~Chapter 3~
Anna
I woke up Elsa's birthday morning reeling from a nightmare. It started off fine as I was in my room reading when I heard Elsa scream. I threw down my book in a panic opening my door out into the main hallway. Hovering in the air filling the room were hundreds of diamond shaped crystals. As I focused hard on these shapes, etched on the surface were symbols. There were four of them and they repeated covering the surface of every crystal. Right before I woke up, one of the crystals hovered right up in my face glowing red. I shot up from my pillow panting heavily. There wasn't much to it, so I don't know why I was so worked up. It was strange and ominous and I didn't like it. No matter, it was just a dream.
I had Elsa's birthday dress hiding in my wardrobe, so I asked Brigitta to get it to her promptly. Along with some all too needed quality time outside of her duties as queen, Kristoff and I planned to take her for a ride around Arendelle. It was all good fun, but we had to return early in time to welcome guests for the party tonight. I escorted Elsa into the room and we both watched the splendor of the evening. I got her some snacks before Kristoff swept me away to dance. While Kristoff twirled me all across the floor, I glanced up at Elsa who happened to be talking with a random guy with a ponytail. He was over there talking to her with a little girl for a lot longer than most people. I wonder who he was.
"You're beautiful, if I haven't already said so." Kristoff suddenly said.
I smiled kissing his cheek leaning into his shoulder. As we continued dancing, the music swelled and I thought about that nightmare last night. I began to feel warm suddenly and Kristoff stopped as I rested a hand on his arm.
"You okay?" He asked.
As I opened my mouth to speak, a surge of warmth came down my arm and through my hand. In seconds, Kristoff's sleeve caught fire. I blinked several times in a panic and in disbelief, but grabbed something wet from anyone. A couple nearest us had a pair of champagne flutes full of water and without any hesitation, I snatched them and emptied them on Kristoff's arm. Kristoff himself handled the situation well laughing it off as if he had bumped a candle, but there were none around. The room fell silent as people glanced at me curiously especially Elsa. Kristoff looked at me as tears welled up in my eyes.
"Anna?"
I had to get out of here. Without another word, I ran from the room hearing my sister and Kristoff call after me. Such an ironic deja vu, but in reverse. Unlike Elsa though, I didn't run away from Arendelle, but just went to my room locking my door, sitting on the edge of my bed looking at my shaking hands. Not even five minutes later, there was a knock on my door, not that I was surprised.
"Anna?" Elsa called out through the door.
"Go away, I'm fine." I lied, "I just need a minute."
"I'm not used to being on this side of the door…" Elsa replied, "Please unlock it."
I refused, but seconds later, I watched the doorknob be enveloped in ice as the metal shattered in pieces in seconds.
"No fair…" I said as my sister and Kristoff meandered in.
"Tough, but now you get to tell us what happened?" Elsa replied.
"It was an accident...I don't know how…" I muttered.
Kristoff gently grabbed my shoulders.
"Take it easy, Anna. Breathe." He said.
I didn't realize it, but I was panting heavy almost as if I was having a panic attack.
"I-I think I started that fire." I muttered.
"What do you mean?" Elsa asked searching my eyes.
"I mean...I think I caught my boyfriend on fire with my hand." I replied.
"Just a singed sleeve, Anna. Nothing to fret about." Kristoff shrugged kissing me on the cheek.
"What's going on?" Elsa muttered, "I don't remember you ever having powers."
"I thought I didn't." I replied.
I held out my arms trying to push anything from my hands. Nothing happened.
"Here Kristoff, dance with me." I said abruptly pulling him to his feet.
"If my lady insists." He smirked.
"Humor me." I replied.
I wanted to recreate what I was doing before I caught his sleeve on fire. I put my head on his shoulder holding his arm as we swayed, but still nothing. What was going on?
"It's not working…" I grumbled.
"Are you trying to catch me on fire again cause if that's the case, we need to talk." Kristoff teased.
"Kristoff, this is serious!" I said holding back the tears in my eyes, "Something is wrong with me."
Elsa quickly grabbed my hands in hers holding them tight.
"Your hands are kind of warm, Anna." She said.
She focused her attention on our hands and soon steam floated above our hands. Freaked out, I dropped her hands.
"Nothing is wrong with you, Anna. Apparently, you have some powers of your own." Elsa concluded.
"You can't be serious!" I reasoned, "No, I don't want them!"
"Maybe this is what father was talking about in his journal…" Elsa muttered turning away from me looking lost in thought.
"What journal?" I asked.
"I was in dad's office a few days ago and found an old journal. He was talking about mom and things she was capable of. Maybe mom had powers of her own, which could easily explain how you and I inherited them."
"You found this journal and didn't tell me?" I accused.
"I was going to…" Elsa replied, "But Anna, don't you see the connection? Mother had powers too."
"This is all a little insane. Besides, my so called abilities seem limited…" I said trying to push something, anything from my hand.
"Well, I speak from experience with knowing that it will grow over time." Elsa replied.
"But why now?" I asked curiously, "I don't understand."
"I think it's time for a visit to Grand Pabbie." Kristoff said.
Soon, Olaf poked his head in the room and skipped his way over to us.
"There you guys are, you're missing the chocolate fountain. Come on." Olaf said grabbing my hand pulling us out of the room. We returned to the great hall keeping calm and continuing on with the evening. I refused to be the reason to ruin Elsa's birthday.
We wanted to start fresh in the morning to head up to the mountain valley where the trolls live. I needed to clear my head and try to keep calm with everything that was happening so fast and suddenly. I didn't even get excited over this new revelation; I couldn't get excited. After Elsa's party ended and the guests all left, Elsa showed me father's journal. We read through it together glossing over the various entries. It was so surreal. A coincidental accident Elsa found it, but a happy accident all the same. Reading through the contents made us miss him and mother all the more. That night, I had that same nightmare as I did last night and it made me feel so uneasy.
At first light, I dawned on my warmer clothes to traverse up the mountain. It wasn't north mountain cold, but still much colder elevations where the trolls were. Kristoff hitched up Sven to his ice delivery sleigh due to its bigger size to accommodate everyone. When we all were settled and ready, Kristoff sat up front to drive.
"Let's go, Sven." Kristoff urged.
The reindeer took off quickly as Arendelle was below us in no time as we ascended the mountain. We passed by Wandering Oaken's Trading Post on the way there and Oaken gave us a friendly wave.
"Ooh Hoo, morning royals." He greeted.
Elsa held back a laugh as I waved back to the kind shopkeeper.
"I still think that guy is a crook…" Kristoff grumbled under his breath.
The closer we made it into the valley, the lower the snow amount became and we continued on foot. After a brief hike up to the area, a bunch of rocks started rolling toward us and revealed themselves changing to their troll forms.
"Hi everyone." Kristoff greeted.
The group of trolls dog piled Kristoff as Elsa and I were greeted as well.
"What brings you here today?" A young troll asked pulling at the hem of my skirt.
"Where's Grand Pabbie?" Elsa asked.
Soon all the trolls parted to make way for the bigger troll of them all. The wise and powerful chief of the trolls.
"Welcome my young friends." He greeted, "What brings you up here?"
"We have some questions…" Elsa started to say.
"Yeah, about this…" I interrupted holding out my palm.
Grand Pabbie stared at my hand as if this was a joke, but then a single flame rose up from my index finger and I quickly blew it out casually.
"So it's finally happened…" Pabbie replied.
"What is it?" I said nervously.
"Princess Anna, you were born with powers of fire. Like Elsa, your abilities are fierce and strong and must be handled with great care."
"Why Pabbie?" I pressed, "Why now?"
"Your father asked me to lock away your powers for a time while they helped Elsa control hers."
"Well, that makes sense." Kristoff replied.
"But what brought this on?" I asked, "I mean I didn't have to come to you to 'unlock' these powers."
"The return of your powers resonates with one thing...your mother, Iduna." Pabbie said
"Huh?" Elsa and I said together.
"When you were just starting to walk, your mother came to me alone to ask that I link your abilities to hers. So the next time, she used her powers that alone was the key."
"I was right…" Elsa muttered.
"B-But if mother was the key and my powers just became active then…" I mumbled.
"Your powers showing up definitely proves your parents, or at least, your mother may in fact be alive." Pabbie said calmly.
We all froze upon hearing this news. Elsa stared blankly for a minute, Kristoff's jaw was practically hitting the ground, and I just laughed awkwardly like it was big joke.
"Y-You're kidding, right?" I replied to Pabbie.
"This is no laughing matter, young lady." He replied.
My smile faded and I mirrored my sister's expression.
"Pabbie, how could you keep this from them?" Kristoff scolded.
"I was only recently certain of their survival from the storm at sea." Pabbie replied.
"We must find them." Elsa nodded determined, "Anna, you with me?"
"I'm in." I replied.
"I'm going too. Somebody has to watch your backs." Kristoff added.
"We have to return to Arendelle quickly." I pressed.
"Take care highnesses, the journey to where your parents are trapped is long and dangerous."
"Did you say trapped?" I asked.
Elsa put a hand on my shoulder nodding confidently.
"Just point us in the direction to go." She replied to Pabbie.
"Northwest from Arendelle across the fjord. Where you meet the mist, that is your door." Pabbie replied.
"Thanks Grand Pabbie." Kristoff said.
"Wait my young friends, there is more." Pabbie quickly added, "I sense a dark malice who are at work even in Arendelle as we speak. The sooner you find your parents, the sooner you can work together to stop the darkness from spreading. Though there is another who should accompany you on the journey. For they're missing a member of their family too."
I looked at Elsa and she at me. This was a lot to take in. I know Elsa didn't like hearing about a powerful threat to deal with within our kingdom. We thanked Pabbie and quickly descended down the mountain returning to Arendelle as fast as Sven could get us there. The ride back was silent other than the crunch of the snow beneath the sleigh. I wanted to ask Elsa what she was thinking, but if we were heading to get on a ship to cross the fjord, I knew there would be plenty of time to talk.
We slid to a halt in the courtyard outside the palace. Kristoff give Elsa and I a hand out of the sleigh politely.
"Let's find us a ship." Elsa urged.
As we turned to head toward the docks, a frantic voice called out for Elsa. The man with the ponytail who talked to Elsa last night was running straight toward us.
"Queen Elsa!" He yelled frantically and stopped right in front of us, "Excuse my interruption…" He said panting trying to catch his breath.
"What's wrong, Prince Niklas?" Elsa asked.
"I'm sorry to ask you the queen, but I don't know this part of the world and…"
"Calm down…" Elsa interrupted, "Just tell me what's wrong?" She urged.
"My niece is missing." He blurted out.
