Chapter 1

News from the South

OK, this is to GUEST. Thanks you for pointing out that I gave too much away on the first chapter. It was rushed and I apologize to everyone for it, and I have gone back and fixed it.

But I will NOT stop writing just because I don't have any "grey" characters. Not every story needs them. Telling someone to quit IS NOT considered constructive criticism! If you don't like it, don't read it.

For the guest who asked about bringing Hans back, I'm sorry but he won't be back. I kind of killed him of in my second story via giant falling blocks of ice, then falling into a 200 foot drop down a ravine with the remains of a giant ice castle, then followed by a shockwave of ice magic which froze everything, so it would be very hard to bring him back.

And Thank you Gelgela29 for your insightful reviews!

(One week later)

In the early hours of the morning, Anna snuck down to the kitchen with early morning cravings. Avoiding all the guards, she stealthily made her way through the castle, without making a sound.

"I'm like a ninja!" she thought, proud of herself. Finally making her way to the kitchen, Anna opened the doors, closing them behind her quietly, entering the kitchen. What she didn't realize, was that someone else had made it down before her, gorging herself with ice cream.

"Anna?" asked Elsa, currently eating a large bowl of ice cream.

"Elsa!? exclaimed Anna, taken by surprise, nearly knocking over some pans on the counter.

"What are you doing here?" asked Elsa.

"Oh, I just, had this strange craving and I...wait, this is expected of me, what are you doing here?"

"Well... I, was in the mood for ice cream. So, here I am."

Anna looked at the wall clock, then back to Elsa. "At three in the morning? Elsa, is something wrong?"

Elsa was about to reply, but stopped herself, realizing that she had been caught. She just nodded, sinking her head. Calmly, Anna went to the pantry, picked out a jar, and sat next to Elsa.

"Anna, I think its time I told you why Jase and I split up."

"Well, it's about time!" said Anna, trying to open her jar.

"Anna, remember a few weeks before you're wedding? When you had anxiety about whether or not you made the right choice?"

"Yep, and I took your advice and ignored it... the anxiety part, not the advice part! Because those thoughts were not coming from the heart."

"Yes. Well, I think I've got what you had."

"You, you're not sure if loving Jase is the right thing?"

"No, no it's not that. Anna, don't tell anyone this...but... I think...I know, that he was going to propose."

Anna froze, ceasing trying to open the jar. She quickly turned to Elsa.

"He was going to what?!" she almost shouted out loud, remembering the time. "He was, and you... are you sure?"

Elsa nodded. "I overheard him talking to Isaac about it."

"You, you were ease dropping?"

"Yes. Well, anyway, I overheard, and, I was suddenly filled with fear and dread."

"That's a first..." Anna said sarcastically. Elsa turned, giving her a cold glare. "Sorry."

"That's alright, you're right. I've always been afraid of things."

"But you've gotten better at it. What does this have to do with Jase wanting to propose?"

Elsa sighed. "I, I was afraid of, getting married."

Anna sunk her head. "Oh."

Elsa smiled bitterly. "Yep. Queen Elsa of Arendelle is afraid of commitment. Now you know" she said, waving her hand dramatically.

Anna stood silent for a minute. "What is it, exactly you are afraid of?"

"Of, of getting that close to someone."

"But, you are close, are you?"

"I...we were close. But I never considered how close we were until I knew of his intentions. When I heard him say he wanted to get married, I, I freaked out. I was suddenly filled with this, intense, shameful fear. I thought I was going to freeze Arendelle again."

Anna's eyes widened. "That bad?"

"Yes. I didn't know what to do. I love him, but, I can't bring myself to make that big of commitment. Oh Anna, I'm a coward!"

"No you are not!" Anna scolded. "You are very brave! You, you've made so many sacrifices, for me and for Arendelle, to be considered a coward. Sure, some of it was misdirected, but..." she stopped when Elsa started crying, obviously not listening to Anna's rambling. Anna put her arm around her sister. "Look, you're not a coward. You just, don't know what to expect. You've lost 13 years of your life, while you were growing up. You're still adjusting to people and relationships. And on top of that, you had to learn how to control ice magic. I think..." she put pulled Elsa in closer. "I think you're just a little nervous about, what married life is like. Just, take your time."

Elsa nodded. "Guess I still have some demons to work out, huh?"

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, I've got my demons too. You know, I still have nightmares about, well..."

"Dying by ice?" asked Elsa.

Anna nodded. "Sorry, I didn't mean to..."

"No, it's OK... It's getting better though, right?"

Anna nodded. "Kristoff helps me with it, and I help him with his."

"Really?"

"Yeah. He sometimes gets depressed, thinking about his parents, particularly his dad. Guess we're a castle full of orphans, huh?"

Elsa smiled. It made her happy that Anna was happy with Kristoff. "How is it?"

"How's what?" Anna asked, straining to open her jar.

"Being married."

"Well..." she answered, finally opening the jar. "It's not as wonderful as I expected."

"Really?" asked Elsa, worried.

"It's better!" Anna said, bringing a smile back to Elsa's face. "It's wonderful, you know, to share your life with someone, sharing things, working out each others problems."

"Sounds nice" said Elsa. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, she smelled something gut-wrenching. It was then that she noticed what Anna was eating...

"What...are you eating?" asked Elsa, holding her nose.

"What? It's ludifisk."

"Yeah, but, you, eating fermented fish? I thought you hated it? Most people hate it!"

"Kristoff likes it. It's an acquired taste."

Elsa just glared at her in disbelief. "Of all of your favorite foods in this place, you chose that?"

"I had a craving, what can I say?"

Elsa rolled her eyes, glad to have changed the subject.

Morning rolled around, and, unable to return to sleep, both sisters simply stood up chatting until it was time for breakfast. Sitting at the table, Elsa grimaced when she saw the waffles in front of her.

"Ugh, I shouldn't have eaten that ice cream!"

"Speak for yourself! I'm starving!"

"What? How can you still be hungry, you just ate a whole jar of ludifisk; I still can't believe your still hungry!"

"Hey, I'm a growing girl!" said Anna, eyeing the stack of waffles on her plate.

"You're 21, how could you be..."

"There you are!" said Kristoff, entering the room, looking at Anna. "Where were you? I woke up and you weren't there!"

"For your information, dear" said Anna, loving the way she says "dear", "I was consoling my depressed sister/queen."

"I am not depressed!" exclaimed Elsa.

"Than explain the ice cream!"

Elsa went to say something, then decided to remain quiet.

"Still on about Jase?" asked Kristoff, sitting down and forking a stack of waffles.

"Yeah, she's feels bad because he was going to propose and she wasn't ready yet..." said Anna, tearing into her waffles.

"Anna!" exclaimed Elsa.

"Oops."

"Wait, he was going to propose?" asked Kristoff, sitting down.

"Anna wasn't supposed to say anything!"

"Well" began Anna, in her defense. "Technically, I'm required to tell my husband everything..."

"But it was my secret, Anna!"

"I'm sorry, I just, got used to telling him everything."

Elsa put her palm to her face, breathing out.

"If it means anything, I can keep a secret" said Kristoff. "Your secret's safe with me, sister."

Elsa looked up. "Thanks... can we just change the subject now?"

"Sure, OK. We can talk about this amazing breakfast!" said Anna, pouring a mountain of syrup on her plate.

Kristoff and Elsa stared in bewilderment. "How much syrup do you need?" asked Elsa

Anna looked at them. "What's wrong with a little syrup. You guys think I'm fat, don't you!" she snapped.

"Whoa feisty pants! said Kristoff. "It just, seemed a little excessive."

"So I am fat?" asked Anna, suddenly saddened by that fact.

"Anna, we never said anything about..." said Elsa before she was interrupted.

"Oh, OK, great!" she said happily, resuming pouring more syrup. Kristoff and Elsa exchanged questioning looks.

"She's your sister" said Kristoff.

"She's your wife" argued Elsa.

"What's that supposed to me..." Anna asked before they heard the doors being slammed open.

Interrupting everyone, one of the palace guards ran in.

"You're majesties!" he exclaimed. "You're needed at the front gate immediately!"

"Uh, yes, of course, what is it?" asked Elsa.

"A messenger has just arrived from Hordaland; he's screaming something about war!"

"War?!"

Running to the courtyard, Elsa, Anna, and Kristoff found a man sitting near the stables. He and his horse were panting heavily, while the guards kept a crowd of curious citizens from crushing the man.

"Your majesty!" said the Captian of the guard, walking up. "This man is a messenger from Hordaland. He bears their official seal and has a personal message for you."

"Then let me see him!" she said, pushing through to the man. He was sitting on the chair, panting heavily.

"Someone! Get this man some water!" said Elsa as a guard ran to obey her command.

She walked up to him. "Sir, what is your name?"

"I'm, Robert...the official messenger...of Hordaland...I come..."he tried to say, still out of breath. Soon, the guard came with water, giving it to Robert.

Drinking it, he thanked the guard and continued his message. "My King...sent me to you after his return from Berglia..."

Elsa felt her stomach tie in a knot, remembering that Jase was recently there.

"...It has, been taken over by...Captain Lars, of the Red Dragon..."

At that, everyone in the crowd gasped, for they all knew the tails of the notorious Red Dragon and its captain.

"How did this happen? Surely Berglia's navy would have fought him off" said Elsa.

"He never fired a shot. He...he apparently had the King's long lost sister with him. She...she had... ice magic..."

Elsa took a step back, while everyone gasped, turning towards there Queen. Anna rushed forward at the news.

"Are you sure?" asked Anna.

"Positive. Many dignitaries witnessed the attack first hand. The guards and military were powerless against her powers. He threatened all the nearby kingdoms..."

He paused, allowing the news to sink in.

"He sent an ultimatum, to everyone: Surrender, and become part of his new empire, or be destroyed in an icy winter."

Panic started spreading through the crowds as people left, running to there families.

"And he sent a personal message to you, specifically, your majesty... To not interfere, or he will make you pay, through your family."

Elsa took a step back, looking around instinctively for Anna, Kristoff, anyone she considered family.

"Jase!" she thought, remembering that he was in Berglia. She immediately became worried. She turned back to Robert.

"Have you heard anything from the two knights I sent there? Sirs Jase and Isaac?"

"None, my lady. Many fled immediately to warn there families and kingdoms.

Thinking on her feet, Elsa turned to the guards.

"Go find the council members! I want an emergency meeting in the council room in an hour." As the guards went to carry out her orders, she turned to Robert.

"If you don't mind, Mr. Robert, I will need you at the meeting."

"As you wish, my lady" he replied, getting up.

Then, she turned to Kristoff, who was standing next to Anna. "I want you two at the meeting. Don't let each other out of your sights. See if you can find Olaf!"

"Of course, Elsa" said Kristoff as he escorted the sisters inside the castle.

Well, some questions have been answered. Again, sorry for the rushed first chapter. Constructive criticism is welcomed, and I have no intention on giving up.