…hi? Don't kill me for not updating my other stories, but it has been a hectic month, with my aunt's wedding, all the relatives coming back from all around the world to attend and stuff, which means no updates at all. Well, this is a Frozen story, and the idea for it popped into my head when my cousins (3 and 6 years old) watched Elsa flee the kingdom and I was like-wait, what would happen if Elsa stayed? Would everything turn out different? Again, another plot bunny I couldn't chase away, so say hello to this new fanfic 'What Are You So Afraid Of?'
What Are You So Afraid Of?!
"No, why, why did you shut me out?" Anna demanded, as Elsa turned her back on her sister-once more-as she walked away, hugging her arms close to her. "What are you so afraid of?!"
"I said, enough!" Elsa near screamed, flinging her arm out instinctively as she was prone to in a fit of anger. Icy spikes shimmered as they lengthened and grew, materializing from the floor.
Anna gasped, skidding to a halt as one of the spikes nearly pricked her. Hans stood close to her, offering support even as he was thrown off guard by the sudden appearance of the deadly and ice cold but beautiful ice.
"Sorcery." The Duke inhaled sharply. "I knew there was something fishy going on here."
Elsa's frightened clear eyes darted from person to person. When they landed on her sister, and Anna was too shocked to respond, and just stared straight at her, Elsa made a strangled sound and dashed out the door.
Elsa ran through the hallways until she reached the main double doors. She threw those open, all too aware of Anna leading the guests in a chase after her. What she didn't expect were the faithful people of Arendelle waiting in the palace courtyard to greet their new queen.
"Queen Elsa!" One man bowed down before her. Elsa bit her lip, hearing the footsteps grow nearer, and all of her instincts screamed, 'RUN!"
Elsa felt vulnerable, exposed. She darted into the crowd as the people made way for her, but at the same time also hindered her as they tried to pay respects.
"Our beautiful Queen!" Someone called. Elsa came to a stop in front of a woman who held a baby, for fear of bumping into her and dislodging the baby, but then she discovered that her hand was still exposed, endangering everyone here.
The woman, with all her motherly instincts, noticed that something was wrong. Elsa's face too pale, her composure cracking. "Your Majesty, are you all right?"
Elsa could barely breathe as she was backed into a corner, right in front of a fountain. Too much people, too much danger. She felt the cold emanating from her bare hand, and grabbed the side of the fountain to support herself as she almost fainted.
Wrong move. Ice spread immediately, her powers singing as it released itself and Elsa snatched her hand away as if she'd been burned, but the damage had been done. The fountain turned into an ominous shape of ice, forming a monster, mirroring Elsa's frightened feelings, looming over the people of Arendelle.
Someone screamed, and the crowd went wild. The woman quickly hid her baby behind her, staring at Elsa in fear. Parents clutched their children closed.
Elsa couldn't help the high-pitched scream that tore from her throat. What was she thinking, coming out here and endangering all the people of Arendelle? But if she went back in, she would hurt Anna too…
The Duke, Hans and Anna burst out from the palace doors with a few people trailing behind them.
"Please, just, stay away!" Elsa begged desperately, using her hands to emphasize the importance of them following her commands, her pleads, but her powers were working to protect her now, not knowing that they were just making the situation worse, and a blast of ice shot out, coating the palace stairs in ice, and the Duke slipped.
Elsa turned on her heel and ran. She headed for the harbor, for the sea, where her mother and father, the former King and Queen had last been seen by their beloved daughters.
Then she realized she had nowhere to run.
Anna was catching up, she was going to reach Elsa, and Elsa would somehow hurt her again.
The Queen was determined not to let that happened.
She backed away as Anna ran down the rocky steps with Hans in tow, and ice formed under her feet, spreading out to the sea.
The water turned into ice.
Hesitantly, Elsa put her foot on it. It solidified immediately, and Elsa flung one last look behind her as she put her full weight on the ice.
Elsa ran, ice forming under her feet as they touched the water. But there wasn't enough time for the ice to solidify, to become thick enough, and Elsa, despite being slender and light, fell through.
"Elsa!" Anna screamed, coming to a halt and the edge, just in time to see her beloved sister plummet down into the sea.
"I can't swim!" Hans panicked. "Help, somebody, just help!"
Anna bit her lip, a trait that both sisters shared. It's freezing cold, and her billowing green dress would drag her down. But Anna pursed her lips in determination. "Well, I can."
"Anna, no! It's too dangerous!" Hans pleaded as she stepped out of her shoes and gathered her dress around her the best she could.
Anna's response was a smile and a dive.
Anna's dress was very good at soaking up water. Growling in frustration, she kicked her legs and managed to grab Elsa's arm. Elsa had stopped struggling, not a good sign, but at least it made it easier for Anna to drag the both of them to the surface.
Anna was growing short of breath, and the surface seemed so far away. There was always the lingering doubt whether she was actually swimming towards the surface, with it being night and all, but the pull of gravity gave Anna no doubt that she was going in the right direction.
Anna's head broke the surface, and she pulled Elsa up after her. Hans was there, of course, kind, loving, thoughtful Hans, with steaming mugs of hot chocolate and warm blankets to wrap the Queen and Princess in. There were also a few onlookers, who looked suspicious of Elsa but acted kindly enough towards Anna, and offered her a few tips on what she should do if she got hypothermia or frostbite. Anna thanked them warmly through chattering teeth, and Hans bundled the two royals in blankets and hustled them back off towards the castle.
Elsa awoke to a warmth that she hadn't felt in years and also a dreading feeling in her heart. Every part of her body hurt, and she felt like she'd just swallowed a gallon of water. Her throat hurt, her arms and feet felt bruised and sore. Her lungs hurt with the simple action of breathing.
What happened?
Then it all came back to her.
Her coronation, the near exposure, the actual exposure…just when she thought everything would actually be fine too.
So why was she here? She should run, far away, where she couldn't hurt anyone.
Wait. She did run. Into the courtyard, then the fountain…
Elsa's head hurt. Badly. She massaged the sore spot as she screwed up her eyes and tried to remember.
The sea. The sea! Who had saved her? She'd fell, then there was cold, then the burning as she flailed unsuccessfully to get out of the water, and then black spots appeared in her vision, then…nothing.
What had happened? Where was she? Elsa started to panic. This wasn't the familiar walls of the prison she had locked herself away in for over ten years, and she needed to be in there, so that Anna wouldn't be hurt.
The crackling of ice on the floorboards startled Elsa, and she yelped, holding her hands in out in front of her face, only to realize that she wasn't wearing gloves. The horror of that sudden realization triggered the ice, and a blast of ice hit the portrait of the late King and Queen, frosting over and completely destroying it.
Elsa looked around frantically as the ice spread from there, turning the room into something resembling the insides of a snow globe. A sob hitched in her throat, and Elsa lunged for the blanket and wrapped her hands in it, tears dripping onto the floor and freezing into tiny icicles. She looked for a window, but there was none. She found a door, and tried it, but it was locked, and Elsa daren't use her powers to destroy it. She could only sit with her back to the door to prevent anyone from coming in and buried her head in her knees, the tears still coming.
"I have to be crowned Queen tomorrow?" Anna yelped in disbelief. "But…me? Queen?! And shouldn't there be preparations to be taken care of? Why's the rush? Arendelle did without a King or Queen for five years, surely they can handle another few days!"
"You have to be Queen sooner or later, Anna." Hans consoled. "The people don't trust Elsa anymore, and you are the only remaining member of the royal family. If you think it's too much, you could hurry up the wedding and I can share the burden with you. It's going to be part of my job description as the Queen of Arendelle's husband, after all." He added jokingly.
Anna frowned. She trusted Hans, and she felt that his advice actually made some sense. Anna wasn't trained to be Queen. Heavens, what is a queen supposed to do, anyway? Dance and party the whole night while talking boring stuff? Boring stuff that Anna couldn't understand a word of? Nah, Anna was definitely not suited for queenship.
Then again, the only royal in Arendelle that was able to become Queen in the midst of this crisis to lead the people to safety and summer was her. Unless she married Hans quickly and let him take over the duties while she played the dutiful queen that was always at her husband's side to support him. And nothing more.
Yes, Anna liked that idea.
"Very well." Anna tried her best commanding tone, which came out as a squeak. Anna flushed red, and the servant, to his credit and his respect to the royals of Arendelle, did not laugh. "Make preparations for the wedding. Join it with the banquet of…my…coronation."
"Noted, your Highness." The servant bowed, and retreated with a straight back. Anna, suddenly self-conscious, straightened too.
"Well handled, honey." Hans praised, and Anna, who had turned to him for his opinion, let out a sigh of relief. "Well, I'll let you handle all that riff-raff. I guess that I'd better go check on Elsa. I think that she would have woken by now."
"You don't need to, Anna. Give her some time to think, to calm down. The former Queen must feel very confused."
"And frightened, and she needs family for that. I'm sorry, Hans, but since you're part of the reason that her powers were revealed, I think that it would be better if you didn't come along. Just one thing for me, okay?" Anna looked at Hans pleadingly.
"All right." The King-to-be grudgingly agreed. "But call for help immediately if she hurts you."
"She would never hurt me." Anna said confidently. "She's my sister."
The cold was seeping out the door when Anna reached it. She twisted the doorknob, but then was surprised that the door didn't yield and open. Looking closer, she noticed that someone had placed chains and a bolt on the door.
Anna felt anger rise. Who dared to lock the Queen of Arendelle away like a common prisoner? And Elsa is her sister! The future Queen of Arendelle's sister!
But then Anna remembered Hans, and sighed. Of course Hans would take extra precautions to make sure Anna was safe. Appreciating the thought, but not enough to just leave her sister there caged like an animal, Anna made a nearby servant remove the chains and lock with the authority of 'the future Queen'.
Anna tried to open the cold door, which felt like a block of ice. Only then did she remember that she had taken Elsa's remaining glove off in an attempt to warm her, since the gloves were soaking wet with ice cold water. Elsa must be terrified.
The door was stuck. Anna threw her whole weight upon it, grunting, and it only budged a little.
"Don't come in!" Elsa's frantic voice sounded from within the room.
Anna sighed, half of her telling her to just leave Elsa alone. But the other half screamed for her to go in and comfort her, and learn more about her sister and the powers she had been hiding away for more than ten years. "You shut me out long enough. You don't have to protect me, I'm not afraid. Now that I know about the icy mojo you might as well give me a chance to help with it."
"No." Elsa was using her queen voice now, firm but quavering.
Anna motioned for the servant to help her break open the door. With one mighty push, and one startled yell from Elsa, Anna was in.
"Oh. Wow. WINTER WONDERLAND!" Anna screamed in excitement. "Do you wanna build a snowman?" She asked Elsa jokingly. "Wait, Elsa?"
Elsa had scrambled away from the door and Anna as fast as possible, and curled up under the bed, shivering, hands still tucked inside the precious blanket. Anna peaked under the bed. "Oh, come on, Elsa. These powers are actually pretty cool, in fact. Why don't you come out, and we'll get you something warmer to wear?"
"No."
Anna sighed, and begun to drag Elsa out.
"No! Stop it, Anna! DON'T!" Elsa started to panic as she was dragged from her safe spot and her powers lashed out, hitting Anna in the chest.
Anna stumbled back, surprised at the sudden assault. Her heart started to ache, and she felt cold, so cold all of a sudden.
Elsa looked horrified. "No! Anna, get out! I can't-just go!"
"I'm not leaving!" Anna persisted, stumbling weakly to her feet.
"Yes, you are!" Elsa released another reluctant wave of power, which formed a pile of snow. A really big pile of snow.
Then it started to move.
The door slammed after Anna as the big snowman threw her out on Elsa's orders. Thankfully Hans was waiting outside and caught her in time.
"Are you okay?" He asked, a worried look on his brow. "Did she do something? Please tell me she didn't hurt you. Did she?"
Anna was about to tell him the truth, but then remembered his prejudices against Elsa, and shook her head, trying to stand. "That monster just caught me by surprise. I'm just a little sore and bruised."
"Will you be okay for the coronation? Do you want to postpone it?" Hans asked, lifting her up bridal style.
"Yes. Stop fussing over me!" Anna laughed. "You're not my husband yet!"
"But I'm your fiancé." Hans replied seriously. "And I would never forgive myself if something were to happen to you."
Anna felt warmth trickle into her ice cold heart, if only but for a moment. "Right. Now how about we try to oversee the planning for my coronation?"
"Note the usage of the word 'try'." Hans grinned. "I'll be too distracted by you anyway."
"Oh, shut up." Anna joked teasingly. "Let's go!"
Anna could feel the cold in her leaden limbs by the end of the day, when she lay down in her cold but too large double bed. Well, it wouldn't be cold and too large anymore. Not after tomorrow night. Their wedding night. Just one more night of loneliness.
"Does your Majesty need anything?" The servant asked one last time before leaving.
Anna started to wave her away, then changed her mind. "Yeah. Could you get more blankets?"
The servant obliged. "If your Majesty pleases, I can stoke a fire too."
"That would be very much appreciated, thank you." Anna replied awkwardly in her princess voice. She still hadn't mastered the queenly tone.
The girl smiled as she lugged in a pile of firewood and Anna's requested blankets. "It is no trouble at all, Your Highness. I will excuse myself then. Good night."
"Good night." Anna snuggled into her warm and crisp blankets, and closed her eyes.
The last thing she felt that night was chilly blood running through her veins.
"Please wake up, Princess Anna. Though you won't be one for long." The butler outside Anna's door said wryly. "And do please try to refrain from lying this time."
"*yawn*when have I every*yawn* lied to you?" Anna straightened in bed, then slumped over again. A headache was pounding in her skull, but it wasn't a big deal, since she could mostly ignore it. The cold and leaden feeling in her limbs, however, hadn't completely went away. "I've been awake for…ages!"
"That's the same thing you said yesterday, Your Majesty." The butler sounded amused. "Please do make this easier for me and wake up. It's your coronation day, after all, and it will not do if the queen herself is late."
"Coronation Day?" Anna blinked blearily at the dress across the room. Then she remembered.
Unlike her reaction the day before, she groaned and slumped down into the blankets. "That fast?"
"And also your wedding day, Your Highness." The butler kindly reminded.
Now that had Anna sitting bolt upright and dashing out of bed to prepare for the day. Her Wedding Day! Her Wedding with Hans of the Southern Isles! How could she have forgotten?
"Oof!" Anna tripped over a chair in her rush to get to the mirror to put on her usual light touch of makeup, and had to straighten it. She furrowed her brow as she noticed that all her hair had turned white overnight, but just simply grabbed a bottle of auburn hair dye and rushed into the bath.
Forty minutes later (Ten spent bathing and thirty trying to figure out how to work the hair dye) Anna was bright, vibrant and ready for the day ahead.
"For the first time in forever~" Anna cheered, flying out of the hallway, before remembering that this was her very own coronation, and she wasn't acting in a way that befitted a queen. Sighing, Anna tried to remain still and straightbacked as she was escorted down the hall by the butler, who ran her through the etiquettes and procedures of her coronation. Anna nearly fell asleep halfway through the lecture, partly due to sheer boredom, and partly also because of the strange leadenness and coldness in her limbs that she couldn't explain, except that it started when Elsa hit her in the chest with the bolt of icy magic.
Anna drifted through the coronation and the wedding like a shadow, nodding and saying the appropriate words at the right times, but in reality, she was too tired to do more. And it was boring. Anna wondered how Elsa could stand it on that night. No wonder her powers had burst free.
It wasn't until in the middle of the wedding dinner when there was a sudden interruption. Servants hurried into the hall alongside guards, escorting all the guests to other rooms, telling them to lock themselves up tight.
"As Queen of Arendelle, I demand to know what has occurred!" Anna yelled over the din. Everyone immediately quietened, though the movement didn't cease.
"Your Majesty, the ice breakers are rioting. Because of the new winter that has taken the land, they have ran out of work and food and now complain of the royal family. Trouble yourself not with this news, Your Highness, and take it easy. The duty of childbearing is upon you now." One servant replied respectfully, though Anna could swear that there was a twinkle in his eye when he mentioned childbearing. Was he teasing her?
"If I don't solve this immediately, the people will have even more to riot about." Anna huffed. "Take me to the balcony!"
"Your Majesty-"
"This is a command."
"Anna, darling, don't risk your life like this, please. I can't imagine life without you." Hans pleaded.
Anna softened. "I'm only going onto the balcony into the frigid air. Trust me, I won't die from this."
"You know that I can't go with you to protect you. I'll have to stay behind and organize the chaos." Hans swept a hand helplessly over the muddled crowd.
"I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself, thank you very much." Anna turned away, stung. "Come on, let's go."
The butler followed dutifully behind Anna as she walked towards the balcony which overlooked the main road to the castle. Torches were burning, screams and shouts could be heard beneath.
"We need work!"
"This winter is damning us all!"
"Bring out the Snow Queen!"
"Burn that witch at the stake!"
"Make the Queen solve this!"
"ENOUGH!" Anna roared over the crowd. "You are insulting the former Queen of Arendelle, and you belittle the current one! Idiots!"
The crowd, amazingly, fell silent.
"Thank you." Anna took a deep breath, then realized that she had no idea how to handle this. If only Elsa was here…
Then the crowd would most certainly tear her to shreds.
No, Anna must solve this by herself.
"We need people to traverse to the mountains. We need mountain men. We need wood, dry wood for burning. You want jobs? I give you one. Chop down the trees. Sell them and earn your keep. Uh, go in peace?"
A murmur spread through the crowd, and they finally dispersed. Then Anna's eyes landed on one young man who was trying to drag a reindeer away.
"Come on, Sven! Enough fun for today!" He muttered. Driven by curiosity, Anna waved the servant away, and checked to see that no one was looking before vaulting off the balcony.
The rugged blonde looked up in surprise as he heard a whooshing sound, and the next thing he knew, the Queen of Arendelle was executing a rather striking pose as she hit the ground. "Your…Majesty…?!"
"Hello?" Anna tried. Now she was cursing herself for acting so impulsively on her instincts. Though something about this man was drawing her to him…and Anna had no idea how to explain it to him.
"If I may, Your Majesty, what are you doing down here?" The mountain man frowned. "You are supposed to be with your husband." The tone of his voice told her that he didn't approve of their marriage, and it infuriated Anna. Who was he to criticize their marriage, what did he know about true love anyway?
"Merely investigating." Anna's voice was as cold as the winter and how she felt. She shivered. The snow around her feet wasn't doing any good. The ice's progress had been slow inside the palace, with the roaring warm fires and comforters, but out here in was taking advantage of the cold. With horror, Anna noticed that the ice was already creeping up her arms.
The ice breaker noticed it too, apparently. "Your Majesty? Did you have any problems with ice?" He asked tentatively. Anna was surprised by his calmness. She would have expected him to run off screaming by now.
"…Yes." The truth would be out sooner or later, and since this guy reacted okay, Anna gave him a truthful answer. Plus, she was hopeless at lies. Then the next words tumbled out of her mouth. "Do you have a way to fix it?"
"I don't, but my friends can." He answered, bouncing on the balls of his feet, looking eager to be off. With or without her, Anna couldn't tell.
"Fine. I need a reward though." He negotiated.
Anna glared at him. Then she tossed a gold coin at him. "Go buy carrots for your friend or something. Just help me not get Elsa into trouble."
The man caught it, fumbling with it and almost letting it slip into the snow. "Elsa? Elsa as in the Snow Queen?"
"Don't call her that!" Anna fumed. "She's my sister!"
"Oh. Okay. The former Queen, then. She did that to you?" The man guessed.
Anna decided that they had been wasting enough time. Ignoring his question, she mustered the best queenly tone she could. "Take me there."
"Tomorrow." He still wanted a night's more sleep.
A bag hit him in the face, tossed by none other than the Queen. Anna, that is. He opened it to find more gold coins.
"We leave. Now.
A day later.
"True love. An act of true love. Get me back to Hans!" Anna turned to Kristoff in realization. "I really hope that no one noticed that I'm missing."
"You've got to be kidding." Kristoff snorted. "Yesterday was your Wedding Day and Coronation Day. Don't be surprised if they hadn't got the whole of Arendelle looking for you."
Anna crossed her arms. "Well, I'm Queen. I do what I want."
Kristoff sighed. "Speaking of Hans."
"King Hans."
"Whatever. Are you telling me that you married him the very next day after you met?"
"It was true love!" Anna felt the need to defend her love.
"Do you know his last name?"
"Of the Southern Isles." Anna answered, managing to not even blush. Thanks to Kristoff's care and proper winter clothes, the ice hadn't spread to her face yet. As long as she wore the long sleeved dress, gloves, boots and socks, she should be able to get into Arendelle without rousing suspicion.
"How many siblings does he have?"
"Twelve older brothers." Was this a pop quiz or what?
"What's his foot size?"
A question she couldn't answer. "Does that matter?" She asked defensively.
"Well, yes."
They continued bickering the whole way in. Since Anna's face was well hidden by a hood, they were able to get to the castle doors without any people noticing them and making a huge fuss over the Queen.
Kristoff carried Anna to the palace doors, then set her down to knock. Anna lowered her hood, so that they would let her in when they first glanced upon her face.
The doors opened, and the butler could only stare in surprise at their lost-now-returned Queen.
"I have returned from a long journey." Anna announced. "And I wish to rest and see my husband."
"Of-of course, Your Majesty. I shall see to it immediately." The butler escorted Anna in, and promptly slammed the door in Kristoff's face.
"Talk about a show of power…" He muttered, mounting Sven. He had no doubt that Anna would be safe, and he'd already gotten his reward, so why did he feel like he was missing something? Could it be that he missed Anna?
She's married. He told himself firmly. Stop thinking about her. That chapter in your life is past.
"Comon, Sven."
Sven whined a little, having taken a liking to Anna, but obeyed his friend anyway. The reindeer cast one last sad look back before reluctantly trotting away.
"Did you take good care of Elsa?" Anna demanded, striding into the palace with as much conviction as her iced feet could muster. "Did you provide her with ad-adequate clothing?" She struggled for a while with the word, nearly mispronouncing it, her teeth were chattering that much. Besides, she wasn't used to using big words.
When she received affirmation that yes, Elsa was indeed well provided for and according to servant gossip, had even made a snowman to provide herself with company. A snowman that walks and talks and is actually quite adorable, even if it frightened the hell out of a few servants at first.
"His name is Olaf." Her personal butler reported.
Olaf. Oh my god, Olaf!
Hi, I'm Olaf, and I love warm hugs!
The unbidden memory appeared in Anna's mind, clear as day.
"Bring me to Hans." She ordered. "I need to see him after the tiring journey to better know Arendelle I have taken."
She was surprised at how easily the lies came. Geez, the ice must be really affecting her.
"Of course, Your Majesty. I shall escort you to the King. Though be warned-the King is in a foul mood because of your unannounced disappearance. Honestly, Your Highness, could you not have at least announced it before you left? That had His Majesty panicking, you know."
"He panicked?" Even with her firm trust in him, her sister's disapproval and Kristoff's words had shaken her a little. Ha. Now she would show them living proof.
"Yes, Your Majesty. I suggest that you see him right now."
"Of course."
The butler led her to a private room, with a warm fire crackling inside, and Hans waiting for her, sitting on a couch.
Once the butler was out, Anna didn't even waste time on proper greetings. Instead, she grabbed Hans and pulled his face close to hers. "Kiss me, Hans, kiss me now."
Hans looked confused, and frightened. Anna felt sorry for him, but she would explain later. She could already feel the ice creeping onto her cheeks, and when Hans uncertainly gave her a kiss, she knew that he could feel the cold emanating from her lips.
"Heavens, Anna, what happened? First you disappear without any warning, then you come back and drag me into a passionate kiss that's cold as ice. What happened?"
Anna didn't answer him, waiting for some change to happen, for some warmth to force its way into her heart.
None.
Had the trolls lied to her and Kristoff? Did Kristoff lie to her? Why isn't it working?
There was another possibility which Anna daren't consider.
Could Hans be lying?
Anna shook her head, ignorant of Hans worried face. Maybe it's just a little slow acting, that's all.
"Anna? Anna, love?" Hans placed a hand on her shoulder and immediately withdrew it. "Do you have frostbite? We need to treat it immediately!"
"No, Hans. Sit. Let me explain." Anna grabbed his hand with her gloved ones. Hans noticed.
"Since when do you start wearing gloves? Where did you get these clothes, anyway? These aren't befitting for a queen!" In a few seconds, his focus had shifted from Anna to her clothes.
"Let me explain!" Anna hadn't meant to yell at Hans like that, but there wasn't time, the ice was already going to be in Hans' sight.
Hans sat, startled by her sudden outburst.
Anna told him.
A smile spread across Hans face. Slowly, coldly, deceptively. Anna drew back from him.
"Oh, Anna, if only there was someone out there who love you."
Anna felt as if she had been hit by lightning.
Line break
Elsa could feel the walls of her room cracking.
No no no no no!
She needed to escape. She had let loose of her powers for a little while, succeeding in creating Olaf-something so cute, pure and beautiful that she had let down her guard.
Now look at what her ice had done.
The walls facing out crumbled all of a sudden, thanks to the vicious onslaught of blizzards. Elsa looked back, hesitating. Olaf had gone off with a kind servant girl that promised to get him a nose, which meant a carrot.
Taking a deep breath, just as she had done when she stepped onto the thin ice of the lake that day, Elsa fled.
Hans exited the room, head low and shoulders slumped. Everything about him screamed the word 'dejected'.
"What happened?" The Duke and other people crowded around the King of Arendelle.
Letting a tear or two fall, Hans told them how Elsa had cursed Anna, and how Anna took her last breath in his arms.
"No." The Duke gasped.
"I wish it were." Hans' voice broke. "Now the burden of the kingdom rests upon my shoulders. I-I cannot-"
"You have friends, Your Majesty. Friends and loyal subjects. Do not forget that." Anna's butler counseled.
"All that remains for me now is to carry out justice. We must execute Queen Elsa. It pains my heart to do so, but…this is treason. She has murdered the Queen of Arendelle." Hans took a deep breath. "I must do this. Bring the former Queen to me!"
Olaf skipped happily down the halls, singing 'In Summer' the whole way. Servants smiled at him as he passed, though everyone was a bit creeped out by a walking, talking snowman at first, they got used to it. Now they couldn't help but be drawn to his cheery and sunny character.
He'd discovered many new things to do with his nose. He could stick it on his head, he could make it long or short to his preference, or even let a reindeer eat it. (Never though)
He skidded into an empty hallway, nearly slipping on the polished oaken floor. He caught sight of the big, fancy lock hanging on the door. Hmm…could his nose pick locks as well?
Olaf inserted the tip of the carrot into the lock. Frowning, he jiggled it a few times. Huh. It didn't work.
Olaf didn't give up. Finishing the song with a glorious 'In summer~" he pushed the carrot in a bit further.
Click.
Oops. Olaf hoped he didn't break his nose! He quickly pulled it out and examined it. Hmm. His beloved carrot didn't even have a single scratch on it. Which means…
"Yahoo!" Olaf cheered, dancing in the corridor. "I did it!"
He opened the door.
To find a young girl that can't be more than twenty slumped against the door, ice creeping up her face.
Quickly, Olaf threw firewood into the fireplace, somehow managing to set it on fire. The heat was intense, and Olaf wondered if this was what it will feel like in summer. He dragged the girl beside it. Then he settled down beside the fire and watched her stir, life returning.
But why did he feel searing heat, and something running down the side of his body?
His face was drooping, presenting a sad face. Olaf quickly lifted his cheeks. He wasn't about to give this strange yet familiar girl a bad first impression.
"Hello." Anna slowly lifted her head. "Who…who are yo-AHH! What are you?"
"My head, my head!" Olaf wandered around, searching for the head that Anna had knocked flying.
Anna calmed down enough to finally let the snowman (whose head had been reattached) explain himself.
"Oh. You must be Olaf. My sister created you, right?" She attempted a smile, but her lips were too frozen to do that.
"You're Elsa's sister?" Olaf squeaked. "Oh, wow! Let me bring you to her, okay? Sisters must always hug and make up after a fight!"
Anna let Olaf drag her to her feet. "How did you even know about the fight?" She stumbled a bit.
"Elsa told me." Was the snowman's simple answer. As he opened the door leading to Elsa's confinement room, a blast of cold air hit Anna, almost making her collapse.
"Where is she?" Olaf gasped, then got his first full look at Anna. "Heavens! You're about to turn into a pretty ice sculpture! We have to get you to Elsa."
Once outside, though, the wind howled and snow swirled around them. The two of them were swept apart by the howling storm, and Anna was forced to huddle under a rundown broken shed to at least preserve some warmth.
Her time was running out.
Elsa ran. Her sense of direction was all messed up by her own powers, but the North Mountains loomed over Arendelle ominously, and Elsa made her way towards them.
"Anna is dead!" Somehow, the words overcame the raging blizzard and reached Elsa. Elsa gasped, spinning around. "Hans!"
"Your sister is dead!" He repeated, a look of pure anguish on his face. "Because of you. She told me everything."
Elsa staggered backwards. "No…no." She failed to notice the sword in his hand gleaming wickedly as she turned her back towards him. She let out a strangled gasp as her knees hit the icy ground. Immediately the ground frosted over and the blizzard died. Elsa clutched a hand to her heart, feeling so so cold. Without Anna's warmth, she doubted that she would ever be warm again.
Snow Queen.
The Snow Queen murdered the Summer Queen.
Behind her, Hans strikes.
The blizzard died down, clearing the air enough for Anna to finally see. She could barely keep her eyelids open, frosted over as they are. In the distance, she spotted Kristoff running towards her. Her true love. Or maybe not. Anna cannot be sure anymore.
But she did know his foot size…
Then she saw Hans bringing his sword down on her sister.
Fury blazed in her, and with a groan, Anna managed to get her stiff, cold legs working as she ran between the deadly sword and the last member of her family.
Thunk.
Hans was blown away by the force of the strike hitting Anna's palm, which was now ice.
"A…Anna!" Elsa screamed, running from her original spot to face the statue, to prove that it isn't her sister.
If only.
"Oh…Anna…" Elsa wanted to touch Anna, but she daren't to, for fear that she would cause further harm.
Anna didn't move.
That was the final straw for Elsa. She threw herself upon the cold statue of her sister, sobbing her heart out.
Kristoff, Sven and Olaf hung their heads, dejected. They had failed her.
Then warmth started to spread from Anna's heart. The ice melted away, and Anna's body was once again alive and warm.
"Anna!" Elsa looked up, noticing the change. Then she gave Anna a proper hug.
"Thank you. Thank you for everything." She whispered.
Anna merely grinned at her, punching Hans in the face. "Can we go build a snowman now?"