"Elsa. Elsa, get up. We… we have to go. We have to follow Anna. We can't let her get away."

Kristoff's voice sounded distant and dead, all emotion drained away by the shock of what they had just witnessed. Or perhaps the distance was within her own head. After all, it was more than just one voice that seemed strange. The entire world had turned flat and colorless. Though she lifted her head and tried to blink away her tears, still the familiar shapes of the courtyard seemed to have been reduced to a crude painting, rendered only in shades of white and gray.

"Elsa! We have to go! Now!"

She felt herself being shaken roughly. Strong hands grabbed her shoulders and attempted to pull her to her feet, but she hadn't the strength to stand. She was exhausted. The prolonged use of so much concentrated magic had been enervating enough. Watching in pathetic impotence as her sister had flown out of her life had been one blow too many.

"Every second we wait, Anna gets further and further away. We can't just sit here! I'll… I'll get Sven. I can have him harnessed and ready to go in less than a minute. Then we can go after them. Then we can..."

"How?" Elsa asked weakly. "She was flying, Kristoff. There's no way we could ever keep up with her. No matter how fast Sven runs, he'll never be able to catch up. Besides..." She choked on a sob. "I have to go alone."

The brawny man came around to stand in front of her and, with no regard to propriety, grabbed her and hauled her upright. It was his strength and not her own that kept her from crumpling to the ground again. "You can't be serious! This is Anna we're talking about! I'm going after her, and there's nothing you or anyone else can do to stop me."

"Kristoff..."

"We have to get moving. Right now. So maybe we can't keep up, but we have to try. I mean, she can't sustain that kind of power forever, can she? Maybe… maybe she just did that to escape the castle. Maybe she'll have to set back down again, and then we'll at least have a chance. If we let her get too far ahead, though, we might never find her. Right now, she isn't exactly hiding, but if she goes to ground..."

"It doesn't matter."

His hands tightened painfully upon her shoulders, and his face contorted in pain and anger. "How can you say that? Of course it matters! It's Anna! It's your sister, and..."

At last, feelings surged up inside her again, and they gave her strength. Fiercely, she knocked his arms away. Standing on her own two feet, she glared up at him, her face mirroring his emotions.

"Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I'm scared sick right now? How can you even suggest that Anna doesn't matter to me? She's my family, Kristoff. She means everything to me!"

For a moment, he looked taken aback. Then his eyebrows drew down again, fear for Anna giving him courage before the queen. "But you just said..."

"That woman has no intention of hiding, ever! She wants me to follow her, remember? And when I said it didn't matter, I meant that it makes no difference how far away she travels. I'll find her. I will track her down, no matter what."

The fierce conviction that had found its way into Elsa's voice was enough to give Kristoff pause. "Well," he said at last, "that's… that's more like it. Now I'm not exactly the best tracker in these parts, but I know that we shouldn't allow the trail to grow cold." He immediately winced at the potentially hurtful choice of words, but Elsa didn't even seem to notice.

"We don't need a trail, Kristoff. Wherever she takes Anna, I'll know."

He looked at her then with open skepticism. He appreciated her renewed determination; they couldn't afford to break down in the face of this calamity. But they also couldn't risk losing their heads to dangerous overconfidence. "Look, I understand how close you and Anna can be, but I don't think we ought to rely on some spiritual sibling connection to..."

Elsa shook her head. "No, it's not that. Well, not exactly. It's Olaf."

Kristoff stood up straighter, his doubt giving way to abject confusion. "Olaf? Okay, now I'm completely lost."

"It's a little hard to explain. I've… I've always had trouble using my magic to shape snow into anything except the most basic of shapes. I tried when I was younger, but I could never get it to work. As soon as I'd let go of the magic, the snow would just collapse. It was frustrating.

"I only discovered the secret by accident, and I didn't even realize its significance until years later. You see, at least for me, the trick is to leave a little pocket of magic inside the snow. That seems to be enough to hold it all together. It just also happens to have one other little side effect."

Understanding dawned on Kristoff's face. "That's how you make snow come to life!"

She nodded. "There's a bit of magic inside Marshmallow. There was a bit inside… inside Polla." She glanced mournfully at the trampled patch of snow into which the bear had vanished. Then she pulled herself together and once again looked into the pair of worried brown eyes. "And there's a bit inside Olaf."

All the pieces were now falling into place. "Does that mean…? Can you sense his magic?"

"Yes. Most of the time, I barely notice it. It's sort of like the quietest of murmurs from somewhere down the hall. But if I concentrate on it, I can always find it. That's why I needed Olaf to go with Anna. Well, I also wanted someone to be there for her so she wouldn't be all alone. Mostly, though, I needed a way to follow her no matter where she went."

Kristoff just stared, temporarily agog at this sudden insight. The next instant, his arms were wrapped around Elsa's torso in a hug so tight, he lifted her off her feet. "I could kiss you!" he exclaimed.

"Save it for Anna," she managed to gasp. "I'm sure she'll need it once I bring her back home."

"Once we bring her back home," he corrected, setting her down once again. "I already told you..."

"And I told you, I have to go alone! You saw what she's capable of. There's nothing you can possibly do against her. I… I don't even know if I can stop her. But I'm not about to hand her another hostage."

"Elsa, you might have the power to control ice and snow, but you don't know these mountains the way I do. I know the passes better than almost anyone. I can get us over them faster than you could ever hope to on your own. Besides, we have no idea how far we'll have to travel, so we'll need provisions. Even you need to eat. That means a sled, and you don't exactly have a lot of experience driving one."

"I can't ask you to do that."

"You didn't. I'm volunteering."

"No. No, I won't have you risking your life too. Anna would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you. It's bad enough that she somehow got mixed up in all of this, whatever this is. And if the only way I can free her is by taking her place, then… then she's going to need you to look after her."

Kristoff gaped. "Elsa..."

"This is my fault! I have to be the one to fix this! That woman would never have even come here if it weren't for me!"

"That woman," said a shaky voice from behind Elsa, "is called the Snow Queen."

The argument stopped as the two turned to look at the pair of figures who had detached themselves from the crowd that still lingered in front of the palace. They had quietly crossed the courtyard and now stood a few paces away, faces bloodless with fright. He bowed slightly, though he was shaking so badly, he straightened quickly for fear of losing his balance. She did not even try to curtsey, but merely watched Elsa with a look of misery and guilt upon her face. They appeared to be leaning heavily upon one another for support.

"Kai, Gerda!" Elsa exclaimed in astonishment. "You… you know her?"

"I am afraid so, Your Majesty." The steward's expression conveyed a remorse so deep, it might almost have been a physical pain.

"How? When?" Elsa's initial shock swiftly combined with her fears and anxieties to turn into something even more painful. "And… and you've known my secret for years! If you knew that there was someone like that out there, someone like me, how could you not tell me?"

The two old friends exchanged a glance, their shared embarrassment finally bringing some color back into their cheeks. By unspoken agreement, Gerda provided the answer.

"Your mother and father thought it would be best if..."

Elsa staggered backward a step "My parents knew, too? Does that mean what she said about meeting my mother… was that actually true?"

Gerda blanched, then nodded. "Please don't think too unkindly of them. The Snow Queen has magic beyond what you saw here today. She also has the ability to… well, to make people forget things, you see. Your mother, God rest her soul, didn't even remember their encounters. She only had dreams. Nightmares, really. Even then, once she awoke, all she could hold on to were fragments of a face. She had no idea what they meant. It was only when she finally went to see the trolls that..."

"The trolls?" Anna's abduction had already turned Elsa's world upside-down. This series of revelations, coming so quickly upon the heels of that trauma, was now shaking it so violently that she no longer had the slightest idea what direction up even was anymore. Turning to look at Kristoff, she snapped accusingly, "Did you know about this?"

"No! I swear, this is just as surprising to me as it is to you!"

She wheeled again upon Kai and Gerda. Anna had already had her memories violated once because of a mistake Elsa had made. The thought that it could happen again suddenly kindled within her an urgency that had been almost extinguished by her profound sense of helplessness.

She allowed all of her anger, frustration, and worry to spill into her voice. Together, they resulted in a ring of authority that would have made a great many of her ancestors extremely proud. The sound of it in her own ears was almost enough to make her believe that she actually knew what she was doing.

"You are going to tell me everything you know," she demanded crossly, "but first, we need to take care of a few things. Kai, you need to send someone to fetch the physician immediately. Colonel Holberg needs medical attention. The two who were being frozen should be looked at as well. There shouldn't be any permanent damage, but I don't want to take any chances.

"Kristoff, go get Sven and your sled ready. Grab any equipment you think we might need, and..."

"Wait, does this mean you're going to let me come along with you?"

"We don't have time to argue. Besides, you're right: we'll go faster by sled, and we'll need the provisions. The more I learn about this… this Snow Queen, the less time I want Anna to spend in her clutches. But once we get wherever we're going, I will face her alone. I'm not about to put anyone else's life in danger if I can help it. Do you understand me?"

"Of course, Your Majesty." His sudden use of her formal title did not escape Elsa. Nor did she believe for one second that he would be so willing to follow her orders when the time for the true confrontation actually arrived. Still, that was a debate they could have later. They might not have time for it now, but there would doubtless be far too much time during the long journey that lay ahead.

"Gerda, I need you to see to those provisions. I have no idea how far we'll have to travel or how long it will take, so it will need to be food that can survive a lengthy trip. There shouldn't be any problem keeping it cold, which will help, but we'll need as much as Sven can haul." The head of the kitchens nodded, her eyes going slightly out of focus as she turned her attention inward and began mentally preparing a list of suitable items.

"As soon as you've set all of that in motion, we will meet outside the stables. Then I will expect the full story from both of you, or as much as you can tell me in the time it will take to load the sled. This conspiracy to keep such critical secrets from your queen will be dealt with later. Right now, we need to act, and act swiftly. Are there any questions about what I'm asking of you? No? Then go!"

Gerda, Kai, and Kristoff hurried off in three separate directions. Elsa stood alone for a brief while, staring at the gaping hole in the snow cover that the Snow Queen had left behind when she'd made her escape. Then she turned and, holding her head high, began to walk across the courtyard, away from the stables and the palace. She took great pains not to meet anyone's eye but instead fixed her gaze straight ahead. In this way, she reached her destination without interference. Slipping inside the stave chapel, she quietly pushed the doors closed behind her. She had walked halfway down the aisle toward the apse before she finally came to a halt.

Then, clamping both hands over her mouth, she screamed.

Ice shot outward from beneath her feet, covering the golden floorboards with a sheet of white before it began to climb the pews. Jagged spikes grew out from the benches in every direction, twisting the seats of worship into strange shapes that more closely resembled medieval torture devices. Complicated patterns of frost crawled up the walls. There they met, intertwined, and merged. They covered the tall windows, growing thicker and thicker until the chamber seemed as though it was being illuminated more by the cold light of a waning moon than by the afternoon sun.

Her magic raced up the columns that supported the ceiling and the choir balcony. The crackling noises as these iced over sounded ominously akin to that of splintering wood. When the multiple streams of power collided upon the vaulted apex, the result was like frozen fireworks. Fine streamers launched themselves into the air in spherical blasts, though they did not remain thin for long. The delicate tendrils swiftly bloated, branched, broke, until someone looking up might have thought they were actually gazing down into a thicket of ice-covered thorns.

Elsa's scream only ended when she had exhausted all the air in her lungs. She tried to suck in more, because the wailing within her head still continued and she needed to get it out before it drove her mad. But she choked on the tears that had returned now that she had found a bit of privacy. She coughed, gagged, and nearly wretched. Her shoulders heaved as some part of her fought to regain control. Stumbling forward, she knelt before the altar, though that was perhaps a rather charitable description. Still, even if her legs did choose that moment to give way, the result was the same.

"Anna," she moaned. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please… forgive me." A sob temporarily drowned her words. "I'll… I'll make this right, somehow. No matter what it takes, I will save you, just like you saved me. I won't give up until you're back here, safe and sound again. Because we're family, and family never gives up on each other. Especially since… since it's my fault that you were..."

She buried her face in her hands.

Several minutes of misery ticked by before she rose unsteadily to her feet, wiping at her cheeks. She did not really care if anyone knew that she had been crying. After all, they had already seen her break down in the middle of the courtyard. But she had given herself all the time she could afford to rail against her own failings. Now, the time had come to put tears aside, at least for the moment. She needed to be Queen Elsa again.

She thought of the portrait of her father in the library, the one that captured the moment of his coronation. In it, he held himself with such pride and confidence. She'd drawn inspiration and strength from it on her own coronation day, when she had stood on almost this exact same spot and tried her best to emulate his regal bearing. Of course, her hands had been shaking terribly and she had struggled every second to suppress her urge to turn tail and run.

Somehow, though, no one had noticed. And after Gerda had explained to her everything that her father had been facing when he had taken the throne, she'd begun to wonder if it might not be possible that his hands had trembled every bit as much when they first held the orb and scepter. That was something a painting would never show.

Yet as goes the ruler, so does the kingdom. Her father had taught her that. Small lapses could perhaps be overlooked. In times of crisis, though, the people took their cues from the crown. When she had fled in fear from the Coronation Ball, fear was what she had left Arendelle with as well. She could not afford to do the same again.

When she walked out of this refuge, everyone would look to her. It was her duty to give them what they would need to carry on in her absence: strength, courage, and a belief that everything would turn out right in the end. She hardly felt like she had any of those things herself. Fortunately, she had seen all of them often enough in the faces of her family that she hoped she would be able to at least present her people with reasonable facsimiles.

Father, she thought. Mother. Help me. Help me to be brave. Help me be wise. And… and watch over Anna. I'll be there for her as soon as I can. Until then, please... just keep her safe.

No prayer more devout had ever been cast to the heavens from within that chapel.

Squaring her shoulders, Elsa retraced her steps along the aisle. She had to fight for a moment when she went to open the doors, for her ice had sealed them shut. It was brute force that finally cracked them open, because she did not trust her largely feigned composure to extend to the exercise of her magic. Taking a deep breath, she stepped outside.

Immediately, she saw the buzz of activity on the far side of the courtyard. Several members of the household staff were busily loading Kristoff's sled, with his supervision and assistance. Kai and Gerda stood nearby, whispering quietly back and forth. She even recognized Josef, the palace stablemaster, thoroughly triple-checking every strap and buckle on Sven's harness.

Gerda looked up as Elsa drew near and, spotting her approach, called to Kristoff. Giving one last set of instructions for the packing of their supplies, he hurried over to join the small huddle just as Elsa herself arrived.

"How are Fritz and the others?" she asked Kai without preamble.

"Jannika and Henrik are both shaken, but physically, they're fine," he answered. "I'm afraid Colonel Holberg's injuries were rather more severe. Dr. Claussen had him carried up to the palace where he dressed and bound both wounds. Then they laid him in one of the bedrooms so that he might get some rest. I've sent another messenger to inform Mrs. Holberg, so I suspect she'll be arriving shortly.

"The good news is that his life does not appear to be in any danger, thank heavens. Unfortunately, the doctor thinks it likely that he could lose a certain amount of mobility in his right arm. How much, only time will tell."

Elsa nodded gravely. "See to it that he gets whatever medical attention he needs."

Then she pinned Kai with an even sterner glare, one which she turned upon Gerda as well. "Now, I believe you both have a few other things you need to tell me."

The two looked at the queen, then at each other. Neither wanted to be the one to have to start, but start they finally did. For their part, Elsa and Kristoff simply stood there before the stables, listening. They asked few questions, not wanting to delay their departure any more than was absolutely necessary to learn what they were getting themselves into. As a tale unfolded that spanned at least three generations, their amazement steadily grew.

So, too, did their dismay.

• • •

"Let me go!"

Anna strained against her bonds. They might only have been bands of ice, yet they had proven to be anything but fragile. For as little as they yielded under her exertions, they could just as easily have been made of steel. Even so, this had not yet discouraged her from attempting to free herself, or from protesting her abduction.

"I don't know who you think you are, but you don't scare me. I've managed to escape an attack by a hungry pack of wolves. I was once chased down a mountain by an angry snow monster. I even survived like the worst fiance ever!"

"Don't forget being frozen completely solid," Olaf helpfully added, poking his head up over the back of the seat.

"Yeah… Yeah, that too."

Actually, Anna had rather hoped not to bring up that particular incident, but she couldn't exactly blame the little snowman for chiming in. After all, she was doing her best to present a brave and unflappable face to her abductor. She had no idea whether or not the mysterious woman was actually buying into her act, though she had apparently managed to convince at least one member of her select audience. But there was a reason why she would have preferred to keep what might well have been the most terrifying moment of her life a secret from this stranger.

"Frozen solid? Really? My dear, how ever did that happen?"

Yep, that was it.

"It… it was an accident," Anna stammered. Then, in an attempt to reclaim some of her earlier bravado, she added, "It's also none of your business."

"It was your sister, wasn't it? She struck you with her magic. She froze your heart."

Anna flinched, but for once, chose to say nothing.

The Snow Queen clucked her tongue. "You see, this is why I came for Elsa. She obviously does not know how to control her powers. When I learned that Arendelle had been covered with snow in the middle of summer, I was terribly excited, but also quite concerned. After so many years with no sign of any magic, I wondered what might have led to such a sudden and dramatic outburst.

"At first, I thought there must have been some grave threat, one that had finally brought out powers that had lain dormant all that time. I worried that, by waiting for a sign, I had in fact waited too long, and that something dire might have happened to my precious child before I had the chance to come and take her under my wing."

"She is not your child!" Anna protested.

"And you don't have wings," Olaf observed, "which makes this whole flying thing very confusing."

A small smile lifted the corners of the woman's lips, but otherwise, she continued as though there had been no interruption. "As I gathered more information, however, and began to piece together what must have happened, it soon became clear that there had been no such impending danger. I'll admit, I was perplexed. Had it simply taken that long for her magic to manifest? It hardly seemed likely, though at that point, anything might have been possible. This was uncharted territory, after all.

"The only thing of which I was certain was that the power I had left behind had at last revealed itself. All other answers would come in the fullness of time, and they would be far easier to obtain in person than through intermediaries. Unfortunately, I had not considered that I would encounter such willful intractability upon my arrival. I had assumed that Arendelle's new queen would be frightened by the sudden onset of such abilities and would welcome someone who could teach her how to control them. Obviously, that was another mistake on my part."

"Oh, you definitely made a mistake taking on my sister," Anna confirmed, most of the bluster back in her voice. "You're going to be sorry you crossed her. Once Elsa finds me, you'll be in big trouble. And you won't have any civilians around to threaten either, so she won't have any reason to hold back."

"Interesting. Does that mean then that she did not reveal the full extent of her powers during our little confrontation?"

"That's right!" Anna latched on to the question, seeing in it an invitation to intimidate her captor as much as she possibly could. "You have no idea how strong Elsa's magic really is. Like you said, she once froze the entire kingdom. Why, she has to spend most of her time just holding back her powers. They're just that… um… powerful!"

"Really? How very sad for her. Perhaps she is weaker than I allowed myself to believe."

"What are you talking about? I just told you..."

"It is not a sign of strength that she is still denying her gift, child. It is a sign of fear, and that is most certainly a weakness. How much energy must she waste simply restraining her talents all day long, hmm? Besides, she cannot very well make an ally out of something with which she is constantly at war. Her magic will never serve her properly so long as she insists on keeping it forever locked in a cage, only letting it out when it suits her fancy.

"No, if what you say is true, then I have nothing to fear from your sister. She simply cannot hope to defeat another opponent while remaining so very determined to fight herself."

Anna swallowed, alarmed at how quickly her boastful words had been turned against her. Still, she had never been one to be easily deterred.

"Well, Elsa's really smart, too. In fact, she's probably the smartest person I know. You only saw part of what she can do with snow and ice, and she learned that all on her own without anybody to teach her. She doesn't need your help. All she needs is a little time and practice and..."

"Time? Practice? In the short time since she began using her powers, she brought a blizzard down upon your entire kingdom and, apparently, nearly froze you to death. Can you and your people really afford to let Elsa continue to indulge in mere practice if outcomes like those are to be the result? My dear, can't you see that I am trying to do all of you a favor?"

"But it wasn't like that at all! She was… she was just scared. She's better now!"

"Then I shudder to think what she was like before. Fear is why she keeps her magic trapped inside of her as if it was some sort of wild animal. If she truly believes that what she has now is control, then I'm afraid she is nowhere near as intelligent as you believe her to be."

By this point, Anna's temper was beginning to get the better of her. Generally speaking, her easygoing personality meant that she was slow to anger. There were certain things, however, that she simply would not tolerate. At the very top of that list were insults against her sister.

"Do you want to know why you didn't see any sign of Elsa's magic for so long?" she snapped hotly. "It wasn't because she couldn't use it. She chose not to… because of me! She didn't want to hurt me, so she hid her powers and kept them a secret. She did that for thirteen years, just to protect me. If that isn't strength and courage, then I don't know what is!

"But now, I know all about the things she can do. Now everyone knows, so she doesn't need to hide anymore. And now, you've kidnapped me. If Elsa concealed her magic for all those years just to keep me safe, what do you think she's going to do with it to protect me from you?"

"I really have no idea, but I am certainly looking forward to finding out. She has a sense of whimsy that intrigues me. Just look at this one here." The Snow Queen turned half around to consider Olaf, then asked airily, "Why did she make you, I wonder? You don't look as if you'd be any use as a guard or a fighter. Those arms don't exactly lend themselves to much in the way of manual labor. With your stubby legs, you wouldn't even make a terribly effective messenger. Yet here you are! Most curious."

"Oh, I'm definitely curious," Olaf agreed with a nod. "That's probably why Kristoff says I ask too many questions. Ooh, and I just thought of a really good one! Why is the ground getting so close so fast?"

Anna looked around then and was indeed startled by the speed with which they were suddenly dropping. Had her hands been free, she would have grabbed hold of the dash panel before her and held on for dear life. As much as she liked high speeds, they began to lose their appeal once they seemed certain to end in an abrupt and painful stop.

Despite being securely bound to the back of the seat, her inability to brace herself screamed into the most primal corners of her mind. In response, Anna began to fling herself back and forth with renewed vigor, fighting to win free. Meanwhile, the woman beside her remained perfectly poised, sitting comfortably back and watching their descent with detached disinterest.

"Ground!" Anna shouted. "Ground!" She didn't know why she kept repeating the word. ("Ground!") Given how quickly it was approaching, ("Ground!") it was unlikely the sled's driver had somehow missed it. Even so… ("GROUND!")

"Tree! Tree! Tree! Really scared moose!" Olaf had apparently decided they were playing some sort of game, and had entered into it with great gusto. "Tree! Ooh, a reindeer! Maybe he's related to Sven. Hi, Sven's cousin!"

Woodland sped past them on either side now. They were skimming low over a forest road and getting lower still with every passing moment. Anna wanted to squeeze her eyes shut and turn her head away, but somehow, she couldn't quite manage to do either. All she could do was to watch as the snow-covered earth rushed up to meet them.

Only in the last possible instant did she realize that this was, in point of fact, completely and literally true.

The snow beneath them rose up until it brushed the bottom of the icy platform upon which the sled's runners rested. There was a tinkling sound like delicate wind chimes as the ice abraded away, the tiny sand-sized grains mingling with the snow as the little island began to grow thinner and thinner. Even as they wound their way around the road's many twists and turns, their landing continued to be softened by the rolling ramp of snow that accompanied them every inch of the way.

After only a minute or two, the ice had been worn down until it appeared no thicker than a sheet of paper. When that final remnant also disintegrated, it threw a shower of minute crystals into the air. They sparkled, catching the light like diamond dust. The two bears jogged forward a few steps further as the sled shrugged off the very last of its once considerable momentum. Then they stopped, and the bears shook themselves. Lifting their noses, they snuffled at the air, which was heavy with the fresh scents of snow and pine.

"Ground," Anna squeaked.

"Whee!" Olaf exclaimed happily. "I wonder if that's what it would be like to roll all the way down the North Mountain!"

"You know," said the Snow Queen as she indulged in a luxuriant stretch, "if you keep struggling against those bonds like that, you could very well end up injuring yourself."

Anna looked at the other woman mutely, feeling as though her brain was still a kilometer or two behind them and a goodly distance up in the air. It was probably keeping her stomach and several other useful internal organs company.

"Perhaps it would be best if I simply removed them," the Snow Queen continued. "I think we've put enough distance between us and Arendelle by now. Besides, no doubt you will grow terribly uncomfortable if you have to remain bound up like this for the rest of our journey."

Hearing the name of her own kingdom finally jarred Anna somewhat back to her senses. She opened her mouth, ready to blurt out, If you take these shackles off, then it won't matter how far we've traveled. I will run as far and fast as I can. If I can just get away, then you won't be able to use me as leverage against Elsa. She'll be safe. That's the only thing that matters to me right now.

Of course, how foolish would it be for her to say any of those things out loud? Better once again to just keep quiet. Then, once her arms and legs were no longer restrained, she could take advantage of the first opportunity that presented itself to make a break for it. She wouldn't necessarily have to get that far, either. If she and Olaf could just find a good place to hide, maybe they could outwait this horrible woman. How long would she be willing to spend searching for them? There was no way to know, but even a slim chance was preferable to none at all.

So what she said instead was, "Yes, please."

The Snow Queen leaned over. She extended one graceful finger and, bending low, tapped the fetters around Anna's ankles. They instantly shattered into miniscule fragments. The hand rose, tapped the bindings around the princess's knees, and another shower of icy splinters joined those at her feet. The blonde woman straightened and repeated the same procedure with each of the bands that pinned Anna's right arm – one just above her elbow and the other at her shoulder.

In order to free the left arm, she had to reach all the way across Anna's body. There was an extremely awkward moment when a freckled nose was almost buried in a curtain of pale golden hair. Then, Anna felt the last of her bonds disintegrate. She was free! Part of her wanted to take her chances and bolt for the cover of the nearby trees right there and then. They were too sparse to properly hide her, though. Besides, she rather suspected that she would simply find herself lifted up by a drift of snow and carried straight back into captivity before she even made it to the first trunk. Still, at least she now had a chance. She would simply have to wait until the moment was right and...

As the other woman began to retreat back to her own seat, her pale face passed directly in front of the princess's. Without warning, it stopped, turned, and smiled. Before Anna knew what was happening, she felt a pair of startlingly cold lips pressing against her forehead.

She gasped at the sensation, which somehow didn't seem to stop at her skin. It penetrated much deeper, stabbing through her skull and into her brain. There was a brief but excruciating flash of pain so intense, she was momentarily blinded. Blinking her eyes to try and clear them, she brought the palm of her hand up to press against the spot just above her left eye where the chill still lingered.

"Anna? Anna, are you okay?"

"I'm… I'm fine, Olaf. Just a bit of a headache, that's all." Her vision finally cleared in time to see the reins flick once, lightly signaling to the two draft animals that this short pause in their expedition had now come to an end.

As the boles of the trees fell behind them with increasing speed, Anna continued to massage her forehead with her fingertips. The cold had finally receded, but something still didn't feel quite right. Try as she might, though, she couldn't quite figure out what it was.

"Penny for your thoughts."

Anna blinked at the woman beside her. It was such an amazingly out-of-place sentiment to be delivered from captor to captive that the princess had to replay it in her head several times before she felt certain that she had heard it properly.

"I… I'm not really thinking about anything."

"Ah, but you were just a minute ago. I could see it in your eyes when I released you. Perhaps you could at least tell me what you were thinking about then?"

Anna's eyes narrowed as she cast her mind back, trying to recapture that moment in time. It hadn't been that long ago, after all. So what had been going through her head then? She'd been sitting there, her eyes following along as each band of ice had crumbled to pieces. But what had she been thinking? What had been her reaction to her sudden release?

She shook her head. "I'm sorry. I'm afraid I can't remember."

"I see. Well, you needn't worry about it too much, my dear," the Snow Queen responded with another of her enigmatic smiles. "I'm sure it couldn't have been anything too very important."