Chapter 2.
Alexa flew through the cool night air in a blind panic. She had acted entirely out of instinct, no thought, no plan, just reacted to the situation out of fear and desperation. As she flew though, she gradually calmed and noticed for the first time that she was flying! Her huge wings beat steadily and strongly, carrying her through the air with ease, despite their disuse. They knew instinctively how to carry her through the sky, how to navigate the winds and air-currents. Alexa was elated by the sensation of flying! The rush of wind past her face, the surge of adrenaline, the complete freedom of the skies. She loosed a laugh of pure joy at finally being free!
She didn't know how far or long she flew, but her wings did eventually tire and she began to look for a place to rest. Looking down as she passed over a mountain, Alexa saw a castle made of pure ice! It was so lonely and isolated she decided it would be perfect for her, with a few changes.
Suddenly inspired, she started to sing her own version of Let It Go. As she sang she flew slowly over the path Elsa had walked just one short month before, her heart giving vent to her emotions through song. As she sang, joy blossomed in her heart and she turned the ice staircase to one of living wood, with blooming vines all along the rails. She then landed in front of the doors of the castle and ran inside. Once she reached the same spot Elsa had started her magic she allowed her power to come flowing out of her hands, channeling it into the ground and transforming the ice into living wood. Then her spell crept upwards, growing trees like pillars. Then as the final touch she caused them all to burst into blossom, like the joy that was in her heart from finally being free.
Alexa then pulled her hair out of its braids and let it fall in her thick shoulder-length mane, then ripped off the silver dress to reveal a bright forest green cotton tunic and rich earth brown wool pants, with a pair of black knee-high, flat-soled leather boots. A black leather belt with a silver buckle around her waist completed the ensemble. (She had been wearing all this under her coronation dress. She didn't make it with her magic because unlike Elsa, she couldn't do that.)
She then strode out onto the balcony as the sun rose and spread her wings regally as she finished the song. Alexa stood there for a while, just soaking the sunlight into her pale skin and slightly dulled feathers, her wings spreading and stretching as far as they could to catch as much sunlight as possible. Its rays were warm and comfortable, like an old blanket. So comfortable in fact, that she caused a lounge chair made of branches covered in soft springy moss to grow on the balcony in the full sunlight. She actually fell asleep while soaking up rays into her back, with her wings spread to catch as much sun as possible, for she was exhausted from the flight, the release of emotions, and using so much magic.
Meanwhile, down in Arendelle...
"I'm gonna get you, Anna!" exclaimed Elsa as she chased her younger sister around the library, where she had been peacefully reading a book until Anna had snuck up behind her and snatched it away.
Anna, being quite nimble and willing to do things Elsa wasn't (like vaulting over tables and chairs while Elsa went around them) she led her sister a merry chase, holding the book high above her head like a banner. She soon grew tired of the chase and climbed a ladder, perching on the top and flipping through the book, pretending to read it.
"How can you read this? It's soooo boring." she asked as Elsa started up the ladder.
"Unlike some people, I like to keep myself informed." said Elsa deftly plucking the book from Anna's hand.
"Hey! I was reading that!" Anna exclaimed in mock annoyance.
"What's good for the goose is good for the gander." Elsa quipped back, a grin splitting her face from ear to ear.
Anna laughed.
"Come on. Let's get down off of here before we're caught in this rather, embarrassing position." said Elsa skillfully sliding down the ladder much to her sister's surprise.
"I didn't know you could slide down ladders!" she exclaimed, following her sister's example.
"Who do you think taught you?" asked Elsa, playfully tweaking her ear.
"Ouch! Hey!" said Anna in mock distress.
Elsa smiled, but then suddenly stiffened.
Anna caught the look at once and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Someone is in my ice castle. Someone of great magical power." said Elsa, her tone and look serious.
Alexa woke to find the sun had reached the three o'clock hour. Since it was summer the sun was still delightfully warm as it shone down on her. At least, she'd classify it as delightfully warm. Most other people would probably find it oppressively hot, but Alexa was not most other people. Due to her powers, heat and cold didn't really bother her, though, which she preferred depended on her mood. She stretched and yawned, arching her back and stretching her wings, popping the joints with a satisfying crack.
"Ah! That's better." she said as she stood.
She was mildly surprised by a loud, hungry rumble from her belly. Alexa rubbed her stomach to ease the discomfort, as it complained of its empty condition with a series of rumbles, grumbles, and hunger pangs.
"Hmm. Guess I'd better get something to eat. When was the last time I ate anyway?" she wondered aloud, scratching her head as she went inside, making the lounge chair she had slept on disappear.
As she walked through her palace, she noticed a long hall filled with various fruit trees. A flick of her wrist and a stream of amber magic flew about the trees, turning the blossoms into fruit. Alexa lazily strolled through the hall, picking whatever fruit took her fancy. Soon her hunger was satisfied and thus refreshed, she decided to explore her new home in depth.
Elsa walked quickly along a path that only she knew. Though she had only walked it a few times, she knew it's every twist and turn, it's every stick and stone. She knew as soon as she felt the magic that lingered over her ice castle disappear only to be replaced by another magic force, that another magic user had moved into her former castle.
"Elsa… wait… up…" Anna panted as she struggled to keep up with her sister's fast pace.
"Sorry, Anna. I'm just curious about this new magic user." said Elsa, slowing her pace.
Anna managed a tired grin as she caught up and worked to get her labored breathing back to a more normal rate.
The two sisters continued up the mountain. Soon they hit the permanent snowline, but they couldn't see the castle yet. They continued until they found Elsa's ice staircase, except it was made of wood now. Living wood, and blooming vines grew entwined around the railings, releasing faint, but sweet perfumes into the air. Elsa and Anna were so amazed by the stairs that they failed to see the castle until they were about three-quarters of the way there.
"Oh, wow!" was all Elsa could say as she was stopped dead in her tracks by the impressive wooden structure.
It was the same design as her castle when she first built it, but it was made entirely of living, blooming wood. The whole thing looked like spring, yet there were elements of the other three seasons somehow suggested in the varying shades and tones. Another amazing thing was, the magic was entirely contained to the castle and the staircase, no other areas were affected.
"What do you think the person is like, Elsa?" asked Anna, holding onto her sister's arm.
"I don't know. All I know for sure is that I can sense a power greater than mine and somewhat more controlled." said the elder sister as she bravely led the way to the doors.
Alexa, having explored the palace from top to bottom, was lounging in a drawing room munching on a juicy red apple. She could sense Elsa's presence, but she didn't really care. Right now, she was more concerned with the apple in her hand. Even though she had eaten only a couple hours ago, she had grown hungry again and had been eating apples and hazelnuts for the past five minutes.
Elsa and Anna entered the palace and stared in awe. Where there had been ice there was now wood, foliage, and blossom. Where there had been an ice fountain there was a fountain of pure cool mountain water flowing, welcoming all to drink with its soothing sounds and pleasing appearance. Anna at once tried it before Elsa could stop her and found it was indeed very pure and refreshing, being neither cold nor bitter. Elsa a bit more tentatively tried the sparklingly clear water, and found it sweetly pure and delicious. She drank deeply.
Their thirst quenched, the sisters cautiously looked around the castle for its new inhabitant. Elsa was drawn by the magical presence she felt and soon they found Alexa in the drawing room with a large bowl of apples and another of hazelnuts on the table beside the couch she reclined on. She glanced back at the two sisters holding hands and looking a bit nervous on the threshold. Alexa grabbed a hazelnut, cracked it in her hand, picked the meat out, and popped it in her mouth, tossing the shell in a bucket.
"You can come in you know. I don't bite." she said after she had swallowed the nutmeat.
Elsa and Anna walked in and stood in front of the couch, which was on Alexa's left side as she leaned against the arm with her feet on the couch.
Alexa motioned to the other seats in the room saying, "Sit, sit. Make yourselves comfortable. This was your castle once after all, young Snow Queen."
Elsa and Anna took the offered seats and glanced at each other, wondering what to say, but their host soon spoke again.
"Hazelnuts? Apples?" she asked holding out the bowls to her guests.
"No, thank you. I'm fine." said Elsa politely.
Anna, however, helped herself to a large apple and promptly took a huge bite.
"Anna!" Elsa scolded, looking embarrassed by her sister's bad manners.
"Oh! Sorry. Thanks for the apple." said Anna with her mouth full.
Elsa groaned in exasperation and face palmed.
Alexa just laughed. A loud, full voiced laugh had she, not unpleasant, but somewhat startling if you weren't used to it.
"It's perfectly alright. I have a younger sister too and, well… Let's just say she's not one for formalities, but then again, neither am I really." said the young queen closing her eyes as she lounged quite comfortably on the moss upholstered couch, replete for the moment and relaxed.
Elsa and Anna both relaxed at seeing her so calm and friendly. After a few minutes of awkward silence, Elsa thought she had fallen asleep as her chest gently rose and fell in a deep, steady rhythm. Alexa however, wasn't asleep, but listening to her guests to see (or in this case hear) what they would do. After some mental debate, Elsa decided to wake her and ask her the questions she needed to ask. Just as she stood and was about to gently shake the sleeping girl's shoulder, Alexa stirred and opened her eyes.
She smiled and sat up saying warmly, "What is it, young Snow Queen? Ask me what you will and I will do my best to answer."
"First of all, my name is Elsa. Second, I'd like to know your name, where you're from, and why you are here?" said Elsa.
"Ah! So you are indeed the Queen of Arendelle. I knew it. I could sense your magical powers and no doubt you could sense mine. My name is Alexa, former Queen of Darrowdale as of last night. I am here because my wings were accidentally revealed to my people by my younger sister Hannah at my coronation party last night. I fled when they started to turn on me in panic, calling me monster and demon. I reacted out of pure instinct and for the first time in my life, I flew. It was totally amazing! I had never felt so free, having been locked in my room all my life by my parents. I know they loved me and were only trying to protect me, but it still hurt, especially since I hardly ever got to see my kid sister." Alexa's face was very sad.
"You're not the only one." said Elsa softly, her eyes filling with tears.
"What?" Alexa asked, looking up into Elsa's face.
"I said you're not the only one. I too had a very similar experience, indeed, a very similar life. I know how you feel." said Elsa, looking kindly at the young woman.
Author's Note: I did not put the lyrics to Alexa's version of Let It Go, because I already posted it as a separate fanfic and I wanted to focus on describing her actions rather than the words she was singing. To get the full impact of the scene, read Let It Go Alexa's version.