By now, people were starting to get the picture. Somehow, over night, the town square each year on the princesses birthday was transformed into a fairy tale. Elsa had to wait around longer than usual for everyone to leave before she let her powers flow freely again, all the while a man and a reindeer stood off to the side and smiled.
A cottage stood all alone but was soon joined by small men, dwarfs to be exact. Two of them stood off to the side holding their hats grasped grimly in front of them while the others were gathered around a table. On this table was a see-through glass case and inside it there was a crystal maiden dreaming peacefully with her eyes closed. You could almost see the endearing blush that dusted her cheeks.
It seemed all hope was lost for the princess; a crow cackled just on the lattice to the window of the hut. But there was still hope for the sleeping beauty inside, a dashing man riding a horse was making his way to the hut. An old woman with her back towards him was bent over picking up apples that were spilling out of her basket.
And over the entire scene lay an elaborate mirror with words etched into it's frame.
Love is the strongest spell of all.
But that was a lie; wasn't it?
Kristoff was just walking forward with a smile on his face when the whole scene melted away. Thing's only got darker from there.
Two kids smiled at each other from their rundown houses; palms pressed up against the window seal. A woman not-so-far away looked at them with disdain apparent on her features. She sat in an elaborate sled and wore a heavy cloak; not like the cold bothered her anyway.
A bandit woman smiled lightly off to the side patting her daughters head. Behind them a whole caravan passed with caged animals in tow. The seemingly innocent girl with her mother was holding a whip in her hands. And if you looked closer at the caged animals, you could see how they cowered away from her.
Past the caravan to the other side of the town courtyard their was a wide ominous cave that loomed over the procession. A young woman now approached it on a white reindeer. Inside there was an empty throne and a young man pacing the uneven floor. Scratch marks were etched in the ground; some words were complete nonsensical but a few ghosted closely similar to one word.
Eternity
This word meant everything to Elsa. Like night and day, it contrasted her hopes for a better future and her fears that her life would never be free. That her life would only get worse.
She let out an anguish cry that probably startled a few townsfolk awake and fled away; tailed closely by Kristoff.
"Elsa!"
He called her name shortly after they made it to the woods. The man thought that she couldn't possibly hear him sense she was so far away but she stopped and turned.
"Wow, what was that all about?" The Ice Harvester scratched his chin and patted the neck of Sven.
If ice dragons could blush, she would have. She looked away and hissed out a couple of snowflakes.
"Seems like it's been a rough year. I promise you, your always welcome to drop bye anytime. Me and Sven here won't mind a bit would we?"
"No-sere, wouldn't mind at all; although, I couldn't imagine why you'd want to spend time with this dope." Kristoff spoke low and with a bit of an accent. He was head bunted lightly to the side by the antlers of his reindeer pal.
"Ow!"
Elsa giggled and dropped her head low against the ground. She let out a long drawn-out sigh, "Yes, my year hasn't been going so well."
"Do you want to talk about it? I'm fine if you don't but if you do, I won't judge."
"My family is being more paranoid than ever about me being outside. It really sucks. I could probably count how many times I've been let out of the house on both of my hands."
Kristoff frowned and looked at her hand noticing she had six digits on each one. He shook his head, "That sounds terrible; I don't know why they would do that. Everyone needs to get out some time, especially you."
"Yeah, I know it sounds bad. But I know that she's just trying to keep me safe. But ever since I was a hatchling- well a little after then I suppose- I wanted to explore the world. This whole, 'You can't be seen because people will freak out,' is making me tired. I just want to make friends and live my life not stuck behind closed doors."
"Come with me," Kristoff said, "you should get out for once. I can show you to my family, and trust me they'd love you, and we'd have fun. You wouldn't have to hide or be worried about anything. Trust me, I think you deserve a break."
She frowned and wrapped her wings around her body, "I can't..."
He asked softly, "Why?"
"Because she needs me."
"Your sister, I'm sure she'll understand."
"No, she won't. I'm really not even suppose to be talking to you right now, and if she had her way, I never would again."
"Your sister?! She's the one shutting you up; I thought it would be your parents but true families do not hurt each other like that."
"Hey, she's a good sister! Take that back."
She protested so vehemently. He was shocked and took a step back before consoling her in a soft voice, "Sorry, that was out of line. You really love your sister but it sounds like you both could use a little fixer-upper."
"Yeah," she couldn't protest that with the way things are now they both were a little broken. "I do love her. And I should probably go."
"See you next year?" He offered hopefully. It was sad that she was going to leave him only to get locked away again for another year.
"Always." She stared off dreamily to the mountains where he said his home was but suddenly she was panicking.
"The sun!"
"You've never seen the sun before!"
"No, I have but I'm late. I'm not suppose to be gone; she'll find out that I'm sneaking out late at night."
Before he could even respond, she had already turned around and fled her way back to the castle.
"Elsa, where were you." Anna glared at her and crossed her arms.
"I was just taking a stroll through the castle garden."
"I checked there."
"The one over at the gazebo."
"Hmph." Anna grunted. She turned away to look back over her shoulder, "I'm going to the town for the festival, try to keep yourself in one place until I get back."
"Yes, sister." Elsa spoke sadly and crawled into back into her bedroom before the redhead shut the doors.
She wished she could celebrate Anna's birthday together with her.
Anna was walking through town eager to see the bright and gaily stalls. But most of all she was thrilled to see the latest fairytale scene that some artist commissioned every year on her birthday. She should have known that this year's display was a little different. The townsfolk were gathered together gossiping about the rendition of the Snow Queen and the loud scream they heard last night.
She trotted right up to the square and got her first glance at it. But something was wrong, it wasn't enchanting, romantic, or anything like that. It was like the fairy-tale had ended last year, and now, on her eighteenth birthday, reality was starting to settle in around her.
"I don't like this one bit. His previous year displays were so much better." She turned around and started to walk away but tripped over a bucket.
"Ah!" She was surely going to face plant into the cobblestone. The young princess of Arendelle with the grace of a swan would have to retreat home with a giant bruise on her face. On her birthday no less!
Closing her eyes with her hands braced, ready to meet her unfortunate demise, she found herself yanked back up and began teetering back the other direction.
"Glad I caught you!" A hand continued clutching her body until she found her sense of equilibrium again.
"There I go once again, tripping, thanks so much for catching me." She curtsied politely and glanced up to see the face of her champion.
A rather handsome looking man with a reindeer awkwardly stood in front of her.
"Are you alright?"
Anna blushed and sheepishly nodded yes.
"Good, I have to go and deliver ice to the castle, now, excuse me. It was nice meeting you!"
Kristoff began to turn away when suddenly he was trying to maintain his balance due to an over-enthusiastic red haired girl.
"Why, I'm just heading there myself. Would you like to go together?"
He glanced at Sven then shrugged, "Why not?"
They began making their way back to the castle.
"Royal Ice Master and Deliverer, please."
"Papers," a guard retorted back.
"Come on, we do this every year. Frank, you should know by now who I am."
"You could be an impostor."
"Why would anyone want to impersonate a Ice Harvester? You'd think they'd have better things to due with their time. Even if they did want to I'd say be my guest. All they'd get by playing me is barely enough money to survive on and one smelly reindeer."
"No offense," he whispered to his best friend standing right next to him, "people smell better than reindeer, Sven, don't you think I'm right?" The reindeer shook his head and stomped his hooves down onto the ground indignantly.
Anna was growing bored of waiting outside, "Let him in. He's with me!" She called out.
"Princess, I didn't know you were with him. Right away, your Highness!"
Kristoff frowned and stared at her.
"It was taking to long and I'm hungry."
He shook his head.
"In a few moments I would have convinced my buddy Frank to buy me a drank at the tavern tonight while I'm still in town; so much for that plan, I guess. Although, thank you for getting the doors opened for me quicker than usual."
"No problem," she said cheerily as she slipped inside the gates.
Elsa heard Anna's cheerful footsteps and bubbly voice drawing near. She leaped out of her bed and rounded the corner glad that she was home earlier than usual.
She had been spending the entire afternoon making a necklace for Anna's birthday. One that wouldn't melt. Bursting through her bedroom doors with excitement she saw that the Princess was conversing with someone.
Not just anyone; it was him.
"Elsa?" Kristoff asked surprised.
"Elsa!" Anna hissed in anger.
"Kristoff!" Elsa was thrilled to see him. But on second thought maybe it was a bad idea to let on that they knew each other.
"Anna." She spoke in a more subdued voice.
Now it was Anna's turn to question them, "You two know each other, how?"
The dragon glanced worriedly at Kristoff begging him to be silent, "He was one of my caretakers when I was kept in the dungeons."
"That must mean he's old!" Anna was feeling far less flirtatious with him than earlier.
Kristoff, hearing this, his heart went out to Elsa. It seemed like all she ever knew was how to be kept in a cage.
"Yeah, I'm thirty-eight," he lied, "It's nice seeing you again!" He had actually turned twenty-two just a couple of weeks ago.
By this point Anna, who had been clinging to his arms let go as if she had been burnt. "Well, Elsa. I'm back earlier than usual. Since you two know each other, why don't you walk him around. Stay inside the castle though!"
"Yes, Anna."
Anna walked away, presumably to go raid the kitchen for chocolate.
Kristoff looked sadly at her.
Elsa seemed to shrink in on herself and looked away.
"Elsa, would you like to talk about it."
"Yes, no. I don't know..."
"You were kept in a dungeon."
"Not just anyone can say they own a dragon. I was taken away from my mother and sold to the Queen and King not long after I was born."
"How long?" Kristoff asked emotionless.
"Huh?"
"How long were you kept in that dungeon?"
"For a while." She didn't want to answer him but the look of compassion and kindness on his face made her finally say it.
"For thirteen years."
"True families don't hurt each other. Elsa, you've been abused your whole life and Anna is just continuing it."
"No, she loves me!"
"I think she only loves what you do for her."
"But, were like sisters."
"Elsa," he sighed softly, "if Sven here wanted to leave and return to the forest then I'd let him go. Sure it would hurt me but I love him enough that I'd let him be who he is without restriction. You're a dragon, not a human. You have needs and she should understand that fact, if you're truly family like you say you are."
She remained silent. It was hard to hear those words but she would listen to him. All she could think, though is that, 'if you love Sven enough to do that, then what does that make Anna and me?'
"Do you want to be free to travel around and see the Fjord, the mountains, and the forests with me?"
She nodded silently. Not trusting her words at this point.
He walked up to her and leaned against her shoulders, just like she'd seen him often do with Sven.
"Then, if she loves you, she'll let you go too. Just like I would."
"Absolutely Not!"
"Anna, please-"
"No Elsa, what if you're spotted. You can't just leave like that; life's not that simple."
"But I've always wanted to-"
"I don't care. I'm only doing what's best for you."
"Please, I just want to be who I am, without hurting anyone. I'll stay out of sight, we'll leave at night. Kristoff and I will keep to the forests, no one will see me. I'll be safe, there's nothing to worry about."
"What if you're spotted."
"We won't be. It'll be dark outside and Kristoff knows the rural parts to the mountain and forest. I'll be fine."
"You can't leave with a man you've just met. I don't trust him; he's up to something I know he is. You two finally meet up after so many years apart and now he want's to go and take off with you? No, I don't think so. Not on my watch; you are not leaving and sure as hell not with him!"
"Princess Anna, may I just speak?" Kristoff just butted in.
Anna turned her cold gaze upon him, "No you may not, commoner."
"Anna, he's my friend. Please don't treat him like that."
"This is my castle and my rules."
"You can't just keep me here, one day sooner or later I'm going to go out to see the world one day."
"You are not leaving this castle; Ever!"
Elsa just stood there in shock. Anna shook her head and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Oh look, and now I'm the bad guy."
"You broke your promise."
"Did you really think that you were going to leave? It's not that simple; mom and dad were worried about you getting discovered by the townsfolk and hurt. I am too. Don't you see I'm just doing this because I love you?"
"Anna." Elsa sobbed and hid behind her wings.
"Princess Anna, excuse me but you're treating Elsa like she was a person. She has needs, none of which are satisfied by living at the castle all day and never going out. She's a dragon; I couldn't expect to keep my buddy Sven cooped up all day in a bedroom and him to be fine with it. Elsa should come with me and get to explore and see the mountains. It will do her some good."
"How dare you," Anna rounded on him, "you just come in here and-"
"Enough!" Elsa roared.
"I'm sick of living here day in and day out. Kristoff is right, I need a life. I stare out the window everyday just dreaming of being free from this castle. Anna, please, I'll be back in a couple of months but I want to go with him."
"No."
"Anna, please!" Elsa pleaded.
"No."
And with that Anna stood up and walked out the door.
...
"Kristoff, you were right."
"What do you mean?"
"Anna doesn't love me the way I love her. At least not for a long time. Maybe at one time but I'm not so sure of anything anymore."
He rubbed the side of her neck and sighed. "I'm sorry, Elsa. I wish I wasn't right this time, I truly do."
"Tonight."
Elsa repeated herself, "We leave tonight."
It was different and scary. All the times she stepped through the castle gates, if was always with the intention of returning. Now; however, it was different. She didn't know if Anna would forgive her or even understand why she left. But she prayed she would at least try.
Please let my sister understand. I still love you, Anna!
It was a year later until they met up again...
Anna's heart had always known it was Elsa's ice down at the festival. But her mind came to accept it too when there was no fairy-tale ice crafted down at the courtyard square. Nothing but a single ice slipper left at the bottom of the castle steps. It didn't melt away but the message was quite clear to Anna.
Bippity-boppity-boo.
The clock struck twelve.
My nineteenth birthday has come around again.
The horrible stepsister drove Cinderelsa away,
but at least she's happy and with her Prince.