A/N: Hello everyone, and thank you for checking out my story for Disney's Frozen. I would like to thank Arendelle Knight and Henmageddon for editing these chapters before they were released. Of course, all feedback is appreciated. I hope you enjoy!
Also, the prologue deviates from the norm a little. I promise this all goes somewhere. ;)
Prologue – A Dream of Arendelle
14 June 1940
To Dr. Heinrich Richter,
It is unfortunate that your condition has prevented you from witnessing this joyous day alongside me. As predicted, the occupation was a success. Their army was weak numerically, morally, economically, and spiritually. Our men were able to take the city with valor, and fighting in the countryside has stopped. I followed the men to the Capitol, where they raised a flag bearing the Reichsadler to signify our dominance. There was little resistance inside the city. The people here are inferior, but they are not stupid – they know better than to face an impossible task.
I regret to inform you that investigations into the Royal Family of Arendelle will take more time. Historians neglected to record Arendelle's history, and it has been difficult to find reliable information regarding its past or the Royal Family. The Kingdom was never of significant importance, except that it is the only place where such powers have been recorded. We are unsure if we will be able to unlock the secret to these powers for use in the war.
Sympathizers have been forthcoming on the matter. They tell us tales of the Ice Queen's powers and of the glory and destruction she brought on her people. We believe many of these tales to be figments of imagination. Little of it connects, and we cannot yet reach a clear vision of the events that transpired in Arendelle.
They did, however, grant us access to Arendelle's remains. The city is located about 250 kilometers southwest of Oslo. It will be easy to bring new resources to the area for investigation should the need arise. The area guards the entrance to the Baltic Sea, and it is imperative the Allies do not take it. I will be sending a full geographic report to Berlin for analysis so they may release the proper military commands.
The city is but a shell of its former self. Our guide, a local from a small village 10 kilometers north of the city, said it had collapsed before his birth. There were a few small farms on the outskirts of the city. Thankfully, most historical areas have remained unaltered. Our guide lead us through the old markets, docks, and eventually, into Arendelle Castle.
We had reached the castle by boat – our guide said the bridge had collapsed some time ago. The castle was in poor condition as well. The southern wall had collapsed (possibly due to cannon fire from the sea) and the towers were crumbling.
The inside of the castle was ordinary. I have seen more impressive and powerful architecture in Germany. There was a Great Hall, ballroom, library, garden, dining hall, dungeons, and numerous bedrooms and quarters. We expected to find more information on the royal family inside the library, but we found only found burnt pages and empty shelves.
Our guide suggested we look upstairs. We searched through an endless number of bedrooms and storage closets. Of the rooms we explored, only two are noteworthy.
The first was a small, lightly decorated, white and purple room. It was empty besides a bed, a dresser, and other necessities. A large triangular window looked out to the city. Dust covered the room, but it was clean. The room was clear of valuables. Our guide suggested that looters had been to the castle. Treasures once filled this room. It was the Queen's quarters.
The second room was harder to investigate. It was sunnier and cluttered. A dresser had collapsed on the floor. The room was dusty and filled with broken glass, clothing items, and various papers. We pushed the mess against one wall to get a clear look of the room.
We searched through drawers and cupboards, but could not find anything of value for our studies. We were about to leave the room when I checked under the bed. Underneath sat a large, weathered tome, and it immediately caught my attention. I pulled it out for further examination. The cover was green. A golden crocus, the symbol of Arendelle, was stamped in gold on the cover. Beneath it, scribbled in gold ink, the simple title – A Dream of Arendelle.
The book did not note the author. The binding was frayed and fragile. We carefully opened the book. It contained written text. A small note fell out of the first page. I gave it to a fellow historian for translation. It read:
I've been thinking about my time in Arendelle. I've started writing down my story, and I've found some comfort in putting words on the page.
I have a request - We both spent time talking with the people involved, and we may be some of the only ones left with full knowledge of the past year's events. I do not want the world to forget about the suffering of Arendelle, and I want you to help me record the events of the past year. I have begun writing my story in journal entries, and I will send them to you soon. In the meantime, you could begin writing Arendelle's story. You have spoken with everyone involved. You know everything. Additionally, this work may pull your mind away from past events.
My time in the taverns taught me the importance of stories to humankind. You and I spent many nights listening to the tales of old, and now we have the chance to add our own account to the legends. Please inform me if you wish to help me with this endeavor.
Life here has been well. Best wishes to you and your country,
-M. Rutherford
Between the pages, there are other pages of scrawled notes. Our translator said they appear to be by the same "M. Rutherford." We searched for other mentions of his name in historical text, but found none. We are uncertain of this connection to Arendelle. His other notes were found placed in the pages between chapters of the book. We have left them in their original location for future study.
We gave the tome to the translator. He says the book appears to be an account of a series of events that took place during the life of the Royal Sisters. You will find that it is not written in the standard historical style, but rather as novel for a specific person or people. We believe the text strayed from original intent and became a method of therapy for the author.
The castle contained nothing else of value. We took the tome back to Oslo for a full translation. We are sending a full transcript to you. The book will be sent to Berlin for future study. I hope our scholars may find knowledge within that will help win the war.
Your student,
Fritz Göringburg
