The Legend of the Frozen Knight

AKA

Dream of the Frost Queen

There was thunder crashing in the sky above Arendelle. The rain fell in droves as Elsa, Hans and Anna sat around a large fire in the main hall, crackling warmly. The servants had come and gone, and Elsa had already dismissed them for the rest of the night so they could go home or get some comfort in this cold storm. Everyone was chilly, and under the blankets. Everyone except her. And Olaf.

Olaf kept himself busy by reading yet another book from the vast castle library. He had become quite enamored with learning of new lands and adventures, often reciting stories to them. Elsa only had herself and her thoughts, which at the time were being terrible company. She was always happy to see Kristoff and Anna curled up under a blanket, sharing whispers and kisses. However, there were times where the sight of them gave a pang in the lonely spot of her heart. This storm seemed to come around to match her mood, although she had long since learned to hide her powers from her feelings.

Her blue eyes stared out at the soupy grey waters in the harbor. She knew she had a true love, somewhere out in that world. She tried to force him to appear, somewhere in the storm. When that failed, she gave out a sigh and made a heart out of ice, and then crushed it in her hands. Little did she know, a young knight by the name of Darefried was on his way to her at that very moment.

Darefried had heard of Elsa in his distant kingdom. He had served under the Queen Belle and her King who once had been a Beast. They were excellent rulers, but after hearing of Elsa and how she froze her kingdom on accident, then saved her sister from the foul plans of an overreaching prince, his heart seemed to beat a little different. Though he had never seen her, he knew he would not find another woman more beautiful.

Though his realm was sad to see him go, he left the Kingdom to reach Arendelle. So far his journey had brought him across ocean, land, and now the thick forest he was now in. Though the rain was panging noisily down upon his armor, his heart was glad. He had seen the ice fortress he had heard rumored that Elsa had built. The crystal spires and halls were beautiful. The ice stair glittering even in the day. Though the rumble of the ice ogre she had also created echoed there as well. He decided not to explore the halls his beloved had made, it would not due for Darefried to die before he got to his beloved.

Yet seeing the castle made of beautiful ice made his heart beam within his chest. For from that peak, he could also see Arendelle. As he stood from there, his hand reached out, willing Elsa to try and feel his love. However, doubt came upon him as well. She was a powerful Queen, a monarch with supernatural powers. He was merely a knight. And though he had a commission from Belle herself so that he could gain audience with Elsa, would that be enough? Would his words find a way into her heart? Or was that too made of ice?

Shaking off both rain and doubt, he trudged on. Although he knew he should have made a camp and fire at nightfall, he pressed on. He was only a day away from his hearts desire, and he was not going to let a little rain get in the way of what his destiny was going to hold. If Elsa did not love him, he would be happy to be in her service so that he could be near her. A life with her in it would be better than not being near her at all.

The harsh cliffs of the mountain turned to mud in the heavy rain and made it easy to slip. There were times where his rush had almost cost his neck, but he still pushed himself on. Even as he came into a dark patch of the forest. Foreboding, the forest was dark and treacherous. Marching on, he told himself his love would will him to see through the thick branches and heavy roots that stuck up from the earth, and whatever else he might encounter.

His thoughts were of Elsa as he heard the first howl. He thought it came from his left but it was too hard to tell. The almost a moment later came the second howl, and he knew he had to run. As fast as he could he trudged through the mud and through the bramble of branches and bush. The lightning gave an instant glow to the forest that was gone as fast as it came. He used that to guide him.

Flash! He saw the path ahead and made for a quick exit, willing his legs not to trip. Flash! A grey blur was on his left. Flash! The lightning was coming faster now, was that a grey blur on his right? Another Flash! and he drew his sword, still pushing himself through the forest with no end in sight. Flash! There was an exit! Darefriend ignored the cuts and bruises he had and made a full run to the opening. Flash! Standing right in front of him, was a huge direwolf.

Forgetting the lightning, Darefried took a defensive stance. He had fought wolves before, but this was a pack and he only had his sword. He could sense the rest of the pack quickly encircling him and began to spin around. As they began closing on him, he slashed at each in turn to keep them at bay. He would either have to fight or find some sort of refuge out of the forest.

"Elsa," he whispered to himself, steeling his nerves and giving power to his sword arm. One wolf lunged from his right and he slammed his shield into its face and cut it down with his sword. Another came at him as his back turned and bit into the mail on his shoulder. Darefried backed into a tree to slam the wolf off his back with a whimper, as two more came at him from the front.

He slashed at them, seeing fur and blood fly through the air, yet they were too fast and danced away from his sword before he could do any real damage. Bleeding from a couple different wounds, Darefriend could feel himself getting exhausted due to lack of sleep and the exertion of his travel. The branches of the dark forest also seemed to close in on him as well. As the wolves lunged at him, he knew only one of them needed to find his neck and it would be all over. No Elsa, not even the delight of seeing her.

He put a tree to his back and slashed at the lead wolves a couple more times to give himself time to catch his breath. From the glow of the lightning he could see that he was near a cliff that lead out of the forest. Taking a deep breath, he made a wild slash at the wolves in front of him and sprinted for the cliff. Flash! He could see himself nearing the edge, the wolves biting at his heels. Flash!* It was time to fly for love, or die. Flash!* He pushed himself into the void.

The last thing Darefried remembered was the wolf snarling down upon him from the plateau of the cliff. Then falling, falling. How long he could not have known. His mind was of Elsa, all the things he would not say. Not seeing her face. The worst part was not knowing. Not knowing if his love would have ever been returned, by the most beautiful woman in the world.

He hit with a crash of armor and mud. His sword flung unceremoniously off to the side, his shield still on his now broken arm. The crack of thunder matched the crack of his bones on the ravine he had fell in. His black hair matted with mud, his blue eyes looking up at the grey sky. The rain on his face woke him as he began taking his last breaths, searching for Arendelle in the distance…..

Elsa had begged off to bed, leaving Kristoff, Anna and Olaf to their rainy night frolics. Once in her cold room, she took off her crown and queenly garments and put on her favorite pajamas. Before getting into bed she kissed the portrait of her parents that she kept within her room. She stared at the faces of her mother and father, so happy to be by each other she thought. Even though they were gone, even they had each other. She pushed her honey blonde braid onto her back and blew out her candle, trying to let the bitterness flow out of her.

Her dreams opened up to a golden ball room. Everyone was smiling and dancing, dressed in silver and gold. She saw Anna and Kristoff doing a silly dance, Olaf bouncing around for everyones enjoyment, and her parents. Her parents, slowly dancing with dignity. Though she felt happy at seeing everyone she felt the same pang of loneliness…..until she saw him. Him, walking through the crowd, looking right at her.

His blue eyes matcher her own in color, his black hair nicely contrasting his silver garments. For some reason from his stare she could not look away. She herself, was frozen. Her breath caught as he neared her, ignoring those around him that looked or even tried to draw his attention. Finally, he was right in front of her, tall and sure. "Elsa," his voice rang like bells in her ears, beautiful music she had never heard.

He extended one hand to her and she gave hers willingly, somehow knowing she would not hurt him. They danced the night away, laughing at Anna and Kristoff as they passed, blushing as her father gave an approving nod in her direction. They danced hand in hand, his hand on her waist. And for once, she was lost in another person, for once, she felt safe. "You are the most beautiful woman in the world….."

As his words echoed, the hall suddenly became black. Lightning and thunder began to appear, and he drifted away from her. They were in a forest, and he was slipping into a dark pool. Shadows began to strike at them from every angle, and she began to shoot ice at them to keep them away from him, her safety. Her love. She tried her hardest yet he was waste deep in the dark pool and the shadows with teeth kept encroaching towards them.

She tried with all her strength, struggling to keep her control. However, little by little the shadows were taking him away from her. She couldn't, wouldn't let that happen. Finally, something in her broke and she let the anger and bitterness of loneliness seep out of her as red ice destroyed all the shadows and the pool alike. Her love stood in front of her, his blue eyes filled with joy. However she shot the ice right through him, and he began to freeze right in front of her. As he slowly froze, she began to sob. She had not meant to lose control. He whispered her name as she was losing him. She could do nothing but watch, helplessly. As she saw him drifting off to eternal sleep, she pressed her lips against his, and used the love she felt for him to send it into the ice surrounding him….though he drifted into shadow….and she awoke, standing on her bed. Breathing heavily, she looked as if she was embracing someone though there was no one there, and her room was once again an icy mess. A great fear struck her when she saw her window was open and that the rain storm had now turned to a blizzard.

Anna and Kristoff comforted Elsa as she began crying. How could she let herself lose control? Even in her dreams!? She felt so guilty, yet was glad that it had only turned into a minor storm. Though she really felt guilty for the feeling of wanting the dream back, to feel her dream man's arms around her once again. For the laughing and the feeling of being safe with someone. She felt her ears turn to ice as she now knew even her dreams were damning. She brought her knees to her chest and tried to calm herself down as Anna and Kristoff looked on helplessly with Olaf in tow.

Suddenly, there was a knock. THUMP! THUMP! THUMP! It roared from the main doors, like stone on wood. At first the noise startled all of them and they jumped as it happened. However, Elsa felt her a strange pang in her heart. "Stop," she told the butler that was going to open the door. "Shall I tell them to come upon the morning, Queen Elsa?" the butler asked with a polite yet slightly bashed tone.

"No, no I will answer it,"Elsa told him as she tried to stop the beating within her chest. The closer she get to the door the harder it was for her not to run. The echoes from her steps seemed to urge her on as the knocking stopped when she was a mere foot from the door. Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened the door, a blast of blizzard wind throwing back her braided hair.

What stood before her made her fear and be filled with joy all at once. Ice covered him like armor, coming to jagged edges where the joints were. Crystalline, she knew it could only be the ice that she produced…as she also saw red within it as well. He seemed to glow in the darkness of the night and snow storm. The tall figure only said one word, "Elsa."

The words made her heart flutter, and finally she saw his face. Her breath left her as she saw it was the man from the dream. She would have fainted if she was not in awe. She looked at his face, paler than it was in the dream. His eyes were the same blue, yet she also felt like there was a small glow to them. Who was he? What was he?

As if wanting to answer the question, the Knight produced a piece of rolled parchment he had between his icy hands. Elsa unrolled the paper and only took her eyes away from his face to read the words upon it :

Elsa,

This is a commission from Queen Belle, stating that my knight Ser Darefried is about my business and under my protection, and about my business.

All formalities aside, Ser Darefried himself can tell you of his mission to Arendelle. He has a true and brave heart, my dear Elsa. He has been searching of you since word came to him of your existence. I wish you the best, and a happily ever after of your own.

Belle.

Elsa looked up from the parchment with tears upon her cheeks. Her dream was real! He had traveled all the way from another realm to find her, as if her heart was calling to his. The same feeling she had in the dream came drifting to her spirits, however she also felt shame. She had let her fear and bitter feelings let her change her knight, not knowing that all that she had done had saved his life.

He stared at her with his blue eyes as they both stood in the lightly falling snow. He looked confused, but he was able to point to the parchment in her hand, and then to himself. Slowly, he got out another word. "Beautiful…." At that moment she dropped the parchment and kissed him, letting the snow and ice flurry around them. For a moment her love overshadowed any shame as she knew she had him, the him that was made her. She could feel the silent smile on his lips as they kissed, and stood elated that she had found this knight she loved…..and damned.

To Be Continued….