Chapter 4

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She simply couldn't stop herself from freezing to death. She swiped and clawed at the things in the air around her; the white almost crystal-like bees were covering her body and swarming around her. She could barely see through them as she looked at the ice covered lake where the man she had loved since she was a little girl walked away from her. He had remorseless disgust in his eyes as he looked back over his shoulder at her one last time. Screaming out, the girl with long orangey red hair, which cascaded down to her lower back, fell to the ground. Hands clenched to her chest, she could feel the glasslike splinters moving ever closer to her heart to freeze it completely.

She lashed out violently at the snow bees and screamed once more, unwilling to let them consume her. When strong arms wrapped around her body, the terror stricken Anna screamed again. It felt as though the arms were trying to pin her to the ground. A shadowy figure formed on top of her, while someone was calling out to her, "Anna! Anna!"

As if her mind was ripped from her body, Princess Anna of Arendelle's eyes shot open as tears streamed from them. "Let me go! Let me go!" she cried vehemently.

Pinning Anna down on her bed, Kristoff struggled to do so without hurting the woman he loved. His arms and face were covered in red scratch marks form her flailing hands before he restrained them, and he did everything he could to hold back tears at seeing Anna so terrified. "Anna!" he cried desperately "Please! Wake! Up!"

"Why Kai?! What did I do?! Please I love you! Please help me!" She screamed out between incoherent ramblings.

When the bedroom door burst open; Kristoff looked to see Elsa in her night gown rushing to her sister's side. Kristoff was panic stricken as he called out to her, "Elsa, please help! Why is this happening to her?"

With a burst of her magic, Anna's legs and arms were incased in icy shackles that were frozen to the bed. Gripping her little sister's hand tightly, Elsa kneeled next to her bed and whispered, "We are here Anna. We love you and we are here."

Slowly Anna's body stopped shaking and after wincing she opened her eyes and stared up in fear and confusion into Kristoff's eyes. When she went to move her arms she found them bound to the bed. Getting off of Anna, Kristoff rubbed his eyes free of tears when he stood next to her bed, trying to calm himself. Resting her head in Anna's hand, Elsa breathed a sigh of relief.

Staring up to the ceiling, Anna found her vision blurry from crying. "I had another nightmare again, didn't I?"

Kissing the back of Anna's hand, Elsa tried to hide her own tears. "It's okay Anna. We are here for you." Releasing Anna from her bindings, Elsa pulled Anna, and even Kristoff into a hug. "It's only been a few days since we've been back in the castle; things are going to be hard at first."

Rubbing her eyes clear of tears, Anna smiled, "As long as you two are here." When she pulled herself away, she paused and stared at who she was just hugging with a confused and unsure look. I know who they are, she thought but they still felt like strangers in her eyes. Anna saw the scratches on Kristoff and looked at her hands in shock. "Did I hurt you?"

"Nothing a troll can't fix Anna." Kristoff replied with a reinsuring chuckle. Kissing Anna softly on the lips, Kristoff laid her back into her bed. "You should get some sleep."

"But I am not tired." she replied as she yawned.

Placing her hand gently upon Anna's forehead, Elsa smiled. "You need to rest."

Both Kristoff and Elsa waited until Anna fell back to sleep, before they quietly exited the room. With the door closed, Kristoff leaned against it and let out a long sigh of relief. "Maybe this is a kind of withdraw thing? Maybe the curse has left her. Prince Eugene and Anna talked about the same thing happening to their friend Airi."

With the crisis over, Elsa stood alone in the open hall with her sister's fiancé; she waved her hand over herself, turning her nightgown into an elegant and free flowing bluish purplish dress with a soft embroidering of snowflakes. Walking down the hall, Elsa thought about what Kristoff said as he followed after her. "I wish you were right," she said concerned, "but her streak still remains. Not even Grand Pappie or Rapunzel's healing incantation could remove it. What's happening to her is magic, I can feel it…her heart is damaged. These nightmares are new, and only started after Diablo was killed, after the return of Maleficent."

Kristoff listened intently as he followed his Queen into a study near her wing of the castle. Elsa took a seat near the fire place, which only consisted of the dying embers of one. "I fear this is beyond the curse," she said somberly, "but something to do with the soul toll. It wasn't complete, though I was close to death, Princess Rapunzel did heal me."

There was a knock at the door, and both looked up to see it open and the rock troll Geir enter with hesitation. Elsa stood and gave a grim smile, "You felt it as well Geir?"

Nodding his head, Geir closed the door behind him and gave a respectful bow to the Queen before he came forward. "They are getting stronger, and it is very taxing on her spirit." he said morosely.

Taking her seat again, Elsa gave a heavy sigh of frustration, "What good is my magic, if I can't use it to help the people I love when they need me the most?!"

Kristoff felt the same frustration, but it was compounded by the fact that he had no way of helping, no magic of his own to combat this magic. "Damn that Maleficent." he growled, "What did we ever do to that witch?"

Looking at Kristoff, Geir placed a hand on his knee, "She is a servant of darkness," he explained, "and we stand as a beacon of light against it. For the Era of Darkness to return, she will snuff out any and all light."

"There has to be more too it." Elsa whispered as she stood and ran her hands through her hair, looking out the window to see the night sky still sparkling with shooting stars. "At the moment of her return," she began quietly, "I felt that something horrible happened out there in the world. This wasn't just about the return of the Mistress of All Evil. This was about the return of something far more… sinister; the likes of which we are only beginning to understand."

Looking at his feet Geir felt the same uncertainty in the world. "It will take some time for us to truly know the extent of the damage that was caused by Anna bringing back the Empress of Darkness." the troll said.

The unknown was driving Elsa to anger and frustration. So many dead, so much lost… she thought as her heart filled with love and loss at the same time; she couldn't even get a straight answer to why it happened. "Where are you going?" Kristoff asked Elsa's retreating back.

"I need some air!" Elsa replied angrily before leaving.

Kristoff got up to follow her, but Geir placed his hand on his pant leg again. "Queen Elsa needs time; she has lost far more than just subjects in the war. She has lost a man she cared deeply for. Her heart is broken just as Anna's is."

There were only rumors that he had heard after the Battle of Osley. He had known Master Dragna as the well-respected Master of the Arendelle Scouts. He never looked down upon Kristoff, like others who found his sudden rise to status an offence to the other Peers of the Realm. At the same time, he never really talked to him, other than the random hello, or asking how Princess Anna was. "I don't even think Anna knew about Dragna and the Queen." he said to Geir, "I mean, Anna always said he was a friend, but I didn't know he was that close to the Queen."

"Love always finds a way Kristoff," Geir replied sagely, "When I joined the campaign, I could tell the two had just discovered their true feelings for each other. Though their time in love was short, the pain will still feel just as deep as when one loses a loved one you've known for a longer time."

Sitting back down, Kristoff felt guilty only thinking of Anna when Elsa was suffering as well. "Elsa deserves better from me. I shouldn't be relying on her to help Anna." With confidence, Kristoff looked at his old friend, "I need to do this, not just for Anna, but for Elsa."

Silently entering Anna's room and closing the door, Elsa looked at her sister to see that she was fast asleep. Resting her head against the door behind her, Elsa closed her eyes as a wave of various emotions came over her. This room was not just Anna's room to her anymore, it was also the room where she had opened her heart and felt the soothing touch of another's. Wrapping her arms around herself for comfort, Elsa let a single tear roll down her cheek as she sang softly.

"This world you gave of light and hope,

Shattered was the veil, of ice and fear,"

She slowly walked to her sister, whose sleep was deep and restless.

"I see your pain, and wish you peace,

My Sister of Peace."

Taking a seat, she ran her hands through Anna's soft, if not messy, hair.

"I sing a prayer of love and faith,

To share your light, to hide my tears,

With lonely thoughts, you bring me strength,

My Sister of strength"

Bending over, she gently kissed Anna on the forehead, smiling.

"I watched as you loved through our frozen nights,

Your heart and smile brought me out to the light,

I need your love, As I have lost my heart,

Why did I allow him to come so close?"

Slowly she stood up straight, and walked to Anna's balcony, looking out to the night sky she continued her soft song.

"Where are the days so pure and bright?

Where nights weren't so long, and my heart was his,

A dream buried in snow, I don't want it to fade,

I need your endless love, that brought me hope,

My Sister of Hope.

This world you gave with loving grace,

Cannot end upon the loss of such beautiful strength,

I am cold and lost, without him to bring me warmth,

Now more than ever I need your love,

My Sister of Love.

Turning back to look at Anna, Elsa eyes were filled with the fire of determination and love.

"So don't dread or fear. I'll find you your peace,

With this promise of faith, I will end this darkness

My Sister of Light!"

Lowering her head, she looked down at her hands, wishing she could simply take away her sister's pain. When a tear fell down into her palm she closed her eyes, and turned back towards the balcony and sat down leaning against the railing. When she noticed that snow flurries began to fall over head, she flicked her wrist to make them stop but when they didn't, she slowly rose to her feet and looked up to the tiny cloud above her head.

When she looked down to the railing her eyes widened as she jumped back in shock at the sight of the beautiful hand-sized girl, with a slender figure, short white frost hair, and light blue eyes. She wore a light blue short leafy dress to match her eyes. On her back were translucent wings that gently fluttered to a jiggling sound. Placing her hand on her chest to calm her startled heart, Elsa slowly leaned forward and stared cautiously at the smiling little human.

"Are you a –?"

Before Elsa could finish her question, she was sucked upwards into the cloud of snow. She tried to cry out, but no sound would come. She watched in horror as the cloud quickly lifted her up farther away from the palace. She looked about franticly searching for a way to escape and tried to shout again, but no sound could be heard. Panic set in and she blasted her prison with her magic, only to have it ricochet off the crystalized ice she was trapped inside of.

Reaching a height of such prominence, Elsa looked down and saw the curvature of the Earth. She wrapped her arms around herself in fear of what will become of her. With a shimmer of light, the beautiful little fairy she saw on earth appeared before her. Scared and insecure, Elsa rose her hands up to defend herself. "I-I don't want to hurt you…. Please, j-just put me down."

Flying up to Elsa's hand gracefully, she gave a small chuckle. "Sorry Elsa, but I can't do that."

Just hearing the fairy talk startled her and she shot off a blast of her power that rebounded and turned into a snowball that struck her in the face. "The only way I could talk to you," she said trying to keep her laughter in, "was if I brought you closer to the Never Fairy homeland."

"My sister built a machine of magic. It allows us fairies to communicate with humans trapped within, but its range is limited."

"Y-you wouldn't happen to be I-Iridessa, would you?" Elsa stuttered hesitantly, as she looked down again thinking that she'd still see the earth, but instead found the land below strangely deformed.

Giggling the tiny fairy landed on Elsa's knee and smiled, "No. My name is Periwinkle. I came to you, seeking your help. I have been chosen to try and assist you in protecting the Purita Amor by Lord Milori. What you call the 'prophecy of Maleficent's return' was the shattering of the Aurora Regma." Seeing the confusion on Elsa's face had Periwinkle give a small sigh knowing that she would have to simplify the conversation. "The world as you know it," she said looking directly in Elsa's eyes, "has been shattered. The Everwinter has been unleashed."

"What do you mean? What is the Aurora Regma? What is an ever–winter?" Elsa asked unsure of what to really ask. "I don't understand."

Giving another small sigh, Periwinkle looked down to her world, "Your world," she explained, "is just one of many that there are within the hearts forged of light. The dark fairy, known as Maleficent, used your sister to free herself from the Aurora Regma. I wish I could tell you more… This unnatural, never ending winter prevents us from coming to your world for more than a few moments and also blinds us."

When she closed her eyes tiredly, Periwinkle looked as if she was uncomfortable, as though her strength was being drained from her. Opening her eyes, she spoke quickly, "Somehow Maleficent's return and the coming of the Everwinter, is connected to your sister. Until we stop the Everwinter, we can never unite the hearts forged by light and bring back the Aurora Regma. We are desperate; we've come to ask your help in ending the Everwinter.

"You are like the winter fairies;" she continued to explain looking at her again, "you are connected to the winter. You know its purpose of rejuvenation and healing. The Everwinter was born unnaturally, from a memory that was never meant to be. It is a force of destruction and decay. We need you to go where we cannot; we need you to discover what connects your sister to the Everwinter."

"I don't understand Periwinkle." Elsa said in frustration.

Periwinkle did her best not to get frustrated as well; dealing with humans was a taxing venture. "Please Elsa," she said slowly, "listen closely: even though we are kept from entering your world, others are not. Upon your world there are many fey-like creatures that you can turn to. Seek out these fey, and plead for their help. They can help in learning the secret of the curse upon your sister and her connection to the Everwinter. All is not lost; if you can restore the Purita Amor we have a chance at defeating the Darkness."

"But Periwinkle…" Elsa said running her hands through her hair, feeling shell shocked being where she was. "Why can't you help my sister? I don't know what to do! I-I am scared."

"I have a sister too," Periwinkle said warmly, "so I know what it means to be scared for her. When my sister's in trouble –" she stopped, tapping her chin, realizing something, "and Tink is in trouble a lot. I worry for her just as badly."

Shaking her head, the fairy cleared her head and continued. "You are not alone. My sister, Tinker Bell, is also trying to find the Hearts of Light on her own. I wish I could do more, but Neverland is locked out from your realm and all others. You are our only hope Elsa."

Elsa looked down at her hands, Periwinkle laughed suddenly, causing her to look at the fairy curiously. "Loving your sister has nothing to do with your magic." she said smiling, "Your heart is all you need to find these answers. She is the key and I need you to unlock her secrets."

Slowly the orb Elsa was in began to ascend and Periwinkle looked up to the heavens in frustration. "I will be watching over you Elsa the best I can. All the realms will need Winters Grace now more than ever."

As they reached cloud level, Periwinkle began to jingle when she spoke, causing Elsa to frown. "Does this mean I am like Rapunzel?" she asked the fairy, "Why come to me now? Why aren't the other fey helping us more?"

The tiny human bowed her head and frowned, she looked back at Elsa just like a mother would at a child who was asking to explain something that was far too complex for them to understand. Landing back on the balcony, the ice sphere shattered and Periwinkle jingled quickly before she flew up in circles around Elsa. Upon touching one of the ice crystals in her braid, it transformed into a purple periwinkle flower made of ice, the fairy jingled once more. Reaching Elsa's eye level, Periwinkle gave one final giggle before she rocketed herself into the heavens leaving a trail of sparkling pixie dust in her wake. Narrowing her eyes, Elsa looked to the east to see the sun beginning to rise. That little adventure with the fairy took away six hours of her time, yet it felt like only mere minutes. She opened the balcony door and saw that Anna was still asleep in her bed. With a boost of confidence knowing that she now had a fairy guardian; Elsa went to her sister to be the loving sister she needed to be.

Taking a seat next on the bed, Elsa frowned when she saw that Anna was sweating, and looked to be in pain.

"Oh Anna," she said helplessly, "if only there was some place I could go to, to find out what brought your pain, and then take it all away." There was a fleeting moment of a memory, a memory not only of her, but of the very first time she ever met the man she would fall in love with; Dragna.

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It was unnatural and unprecedented, towering over one thousand seven hundred feet with the near vertical drop at its end, the glacier trapped all who would dare attempt to leave the Everwinter. The climb to reach the top was gradual from the side facing land, an almost blissful walk up a gentle hill. However, after the five hour hike up the hill you were greeted by the perils of the drop to the frozen sea below.

Looking down from the top Taran bit his lip and then looked to the short line of hemp rope he held in his hand. Looking back at his friends, Taran said, "I don't think I have enough rope."

Merida came over to Taran and looked down the ledge to exam the surface of the cliff face. "It would be hard," she said, "but it is possible to free climb."

Dismounting from her horse, Eilonwy held her hood up to prevent her hair from whipping around due the heavy cold winds from the height they were at. "What about our supplies and horses?" she asked when she stood by them, "We need a boat; I doubt the sea is frozen all the way to the mainland. We have to find another way."

Merida held her hands up in both directions, gesturing wildly. "What other way?!" she shouted frustrated, "That mangy Snow Queen trapped us here! She didn't want any of us getting out!"

Flying over to the ledge, the bright glowing aura of Tinker Bell whipped about before coming back to her human companions. Stepping closer to the ledge, Eilonwy looked at the fairy slightly confused. "Did you just say fly?" she asked incredulously, "How the bloody hell are we going to fly down there?"

Hearing Tinker Bell's jiggles get sharper and quicker, Taran rolled his eyes realizing by now that that sound meant that she was cursing. "Be nice Tink!"

The fairy crossed her arms and glared at Taran, before she gave a sigh and continued. Eilonwy looked down the cliff one more time and translated, "She said that her pixie dust can allow us to fly for a limited amount of time. She has enough pixie dust to get all of us down to the bottom of the cliff."

Rubbing her chin, Merida looked down the glacier uneasily while she thought about their predicament. "Can ya use it on the horses too?"

Everyone looked at Merida and then at Tinker Bell who shrugged her shoulders, which had Eilonwy say, "If it's worked on a pirate ship, I don't see why it wouldn't work on a horse as well." Pausing Eilonwy looked at the horses with a raised eyebrow, "As long as they think happy thoughts?" she quipped.

The three horses looked to each other, and then at Tinker Bell, who used her fingers to draw a smile across her face. Going back to Angus, Merida used her fingers to do the same thing and then patted him on his neck. "We use the dust on our horses," she said turning to Tink, "just enough to glide us down to the bottom. We save the rest, when we run out of frozen sea."

The plan sounded good enough for everyone to agree upon it. Using the rope to bridge a line between the three horses, and their sleeping blankets to cover the horse's eyes, they were ready for the pixie dust. Once everyone was mounted, Tink sprinkled some dust on each of them, which was enough magic to lift them slightly off of the ground. They drifted with their horses over the edge to begin their slow descend.

Smiling, Eilonwy glanced to Merida and said, "Not that bad of an idea actually."

When Merida was about to retort, she paused when she saw Bauble flashing red. She turned in her saddle and looked back at the cliffs edge to see an arrow be released from the raven hair archer. She followed it with her eyes, and before she could warn anyone, it struck Eilonwy in the shoulder knocking her off her horse. Taran tried to reach out to stop her from plummeting to her death, but he simply couldn't reach her. And as a result of his reach, or lack thereof, he nearly fell off his own horse in the process and was currently hanging on by the saddle stirrup.

Merida reacted out of reflex, grabbing Tinker Bell by her legs; she held her over her own head and shook her violently, dousing herself in pixie dust. Without a second thought, even with Tinker Bell chiming shrilly at her, Merida leapt off of Angus. At first she didn't feel any effects of the pixie dust, as she free fell head first watching as Eilonwy tumbled end over end towards her death.

"Come on!" Merida shouted, as she thought about all the horrible things her life has dealt her. She then realized her mistake she was making and closed her eyes to focus. Finally, she felt a burst of power inside of her and she began to increase her speed. Eilonwy was reeling in pain from the arrow, clutching her shoulder while she screamed in terror as she cartwheeled head over heels, completely out of control.

Out of breath and with no hope left, Eilonwy closed her eyes and prayed to God for forgiveness of her sins. She was shocked back to reality when she felt something striking her body hard. She stared upwards to see Merida holding her bridal style. Pulling her head back Merida threw her feet in front of her towards the fast approaching ground. Just before they could impact the ice painfully, she slowed down enough for her to land and slide along the icy surface of the sea. Eilonwy was speechless as Merida set her down, she placed a trembling hand over her heart, wanting to leap up and hug her hero but stopped when she saw a look of pure rage in Merida's eyes.

Pulling off her bow from her back, Merida nocked an arrow and shot upwards leaving a blazing trail of pixie dust in her wake. Just as she crested the cliff, she opened fire on the dark skinned woman with her arrow. Merida obviously caught the woman by surprise because she was barely able to get out of the way of the arrow. The livid red head wasn't going to give up easily as she flew toward the icy glacier, releasing a barrage of arrows in rapid succession. She was only able to clip her attacker's calf, when she had landed, before the archer hid behind a protrusion of ice.

"Come and face me, ya manky coward!" she shouted at the archer.

The woman complied, and did so by releasing arrow after arrow at Merida. Endowed with the magical abilities of the pixie dust, Merida quickly zipped to the side, successfully dodging the arrows. Merida snatched an arrow from the sky, spun around and returned it to its sender with lightning speed. The skilled warrior summersaulted backwards landing on an outcropping of ice, and returned fire with two arrows at once.

It would have been a deadly attack if it wasn't for the fact that Merida could fly upwards to avoid it. Floating above the archer, Merida charged towards her releasing another volley of arrows, forcing her to dodge backwards. Landing on the ground Merida was already ready to fire another arrow but as soon as she fired it, it was struck midair by an arrow from the raven haired beauty. Running forward, Merida used her bow as a weapon, and knocked the warrior's bow to the side just before she fired another arrow.

Blocking a second attack with her own bow, the taller woman in the tanned leather drew out a finely carved stone hatchet and went to strike the girl with the fiery red hair. She missed, but was able to hook the end onto the woman's bow and with all her strength pulled, and ripped it from the woman's hand. Spinning, her black hair whipping around her body, she pulled out a second hatchet. When she jumped to strike her prey down with both hatchets, they were blocked and parried by a mighty long sword.

Utilizing her weapons weight against her opponent, Merida pushed the woman's arms up and then kicked her as hard as she could in the stomach. The woman slid back over the ice, angered she charged forward towards Merida, planning on using Merida's heavy and slower weapon to her advantage as she attacked with a furry of quick blows. Merida franticly parried and dodged her attacks but, just as she rolled near the cliffs edge, she was cut along her forearm.

Coming up from her roll, sword at the ready, Merida stared at who she was attacking and couldn't help but smile. Both were out of breath, and both of them were bleeding from their wounds, but the rush of adrenaline and excitement they gave one another couldn't be denied.

"I don't know who ya are lass, but ya no snow soldier of the Everwinter." Merida said between panting breathes. "We don't have to be enemies"

At first the woman showed no emotion, she simply gripped both of her hatchets tightly staring at her enemy. When she finally opened her mouth, she spoke in a language Merida didn't understand. She thought about how to respond, but saw a slight shift in the woman's eyes before she brought her sword up just in time to stop a spinning hatchet from striking Tinker Bell, who had come up to Merida's side. Seeing her bow lying close to her, Merida sheathed her sword and rolled forward, taking hold of it. Coming to her feet she dodged just in time to see the second hatchet sail through the air passing her harmlessly.

With an advantage on her side, Merida open fired with another rapid volley of shots, causing the warrior to fall back and ready her own bow. The last arrow in her volley struck her target right in the lower leg, but she had no time to celebrate when the woman fired her own bow. They were too close, she had no time to dodge as it pierced the bicep of her dominate hand. Pulling out an arrow quickly and drawing it, Merida screamed in agony as her wounded muscles protested, but she knew that if she didn't ready her weapon she would be dead.

Even with an arrow in her arm, Merida was quicker than the warrior and stood just feet from her with her arrow pointed directly at her head. "Stop!" Merida shouted as she saw her reach for an arrow in her quiver. "Surrender." she hissed in pain and fury.

The woman looked at Merida with tears shining in her eyes, after she cried out something in her strange tongue, she charged forward. Merida only saw it for a moment, a fleeting but undeniable moment, a look of pure sadness and guilt within the attacker's eyes. It was all she needed to see to know that she shouldn't kill her. Lowering her bow and firing it, her arrow pierced straight through the woman's foot and penetrated deep into the ice. Screaming in pain, the woman stopped abruptly, clutching her now trapped foot in agony.

"This one will be a tie as well." Merida whispered as she went to a pouch on her belt and pulled out bandages. "Using pixie dust wasa bit ofa cheat on my part."

Kicking the woman's bow away from her arms reach, Merida placed the bandages on the ice next to the most worthy opponent she had ever faced. The woman looked up to her in thanks and she simply nodded to let her know she understood. Walking towards the cliff she placed her bow on her back.

"I can get used to flying." she said leaping off the ledge.

Merida flew across the sky swiftly, rolling in the air and laughing with joy as she did so. Coming to a sliding stop on the ground, where Taran stood next to the horses holding a wounded Eilonwy, Merida beamed at them.

"Is everyone still alive?" she asked smirking.

"Merida! Your arm!" Taran called out as he leapt away from Eilonwy side, much to her dismay, towards Merida. Taran hesitantly and gently touched her arm to see that the arrow went straight through with its head sticking out the other side.

Staring at her arm in slight shock and amusement, she had totally forgot about her injury and said, "That one's gonna leave a mark."

She had Taran snap off the arrow head, making her gasp, and when he walked away, she yanked the shaft out causing her scream out in pain. Taran had already removed the arrow from Eilonwy's shoulder and was just about finished bandaging her, when he abandoned her again to attend to Merida.

Sitting by herself as Taran fussed over Merida, Eilonwy simply looked away in disappointment. Her bauble floated beside her and flickered. Looking up, she saw Tinker Bell land on her knee. After a few jingles Eilonwy gave a heavy sigh and replied in a sarcastic tone, "Yeah I know Merida is amazing."

Seeing Eilonwy's disappointment and jealousy Tinker Bell frowned as she jingled. What she said put a small smile on Eilonwy's face. "No it's okay." she said looking at them, "I just wish I knew who that woman was and why she is trying to kill us." Tinker Bell flew upwards and chimed twice. "You know I don't understand what you mean." she said looking at the fairy, "No I don't know what a Tiger Lilly is. What do you mean you heard her say her name? She spoke to you? No, she spoke to Merida?" Tinker Bell switched to hand gestures to help in translations.

Merida and Taran turned towards them, holding each other's hands. They realized Tink could translate what the attacker had said. Eilonwy hesitated to translate what Tinker Bell was saying, for it didn't make any sense. After Tinker Bell twinkled out some nasty curse words, Eilonwy reluctantly did her best.

"Tink said that she is like a Tiger Lilly but not of her Tribe – Sometimes called a noble savage –She said her name was–" Pausing, Eilonwy noticed Tinker Bell was making hand gestures again. "Poke? Ghost? No, Haunting… Okay then what Tink?" she demanded, making the feisty fairy shake her head and glare evilly before she tried some other hand gestures. Eilonwy rubbed her bandaged shoulder which was throbbing with pain, as tried once more. "Poke – Poke a – Poke a haunt – Poke a haunt us?"

Holding up his finger, Taran guessed, "Pocahontas?" When Tinker Bell snapped her fingers and pointed at Taran with a smile he smiled back, "Her name is Pocahontas."

Glancing to the top of the glacier then resting her head on to Taran's shoulder. "What was with all that gibberish she was sayin up there?" she asked Tink.

Tinker Bell turned back to Eilonwy who was becoming a very useful translating tool if not anything else. She gave a small sigh, and did her duty as Tinker Bell's unofficial translator. "She said that she was taken away from her world against her will by a magical amulet. She was being controlled by an evil spirit with pale skin. She doesn't want to hurt us, but she has no choice."

When Tinker Bell jingled and sat herself down on Merida's shoulder, Eilonwy smiled and said, "Tinker Bell was wondering how you managed to be happy enough to fly in such a scary situation?"

With a hesitant smile, Merida gave a shy giggle as she looked at Taran who stood beside her. "Ag, you know." she said nonchalantly.

Seeing the secret exchange between Merida and Taran, Eilonwy gave a small sigh before she stood up and said, "It's okay." Taran and Merida glanced at each other then looked at Eilonwy uncomfortably. She walked right up to them and forcibly shoved them apart. Tink flew into the air in surprise as Merida scowled at Eilonwy. "Hey! What's the big–"Eilonwy made Taran and Merida face each other, put her hands on the back of their heads and pushed them together forcing them into a kiss. At first the two were too shocked to do anything but stare at each other, but as Eilonwy stepped away, they realized where their lips were and simply couldn't help themselves. They closed their eyes and kissed each other.

Eilonwy rubbed her shoulder as she turned around and walked away to give them some privacy as they embraced deepening the kiss. Tinker Bell flew to her side snd saw the hidden tears in her eyes. Once they were some distance away from the other two, Tinker Bell jingled. Eilonwy smiled sadly and looked at the fairy. "Of course I love him." she said wiping her eyes, "But that means I have to know when I have to let him go."

Placing her hand over her heart, Tinker Bell looked up to the sky and then back at Eilonwy. After a sad sigh, Eilonwy looked at her. "Pocahontas said an amulet summoned her," she said, "Couldn't that have been the Amulet of Avalor?" Thinking about the question, Tink turned and looked up to the top of the glacier. Eilonwy saw a look of realization cross the fairies' face and it troubled her. "Let's just hope that noble savage was all that it summoned."

/

/

She simply wasn't the woodsy type. Sure she could generally handle herself pretty well, but for Belle, trying to follow her – in all honesty, she didn't even know what her relationship with the Beast was anymore. He was her jailer, her caretaker, her host, her student, her friend, her… No, she simply couldn't think about that at this moment in time. What he was, more than anything else, was a friend and a friend that was hurt that needed her help.

She finally caught up with him when he stopped, she was out of breath and rested against a tree to try and catch it. She pulled back the hood of her dark blue cloak, and placed a hand over her hammering heart, she realized that she was pretty out of shape thanks to her castle life. When she finally looked at the Beast, he was pacing back and forth on all fours, growling, and cursing repeatedly. When stopped he stood upright and clenched and unclenched his paw like hands.

"You are being unfair." she said when her heart rate settled down.

"Unfair?" Beast growled as he looked at the woman he had fallen for, "She is a magic user. A mermaid! She cursed that man with a spell!"

"She fearing for her life." Belle quickly countered trying to give the girl who was traveling with a brute like Gaston, the benefit of the doubt. "What would you have done if in her position?"

Turning to Belle, Beast pointed to himself, "I would be more like you!" he said pointing at her. Belle stared at the Beast in shock while pointing at herself mouthing the word 'me?' The Beast looked away from her beautiful face. "Belle, I have– I was a monster, after everything I've ever done," he said looking at his paws, "you took a chance with me, and you found the man I once was. You were fearing for your life, but you had the courage to see beyond…" he turned around to face her, gesturing to himself, the Beast finished, "…this."

Belle came to the Beast side, and placed a gentle hand upon his arm. He was right and he was wrong. There was no justifying what the mermaid did. Trust will be difficult to have towards anyone willing to use magic to solve their problems or change someone they disliked. "You're right," she said, making the Beat lift a bushy eyebrow in surprise, "But she also knows a lot more than we do about what's going on. About the Arabs that we saved them from, about the strange lights in the sky, and about why it is getting colder."

"Might I give direction on the topic?" a muffled voice asked in a very snobby accent.

Beast looked over to Belle who searched through her cloak's inner pocket and pulled out a brass watch size object with ornate and finely carved silver engravings on it. When she opened it, the things on the face of a compass moved. The compass rose which normally would just show the different directions, morphed to form a mouth at the bottom. Beady eyes opened from beneath the class cover, blinking up at them. The needle acted as a thin mustache. "Of course, Norbert." Belle said cheerfully.

Clearing his throat, the compass spoke slowly as if he was dealing with children. "Are we not forgetting that the mermaid spoke of an Enchantress? Quite possibly, the very same enchantress that cursed us?" This piqued the Beast's interest as he looked at Norbert. "When the Rose was stolen from us, it was already wilting. Also, without the mirror to guide us, we have limited time and are very much at a loss as to where to go exactly.

"That's why I dug you out of the closet you fool, to guide us!" The Beast countered, "You were the castles Chancellor of Foreign Affairs!"

The compass rolled its eyes at the Beast, "Master, I have served your parents for many years and I am well versed in the lands, but as Belle even noted, something has been very afoul since the earthquakes started."

Belle nudged the Beast in the arm to silence the retort he was about to say, and looked at Norbert in her hand. "Do you honestly think that the enchantress was Morgan Le Fey?" she asked doubtfully.

"At this point my dear," Norbert said looking at her, "We have seen enough fantastical things, that anything is possible. If this enchantress was able to get a being such as a mermaid to do her bidding, then she possibly is powerful enough to have caused our curse. I must advise you to stick close to the mermaid, and then maybe we will find what we are looking for as well."

Belle needed time to think about it, but the Beast was more than willing to go back to Ariel and get the location of the enchantress by force if necessary. Just as he was walking off to confront the mermaid, Belle called out, "Stop."

Pulling at the hair on his face in frustration, the Beast turned and howled, "What now?!"

With Norbert still in her hand, she walked up and gently placed her hand back on Beast, making him calm down immediately. "I have been patient enough." she said looking him straight in his eyes, "I know the rose has something to do with your curse, and maybe it is time you tell me why you were all cursed? Is there a way to break it?"

Silence stretched between them as Norbert looked up at his master sympathetically. Finally the Beast heaved a heavy sigh and looked away from Bells' piercing gaze. "The curse was my fault." he said softly, "I disrespected an Enchantress. My arrogance cursed hundreds."

"Is there a way to break the spell?" Belle asked again with greater care, happy that she was able to get Beast to open up as much as he just did.

Shaking his head, the Beast turned away blushing underneath his fur. "I don't want to get into it, but it will all be for naught if we don't find the rose."

It was a slow and reluctant walk back to Ariel and Gaston. Before they reached them, Belle put Norbert away. Beast wasn't at all thrilled with the idea, but he learned that it was best to sometimes just shut up and listen to Belle. At least upon their return, Gaston was still unconscious and Ariel had returned to her human form. For the Beast it didn't matter, she still stunk like a fish, and no matter how beautiful or innocent she looked, he stared at her cautiously, as if she would attack at any moment.

Still seeing the disgust and distrust in Beast's eyes, Belle gave a small sigh. "If it makes you feel any better Beast," she said, "we can see how much harm Ariel has truly done to Gaston? Before we trust her."

He nodded and watched her go to Gaston's side. "I would like to speak to Gaston alone please." She told the mermaid.

Nodding her head, Ariel stood slowly and with a lowered head walked away from the group. When she was out of sight, Belle began to nudge Gaston on the arm, when that didn't work, she slapped him across his face, but Gaston didn't wake. Frustrated by his lack of response, the Beast bellowed out a fantastic roar right in Gaston's face.

Gaston's hunter instincts took over; he shot up to his feet and felt about him for a weapon only to find himself completely disarmed. He backed up against an oak tree and stared in terror at the Beast who stood on two legs glaring down at him. When he felt a second set of eyes upon him, Gaston looked down, to see, standing tall and proper, before him was Belle. She was as beautiful as ever, with her hood pulled back, and her cloak gently blowing in the wind.

He pointed a finger at the Beast "What is that thing behind you?" he asked disdainfully.

Belle didn't even look at who he was pointing at; she simply stepped forward and coughed softly to bring Gaston's attention back to her. He scowled at her which only had her scowl back before she said, "Ignore Beast, he's my friend and protector." Gaston simply peered at the Beast, who snarled, and grunt as he pounded his fist into his open palm. When Gaston looked back down at Belle, he was unable to understand how she could be so calm. She continued on, unwilling to address his confusion. "What do you know about Ariel?"

Looking at his surroundings, Gaston was reminded of the woman he had been helping. "Where is that woman?" he asked angrily, "I have a lot of questions for her."

Seizing Gaston's chin with her hand, she forced him to look down at her. Belle's voice grew stern, as if she were talking to the Beast instead of Gaston. "Pay attention." she said giving his chin a shake, "What. Do. You. Know. About. Ariel?"

Gaston pulled his head away from her, feeling disgusted to have allowed a woman to act so superior towards him. Rubbing his chin he glared at Belle, suppressing the urge to hit her for such haughty attitude, but she was not his wife yet, so he couldn't. "I found her on a shipwreck," he explained, "with royal marines protecting her and her daughter from goblins and a sea monster." Pausing he stared over Belle to the Beast. "Speaking of monsters, what is that things' problem?"

With her hands on her hips, Belle looked at him sternly. "He doesn't like strangers." she said simply, "So Ariel does have a daughter?"

Wondering where his weapons were Gaston's simply couldn't shake the feeling of being threatened. "Where is that woman? I think she poisoned me."

"Poisoned you?" she asked raising an eye brow, "What do you mean?"

Putting his hands on his hips Gaston said, "She makes me feel–feel all weird–not myself."

"She cursed you?" The Beast clarified as he looked in the direction Ariel went, ready to pounce after her.

Laughing Gaston pointed an arrogant finger at the beast, "What a dumb dog! She is the wife of some man. She is no witch."

Just before Belle could reprimand Gaston for his chauvinistic depravity, she stopped, feeling that it was best to let him think that Ariel was just a normal woman and not a witch. She looked at the Beast and said, "I hardly think that Gaston developing feelings for someone, qualifies as witchcraft."

"Feelings?" Gaston asked pulling his face in disgust, "The only feelings I have, are for you Belle."

"Don't even start Gaston." she said rolling her eyes.

The Beast growled menacingly, making Gaston reach for a branch and rip it down to fight the Beast, but Belle held up her hands stopping them both. With the branch in his hand he glared at the Beast who glared back baring his teeth, Ariel's red hair came into his line of sight. Gaston felt a peaceful sensation overcome him, making him lower the branch and forget about his animosity towards the Beast. He sighed as all malice left him, making him drop the branch. Realizing what he just did without thinking, he glared at Ariel over Bell's head.

"I have a feeling," Ariel said calmly making the Beast and Belle turn to look at her, "that everyone has questions for the outsider. Let's start with my full name; I am Princess Ariel of the Kingdom of Rügen."

At the mention of her royal title, Belle dipped down into a curtsy. When she looked up and saw the Beast and Gaston just staring at Ariel blankly, she struck both of them in their sides with her elbows, gesturing for them to bow.

Feeling embarrassed at such formality, Ariel held up her hands, effectively stopping the men from bowing to her. "Please," she said sheepishly, "none of that. I never want to be treated differently because of my title. And besides, as of right now I don't even know if I still have a title with my Kingdom under Morgana's control. All I want is my family back safely, and the only way to do that is to retrieve an artifact for the enchantress. I will do what I can to help you Miss Belle. And I'll completely understand if you, your friend, or even you, Gaston, don't trust me at all. Saving my family is my responsibility; I shouldn't burden any of you with it."

By just glancing into each of their eyes, Ariel could easily see that they, especially the Beast, had wariness shining in their eyes. Bowing her head, Ariel closed her eyes and felt the direction of the artifact. She turned into that direction and began to walk towards it. Gaston didn't want to, but felt compelled to follow her. As he came by her side, he wanted to say something to her but couldn't. For the first time Ariel didn't mind the fact she had placed a spell upon Gaston. She was alone but, even if the only reason Gaston was driven to stand by her side was because of magic, he was there.

As they continued to walk south Ariel looked back in surprise to see that Belle and the Beast were coming up alongside her.

Grunting, the Beast sniffed and said, "The Arab's sent goes south."

Ariel looked at Belle who only smiled at her before she looked before her again. She was alone but not entirely alone.

/