Verglas (black Ice)

Just an idea that came to me while trying to pass the time, written just for fun. An ever so slight crossover that will become apparent in later chapters. Slightly au for little details.

Ch-01

She was cold.

She has never felt cold before. She knows what cold is. Winter is cold, wind can be cold, feelings can be cold. Yet she could never have an understanding to what it must be like to be physically cold. Yet here she was standing in an overpowering sense of dark, shivering.

It was not the first time she had been here, alone with only the outline of a small cavern for company. It was always the same, with exception of the walls. Sometimes they were stone, sometimes brick and mortar. This time it was ice. Familiar, comfortable ice.

Then why did she feel so cold?

She sought out her reflection in the ice, its silvery surface emitting an pale blue tint casting her in an unnaturally pale, almost ethereal appearance. She saw herself and nothing more, yet something was off. It was not the pale complexion that bothered her, but rather the eyes. Her natural sky blue that even her sister had admired, had deepened to a glowing sapphire. It could simply be the lighting, but to her it just felt... wrong.

She reached out to touch, her hand coming in contact with the cold wall.

The ice reached back.

finally I have found you

Her image faded, dissolving before her eyes into a cloud of dark.

She backed away nervously as the walls began to shift. Twisting tendrils of ice and shadow reaching out. She tried to escape, but there was nowhere to go. All around the walls closed in until she was engulfed in darkness.

You are the one

A ragged gasp and shaking limbs, a heart pounding in your chest so hard you could hear the blood in your ears. This was something Elsa, queen of Arendelle, was quickly growing tired of waking up to.

"Not again." She whispered in a deep sigh, her breath escaping in a cloud of frost. It disappeared as quickly as it came, vanishing into the warm air of Elsa's personal study. A final sigh; no frost this time, and her breathing returned to normal. The ice and shadows were gone, only the warm colours of wooden walls and welcoming book laden shelves.

Soft gray light peered through a nearby window, giving light to the documents and papers strewn about an old oak desk. Behind the desk she sat partially slumped over with arms drawn around her securely. A habit she had been working on breaking, a remnant from when she was hesitant of human touch. These dreams were not helping, but still she forced her arms apart, adjusted her long black sleeves and placed her hands to rest upon the desk.

Outside the clouds were thick and dark, heavy with snow that was falling in great fluffy flakes. Winter had returned on its own good graces, though not with the familiar chill of years past. An unusual warmer winter brought with it much more snow than Arendelle is accustomed to. And as a result, the surrounding fjord had not frozen over. A boon to bold traders who took the opportunity to brave the waterways, however, ice still skirted its edges making any journey a risk in of itself.

The current storm outside had been raging for days, showing no sign of letting up anytime soon.

"I'll no doubt be blamed for this." Elsa groaned as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She took a breath as the dark visions faded from her memory. The 'cold' feeling had vanished as well, and she could no longer recall in her mind what it was that had caused such an overbearing feeling of dread.

She sighed and ran a hand though her platinum hair. The dreams were becoming more frequent. The thought of seeking the advice of Kristoff's troll friends had crossed her mind more than once.

A familiar rhythmic knock at the door to the study lightened her mood. Elsa smiled, her sister's personality oozing into everything she does, even the simple act of knocking.

"Come in Anna."

The doors opened and the bubbly red head bounded her way into the room. Her skirt of deep forest green billowed around her as Anna skipped her way in front of Elsa's desk, one hand behind her back hidden by a warm lavender cloak.

"Hi."

Elsa waited to see if she would say more. No. Typical Anna.

"Hello Anna." Elsa replied, slowly raising a brow when Anna continued to just stare. "Was there... something you wanted?"

"Nope!" She beamed. "Just trying to distract you from all that work. Aaand…" she brought her hand out from behind her, and dropped a small bag onto the desk. "I brought chocolate!"

Elsa couldn't help but let out a small laugh. "Thank you, I appreciate the distraction. Though, you didn't need much effort in that department." She added, not realizing she had raised a hand to rub at her temples, the bag of treats untouched.

Anna's bright smile suddenly faded. When Elsa ignored chocolate meant someone was dead or on fire… or both. "Well now I know something is wrong. Are you not feeling well?"

The hand was quickly lowered; Elsa muttered a silent curse to herself for the slip-up. She hated when Anna worried, especially over her. She had put her through so much already. Anna did not need the added burden of her sister possibly going mad. "Ah, it's nothing, just working too hard I guess."

Anna rounded the desk and took a closer look at all the papers strewn about. Treaties and laws and land tariffs. Anna quickly put down the slip she had picked up in mock disgust; and while she hated seeing her sister overwhelmed with all this work, she silently thanked the powers that be she wasn't the one who had to fill this all out. "Don't you have someone to do all this for you? You are the Queen after all."

"If only that were the case, all these claims for farmlands and ranches and building rights are starting to blur into one another." Elsa began to organize her desk, stacking papers up neatly and hoping she had not smeared any ink during her little snooze. "So by summer if there is a farming lodge housing a reindeer sauna, well, you know who to blame."

"Oh I bet Sven would love that." Anna giggled, meeting her sister's blue eyes noting the dark circles and the air of exhaustion on that normally regal form. To Anna, her big sis was practically the epitome of perfection. Seeing her look so worn out bothered her.

"But, you really are okay right?" Anna asked before bounding towards the oversized window. She used a dark sleeve to rub away some of the frost that blocked her view of the outside. "I mean it's really coming down out there."

"It's February Anna. You know, the -toughest month of winter- February." She said, ignoring her sister's silent accusation and continuing with her paperwork.

"Is it?" Anna countered as she slid back to Elsa's side. "Or is my big sis just a big ol' grump being stuck up in this dusty room?" Anna pushed, going so far as to place a finger just on the edge of her sister's vision in an 'I'm not touching you' sort of way.

"Stop that!" Elsa scolded her, batting away the offending hand and looked at her sister with a clearly annoyed look. "This is a purely natural snowstorm Anna, I have nothing to do with it."

"Okay okay, I'm just... so..." In a terrible dramatic gesture Anna obnoxiously draped herself across Elsa's desk, effectively blocking any productivity to be had. "Booooored! I haven't been outside in days, can't you like... I don't know; ease up the storm a bit?" She demonstrated her question with a showy motion of hands, imitating her sister conjuring snow and pretending to stop the storm herself.

"No I will not." Elsa answered flatly. "Even if I could that would be tampering with the laws of nature. The last time I did that I nearly caused eternal winter, I'd rather not cause the eternal flooding thaw either."

"Not even just a little bit?" Anna whined, turning over on the desk she raised her arm and took Elsa's chin in her palm, shaking her head left and right. "Even you, oh queen of ice and boredom must be going crazy in here."

Elsa batted her sister's hand away once more and gave her a stern look, though she couldn't keep it up and let it melt away into one of understanding. She sighed instead. "As much as I want to Anna, and trust me I'd love to. I am Queen, I have duties, I have work to do."

"Ooh come on, we could build another snowman."

With that suggestion both women turned their heads to the blizzard outside. "Really?" Elsa deadpanned. Even she had no desire to be out in that chaos.

Anna sighed, admitting defeat. She sat up on the large desk resigning herself to quietly watch her sister work. "About Olaf," Anna began her face slightly twisted as she worked out her thoughts on how a snowman was currently walking around, speaking, alive. "Figure that one out yet?"

No she had not. Elsa knew it was connected to their strong childhood bond, but she had not meant to give it life. Then there was that other one, the larger one at the palace. She had not meant to create that one either, she was just so afraid at the time; it was more a reaction than conscious thought.

Anna noticed the way Elsa's hands suddenly closed into fists. Despite being much more open, there were still certain things that Elsa still resigned herself to talk about. The full extent of her powers being one of them. Anna decided to lighten the mood.

"I wonder what would have happened if you hadn't built a snowman that time." Anna bolted upright with an excited gasp. "Oooh! What if you had made a dragon instead?"

Elsa couldn't help but let a slight snort escape at the thought. "Really Anna, a dragon? That would have been ridiculous, also terrifying."

"Yeah, but could you? It wouldn't have to be a mean dragon, he could have carrots for horns and breathe snowballs." Anna giggled at the image conjuring in her mind. "I would name it fluffy."

Elsa laughed along with her before a sudden gust brought her attention back to the storm. Could she really? She had been holding back she knew, though there was really no reason to test her abilities beyond what she was already aware of. But could she create something as complex as a dragon and actually bear it life?

Elsa

She snapped out of her thoughts. "What?" That was not Anna's voice.

Anna was giving her a weird look. "I asked if you had anything to eat since this morning but you spaced out on me, you sure you're okay?"

"No, I just thought..." She was positive someone had just called her name. "You know what - I have been in here too long, let's go see if Kristoff and Sven are back maybe we all co-"

The door to the study suddenly burst open surprising both girls. A royally dressed guard quickly removed his headgear out of respect and gave a quick bow his queen. His face was red and he was out of breath, he must have run here.

"My Queen, Princess, please excuse this intrusion, but Arendelle is under attack."

"What! From who; from where?" Elsa was immediately on her feet and approached the guard in front of her.

"We don't know. A foreign ship was spotted in the fjord, now there are many, too many to be traders."

"Show me." She said with scowl. Arendelle had not seen war in generations. Elsa had just reclaimed her life, was making up for the time she had lost in isolation. She would not lose everything she had worked so hard for to some over-zealous sea raiders.

She looked to her sister, who was standing quietly wringing her hands nervously. Elsa allowed her scowl to fade into something softer and extended her hand out in an inviting gesture. "Come Anna, I want you by my side."

The young princess was delighted, quickly grabbing their cloaks and following behind. Thirteen years, thirteen long years had severed their bond as sisters. They had regained so much in only a few short months, Elsa swore she would not let anything take that away now.

Rhythmic sound of thick hooves padded along the snow covered path. Kristoff, after being caught in this blizzard for the past couple days, couldn't be happier to see the long stone bridge that led to Arendelle castle. All he wanted right now was to get out of this endless white and into a warm bed.

His reindeer companion seemed to read his mind, though Sven was probably looking forward to a buffet of carrots than actual warmth.

Both had taken a short visit to their troll family, giving them an update on various things. Although the conversations always seemed to divert back to a certain relationship with a particular redhead, the level of information they demanded left the mountain-man utterly mortified.

The sled lurched forward as Sven picked up the pace out of the blue. "Whoa there buddy, what's the hurry?"

Someone ran past in the other direction, a villager from the look of it. He ignored them, thinking nothing of it, then another, and another, running towards Arendelle village as if their life depended on it.

"What's their problem?" He said to Sven, grabbing his reins a little tighter. He began to worry when horses started blazing past. While the people ran away, these soldiers were heading towards the castle gates, something was wrong.

He attempted to flag one of the riders down, irritated when they mostly ignored him as they rode on. Luckily one was kind enough to slow his horse, allowing Kristoff to ask what all the commotion was about.

"Hurry lad, inside or out the gates are closing!" The rider shouted, his horse still in motion

"What? Why?"

"Ships in the water!" The guard yelled before he was out of earshot, pointing out to the fjord.

"Oh no..." He recognized the danger and kicked Sven into a faster pace. "Anna."

The castle battlements had not seen this much activity in years, now soldiers were scurrying back and forth, bringing with them crossbows and boxes of supplies in preparation for what lay ahead. Soldiers young and old greeted their Queen and Princess as they passed by. Anna was glad she had not been forgotten, especially in these times where everyone was still getting used to a ruler with supernatural abilities. The guard quickly led the two royals through the eastern tower to where a tall bushy bearded man was waiting.

"Captain Edmund, give me a report." Elsa ordered as she is guided along the castle walls, purposely raising her voice to project it over the howling wind and snow.

Anna noted the change in her sister's her voice, never knowing Elsa could sound so... commanding. Her posture had changed as well. Anna would never understand it; how such a slender frame could suddenly appear taller, more imposing, more demanding of respect simply by altering the tilt of your head or the slope of your shoulders. It made her stand out, a good trick to have when dealing with male dominated politics and dignitaries. One day she would discover how Elsa achieved such a feat.

Snow coated the epaulets of the tall captain, he was an older man, most likely carried his post during the reign of the late king. His face was hardened from the elements yet his bushy beard still black as pitch. His eyes were sharp despite the crows feet that gripped them. A brass spyglass was lowered and folded away before he addressed his queen.

"We spotted five large vessels ma'am. Only light armor and crossbows from what I can see from here. I cannot tell if they have any shipboard cannons, but I do see some crude catapult contraptions." As if on cue an object was thrown high from one of the nearest ships, it fell well short of the shoreline splashing down harmlessly into the water.

"They are testing their range." Elsa said as she squinted though the falling snow. She couldn't make out any sign of a flag or crest and the ships looked ragged and old like they had been salvaged and pieced together hastily. "Roaming bandits perhaps?"

Anna, who had been silently observing suddenly perked up. "Bandits? You mean sword and board wielding bandits? Oh wow I didn't think anyone did that anymore!" She said, quickly covering her mouth with her gloved hand, catching herself sounding a little too enthusiastic. She couldn't help it, living in a time of peace with only stories of heroics on the battlefield to fuel her imagination. This was exciting!

Edmund shook his head ignoring the girl's outburst. "We can't tell at this point ma'am, but honestly I prefer if they were. Their weapons will be crude but it would give us the advantage should they come in range of our wall cannons."

Elsa took another look out to the waters as she prepared her orders. "Alright then, I give you full permission to engage the enemy, prepare our crossbows and spear men just in case. With our advantage I want our ships pulled back to port, no sense putting them at risk. I'll leave the rest to you Captain."

He nods leaving his Queen's side to carry out the task at hand. Elsa, satisfied with her captain turns her attention back to her sister.

"Anna, I need to ask a favor of you."

"Of course, anything." The girl felt wildly out of place. Anna was no push-over; in fact she had proven to both Elsa and Kristoff that she could be curiously strong. This was different, she would admit to having little experience when it came to strategy or war.

"I'm going to stay up here by Captain Edmund's side. After what happened in the summer, I think it would be best if I'm seen at a time like this; get back a little more of the people's trust." She took Anna's gloved hands and her tone turned serious. "But I want you safe."

She wanted her to hide? "Don't send me away Elsa, you don't have to do this alone and I'm not afraid." Anna began to protest, but Elsa silenced her with a finger on her lips before she got the wrong idea.

"I know you're not afraid Anna, I wish I could be as fearless as you." Elsa smiled and gave her sister's hands a gentle squeeze. "I just need you to be where I'm not, understand?"

Anna was glad, her sister wasn't pushing her away anymore, instead she was openly asking for help. It took over thirteen years, but Elsa was no longer afraid to turn to others for aid. "I understand, and I guess if things get out of hand you could always... you know, divine intervention."

Divine intervention? Did her people truly see her that way?

"Let's pray it doesn't come to that." It would not. While no longer afraid of her powers, the idea of using them to take lives... No, it would take more than a few bandits before that line would be crossed.

Arendelle had an army, a small one, but soldiers trained in the harshest conditions. It would not come to that.

Elsa forced a smile. "Now first I need to order the gates closed, make sure any civilians stuck inside are cared for. There's no time to get them back home, so make sure they are safe. You can come back after that."

"Got it, I'll recruit Sven and be back before you know it. You be careful while I'm gone, promise?"

Elsa nodded. "Promise."

A reindeer powered sleigh carefully weaved its way through the myriad of people rushing here and there as he past though the main gates. He ignored them for the most part, noting that most were soldiers and probably had things under control. All Kristoff cared about was finding one person. Anna. That's all he wanted. Where was Anna?

Wham!

There she was.

Sven slid to a halt, barking in panic as a red haired girl hung on to his antlers for dear life. Kristoff jumped from his sled and immediately when to her aid.

"Anna what in the world!" he yelled as he tried to untangle her from Sven's face.

"I'm so glad I ran into you-well, more like you ran into me but that's beyond the point." She said in a fluster. "I could really use your help right now."

"Of course, but first tell me what's going on. Why are the gates closing again?"

"Raiders from the sea," Anna explained as she straightened out her cape and dusted herself off. "They haven't done anything just yet but don't worry Elsa is taking care of things." She gave Sven an apologetic pat on the nose before jumping into the sled, motioning Kristoff to take his place beside her. "She wants us to give a hand around here; I'll explain more on the way."

Kristoff did not argue with her, especially if her sister needed help he'd be happy to lend a hand. He just hoped Elsa knew when she was doing, wherever she was.

Anna suddenly leaned over and gave the mountain-man a quick kiss on the cheek. "Glad you're back by the way."

"Me too." He grinned, and snapped the reigns urging Sven into action.

The hours passed slowly as Arendelle's defenders watched the foreign ships with the utmost scrutiny. Not much, if anything had changed. The ships had barely moved from their initial locations despite the continuous testing of their ship weapons.

"They don't seem to be advancing, are they waiting for the storm to pass?" Captain Edmund paced up and down, never taking his eyes away from the ships out on the water. Every now and then a catapult would be fired, sometimes the large round mass would be aflame, but each time the missile would fall short of the shore itself.

Edmund snorted loudly, clearing his nose from the winter chill "Their tactic makes no sense, are they challenging us to go out to them?"

Elsa drew her cloak around herself and crossed her arms, the old habit surfacing once more. "Do you think they... they know about me?" She became aware of her stance and forced her arms to her sides.

The captain frowned causing frost to fall from his bushy beard. "No way of knowing, but as captain I will not allow you to involve yourself personally with the likes of these rogues. I hardly doubt that's the case however." He raised his spyglass again and tried to peer though the storm and past the ships. "I fear they are waiting for something, but I cannot see past this blasted snow."

Waiting for something? Her eyes narrowed as she set her gaze in the direction of the fjord's inlet. What if... could it be so obvious? She had to know for sure.

"Captain, may I have some space please?" She asked politely as she pushed her way forward. Edmund obeyed without second thought. He watched with fascination as she raised her arms, fingers curling outward. Her eyes were closed in concentration as she extended her will into the storm.

She suddenly became super aware of her surroundings, every flake of snow and ice interconnected, talking and singing in unison. She reached out to their song, trying to touch every single one, trying to slow their descent. They responded to her easily, almost happy to bend to her command. The wind however was not so easy to sway.

She hesitated. This wind was not her creation, not of her power. What right did she have to dictate this storm? A pang of fear held her back, not knowing what could happen.

You are beyond fear

The voice again, the slow drawling whisper in her mind. She blinked, passing it off as her conscious trying to push her though this.

You are powerful

"Yes, I can change you," She whispered to the wind. "I can control you," The snow began to ease up. "You will obey me!"

The snow stopped falling, and the wind died out.

Edmund was speechless and simply watched as his queen visibly began to relax, her hand returning to her side in one smooth movement. The sun and blue sky where clear and calm and he could see well into the distance. Then he looked out to the fjord.

"My Queen, Look!"

Elsa let out a sharp gasp. Ships, so many, too many to count were slowly making their way down the small inlet, biding their time.

"There's so many." She thought to herself. These few closer in were scouting, testing, while the rest were waiting... they were waiting out the storm that Elsa had just so conveniently put an end to.

Without another thought she waved her hand across the sky and the blizzard promptly returned. It was easier now that her mind was at ease that she did not bring an end to the world. Though she had no time to revel in her discovery, Arendelle was in danger, and she had no idea what to do.

"They can't see us, we can't see them, we'll make this snow work for us as well." She told her captain as the winds swiftly picked back up. "Tell me you have some way to fend them off. Talk to me, please."

"Ma'am, we have enough to defend our walls but not against those numbers. If all those ships get anywhere near us, if they make landfall we would be quickly overrun." Use your power- It's what she knew he was thinking, but there were so many... too many.

Why do you hesitate

"I know..." Elsa looked down, her eyes darkened with despair. After everything they have been through, why did this have to happen now?

Someone came bounding up behind them; it was Anna, cheerful smile and all. She looked particularly pleased, probably ready to report to her big sister that everyone was taken care of.

"Alright, all the inner guards are busy and everyone else is where they need to be. I even got Sven to pull around some supplies if we need them... " Anna noticed the forlorn looks both the captain and her sister are giving her. "What's going on?"

"We're in trouble Anna, there's more beyond the fjord, many more. I don't think we... I don't know if I can..." She could, but the thought of killing...

Anna saw her sister shrinking back to that scared girl she used to be when moments ago she was standing tall and proud. "H-hey now, you guys aren't giving up are you. There's always one more thing we can do, a plan of sorts... anything!"

The captain looked away and stroked his beard in silent thought. Anna huffed, thinking him rude for ignoring her like that. But Elsa took those words to heart.

You must act

"Yes." She said her posture straightening and her eyes narrowing. "There is something... there's something I can do."

She brushed past Anna and the Captain, and much to their horror, suddenly jumped from the wall. A summoned wind slowed her descent, heading towards the frigid waters the moment her feet touched ground.

She stopped short at the water's edge, a minor hesitation from a memory of the last time her feet hit these waters. This time would be different, this time she was not running, this time she would protect what is most dear to her.

You are in control

That voice again. She shook her head, despite agreeing with it this time. She doesn't need the distraction now, doesn't need to be reminded that she may possibly be losing her mind. Lowering her gaze, there is a formation of ice under her foot keeping her from falling in. She does not even know when she stepped out but she doesn't think twice. She concentrates and soon a path is growing along the lake. It goes where she tells it to, wills it to, far out and between the great ships and further still.

She smiled as she ran. She won't be freezing the entire fjord this time.

The wind was at her back pushing her faster than should be possible. With arms raised on either side she balled her fists and grabbed hold of the invisible force, strengthening it, pulling it along with her as she ran right towards danger.

Back at the wall both Anna and the Captain of the guard are having kittens. "Is she insane?!" Anna screamed in astonishment while nearly pulling her braids from her scalp. "Someone do something!"

The captain had no answer for her, and instead had turned away yelling down to the stables at the top of his lungs for his horsemen. "Riders! To the waters now! Defend your queen!" They are out on the ice not a moment later, but she is so far out and moving so fast. Only slowing her pace to allow the wind to continue on unabated, the chilling force slammed into the vessels, worn wood groaning in protest. The water began to surge angrily and soon the ships are moving.

Elsa pressed her arms forward, adding more power to the gale. Thick ice begins to form on the outsides of the ships taking form into crystal blue claws that grip into wood and steel. Wind and ice work in tandem, blowing and dragging the vessels through the waters with ease.

Her arms are shaking but she does not let up, her teeth are bared as she follows the ships back into the inlet until she pushes them past the narrowest section. With a final surge of frigid water all of the ice encrusted ships are blasted back. Some threaten to tip over while others slam into one another like toy boats in a child's bath.

She is not finished yet, now she needs to keep them and the others from coming back.

With a deep breath and a ragged cry, she raised her arms to the sky once more conjuring a massive wall of solid ice. It rose higher and higher until its shadow stretched far over her, trapping the would-be aggressors behind a fortress of cold.

Satisfied, she allowed her arms to drop. She is shaking, but stays on her feet.

You need never hesitate again.

The world began to blur, oblivious to the shouts of men and the beating of hooves as everything was drowned in dark.

xxxxxx

I hope that didn't seem to long for a first chapter. Ch2 is on the way.

xxxxxx