-Chapter Two-

Einar was desperately trying to keep his head above water; he was flailing his legs as quickly as he could, trying to discover in this one moment how to swim. If he couldn't figure it out, this could be the death of him. Einar called out to Sven but as he did water got into his mouth and began to go down the wrong tube forcing him to gasp and cough.

Sven dashed into the water and began to swim out towards the young prince. Einar did his best to move himself towards Sven but he couldn't keep his head above water any longer and he slipped beneath the surface. The water was cold and being submerged in such a near freezing temperature was causing Einar's muscles to slow down, the resistance of his own body coupled with inexperience was causing him to sink faster and faster.

Sven dove towards Einar with as much speed as possible, but Sven's agility on land did not equate once under water. Tilting his antlers the boy reached out, but Sven wasn't close enough. Then Einar felt his feet touch the rocky bottom, it was actually a good thing as it finally kept him still enough to grab onto Sven's antlers.

Einar could feel water starting to fill up his lungs; Sven had come just in time. But as Sven began to tug Einar out of the depths the boy realized that his foot was stuck in between two loose rocks. Einar began to panic and tried to yank his foot free but he didn't have the strength. He gasped, letting in more water. Sven tried to pull the prince out but he too could not get him free.

Einar looked up at the darkness of the sky cascading onto the water and began to close his eyes. That was when in a giant splash Lamin pushed himself into the water and dove down to his son. Immediately seeing the problem the king removed the rocks and then helped bring Sven and Einar back to the surface.

As their bodies reached air Einar let out a big gasp and began to cough out water. Lamin paddled with Sven until he could wade back onto shore. Kristoff, Anna and his mother Elsa were all on the shore. Einar crying ran over to Elsa who embraced him, tears coming down the side of her face. Lamin sighed in relief as Kristoff tended to the tired out Sven. Lamin patted Sven on the head and thanked him for trying to save his son. Anna came over to check on Lamin as she patted him on the back so all of the water could get out of his lungs.

"Are you okay son?" asked Lamin as Einar still coughing just nodded his head. Lamin glanced at Elsa who had her hand on Einar's shoulder. "How did you end up in the water?" asked Lamin eyeing the sled, already knowing the answer.

Einar ducked his head down and tried to avoid Kristoff who was walking over to them. "I…I'm sorry I was on uncle Kristoff's sled" mumbled Einar. Kristoff rubbed the back of his neck. There was a pause and Kristoff saw Elsa move to say something so he attempted to cut her off.

"It's okay kiddo, next time you have to ask. You could have gotten seriously hurt today" said Kristoff trying to keep his tone as neutral as possible.

Elsa piped up "Hurt? Einar you could have DIED! What were you thinking? I specifically told you not to get on the sled! Do you understand what you did?!" Elsa's words were sharp, and nobody dared interfere.

"I'm sorry momma, I didn't mean to" said Einar making eye contact with his imposing mother. Elsa's face did not soften.

"You didn't mean to? What is that supposed to mean? Did you trip and fall out the castle right into the sled? How did you not mean to do all that?" Asked Elsa with firmness that caused Einar to shake.

"Elsa, this is not the way to…"

"I will deal with him as I see fit."

"Elsa…he's only a boy. They make mistakes."

"In this family mistakes at a young have a habit of causing bigger problems" that is when Elsa looked at Anna with sadness and frustration in her eyes. Then Elsa returned her gaze to her son "The rules your father and I put in place are for your own good. You'd do well to respect them at all times. The next time you fall in a lake there may not be a way to get you back out. Now do I make myself clear?"

Einar nodded his head solemnly "Yes, momma." Elsa let Einar go as he began to make his way back to the castle with his father. Elsa watched from afar as Lamin asked for Kristoff's coat and wrapped it around his shivering son and Elsa felt her heart drop to her stomach.

As Elsa stood in place Anna came to her side. "Sis, I know you mean well. But you're never going to reach him like that." Anna peered into Elsa's eyes as her older sister looked down at her hands, which were beginning to develop ice around the knuckles.

"I know Anna, I just…I don't know what to do. I know nothing about raising a child."

"That's nothing to be ashamed of, it wasn't like mom was around to teach us."

"He's so much like you Anna and Lamin. He's adventurous, curious and daring. And he's so smart like his father. I just don't know what he sees in me. He must hate me."

"What? No! No, he loves you. Einar thinks the world of you, he just doesn't know how to please you."

"Well he could start by obeying me."

"Kids are going to be disobedient every once in a while."

"Yes, but not like this. His rebellion is so extroverted, I'm not used to that. I'm afraid he is going to get himself seriously hurt…or worse one day."

"You can't always be there for him Elsa. If you don't let him start discovering things outside of the walls of the castle he's going to end up just like you and me! Is that what you want?"

"No! But these walls are virtually all I know. What am I supposed to do?"

"I'm not sure, but whatever it is, you and Lamin have to both agree. Are you two doing okay?"

"Yes, I mean…no. I don't know…he's more personable than me. People like him, they flock to him. They admire him. But with me I'm not so good with all of that. I guess you could say I'm a little jealous of his conversational charisma."

"Have you talked to him about this?"

"No, but I should."

Elsa took a breath and lightly hugged her sister. "Thanks for talking with me. I'll go talk to Lamin as soon as I can, and we will work something out to make things better for Einar. I promise."

Anna smiled "No need to make promises to me, I know you'll take care of it. Talk to you in the morning" said Anna as she skipped off towards the castle. Elsa stayed outside for a moment pondering to herself, and then she made her way towards the castle as well.


When Elsa arrived to the room of her son she found that the king had already placed Einar near the fireplace and that Lucy had lit a large fire for the understandably cold prince. Elsa and Lamin exchanged concerned glances; they tucked Einar into bed together and then left to talk in their room.

As soon as the door clicked closed the conversation between the couple had begun, they were trying to keep things cordial but the tension was evident in their tones. "Lamin, we have to do something about Einar. He could have killed himself today, and he could develop phenomena for all we know."

Lamin was having a difficult time staying calm in this moment "He's fine Elsa! We got him dried up and warm quickly. He wouldn't feel the need to disobey us if we didn't throw rules and schedules at him every waking moment!"

Elsa stepped; planting her foot firmly into the floor. "When you say 'we' you actually mean me, and if you think this is all my fault you are extraneously mistaken! I am giving him structure, and I am giving him a future so he can be a great leader!"

"Elsa, he's just a boy" said Lamin as he stared into the sharp eyes of his wife. She did not waver in her posture.

"There are a lot of boys who never become men. I don't intend for my son to become one of them."

"You are smothering him, you are making him more afraid of the world than he needs to be! He will become like…"

"Like what? Like me?! Is that what this is about?!"

Lamin was silent, he was fishing for an answer but his hesitation gave Elsa the response she sought. Elsa's posture now changed as she began to grip her left arm. "Do you think I like being the bad guy all the time? But someone has to! And maybe if you put just a little more effort into supporting me in front of Einar instead of subverting my authority at every turn then we could actually have some balance in this! He's the only child I have Lamin!" Elsa backed up to sit on the edge of her bed, looking down at the floor as tears welled up. "I can't bury another child…"

Lamin sat next to his wife, the shame overcoming him as he held her and pulled her body towards his. Einar may have been the first born but attempts to bring a second child in had proven beyond difficult. The first miscarriage had been after the battle with Hans, the second had come half a year after Einar's birth. The third had been just a week before Kristoff and Anna's wedding.

Elsa's miscarriages were kept a heavily guarded secret, but the damage had been massive for herself and Lamin. A secret tombstone was set in place for her unborn children and Elsa could not even walk by the marker without quietly weeping. She didn't have the strength to go through another failed pregnancy; Einar would be her first and only child.

"I'm sorry. You're right, I haven't been a good partner to you. I've catered too much to Einar's desires, and not his needs." Lamin rubbed the shoulder of Elsa who rested her head inside of his chest.

"I'm sorry too. I don't know what to do with him, and I am scaring him. I'm breeding a rebellious attitude in him." Elsa took a deep breath "Anna thinks we should take him on a trip with us."

Lamin clicked his teeth with his tongue and groaned slightly "I think he might be too young for a trip at this point." Elsa nodded her head in agreement.

"I'm not thinking tomorrow, I'm thinking in a year or so, I will be good for him. But maybe we can take him on a short trip. We can go up to the north mountain when it gets warm perhaps." Elsa formed the order like a question, but Lamin could tell that it was important to Elsa. Even Lamin felt that a trip too far outside the limits of Arendelle could be dangerous, but if he wanted Elsa to stop coddling Einar he had to admit she was right in her logic.

"I think that's a good idea" smiled Lamin as Elsa grinned. The two climbed in bed to rest.


Gleb trudged through the cold snow in his tattered clothes as he moved up a large hill. He walked with a limp; his right leg was scratched up. His hands were blistering and cracked as he finally reached the top of the hillside. At the bottom of the hill he saw the fjord and the kingdom of Arendelle in the far distance. "Oh thank heaven!" said Gleb weakly but with a hint of positivity. The man began to make his way towards Arendelle, at his pace he could make it in around twelve hours. He had to make it to the castle; he had to speak to queen Elsa. Even if it was the last thing he did.

Author's Note: Chapter 3 coming soon! Please leave reviews and feedback, all is appreciated!