Chapter four

Elsa

I was starting to realize how much I'd missed my sister. She was right, I had spent most of my life blocking her out. Not because I don't love her. She has always been the most important part of my life. But sometimes you have to keep a distance from the person you love to stop you from hurting them. The first time I hurt Anna I swore that it would never happen again. But no matter how hard I tried to keep her safe and keep her distant I still hurt her. I hurt for years by keeping her distance and then I froze her solid. Keeping her distant hadn't work, accepting my love of her and showing it, that was what I hope was going to work now. Love thaws.

"Ouch, ouch. Stop it."

I smiled as Kristoff ducked away from Anna. She had been poking at the the bump on his head.

"Does it hurt?"

"Yes it hurts. Can you stop poking it."

"But it's huge. Have you seen how huge it is?"

"Princess Anna." Said the tall thin doctor. "Perhaps you should stop poking the contusion."

"What he said." Kristoff agreed.

"Has he broken his skull, what does that feel like. I don't have a skull. " Olaf said from where he was sat watching.

The doctor looked over at him and flinched. He had flinched every time he saw Olaf. He was a man of science being confronted by the scientifically impossible.

I didn't blame him.

It was hard for me to figure Olaf out. I had too much to deal to think about what the snow mans presence meant to me. As a child I had invented Olaf. Olaf was an imaginary friend. Olaf was warm and loving and fun. Olaf was a snowman who dreamed of the summer. I invented him for Anna, but when I wasn't allowed near Anna anymore the memory of Olaf kept me company. I used to make him in my room, even though I knew I would get in trouble for it. I needed somebody to talk to. He'd never come alive though. And I'd grown out of it. Now here he was, my friend and listener from the worst days of my childhood. He came back to me on the worst day of my adulthood. Alive, somehow alive. I had no idea how that worked. If it was connected to me or if he had a life of his own. But he was here. What did that mean? What was he to me? He was my creation, new to this world, he would need guidance. He didn't seem to be like a child, he seemed smart in some way, naive in others. I would look after him. But I didn't have time to figure that out now. I had a country to run and we were in the middle of a disaster of my causing.

"He shouldn't have gone to sleep last night but seeing as he woke up it's not a big problem. My recommendation is that he shouldn't be left alone for the next few days. He should be kept busy but nothing strenuous, reading, talking. A small walk outside everyday but not far. No traveling by house or cart that would cause too much jostling. No running around. Concussions can be serious."

"Thank you Doctor." I said.

"Are you saying that me and Sven have to stay here for a couple of days?" Kristoff said looking shocked.

"Yes. Three or four days. I will check on you every day."

"Of course you're staying." Anna said.

What was the relationship between these two? He had protected her, he had comforted her. That made quick bonds. He'd been brave. He'd acted to look after her. He seemed trustworthy but only time would tell. And he was an ice harvester. She was a princess. There friendship wasn't what would be considered appropriate under my parents rule. But this was my rule and I could decide what was appropriate. I think that whatever made Anna happy would be the appropriate. But I wasn't going to trust easily. He might be a little orphaned iceman with Trolls for family, he might sleep with a reindeer and have stuck with Anna to make sure she was safe and to comfort her but I knew a little of the world and I have heard of Ice harvesters and their ways with drink and women. I would be watching.

Anna

"You should go back to bed Princess. Rest."

"What? I feel fine." I argued. I didn't want to go back to being locked up again. The idea of another three days in bed when I had only just gained my freedom. Yes, I was tired and yes I kept shivering though it seemed nice and warm now. Then there was the whole problem with the city people, who for all I knew might be just about to storm the castle and burn my sister as a witch and the other countries who might decide to invade. Though I doubted it. We had been friends with our border countries for hundred of years, our bloodlines were interwoven, we were cousins. And my family had always been loved by our citizens, at least I thought so from the little contact I'd had. But still, what did I know about politics? Well, more than people who hadn't had tutors in it for the last twelve years. But Elsa had far more training in politics than me. She was the Queen to be. She had the political training. I had some of that, politics, world history, economics, but only a little. The rest was on music, dancing, sociology and wilderness studies. Then the maids and kitchen staff taught me how to sew, how to cook, how to knit. I never felt like I was good at anything. There was never a subject that I took to easily but I did enjoy music and biology the most. I've always loved plants and animals because they were things from outside the castle.

I felt Elsa's cool hand on my forehead.

"You have a fever."

"I'll be fine."

"No, you won't." Elsa took a deep breath then. "Look. How about a compromise?"

I smiled. The Elsa I had known over the years was too cold a forbidding to suggest that. This was the Elsa of my toddler years. This was my friend, my older sister, the girl who tried to guide me as well as create fun for me.

"What sort of compromise?"

"We make a fire and get you some breakfast. And you lie down, but not in your room. Somewhere you can have company. A maid, and visitors, and perhaps Olaf."

"And Kristoff." I said warming to the idea. I was so tired.

"With a maid present."

There was something a little cold in her voice. It was not something I could argue with. And it was okay. I was back to my life in the palace, but things had changed. I just had to wait and hold tight to the things I believed in and it would all turn out for the best. Elsa laid her hand on mine quickly before standing up.

"I have to go. I have given instructions to Abigail and Kai to look after you. Marie is still in bed seeing as she was up quite late last night."

"Okay." I said. I watched her leaving out the door. Walking with purpose, trying to contain herself,t trying to be queenly. I always thought that was just her, now I'm not so sure. Now it looks like it takes a lot of effort.

"She does not like me." Kristoff said.

"No, she does. She just has a lot on her mind. Oh, I'll be a moment." I got up and ran after my sister. She was at the end of the corridor, her measured queenly steps no match for my run.

"Elsa."

She turned to face me and for a moment we were both just stood there staring at each other expectantly.

"Yes." She said with a smile.

"Oh, oh yeah. I um.. how much does a sled cost? It's just I kind of destroyed Kristoff's. Wolves, fire, you know. Anyway's I've saved a lot of my dress and book allowances over the years so I'm going to pay for it but given that he saved my life I felt that he needed some kind of award."

"Award? Yes. I guess you are right. Knighting happens in the first week of the new year. He will be nighted and given the lands that come with it."

"Okay. That's good. But um.. how about something before then? Like an instant thank you? Perhaps we can name him the official Arendelle icemaster?"

"That doesn't exist."

"You can make it exist."

"Fine. Kristoff is Arendelle's official ice master. Get him some kind of seal. And I'll pay for the sled. You should keep your savings and do something fun with them."

"Thanks Elsa." I said. Turning on my heel to go back to Kristoff. I was happy that I could do something for him. In the last few days he had done so much for me. We were almost complete strangers and yet I felt like I knew everything I needed to know to trust him. To call him a friend. As I walked back into the small reception room the doctor was carefully running a stick in front of Olaf's eyes. I went and sat next to Kristoff.

"So, what's going on?" I whispered.

"He's trying to determine if Olaf is alive."

"Of course he's alive."

"I have not yet determined that." The doctors said as he poked Olaf in the arm and Olaf giggled.

"Right, let's see if I remember this right, living things are made of cells. He's made of frozen water and branches and carrots and those are made of cells. Living thing obtain and use energy, um.. Olaf, do you eat?"

"Oh, eat, that sounds amazing. To eat, I want to eat."

"I'll make you a sandwich. "

"Oh sandwiches, that sounds good."

"If he does not then where does the energy come from?"

"It comes from Elsa." I answered.

"So, he is a parasitic life form."

"No he's not. Take that back." I argued. "He's not a parasite."

"If I eat then less energy will come from Elsa. Then I'll be less of a parasite." Olaf suggested.

"Yeah."

"He may not be able to eat Princess. I don't think he has a digestive system."

"I don't want to think about that." Kristoff said winkling his nose.

"We can try." I said. "We never know unless we try do we."

"Princess, you need to go rest. As does your friend."

"Only if you leave Olaf alone."

The doctor looked reluctant but nodded.

Kristoff

My head ached like crazy and the heat from the fire the doctor made Anna had was making it worse. But I couldn't say that. Anna wanted me here and Anna needed the fire so she wouldn't get ill. I had apologized to Sven, we weren't going to get to spend the day resting in a field. We would be resting in the castle instead. Sven didn't seem to mind. I think he liked the castle. I think he likes having people around. Sven has always been a lot more social than I am. Olaf seemed to be enjoying himself in this heat. I knew there was a lot of things going on with the country and Elsa but things were definitely calmer than the last two days and I was starting to think about my new friends.

"Olaf?"

"Yes Kristoff." Olaf said looking over at me. He was sat with a sandwich on his lap. Cheese and ham. He had not eaten it yet as he wanted to see if he experienced hunger.

"What are you going to do next?"

"Next?" Olaf tilted his head to one side. "I'm going to get to know my friends some more and enjoy summer. Then when summer is over and I don't need my personal flurry I'm going to go explore the world."

"Can you do that? I mean. Can you be that far from Elsa? How does it work?"

"I don't know. But I am not going to let that stop me. I want to explore the world. You can't let fear hold you back."

"We have time to figure it out Olaf." Anna said with a small smile.

"Travel the world." I said running my hand through my hair and wincing when it hit the lump. "That's expensive."

"I'll make friends. Friends will let me stay with them."

"It's true that we can send him to visit all our friends. Well, the ones we still have." Anna said. "He can travel the world if that's what he wants. If the doors stay open I might go with him to see some places. I've never been anywhere. But for now, I want to get to stay with my friends too." She smiled at me and though part of me, the lonely untrusting part, waned to deny it I knew she was telling me that I was her friend now.

"What about you Kristoff?" She asked me. "What are your plans?"

"My plans are to get over this headache thing as quickly as possible. Then get back to work to make up for the lost income. I know I don't have a sled but I can join one of the groups with their wagons."

"No. Don't do that. What I mean is that you;ll get your new sled the moment that your better."

"You don't have to.." I started to argue. I don't know why but I didn't feel like I could take anything from her. Not now that she was my friend, not now that I.. well, I hadn't worked it out yet but I was fond of her and wanted to be around her. Maybe that was just friendship. She didn't have to pay me back for the help I'd given her, I'd be willing to lose a lot more to help her. It was all worth it.

"I said I would and I would. No arguing."

I nodded with a sigh. I was too tired to argue. But I wouldn't be so tired later.

"It's not a rush. You can consider me on holiday."

"Okay. But you do need the sled soon because you have to make a living. I mean, people who aren't royalty have to worry about bills and carrots and wood to heat they're.. where do you live?"

"It's a cabin and I said it's fine. I don't think anybody is going to want to buy ice for the next few days anyway. I think they've had enough of ice."

"You know I bet if we ask Elsa she can just whip some up for you right away without you having to go all the way up to the mountains."

I froze.

"What?"

I couldn't quite find the words.

"What?"

"That's it. That;' it, I mean, it's completely gone. I mean.. you know what I mean?"

"No."

"I am an ice man. I collect ice. People need the ice to keep the food fresh. I go to the mountain. I get the ice. I bring the ice. The food stays fresh. The people stay cool. I get the money for the carrots and the wood."

"Yes."

"Well, now there's no need for an iceman because your sister can just make the ice. What am I going to do? I 've been an ice harvester since I was eight. Eight!"

"Oh.."

"Yeah."

"That's not good."

"You think?"

"Well, I'm pretty sure Elsa doesn't want to spend all her time making ice blocks. I mean, she's the queen. You really don't have to worry. You can still be an ice man. That doesn't have to change because my sister is an ice woman."

"Urgh. My head hurts!"

"Oh stop being so dramatic."

"Dramatic. She clicks her fingers and ice comes from the sky."

"Dousn't ice usually come from the sky. I mean, the rain falls, it freezes. It's all from the sky really."

I sighed and looked over at her.

"You know my life got one hundred percent more complicated from the moment that you walked into that barn."

She went quiet.

"I'm sorry." She said after a while.

"No." I said. "No, don't apologize. I think it needed to get complicated. I think complicated is better. Do you understand?"

She gave a small smile.

"Nope."

"Well, just don't be sorry. Because I'm not."

I laid my head back down on the soft cushioned and closed my eyes against the harsh light of the summers day. The headache didn't matter. The awkwardness of being in the castle didn't matter. The lost money and lost sled didn't matter. I had friends now.