I think this got a good response, so I'm going to continue writing it. But I'm not sure how often I'm going to update. Just a fair warning. Enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 2

One year after the whole Freezing-My-Entire-Kingdom-Over incident life went back to normal. Or, as normal as it could be considering the circumstances. I held audience with the townspeople that needed to speak to me once a week, and tried my best to cater to their needs or compromise. But it was stressful. Winter was fast-approaching, and there weren't nearly as many supplies as there needed to be. The harvest had been the smallest in nearly a decade due to a week of early snow caused by yours truly. I didn't even mean to.

Anyway, I was exhausted.

I had to pass through the dining hall to get to my bedchambers, and Anna was sitting at the table with Kristoff. They'd just gotten engaged, and there was no separating them for anything. I felt a little weird that they got engaged after only one year, but it was better than the "one day" record. She knew him well enough, and everyone in the castle saw the difference it made in Anna. He was good for her. It was basically a given that if you saw Anna, Kristoff was standing next to her. I really didn't feel like talking tonight. I was just exhausted, and I had no idea how I was going to react to whatever they might say about wedding preparations. I didn't want to offend anyone.

Plus, I'd never felt more lonely. Anna had Kristoff, and I was really happy for her, but who did I have? People expected me – the queen – to get married before my sister, but I guess that's not happening. Maybe I'm just not meant to marry. Anna's children would take over the throne. That's probably better, anyway. Arendelle does not need another monarch with ice powers.

I walked right past, and Anna got up to stop me.

"Elsa! Do you want to join us?" Anna called, and I shook my head.

"Are you sure? There's already a place set." She tried.

"I might get something later, Anna. Don't worry." I said.

As the older sister, isn't my job to worry about her? I wondered, and sighed. Anna was growing up. Which meant I was growing old.

I walked up to my chambers and closed the door. I fell back onto my bed, and closed my eyes in a moment of repose. There was just silence. I never thought that I'd say this after all those years of isolation, but the silence was the best thing I've heard all day.

Or, at least it was for the three seconds that I had it.

I heard knocking at my door, but not just any knocking. A knocking I knew well from my childhood. It was three small knocks in a row, and that's how I knew it was Anna.

"Elsa?" Anna called. "Are you okay? You've skipped three meals this week."

"I'm fine." I called from my bed. "Just tired."

"If you need anything, you know where I am." Anna called back, and I heard her footsteps fade away.

The truth was that I did need something, but Anna couldn't give it to me. I needed to get away from Arendelle. I had to stop being The Ice Queen (that's what some people called me in the kingdom) for a little while and remember how to be Elsa. I haven't had that luxury in a year.

I could go to the Ice Castle. I thought, and I smiled to myself. The Ice Castle used to be all about isolation, but I didn't see it like that anymore. Now, it looked like a haven. But I haven't seen it in a year. It might've melted.

15 degrees is a normal temperature on the North Mountain. I realized. It'll be fine.

I left for the mountain that next morning, casually throwing things that I might need for a few days in a bag. I stopped by the kitchens and explained that I'd need some food, but not too much. But, Cook being Cook, gave me so much food I could barely fit it. Let's just say I could survive for months in that mountain.

I knocked on Anna's door early so I could say goodbye. She opened the door, and looked at me in shock.

"What are you doing? It's early. Go back to sleep." Anna said, and started to shut the door.

"Actually, I'm leaving for the Ice Castle. Just a few days to myself. I won't be gone long, I promise." I explained. Anna nodded, but she looked a bit surprised. I expected her to be surprised, though.

"Why are you leaving so early?" She asked.

"Arendelle might not appreciate the sight of their queen sneaking off to the mountains. Might make them think of last year, if you know what I mean." I said. "There isn't supposed to be anything too pressing, but send a messenger if you need me. For anything."

"I won't need you, Elsa. Everything will be fine. Have fun!" Anna said cheerfully and quietly closed the door.

Okay. I thought. Let's go back to the Ice Castle.

I slipped out of the castle and through the gates. Since they were open, now, it didn't require too many guards. I walked silently through the village, trying not to wake anyone who was still trying to sleep. None of the villagers stirred, and that was a relief. I went up the mountain, remembering about half of how to get there. The only way I had gotten there in the first place was because I was running in a random pattern. I wasn't even looking where I was going the first time because I was too busy crying. This should be interesting.

After wandering around lost for about two hours, I started to panic a bit. I was so high up in the mountains that I couldn't see Arendelle anymore. I had no idea where I was, that was for sure. What if I died out here? I would never see Anna again. The wind picked up around me, shifting the snow.

"No." I whispered. "Not now."

Apparently, my powers didn't agree. It just kicked up more snow. The snow around me froze into ice, and a blizzard started to form.

I started to run blindly, my heart beating in my ears. I had no idea where I was going, but that didn't matter. I had to get back to a place where I could at least see my home. The small blizzard turned into a whiteout, leaving me almost blind. I couldn't see three feet in front of me. I slid on an ice patch of my own creation, and hit the back of my head. How was I going to get out of this? There had to be someone around on this mountain somewhere.

"Help!" I called. "Please, someone help me!"

I looked up through the white, and officially realized that I was probably hallucinating. Because there was a shadow, shaped like a boy holding a cane, descending through the clouds.

And that's when I blacked out.

A/N: DUN DUN DUN! (sorry, I LOVE cliffhangers.)