Elsa was the first to wake the next morning. It was just after sunrise, a red one on a cloudless morning sky. Elsa bent over her sister and said, "Anna, time to get up."
"Five more minutes," Anna moaned.
"Anna! Get up you lazy!"
"Hey! I'm not lazy! I just don't like doing things that involve effort." Anna sat up and looked at her sister. "So, ready to leave?"
"You haven't even had breakfast," Elsa laughed.
The two of them had a quick breakfast before heading off. They rode for a couple hours before stopping at a stream to let their horses drink. Since it was about noon they decided to have lunch.
"At this pace, by the end of the day we'll be at the feet of the mountains," Anna said optimistically.
"Yeah." Elsa seemed distracted or worried, Anna couldn't tell which.
"Hay, what's wrong?"
"Oh? Nothing, everything's fine."
"Elsa, I'm your sister! You can tell me."
"It's just, what if he is gone, like, gone gone. What then? I just don't think that I could ever be the same. I mean, I find that I have a brother, after years of thinking that you're my only sibling. Then to find out that he's dead, after all that. I, just don't think that I could ever be wholly happy knowing all that. It would feel like a piece of me is missing!"
"I know. But he's still alive!"
"How can you tell? Anna, you can't know for sure, neither of us can."
"I can feel it. He has to be!"
The two girls looked at each other. Neither certain, both were anxious. After a couple more minutes they departed. Elsa was still solemn and she didn't say anything until they stopped that night. Anna made the fire again, while Elsa made their dinner.
"You're right," Elsa said.
"About what?"
"He's out there. He has to be!"
"You get some sleep, I'll keep watch," Anna told her sister.
As soon as Elsa was asleep, Anna fell asleep too. The stars twinkled above, as if to keep watch on the two sisters, guardians, maybe. Protecting the two, keeping at bay, for a time, the evil that was hunting them. Maybe, just maybe, love could prevail. The two couldn't ever be the same after what's to happen comes to pass…ever. If they're happier, or sadder, well, if I told you now I wouldn't have much of a story to tell, now, would I?