When I said at the end of the month... I seriously meant it. Lol. Anyways, here it is. The first chapter to the sequel. Happy reading :)


Chapter 1

"Elsa, no… No, wait! Elsa, Please… Please! You can't live like this." With her heels clicking against the soles of her feet and the helm of her dress crumpling inside her closed fists, Princess Anna hastily chased after her sister down the castle halls. Desperately Anna attempted to stop Elsa with an outreach hand. Slipping out of her grasp, she only managed to snatch the glove off her sister's right hand just before Elsa entered her private study. Then a startled Princess Anna reactively flinched back when her sister suddenly spun around to face her.

Arms crossed as the queen blankly stared at her and sternly demanded, "Give me my glove back." Through Elsa's regal façade, Anna sensed a weariness behind her tone and glance. No doubt the council meeting, lasting for most of the day, tired and frustrated the queen. Although normally she would leave her sister to quietly retire into her study until dinner, the princess refused to budge this time.

Determined to address the matter, Anna shook her head in defiance and pressed on, "Not until you promise that you will not go through with this. I mean… this is just ridiculous! They have no right to force this decision upon you. This is a private and personal topic, one they should not be meddling with. Besides, you are the queen. You should be telling them what to do, not the other way around. I certainly am not going to stand by and let them push us around. Sometimes I wonder why we even have a council in the first place. It's not like we are going nuts with power… Well, expect that one time… But it's a different kind of power than what I'm talking. Also, that was not your fault, Elsa. I had no idea about your ice powers… No one did really, and you were just trying to protect everyone… Wait, I'm getting off track. My point is…"

Anna trailed off in her rant when she noticed Elsa hunched forward and curled up tightly with her arms wrapped around herself. A sprinkle of snow dusted the queen's dress and carpeted stone floor. Her expression melting soft, she gently reached out and slowly uncoiled Elsa's arms. Next, the princess clasped their hands together and gave them a reassuring squeeze. When Elsa returned her gesture in kind with a small smile, Anna slumped her shoulder in relief, releasing some nervous tension she never realized she was holding.

Then she observed Elsa's grin gradually disappear as the queen begrudgingly admitted, "But they have a point, Anna. While I understand that you and the council do not particularly see eye to eye, they just want to ensure the kingdom's longevity and prospering state. So I seriously need to address their concern… Even if it means doing something I may not particularly find agreeable…"

Upon hearing that, the princess opened her mouth to protest, but Elsa immediately interjected, "…it is my duty, as queen, to act out in the kingdom's best interest. So I will heed their advice, and open myself up for courtship to choose a favorable matchup that will work towards Arendelle's benefit."

Princess Anna rolled her eyes in response, "Oh, please… That is just another pitiful excuse for the council to exert their control over us... And no one tells me what to do! Like I need their approval for my engagement. So what if Kristoff is not from a royal bloodline?! He is more of noble character than most princes and kings combined?! I will never find a fellow who's sensitive and sweet like him... Really, you should save yourself the hassle of combing through a crowd of suitors. Bet most of them will turn out to be jerks with their eyes only on the crown like Hans. Besides, you and I both know that you already have someone in mind. Unless…" The princess paused.

With a simply turn of her head, Elsa's faraway stare pierced dread deep within her heart. Though Anna wished not to voice out her thoughts, her sinking suspicion strongly compelled her to inquire, "Have you given up on him? It feels wrong to go on like he never existed. After all, he left for the sake of securing a future with you… Risking everything just for you. What will happen when he returns to find you married to someone else?"

Dreadfully Anna watched Elsa, as her sister relinquished herself from their hold, paced back and forth with a flurry of snow following her. While nervously clasping her hands together, Queen Elsa grimly professed, "Don't you mean IF he returns?! It has been over a year since his ship sailed off from our docks, and five months since we last received any word of him… I do not want to give up, but I also cannot wait here forever… always wondering what if I convinced him to stay or if I left with him… always worrying about what crazy venture and trouble he is getting into… always regretting and wishing things turned out differently…"

Placing a hand on her sister's shoulder, Anna smiled encouraging, "Do not lose hope yet. We have sent scouts, and even asked allies for help. Whatever Prince Ali is up to, I am sure we will hear about it soon… Who knows! Maybe he is on his way back right now. Probably too eager to return and forgot to write… Or he wants to surprise you and will show up any day now… Please, Elsa… It hurts me to see you so distraught. Have a little faith. I truly believe that you two are destined for each other… as if you and Ali are bound together by an invisible thread."

Even with her words of encouragement, a forlorn gaze graced her sister's face as Elsa shook her head and firmly declared, "No, I just can't! The past is in the past. And I need to move on. That is something I am sure he will understand. I believe he wants me to be happy no matter what… even if it means that happiness is with someone else." Despite these words, Anna noticed a flicker of uncertainty in her sister's facial expression as the queen once again instinctively withdrew her arms against herself.

Then Elsa melancholy sighed, "While, I appreciate your concern, Anna, I have made up my mind about this. I will not be a young maiden forever. No doubt the entire kingdom will be eager to have a royal heir as soon as possible. Also…" The queen hesitated for a moment before continuing, "…I consented to this as part of my negotiations with the council to secure your engagement to Kristoff."

Anna realized she must have appeared steaming mad when Elsa hurriedly explained, "Look, Anna. They just want to ensure our kingdom's political stronghold. So it was either this or I marry you off. And there is no way I am sending you away to wed some prince or duke for the sake of strengthening ties. This pretty much left me with no choice. Besides, it isn't all bad. I still have the final say as to who I marry… And at the very least, you can be with the man you love."

Suddenly Anna felt a pair of hands gently cup her cheeks. Glancing up, she discovered Elsa's cerulean eyes staring intently at her before her sister swooped in and trapped her in a hug as she softly whispered, "Most importantly, you can stay here, in Arendelle. I may have lost Ali, but I am not losing you, too. You are my sister… the only family I have left… I will do everything in my power to protect you and make sure that you are happy." Touched by her sister's words, Anna wrapped her arms around Elsa.

While locked in a tight hold, the princess muttered out, "It's not fair, Elsa. You also deserve to be happy with the one you love. There has to be a way! There has to be a way for you… for both of us to have what we want… to have our happy ending…" Then an idea popped in Anna's head as her eyes widened in realization.

"The Trolls! Elsa, the rock trolls… maybe Grand Pabbie can track Prince Ali with some kind of magic or spell. I do not know why we did not think of this sooner…" Quickly Anna entangled herself from their embrace and beamed at her sister. Feeling incredibly enthusiastic and immensely hopeful, the princess exclaimed, "Kristoff and I will head up the mountains to ask for their help. I am sure, with the troll's aid, we will find Ali in no time. Do not worry, Elsa. We will be back soon with good news." Before she gave Elsa a chance to reply, Anna bolted off down the hall, slid down the winding banister, and sprinted towards the castle stables in search of Kristoff.


Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock. The grandfather clock in her study counted the night away. Exhausted Elsa reviewed the draft before letting out a frustrated sigh and tossing the document aside. Writing the invitation to her birthday ball in July, when she will undoubtedly need to formally announce her availability for courtship, proved taxing, especially when her heart was not committed to it. Normally she spent her evenings enjoying a nice cup of tea with Anna, sometimes alongside Kristoff and Olaf, in the parlor. But this time, Anna and Kristoff excused themselves and headed to bed after dinner in order to prepare for their trek up the mountains early tomorrow morning.

Thankfully, Kristoff sensibly convinced an overly exuberant Anna to wait until tomorrow rather than tonight to travel, or else risk fending off wolves again. Upon hearing that, Elsa nearly panicked, but then calmed down when she realized that Kristoff will surely protect and care for Anna no matter what happens. Even though she understood her sister's insistence to consult the trolls as soon as possible stemmed from Anna's concern for her, Elsa still wished they had time for their tea party. Every evening after dinner, she looked forward to their time together as a welcomed reprieve from a tiring day of work. Their nightly gathering in the parlor had become a sacred tradition ever since…

Her thoughts drifted off. Without fail, her mind always wandered towards a certain Persian prince. It was not difficult considering almost everything around reminded her of the prince in some way – from the beautiful Japanese tea set he sent last July for her birthday to the sleeping baby lynx Freya nuzzled on her bed every night. While they caused the corners of her lips to lift into a small smile, a painful ache always accompanied these delightful moments of reminiscences. Though she often positioned an outwardly strong front, she reluctantly acknowledged how much she missed Prince Ali terribly and fretted over his unknown whereabouts constantly.

As she opened a tiny drawer, Elsa carefully removed a bundle of letters and gently placed them on top of her mahogany desk. The sight of these letters once filled her with wonderful anticipation. Countless times she leafed through and read about the Persian prince's miscellaneous adventures and profound discoveries. Then her hand pulled out Ali's final written correspondent back in November. She began rereading its contents in hopes of finding a clue she may have failed to notice the last few times.

My Dearest Elsa,

As I am writing to you, I am spending my last night in Japan. By the time you receive this, I expect to have successfully crossed the ice bridge connecting Russia to the New World. Though exploring my motherland and Japanese heritage proved exciting, I have learned all I can here, and now wish to seek new lands for more information. Like I mentioned before, my discoveries here have only proved that a shared philosophy of the five elements governing the forces controlling our world existed across several ancient civilizations. But I have yet to find any historical proof of element users, like us, existing as Grand Pabbie seems to strongly suggest. At this point, I have no clue what sort of past he was alluding to.

Still I am not giving up hope. If learning about the past is the key to stopping Damien and protecting our future, then I am sure I will uncover the truth in the New World. Much of this part of the world is shrouded with mystery, and thus perhaps the answers I have been seeking are waiting for me there. When I learn anything of significance, I will write to you as soon as possible – well as fast as Felix can fly to reach you. The poor fellow has been incredible, delivering our letters across such unbelievable distances in a speedy manner.

Anyways, how have things been with you since you last wrote to me? As for me, I miss you fiercely and wish nothing more than to return where my heart longs to be. I pray that time will come soon. So until the moment we finally meet each other face to face, I will hold and cherish this image of you in my mind. Take care, my love. I hope all is well.

Love Always,
Ali

P.S. Send my regards to Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and the others in Arendelle.

A melancholy sigh escaped from Elsa's lips as she neatly folded the letter before returning it inside her desk drawer with the others. When her hand reached in, something rough grazed her fingers. Grabbing hold of the object, Elsa produced an exquisite gold-chain necklace with a large ruby. The letter had not been Felix's final delivery. No doubt, the prince intended to give the ruby necklace to her as a Christmas present. But no letter accompanied it to confirm the assumption. This, among other abnormalities that night, alarmed Elsa and caused her to begin her fruitless search for Prince Ali. Closing her eyes, Elsa allowed the memory of that fateful night late December wash over her.

The night started normally enough with Elsa and Anna enjoying each other's company while they sipped their teas and nibbled on various pastries in the castle parlor. Then an eerie scratching noise abruptly interrupted their tea party. Both sisters cringed before glancing towards the source of the sound. Outside the window, they spotted Felix madly flapping his wings and persistently clawing at the windowpane. Instantly Elsa's expression brightened and a wide grin etched across her face as she glided towards the window to let the falcon in.

"Hold on, little guy." When Elsa opened the window, Felix rushed in and fluttered around the room in panic. Trying to pacify the falcon, she and Anna chased after and called out his name. After a while, Elsa noticed how Felix seemed disorientated with a tendency to veer left midflight. Then a sharp whistle pierced her ears. At the corner of eyes, Elsa observed Anna whistle and motion for the falcon to come over. This caught Felix's attention. Awkwardly the impaired falcon attempted to locate the sound, and soon crashed down to land on the coffee table in front of them.

Shaken by the gruesome sight before her, Elsa wordlessly plopped down on the sofa. Faintly she heard Anna gasped as her sister sat down next to her. They watched in horrid fascination as Felix pushed off from his left side and struggled to right himself on his feet. From his head down to his claws, the falcon's right half appeared burnt black in contrast to the beautiful chestnut-colored feathers on the left half of his body. Upon closer inspection, Elsa noticed his right eye sealed shut, which explained his odd flight pattern. Then she observed Felix rotate until his left eye fixated on her. Next the falcon repeatedly shrieked and bopped his head up and down as if attempting to communicate with her. This shifted her attention towards the gold chain, half-covered in soot, draped around Felix's neck.

Gently Elsa removed the gold chain off the falcon. Once she accomplished this task, Felix immediately spread his wings wide open and revealed to them the full extent of his physical disfigurement. Caught off guard by his sudden movement, Elsa helplessly witnessed the falcon soar up and dove straight into the roaring fire of the parlor's fireplace. Instantly the fire burst intensely white as a piercing shriek echoed throughout the room and a blinding blaze rocketed up the chimney. Alarmed she quickly blasted an icy gust, putting out the fire and dispersing ash all around. While her left hand covered a cough, Elsa directed another blast with her right hand to clear the air of smoke.

"Elsa, look what I found." She found Anna crouching over the doused fire and picking up a bright tear drop shape ruby nearly filling the palm of her hand. As she bent down next to her sister, Elsa heard Anna whisper while handing the ruby to her, "Felix must have gone to great lengths protecting this. What is so special about the ruby that he would risk his life guarding it?" Elsa shook her head in reply and examined the red jewel. It appeared so ordinary, and the prince never mentioned anything about a ruby in his letters. Quietly Elsa threaded the golden chain through the jewel's attaching metal loop; her mind puzzled by the strange event and its unquestionable connection to Prince Ali.

Then a sudden knock at her door jolted Elsa out of her reveries. "Queen Elsa. This is Captain Bjorg. I have an urgent message for you." Collecting herself for a moment, Elsa then secured the ruby necklace back in her drawer before inviting the captain inside the study. With sharp, brisk steps, Captain Bjorg marched in and stopped in front of her desk as he curtly bowed. "Sorry to disturb you, Majesty. But Paul, the barkeep of The Fiddler's Green, request your immediate presence. It is of vital importance that you visit his tavern tonight."


Fighting off the chilly spring night breeze of May, Elsa wrapped the cloak around her more tightly. Faintly she heard the clock tower struck and chimed twelve while she quietly followed Captain Bjorg through the kingdom's winding cobble-stoned streets. Though she protested at first, thinking perhaps the matter could wait until tomorrow morning, Elsa changed her mind upon Captain Bjorg's insistence. Finding the captain's behavior strange, her curiosity piqued to discover what exactly both Paul and Bjorg pressed for her to witness in person this instant.

Soon Elsa found herself in front of the dimly lit tavern and its infamous fiddle logo sprawled on the hanging sign with the inscription, "The Fiddler's Green". Passing through the threshold of the tavern's entrance way, Elsa immediately picked on the soft piano sound and a melodic tenor voice. Her eyes gravitated across the few bar tenants, sitting and enjoying the modest entertainment with a beer mug in hand, towards the dark-haired young man caressing the ivory keys and crooning sweet songs on a small make-shift stage. With his back facing her, Elsa failed to gain a clear glimpse of the performer's face until he turned to address the crowd.

"Alright, you drunk bastards. This will be the last song for the night. I am sure that many of you, well… at least of one you, have a special someone waiting for you to return home. And for those of you who don't. Worry not. One day you will find that dear one… to lay down with and rest your weary head." Returning his attention back to the instrument, the young man began playing his final song for the night.

Yes, I do, I believe
That one day I will be where I was
Right there, right next to you
And it's hard, the days just seem so dark
The moon, the stars are nothing without you

Your touch, your skin,
Where do I begin?
No words can explain the way I'm missing you
Deny this emptiness, this hole that I'm inside
These tears, they tell their own story

You told me not to cry when you were gone
But the feeling's overwhelming, it's much too strong

Can I lay by your side, next to you, you
And make sure you're alright?
I'll take care of you,
And I don't want to be here if I can't be with you tonight

I'm reaching out to you
Can you hear my call?
This hurt that I've been through
I'm missing you, missing you like crazy

You told me not to cry when you were gone
But the feeling's overwhelming, it's much too strong

Can I lay by your side, next to you, you
And make sure you're alright?
I'll take care of you
And I don't wanna be here if I can't be with you tonight

Lay me down tonight, lay me by your side
Lay me down tonight, lay me by your side

Can I lay by your side, next to you, you
And make sure you're alright?
I'll take care of you
And I don't wanna be here if I can't be with you tonight

Her heart hammered strongly against her chest while she silently observed the singer in utter disbelief. Tremendous hope completely swelled her heart when epiphany slowly donned on her. With every passing second, Elsa grew more and more convinced that the young man, sitting comfortably on the piano bench up on stage, was none other than Prince Ali himself. Besides the scruffy beard covering his chin and outlining his mouth, the Persian prince appeared as she remembered him over a year ago. His jet black hair parted down the middle and reached below his ears. The tiny scar located above his right eyebrow. The gleeful twinkle in his brown eyes. His ever present sly grin.

Unconsciously her body glided closer towards the stage until a hand on her shoulder stopped her. Elsa glanced up to find the barkeep Paul grimly shaking his head. Confused she sternly demanded an explanation for his actions. The bartender merely sighed in response, "Queen Elsa. I am sorry, but I do not think that is a good idea. If you approach him like this… A matter as delicate as this should be handled in private. If you would like, I will lead you into his room upstairs to wait. Let me put him at ease first before you meet face to face… You may find it hard to believe… It took me a long while to realize that it was not all an act myself, but… The prince is not quite himself. For you see, Majesty… That young man up on stage… Has no memory of who he is. No recollection of his past at all, and what happened to him ever since he regained consciousness five months ago."


I hope you find it worth the wait. Really wanted to take my time and start off right. With that said, unlike "Journey to the East", expect slower updates. My schedule is a lot more restrictive now (I actually have to budget my free time). Not just that I really want to make this story even better than the last. You may have notice that there are more internal musings. I am really trying to stay within the Third Person Limited narrative, get inside the character's head, and make sure events are only viewed through that character's perspective. Still I will make it my goal to try and update biweekly. Anyway, let me know what you think about the story so far with a review. Until next time :)

P.S. The song is "Lay Me Down (Acoustic Version)" by Sam Smith.