ones are getting tired."
"How long have we been traveling?"
"Six weeks, Father," Silex pitched in.
"Six weeks! Great Montem! Yes, yes, we shall stop when we cross the valley."
Petra nodded, turned, and disappeared back down the line. Immediately, Silex continued, as if there had been no interruption.
"You know as well as I do that we've put up with this long enough. It's time to strike back! It's time for revenge!"
Rupis' reply was cut off by a loud wailing from the approaching mouth of the valley. Trolls all along the line started, some of the younger ones shifting into rocks in their surprise. There was a long silence until a troll somewhere in the middle of the group whispered loudly, the sound carrying along the line,
"What was that?"
Silex stepped bravely forward.
"I'll go find out,"
He strode quickly up the small incline to the end of the valley before his father could protest, disappearing into the darkness of the small swathe of trees at the top. There was an uncomfortable silence, broken only by the occasional shuffle of rock feet. After a moment Rupis called out worriedly,
"Silex? What is it? What did you find?"
Silex's voice echoed back down the incline.
"It's a child! A human child!"
Immediately the trolls all down the line began to mutter to each other, some looking scared, some only concerned, and others curious. Rupis took a moment to think before saying calmly,
"I'm coming up. Make sure it doesn't escape, Silex."
With that the old troll started to climb laboriously up the small hill, ignoring the worried looks from the trolls at the bottom. Soon he came to the top and, after taking a moment to catch his breath, entered the trees. In the darkness, his old eyes picked up a faint light from between the trunks and he moved slowly towards it. As he came closer he could see the hunched figure of his son and behind him a smaller bundle. The light was coming from the bundle and the old troll made his way towards the pair cautiously. The child was quiet now, staring up at the two rock trolls with huge eyes. Father and son looked down at the child in silence until Silex spoke up in a quiet voice.
"Father…. Look at its eyes."
Rupis moved closer, gazing down at the softly glowing child. His expression moved from surprised to curious to guarded as he beheld the strangeness of the young boy. The child's eyes were red. Pure, fiery red save for the deep black pupils in the centers. Silex was watching his father.
"What is it?"
"This child…. I've seen one like this before."
"When? Where?"
"In a dream, 4 days ago. It was a female child, born of the royal family."
"The princess of Arendelle is a Proprius Child?" Silex was surprised.
Rupis nodded.
"The princess is Proprius of Ice. This child," Rupis gestured to the newborn in front of them, "is of Fire."
A look of sudden understanding dawned on Silex's face and he recited in a hushed voice,
"Descendants of Earth
Of nature itself
Two children be born
In the year of the elf
One be of fire
And one be of ice
Both with the knowledge
Of great sacrifice
Apart, enemies
To attack and destroy
But together, powerful
Bringing safety and joy
Absolute opposites,
Yet exactly the same
Born with the power
To save or to maim"
At the end of his speech, both trolls stood in silence for a moment before Silex spoke again.
"And you think this child is part of the prophecy?"
"I do."
"And the princess is the other half?"
"Yes."
"But then-" Silex's voice rose in excitement. "-this child could be our salvation!"
Rupis looked up, the question in his eyes.
"What do you mean?"
"Apart, enemies
To attack and destroy.
Don't you see, Father? This child, if raised by our kind, would grow to hate the humans, hate the royal family, hate the princess. We could use him to get our revenge!"
"Silex, I don't think-"
"You know I'm right, Father," Silex stepped closer to Rupis, his eyes burning with conviction, "The child was placed here for a reason. It's up to us to use it."
"Still, I really-"
"And if you don't agree, I'll just take over. Most of the colony sees me as leader anyway. They all believe you to be too old and frail to do anything anymore. They believe that your time on this earth is soon to be finished. They would support me, and you know it."
Rupis looked shocked at the venom in his son's voice but, recognizing defeat, he dipped his head, stepping away from the child.
"Very well, Silex. You do as you please with the Proprius."
Silex's eyes shone with triumph and he picked up the child, turning and disappearing down the incline again. Rupis stayed where he was, looking up through the skeletal branches to the midnight blue sky.
"The prophecy has come. Now is the time Arendelle shall triumph over evil or be destroyed."
The old rock troll's voice fell to barely above a whisper.
"Great Montem, help us all."