ANNA AND Elsa sat before Grand Pabbie while the other Trolls took Olaf on a tour of the valley.
Grand Pabbie placed his hand on Anna's forehead and she opened her eyes.
"Well?" She asked.
"It is true, I can see it in your memories, but your mind keeps it as a dream." he said.
"I know; I dreamt it," she said, "But it felt so real, like I had actually done it."
"How does this make any sense?" Elsa asked, "She couldn't have done it."
Anna turned to Elsa, her eyes filled with doubt.
"But, what if I did?" Anna asked.
Elsa furrowed her brows, looking at her sister.
"Anna –,"
"I've done it before; maybe I really did do it." Anna said.
"Anna, you burnt that man by accident and he was attacking you," Elsa said, "You're not a murderer."
"Maybe I am." Anna said.
Elsa took it aback.
"What do you mean?" Elsa asked.
Anna sighed.
"Ever since the Nine Stars came, I've been afraid." She revealed.
"Well, everyone's afraid of them," Elsa said, "They've killed dragons, they always wear black, they –,"
"It's not because they are intimidating, but there was something else," Anna said, "I don't know what it was and it even surprises me. I have been deeply afraid of them and I didn't know why … until now."
"What're you talking about?" Elsa asked.
"I think Erhard was right, I am a monster." Anna said.
"Anna, you're not a monster –,"
"I burnt that man, I just had a dream that I killed people and I really feel like I did it. Grand Pabbie said that there is a turmoil in me," Anna said, "I don't know how to control this power and it will hurt people. I burned Olaf …, what if I hurt someone else? What if I hurt you?"
"Anna, you will not hurt me." Elsa said.
"What if I do? I don't know the full extent of my power and I don't know how to control it," Anna said, "I can't be trusted."
"Anna, I love you; you're my sister," Elsa said, "You will not hurt me."
Anna looked away from Elsa, staring down at her lap. Elsa turned to Grand Pabbie.
"Anna, you will learn to control this power, I'm sure." Grand Pabbie said.
Anna did not respond.
"Look, I want to show you something," Grand Pabbie said, "Something I saw in your memories."
Grand Pabbie reached for a stick
"Mine?" Anna asked.
"Elsa's." Grand Pabbie said.
Grand Pabbie drew a map of the valley on a sandy patch on the ground using the stick.
"What did you see?" Elsa asked.
"This is where we are," Grand Pabbie said, pointing at a point on the map and drawing a path as he spoke, "If you follow this path and cross the stream, you'll find a forest past the mountains beyond this cave, here."
"Why should we go there?" Elsa asked.
"That is where you parents were setting up camp in your memories." Grand Pabbie said.
Elsa and Anna shared a look.
"Are you sure?" Anna asked.
"I know how it looks like," Grand Pabbie said, "I haven't been there in over twenty years, but I will never forget it."
"Okay," Elsa said.
"You should get going," Grand Pabbie said, "Maybe seeing that place will trigger something that can help you remember more about your past. Simply because your parents have powers does not mean that they were Frost Giants or Fire Demons."
"I understand." Elsa said as she rose to her feet.
"Thank you very much, Grand Pabbie." Anna said.
Anna rose to her feet.
"It was a pleasure having you come over." Grand Pabbie said.
Anna smiled at Grand Pabbie and Elsa saw Olaf and the Trolls returning from their tour.
"Olaf." Elsa called.
"Yeah?" Olaf responded.
"We've gotta go, say your goodbyes." Elsa said.
"Oh, man." Olaf groaned.
The small Trolls groaned as if mimicking him.
"Why are you leaving?" A small Troll asked.
"I don't know." Olaf said.
"Are you coming back?" Another small Troll asked.
"I'll come back." Olaf said.
"When?" Another small Troll asked.
"I dunno, but I will as soon as I can." Olaf said.
"Okay." A small Troll said.
The Trolls chattered excitedly as Olaf walked up to Elsa and Anna. Elsa lifted Olaf and she and Anna climbed onto their horses.
Some Trolls gathered around them.
"How are things going with Kristoff?" A Troll asked.
"I can't say much." Anna said with a smile.
"Ooh, you're marrying him aren't you?" A Troll asked excitedly.
"He hasn't asked me yet, but –,"
The Trolls chattered happily.
"Oh, we're so happy for our little Kristoff," A Troll said.
"He's all grown up!" Another Troll said.
Anna blushed and Elsa smiled at her.
"We'll come back soon." Elsa said.
"Okay." A Troll said.
Anna and Elsa rode off and the Trolls cheered as they left.
ANNA AND Elsa rode their horses down a pathway in the middle of a thick forest.
"Are you sure we're not lost?" Anna asked.
"This is the right path," Elsa said, "You know probably, if I haven't forgotten it. I only saw it once."
"Where're we going?" Olaf asked.
"We're gonna find the place where we lived as kids," Anna said then thought, "Wait a minute, what were we doing in the forest in the first place?"
"Maybe it was when our parents brought us to Grand Pabbie when he wiped your memory," Elsa said.
"But they didn't need to camp out here," Anna said, "We've only camped because we're hiding from the Order. It's only about a four hour trip from Arrendelle."
"I don't know then." Elsa said.
Olaf looked around and nestled himself against Elsa, a wide smile on his face.
"I have no idea why, but you feel very warm right now," Olaf said.
"What?" Elsa asked.
"Yeah, you feel very warm," Olaf said, "It's so cosy."
"How's that possible? My skin's been ice cold since I was young." Elsa said.
"Not really." Anna said.
Elsa turned to Anna who gave a cute smile.
"You do feel warm sometimes," Anna said, "Especially when you're happy or just calm."
Elsa was confused.
"It doesn't make any sense." Elsa said.
"I guess we're all just a little weird." Anna said with a shrug.
Elsa frowned slightly.
"Oh my God." Anna said.
"Huh?"
Elsa looked forward and stopped her horse.
They were on the edge of a large burnt portion of the forest. Tree stumps littered the portion, mixed in with rubble.
Elsa got off the horse and set Olaf on the ground.
"Elsa?" Olaf called.
Elsa did not hear Olaf as she went deeper into the area. Anna got off her horse and followed her. She looked at her.
"Do you know this place or something?" Anna asked.
Elsa looked around and a memory flashed in her mind.
A village stood in the midst of the forest. People toiled with wood, blacksmithing while others prepared food and dressed game in preparation for the next meal.
A woman, Elsa's mother, placed her three-year-old self on the ground. Elsa was drowsy and she rubbed her eyes.
"You have to wake up, Elsa," Her mother said softly, "It's near the afternoon."
"Yes, mamma." Elsa yawned.
Her father emerged from the forest, carrying firewood on his shoulder.
"Oh, your father's here," Her mother said, "Go take care of Anna while we prepare her bath."
"Okay." Elsa said.
She walked into the cabin and picked up Anna from her cradle. She was a little baby and was sound asleep. She smiled at her cute face.
Elsa walked out of the cabin, carrying Anna and she walked passed her parents. Her father placed the firewood on the ground and her mother's hands slowly turned red. Her mother shot fire at the firewood and her father placed a pot on it. He conjured up snow and shot it into the pot. It quickly melted in the pot.
Oliver walked passed a cabin, carrying a bow and arrow. A man stepped out of the cabin.
"Greetings, Freeze." The man said.
"Good morning." Oliver said.
"Going hunting?" The man asked.
"Yeah." Oliver said.
"Good luck." The man said.
Oliver nodded and headed into the forest.
Elsa's father patted her head as he entered the cabin and she smiled at him. Her mother smiled as she saw them and then she heard clamouring.
She mother turned and gasped.
"Oh no," she said, "Elsa, get inside!"
She pushed Elsa into the cabin where her father was setting down an axe. Her mother closed the door.
"What is it?" Elsa's father asked.
"It's them, they're here!" Her mother said.
"How many?" Her father asked.
"A lot." Her mother said.
Her father looked around as he heard people screaming outside. He looked at Elsa who looked at him with worry.
"Papa, what's going on?" Elsa asked.
He knelt before her to look into her eyes.
"Elsa, I'm going to be right back." He said.
"Are you going somewhere?" She asked.
"I just want to check on something, I won't take long." He father said.
"Papa." She said.
Elsa's father kissed her forehead.
"Look, I want you to go with your mother, okay?" He said, "Go with her and I'll catch up with you."
Elsa nodded worriedly. He kissed her forehead again and rose to his feet. His wife looked at him with an equal amount of worry.
"Take Elsa and head for the woods," Her father said, "Don't stop for anything, okay?"
"What about you?" Her mother asked.
"I'll catch up to you." He said.
Elsa's father kissed her mother and hugged her. They pulled away from each other.
A loud crash came from outside.
"Go!" Elsa's father said.
Her mother nodded and grabbed Elsa's hand as she clung to Anna. She headed for the door when it swung open. A soldier ran into the cabin and she backed away. Her father grabbed the axe and flung it into the soldier's skull.
Elsa watched in horror as the soldier fell, his blood splashing on the floor. She whimpered and her mother looked at her worriedly.
Her father stuck his head out of the cabin and looked around.
"Come on, you have to go!" He said.
Elsa's mother ran out of the cabin, dragging Elsa with her. Her father ran after them and a soldier swung a sword at him. He fought with the soldier and Elsa turned to see them as she got further and further away.
"Papa!" She cried.
She struggled to run toward her father and her mother tried to pull her.
"Come on, Elsa." Her mother said.
She grabbed Anna from Elsa and grabbed her hand, running toward the forest. Elsa cried out as she got further and further away from her father.
An arrow struck her mother in the back and she fell on one knee. Elsa saw the arrow.
"Mamma." Elsa said.
Her mother winced and pulled the arrow out of her back. She tried to get to her feet and another arrow struck her leg. She fell and let go of Anna, falling on all fours. Elsa quickly grabbed Anna before she hit the ground.
"Mamma!" Elsa cried.
"Run, Elsa!" Her mother said.
"But, you're injured –,"
"Run!"
Elsa backed away fearfully as her mother's eyes turned black. She ran away.
Her mother turned and sent a wave of fire, burning three soldiers in its wave. She rose to her feet and levitated with a whirlpool of fire around her waist.
Elsa ran, tears making her vision blurry. She tripped over a log and soldiers amassed around her.
"Stay away." Elsa said.
A soldier swung his blade at her and she ran out of the way. She bumped into another soldier.
Elsa covered her face with her arms and accidentally shot ice at the soldier. She looked and saw the soldier's body completely frozen. She backed away fearfully and another soldier stood behind her. She turned and accidentally sent a wave of ice, freezing several soldiers around her.
Her eyes widened with fear and she looked at her hand, which exuded vapour. She turned and saw the hand with which she held Anna drip with water. She fell to her knees and looked around. She began to panic and tears rolled down her cheek. She looked around and her parents were nowhere in sight.
Fire crackled as it burnt through the wood of a tree stump. A large area of a formerly thick forest now had few tree stumps covered with soot. In the middle of an open burnt area was a portion that had patches of ice that exuded vapour.
Corpses of fallen soldiers laid all over the burnt patch of the forest. Some burnt to the bone and others frozen over to the core. Sigils stuck out of the ground, some burnt and some broken.
A sigil waved, casting a shadow over a small figure. Elsa sat in the middle of rubble and wood. She held Anna in her arms.
She rocked the baby, her entire body shaking as she had fear in her eyes. Anna was sound asleep and the look on Elsa's eyes showed her determination to protect her.
She raised her head slowly and she saw Adgar and Idun standing amongst some soldiers. Adgar looked at her with deep concern and Idun looked at the destroyed forest in horror.
Adgar walked up to Elsa and slowly knelt to her to look her in the eye.
"What is your name?" he asked.
"… Elsa." She said.
"Elsa, I know you're afraid," he said, "I don't know what happened here, but you should know that I will not hurt you."
Elsa looked into Adgar's eyes and he smiled warmly.
"You're safe with us." Adgar said.
Elsa ran into Adgar's arms and hugged him, weeping into his shoulder.
Idun walked up to a sigil and looked at it closely.
"Adgar," Idun said.
He stood up, holding Elsa in his arms. Idun looked at him worriedly. Adgar and Elsa looked at the sigil and he frowned.
"I remember," Elsa said.
"Remember what?" Anna asked.
Elsa looked around and turned to Anna.
"I remember what happened to our parents." Elsa said, "I remember how they died."
"What do you mean? Our parents died on the way to Corona for Rupunzel's christening, you and I saw the bodies. You couldn't bring yourself to attend the burial." Anna said.
"No, our real parents." Elsa said.
"What do you mean?" Anna asked.
"Our parents had powers and we lived with them in a village that used to be here," Elsa said, "Some soldiers attacked and dad told me to run away. I was cornered and I froze the soldiers by accident. The King and Queen of Arrendelle found us soon after and took us in."
"Wait so you're saying that mom and dad – those who died in the ship – weren't our parents?" Anna asked.
"Our parents were like us," Elsa said, "I don't know why, but somebody killed them and was unable to get to us."
"So, we really aren't royalty?" Anna asked.
"We were appointed as royalty, but we are not in the Arrendelle bloodline." Elsa said.
Anna was confused and tried to piece things together.
"Okay, then i-if that's what happened, who killed our parents?" Anna asked.
"I don't know, but I saw the sigil of the Nine Stars here after the attack ceased." Elsa said.
"Did they do this?" Anna asked.
"I don't know, but we need to return to Arrendelle." Elsa said.
"Right." Anna said.
Anna and Elsa got on their horses. Elsa looked around.
"Where's Olaf?" Elsa asked.
"Over here, heh," Olaf called.
Elsa turned and saw that Olaf had his carrot nose stuck in a piece of wood.
"Heh, I smelt something interesting," Olaf said embarrassedly.
ELSA AND Anna ran up to the edge of the Fjord, Arrendelle on the other side.
"Great, how're we gonna get across?" Anna asked.
"Easy." Elsa said.
Elsa shot ice on the Fjord and froze it solid. Elsa led her horse and it stopped, becoming uneasy.
Anna tried to lead her horse and it neighed in fear.
"Okay, this is gonna be a little difficult." Anna said.
"Yeah." Elsa said.
Elsa conjured up a small icicle.
"What're you doing?" Anna asked.
"Just giving them a little push is all." Elsa said.
"Are you sure about that?" Anna asked.
"Worth a shot." Elsa said.
"Okay." Anna said uneasily.
Elsa conjured up another icicle and directed them to prick the horse's hinds. The horses neighed and ran onto the ice.
"Yeah, it worked." Anna cheered.
Elsa laughed.
The horses ran toward Arrendelle at high speed.
ELSA AND Anna rode their horses up to the gates of the palace, which had soldiers of the Nine Stars manning them.
"Nobody is allowed through these gates." A soldier said.
"On who's orders?" Anna asked.
"By Lord Erhard Vinzenz, leader of the Nine Stars." The soldier replied.
"Well, I am Queen of Arrendelle, so open the gates." Elsa said.
The soldiers looked at each other uneasily.
"Open the gates." Erhard said from inside the palace grounds.
The gates swung open and Erhard walked up to Anna and Elsa.
"Erhard, we need to talk," Elsa said.
"That is Lord Erhard," Erhard said.
"Not any more," Elsa said, "I am taking back my kingdom and I want you and your Order out of here."
"You have no power to do that," Erhard said.
"Oh, really?" Elsa said.
Elsa conjured snow in her hand and smirked.
"You really want to fight me?" Erhard asked.
"Yeah, I thought you said they could easily wipe us out since they took down dragons." Anna whispered to Elsa.
"I do not seek violence," Elsa said, "But I seek to rule my kingdom as its rightful monarch. I can vouch for my sister's innocence and I can prove that we will not harm our people."
"Oh, I have a better suggestion," Erhard said, "I have your men, Kristoff and Lord Balder, in my custody. You surrender and I will give them to you."
"What do you mean by surrender?" Anna asked.
"You will leave." Erhard said.
"You can't make us do that!" Anna said.
"I believe I can and with few members of the Table still left alive, I have the authority to carry out decisions at my own discretion," Erhard said, "You clearly cannot lead this kingdom; you could not go through the right channels to release your sister and you could not even use your power to stand up for her."
"You threatened to kill her." Elsa said.
"And now I am not threatening, I am making a promise," Erhard said, "Surrender the throne to the Nine Stars and we will let you leave alive with your men, refuse, and the Nine Stars will be forced to hunt you down as traitors."
"Traitors?" Anna asked.
"Do not forget that the people who have lost their leaders still have a grievance," Erhard said, "Surrender your kingdom to the Order and we will make sure nobody knows that your sister murdered them."
"She did not murder them." Elsa said.
"What proof do you have that she did not?" Erhard asked.
"Someone spiked Anna's drink using Silver Leaf." Elsa said.
"Can you show me any evidence?" Erhard asked.
Elsa sighed angrily, realizing that Balder was the one who had the vial.
"Well, you have a choice," Erhard said, "Surrender the kingdom and you can have your men back, don't and we will hunt you down as traitors to Arrendelle and the Table of Eight."
Elsa and Anna shared a worried look.
"So, what shall it be?" Erhard asked.
As always, Follow, Favourite and Review and Await the Awesomeness as we dive deeper into the universe. Thanks for reading.
