A/N: This story is set in 1750- I assume that's about when Tangled took place, and Frozen is from the same time (shown by Rapunzel's cameo in Frozen: rapunzel-has-a-cameo-in-frozen-so-secret-that-tangled-director-didnt-even-know/). That won't really affect the story too much, but that'll explain a bit of some of the historical events and people I'll throw in (I'm not too great at making up characters, so a lot of foreign rulers and all are real, ex: this chapter)

Sorry about the late post, tough week at school :|

Next week I'll be on break, and I doubt I'll be able to update but I'll get back around Friday and I might be able to get one up before the end of next week, so...;)

Please review! Enjoy! (?)

Chapter 4: Questions, Answers

Anna stood up on her tippy-toes and gave Elsa a quick kiss on her cheek. "I'll go let Kristoff know, meet you down by the gates in 15, sis!" Before Elsa had a chance to respond, she dashed away, but didn't get far before she stopped. Whipping her head around, Anna added, "and I really hope you don't plan on going out in that dress, Elsa," before turning away and sliding down the banister.

Elsa looked down at herself. Since returning to Arendelle, Elsa had taken to slightly more, well, regal clothing. Even though nobody could really tell her that she wasn't allowed to wear an off-the-shoulder dress with a knee-high slit, Elsa still preferred to wear more conservative clothing, although she occasionally wore the dress or some other casual clothes when spending time with Anna, Olaf, Kristoff, and the children of Arendelle. But a regal coronation dress certainly was far from suitable for her to go out to the Valley of the Living Rock in, for it would only get tangled and become a hindrance (A/N: "Tangled?" sorry bad pun).

She walked into her room, and opened her closet, frowning at the collection. One pair of riding pants, one pair of casual pants, some shirts, a semi-casual dress, her "Snow Queen" dress, and about 50 coronation-style formal dresses. Oh, and that massive ballgown that she had sworn she'd never wear. "Some choice I have," she muttered, making a mental note to take a trip to the tailor's for some more casual clothing later. For now, however, she'd just have to deal with it. Elsa took out the white pants, a white-blue shirt with sleeves to her elbows, and a pair of black boots. Quickly putting them on, she took out her riding crop and some gloves, and headed down to the stables.

Meanwhile, Anna had finally had the chance to talk to Kristoff alone about this. "I can't believe it it's like crazy Elsa found a guy and what if they get married ooh then our kids can play together this is amazing but yet he's also so mysterious and seems like-"

Kristoff cut her off. "Could you speak in some language I understand and about 2500 times slower? I know you're excited and all, and I'm plenty happy for Elsa, but I can't tell what you're saying." He chuckled, continuing, "But don't you think it's a bit early to start shipping your older sister with random guys? Especially one who didn't even court her?"

"Well, technically he came to court her, since he came to the ball," Anna argued.

"So does that mean Princess Rapunzel was courting Elsa? What about Empress Elizabeth of Russia? How about Queen Louise of Denmark and Norway? Ok fine, maybe her since marrying Elsa would get rid of the only other nation in Norway, but still. He was invited, but he might not have come to court her, Anna."

"Why wouldn't he want to court her? She's beautiful, smart, funny, caring, beautiful-"

"You just repeated beautiful."

"But Elsa is! She's so elegant and graceful and"

"You love me, right?"

"Yes...why? Oh. Oh. Oh I didn't mean- Like it came out wrong- Don't get the impression-"

Kristoff just laughed. "Relax, feisty-pants, I was kidding."

"Oh...Kristoff, don't be jealous," she teased back, "but in all honesty, Elsa's well...rather self-conscious about herself, I mean, she's never had a guy genuinely tell her she's really attractive, but she really is. Come on."

"That's true, I mean frankly if it weren't for you I'd probably have gone for Elsa. Not that I don't like you - I certainly like you, but it's just that she's-"

"Guys, you're so dysfunctional. More than Kristoff's man-" Olaf told the pair.

"Ew, Olaf, I didn't want to know- wait Kristoff, is he serious?!" Anna shrieked, glancing at Kristoff's pants and causing him to blush.

"No, what?! Olaf!" Kristoff yelled, embarrassed (although Olaf's claim certainly was untrue).

"Kristoff, I saw it in your room the thing was all broken. How are you supposed to play it-"

He was cut off again by the couple, red-faced, screaming at him to shut up. "The mandolin doesn't work, guys. I don't get why that's such a big deal."

"Oh..." Anna said, "Um...sorry about that, Kristoff, I might have overreacted a teeny bit..."

"Who overreacted?" a voice said, accompanied by steps down the stairs to the stables. Elsa. "I heard a scream, are you alright?"

"Oh, um, hi there, Elsa, uh...we had a little miscommunication...but it's all good" Anna managed a smile, wanting to avoid having to explain the ordeal to her sister.

"A..." Elsa looked at Anna and Kristoff's flushed faces, and put two and two together. Gasping, her hand went up to her mouth as she exclaimed, "Oh god, did Kristoff make a move on you?! Kristoff, I swear I'm gonna-"

"Oh, no, Elsa, no nononoo," Anna stepped between her sister and boyfriend. "Olaf was talking about Kristoff's broken mandolin and, well, we may have thought a bit rashly that he was talking about Kristoff's...*man parts*" she finished, blushing.

Elsa blushed harder, as sex was a topic that typically unnerved her a bit and caused her to lose a bit of her regality and composure. "Oh, well, um, I think we should go." She mounted her horse, Blizzard, waiting for Anna and Kristoff to get on Sven with Olaf before she rode out. "Open the gates!" she yelled, as the people and guards recognized her and quickly parted to let her through and opened the gates.

The white stallion and reindeer dashed over the bridge between the castle and main island, then out the large gates and into the hills surrounding Arendelle, into the setting sun.

It took them several hours, but the four reached the Valley of the Living Rock by late evening.

The trolls quickly recognized Anna, Kristoff, Sven, and Olaf, but Elsa too when they saw her crown. "Your majesty," Grandpabbie bowed. "I hear that things have gone well since your return. It appears that you finally have your powers under control, is that true?"

"Yes, Grandpabbie," Elsa said, smiling as she thought of the Great Thaw, where Anna's act of love had taught her how to control her ice.

"But there's something bothering you."

"Yes."

"A man."

"Um, yes," Elsa answered, surprised by the accuracy of Grandpabbie's statement. Is it that obvious? Do I make some face when dealing with guy issues- but no, this has never happened...she thought. Swallowing hard, Elsa continued. "The King of the Northern Isles, actually. He saved me from an arrow during the ball, but he did it with ice. A bolt of ice, fired and freezing the arrow in midair."

Grandpabbie seemed shocked, but quickly recovered (much faster than Elsa or any of the guests at the ball had). "Ahh, peculiar. Although it should make sense that you would not be the only one Jack Frost has blessed with this gift (A/N: Jack Frost did give Elsa and John ice powers, though for different reasons. However, he's not the important part in this book - may be a bit in a future fanfic - and thus it isn't a crossover, no JackxElsa)."

"What do you mean?" Elsa asked.

"Hm," he started, waving his hands to create the image of a young man wearing blue and brown who carried a curved staff. However, the most interesting characteristic about him was his striking pale hair, much like Elsa's own.

"Jack Frost," Elsa breathed.

"Yes, my dear. The childhood fairytale. But is he really?"

"What?!" the royal sisters exclaimed, causing Kristoff to look up from where he and Olaf were playing with a few young trolls and walk over, concerned.

"He is not. Jack Frost, the Winter Spirit, the North Wind, the King of the North, all of these tales are true. He is one of the Guardians, a quintet that works to protect the children of the world. Jack is the origin of ice powers like yours."

"I'm sorry, Grandpabbie, but I'm not really convinced that he exists," Anna said sheepishly.

"He does, only you can't see him. Only rarely has the winter spirit been spotted, for one would have to believe him and be in the same place to see him. He is quite the mischievous one, and will often hide from even those who believe in him."

"Have you seen him?"

"Not personally, but through the troll magic I can feel his icy presence," Pabbie admitted.

"Are you sure that's not Elsa's icy personality?" Anna asked. "I mean, Els, not that you're like cold or anything, well you are cold, but not like a cruel and heartless person-"

Elsa laughed. "Anna, I think everyone knows what you meant."

Pabbie laughed. "Anyways, Elsa. Jack Frost, although you've never seen him, is where your powers originate. It's likely that either he gave them to you or that you somehow found a piece of Mr. Frost's magic when you were very young, but more likely the former."

"Oh, then what about the king?"

"The Northern Isles, dear, is a mysterious place. You know of the four Isles? Corona to the southwest (Germany/Poland/Denmark), Weselton to the southeast (Lithuania - sorry, Lithuanian readers I picked a country in the general area), and the Northern and Southern Isles in the northwest and south? Well, the Northern Isles is the strangest of them all. It is quite near England, but to the north of England and the east of Scotland. I take it that you are aware of the Kingdom of Scotland?"

"Oh! That's the home of the late King Macbeth!" Anna exclaimed.

"Correct, dear. However, the Northern Isles is one of the island nations. Like Arendelle and Corona, its kingdom is located on an island off the coast of its mainland. And there are mountains around all of its territory, which is likely why Scotland has not yet invaded them."

"However, for ages that has been one of the colder areas, but many thought that it was just due to the climate. Though there was a theory,"

"What?" Elsa asked.

"It is an old one, one that this young King has led me to believe in. Jack Frost is rumored to have created a legendary kingdom for himself, one of ice and snow. Although the few from the Northern Isles that we've seen describe nothing of the sort, his magic could be surrounding it, or at least its initial founding. That would explain the weather...and the magic."

"Oh...so both of us were given this ability by the winter spirit?"

"To the extent of my knowledge...yes."

Elsa remained shocked in silence for several moments, completely forgetting about the king's reaction.

But Kristoff certainly didn't. "It gets more confusing, Grandpabbie," he said.

"Yeah," Anna added, "and he wasn't even shocked that Elsa and everyone else had seen. He seemed totally suave and relaxed, as if he expected her to know he had powers or something."

"Is this true?"

"Yes, Grandpabbie," Elsa answered. "It's like he thought I'd know...he didn't even seem shocked that someone else had found out, but yet I've never heard of this King. I mean, I knew he existed, but not about the ice. And, judging from even the look on his prime minister's face, I doubt his own people did. Do you know any more?"

Grandpabbie thought for a long time before taking Elsa's hands in his own. "I'm sorry, Elsa, but I do not have answers for you. The ice similarity I could possibly explain, but not his reactions. Frankly, you'd have to ask him yourself, for he is the only one who would know."

"Um, thank you, Grandpabbie," Elsa said, curtsying as he bowed to her. The Queen rose and bowed her head slightly to the rest of the trolls, before mounting her horse and riding towards the castle. Anna and Kristoff, after a few hurried goodbyes (thankfully no Fixer-upper song this time), grabbed Olaf from some baby trolls that he was playing with and followed her.

As they dashed back to the castle, Anna and Kristoff couldn't help but notice the trail of ice left by Elsa and her horse in her nervousness. Exchanging a wary glance with the princess, Kristoff quietly told Sven to kick it a bit more, as they sped after the queen.

The wind howled as they made their journey in the darkness of night.