Disclaimer: Surprising no one, I still do not own Frozen ;).
Anna left her cottage hurriedly, closing the door with a thud. She walked quickly down the path leading away from her home as the sun dipped below the tree line. It was not a very well-traveled path. In fact, it was more often used by animals than people, but Anna knew it like the back of her hand. She knew each tree that lined the way. Every rock was familiar. Anna had to know the path exactly because she could not bring a torch into the wood to light her way, for it was the Kingswood and, strictly speaking, was off-limits to anyone without the express written permission of the king himself. Anna, a commoner, had no such permission, of course, but was confident she could evade detection. She had made the trip dozens of times before without incident and hoped to continue doing so.
The red-haired girl moved quietly over the ground, making her way through the trees and undergrowth toward the edge of a small lake. The wood itself was full of great trees, making it dark and, Anna admitted, a little frightening. The trees parted, though, to make way for the pond, allowing the full moon to shine brightly on the water, illuminating the shoreline. It was beautiful. Peaceful and quiet. Anna had always been drawn to such tranquil scenes and felt most calm near the water's edge.
Beyond the pond was a clearing, of sorts, on the opposite shore. More a rocky beach than a clearing, really. It was there, by the side of that small, clear lake that Anna had first witnessed the magic. Now, like clockwork, Anna made her way to this place as often as she could in hopes of seeing more. She had told no one of her discovery, in part so they would not think her mad but mostly because she did not want to share - with anyone - the magic of the ice fairies (For what could have power over water and snow and ice, if not a fairy?).
When Anna arrived at that almost sacred place, she surveyed the shoreline carefully. There was no one there. The woods all around were quiet and still. She picked up a small rock and made a wish. She kissed the smooth stone once before skipping it across the water's glasslike surface, leaving behind hundreds of ripples to dance in the moonlight. Satisfied that she was alone by the pond, Anna retreated from the water and ducked down behind a large rock to wait. She smiled happily to herself, tucking a stray lock of red hair behind her ear. She was content to wait - wait for magic.
Many long minutes crawled by, and try as she might to wait patiently, Anna found herself peering over the top of the large rock with increasing frequency. Truly, it was growing quite late, the shadows were becoming more ominous with each passing moment. She sighed heavily. Perhaps her hope to see magic would go unrealized as had happened several times before. After all, one cannot just assume that fairies will keep a set schedule.
Anna had just stood from her hiding spot to leave when she caught sight of a small burst of bluish-white light and...ice. The redhead was so excited she nearly cried out, but instead resumed her position behind the rock and watched as snow and ice began to swirl and glow on the other side of the pond. As she crouched and stared, the ice transformed itself into a beautiful frozen fountain, and then morphed perfectly into an enormous reindeer. The enchanted water soon took on the form of a crystal palace, growing straight from the ground, grand and elegant, with spires reaching the tops of the trees. Anna sat in awe as the ice and snow continued to spiral and change until finally, at length, it began to dissipate and was gone.
When she was sure the incredible display was over, Anna rose to her feet and turned to walk home, picking her way carefully along the now completely dark trail. Lost in thought as she headed homeward, the redhead found herself wishing, more than anything else, to one day meet the fairies responsible for such wondrous magic.
The night air had grown chilly and Anna pulled her cloak tight around her for warmth. Still, the cold bit through her clothing. It was unusually cold air for the time of year. No matter. She would be back in her little house at the border of the Kingswood in front of a fire in no time.
Suddenly, Anna heard a scream from somewhere behind her. She turned to face the sound. It sounded like a woman. A woman's scream. No, Anna thought, not a woman...just an owl. She turned once more and to continue up the path but halted in place as another, somewhat muffled shriek met her ears. Still behind her, but not very far off. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end.
For a moment, she wanted to break into a run. She wanted to run away, back home...back to safety. The world, Anna knew, was not safe - especially at night. But what of the other woman? From the sound of her cries, she desperately needed help. But what if she was being accosted by a highwayman or worse? Anna, though certainly not helpless, would not fool herself. Going to this stranger's aid might mean putting herself in grave danger. Another cry of pain rushed passed her on a blast of cold air and her mind was made up. She pulled a small knife from her boot and spun on her heels, hurtling through the woods in the direction of the screams.
As far as I can tell, this will be a two-shot or thereabouts. This idea popped into my head an hour or so ago and seemed a pleasant enough way to keep the creative juices flowing-ish while I wait for inspiration to strike on my other stories.
As always - Questions, Comments, Suggestions and even Rude Remarks are welcomed and encouraged. Reviews are welcomed, encouraged and GREATLY appreciated.
Til next time...