Elsa had a restless sleep that night. She kept dreaming about troll princesses and polar bears attacking her. Sometimes Gerold was in the dream and sometimes he wasn't. Sometimes she was the one the Troll Princess was cursing. Sometimes she was just walking down the hallway and either the Princess or the bear ran her down. Her dreams were simply a convoluted collection of danger and fear.

Eventually, her mind found some rest, but all too soon morning came and someone was knocking on her bedroom door. She had half a mind to just roll over and go back to sleep. But the door opened away.

"Excuse me, Elsa?" It was Henrik's voice. "Gerold's been asking for you."

Elsa shot out of bed, fully prepared to visit Gerold in her nightgown, but Henrik convinced her to put on something more appropriate. She only followed his instruction because he wouldn't let her out the door otherwise.

At last, she was in Gerold's room and Gerold himself was lying in the bed and looking back at her. He appeared worn, tired, and years older than she remembered ever seeing him. She crossed over to the bed where a chair had been placed for her to sit. Gerold reached out and grasped her hand, and for a few moments the couple simply stared at each other, not needing to speak, just glad to be together again.

At length, worry filled Gerold's eyes. "Did I hurt you?" His voice sounded strained, like he'd been using it all night.

Elsa shook her head. "I'm fine."

He squeezed her hand, and Elsa placed her free one on top of his so his hand was resting between both of hers.

She hated to make him talk, but she had so many questions. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"Would you have believed me?" he asked.

She exhaled softly, then shook her head. He was right, she wouldn't have. Even now, the events of last night seemed little more real than the dreams she'd experienced.

Gerold opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. He gestured with his free hand to something behind Elsa, and she turned to see a glass of water sitting on the table. She took it and helped Gerold drink some of it.

"You understand," he said at last. "Why I said it was better for us to part ways?"

Elsa squeezed his hand in response. Leaving him wasn't an option anymore. "Your brother mentioned something about a way to break the curse?"

Gerold sighed and closed his eyes like he wished his brother hadn't said anything. Then he placed his free hand on top of hers as she had done so that they had their hands wrapped in each other's. He didn't speak right away, like he just wanted to enjoy that moment for a little while.

"To break the curse," he told her slowly. "The woman that I love, and who loves me, has to spend one full night with me… and survive."

Elsa stared at him. She knew how close she'd come to being seriously injured or worse from the encounter with the bear last night. But she'd only been in the room with him a few minutes. How was anyone supposed to last the entire night?

Gerold turned toward her and squeezed her hands. "That's why it's best if you just go home."

But Elsa shook her head. She didn't know how to break the curse, but she was determined that she would. She'd come so far. She wasn't running back home, not if it meant leaving Gerold here to suffer.

"Elsa," Gerold pleaded, and she knew he could see her mind turning. "Please. I can't control it. I lose all form of consciousness once the transformation takes place. The bear takes over. It does whatever it wants, and it will kill you." His eyes became misty at the thought. "Please, Elsa. Go home."

But she shook her head again. "I won't you leave you here."

"You must," he said.

They stared at each other, and Elsa knew there was nothing more she could say. She gave his hands one last squeeze and kissed him on the forehead before letting him go and rising from the chair. She wasn't sure what she could do, but giving up was not something we was willing to contemplate.

She was in a haze through breakfast, Gerold's words running through her head. How could she break the curse? There had to be some way she could keep herself safe while still being in the bear's presence. She just wasn't sure how, and the harder she thought about it, the harder it was for her to form any ideas.

"You've been awful quiet, Elsa," said Alvar, trying to coax her out of her stupor.

Elsa looked up. She had hardly touched her plate at all while the men around her were nearly finished. She glanced at Alvar, who had an expression of concern on his face.

"I think I can break the curse," she told him.

The whole table fell silent, everyone looking at her.

She turned to Einar, who shook his head. "Only a woman who loves–" he started.

"I love him," she admitted, the confession drawing a shaking breath from her. "That was my whole reason for coming here, for insisting on seeing him. It wasn't about political relations." She just hadn't wanted to admit her feelings to Einar, and part of her thought some of that reason was because it still surprised her she could feel so strongly toward someone in so short a time.

Einar looked shocked, like he never would have guessed. Eventually, he recovered, clearing his throat. "There's still the matter of the bear, which would tear you–"

"I made a wall last time," Elsa explained. "I could make another one, and as long as I could keep it up through the night…" She'd never tried to sustain something that long, not consciously. She wasn't entirely sure she could do it, but it was the best option she had.

"Would that work?" asked Henrik, suddenly.

"Why wouldn't it?" asked Staffan.

"Well, if there's a wall between them," he explained. "They aren't exactly together, are they?"

"They're in the same room." Staffan pointed out.

"Yes," said Henrik. "But if breaking the curse worked through walls, all she'd have to do is stay out in the hall, right? And I think we'd both agree that wouldn't work."

Staffan opened his mouth to argue further, then thought better and closed it. He brought his hand to chin, thinking. "You raise a good point."

"It does not matter," said Einar, breaking into the conversation. "Because the attempt isn't happening."

"Why not?" asked Elsa urgently.

Einar stared at her. "Why not?" he repeated incredulously. "Why not? Because the bear would rip you to shreds, that's why. And do you think Gerold wants to have your blood on his hands? If I go to his room and discuss this conversation with him, is there any doubt in your mind he would refuse you making such an attempt?"

Elsa couldn't meet his eyes. He was right; Gerold wouldn't want it. "We have to try," she said dismally, knowing Einar wouldn't listen.

"I will not send the Queen of Arendelle to her death," he said. "Nor will I send the woman my brother loves. He would surely forbid it, and so I must as well – none of you are to go against this!" he added firmly to the men sitting around the table.

"It's the only chance Gerold has!" Elsa insisted, looking around the table at the brothers. She would not leave the Southern Isles empty handed. She'd come for Gerold, and she was determined not to give up on him. "If you want this curse to be broken, you have to let me try!"

"If it were I in Gerold's place," Staffan told her forlornly. "I would not let the woman I love risk her life on my behalf."

Elsa felt her hope plummet. Out of everyone, she'd thought Staffan to be the most likely to side with her. If even he wouldn't… Einar, of course, remained steadfast by his decree. Alvar shook his head at Elsa's look; he was siding with his brother. Henrik looked dismally down at his plate; he would not go against what he knew would be Gerold's wishes. Only Frans seemed undecided. He wouldn't meet anyone's eyes but stared straight ahead, an expression on his face like he was warring with himself.

"Frans?" Einar inquired.

"I won't," Frans assured him with some difficultly. He never turned his head or removed his gaze from the wall. "Go against… your decree."

Einar was satisfied with his answer. "I will speak with Gerold," he said at last. "And if his desires are different than we have assumed, I will inform you all at lunch."

Breakfast ended with everyone getting slowly to their feet and leaving the table – everyone except Frans and Elsa, whom eventually finished their plates and parted ways.

Elsa walked out to the beach, not knowing what to do with herself and praying against all hope that Gerold would change his mind. Maybe Einar could talk some sense into him, but she doubted it.

She thought, perhaps, as a last resort, she could go with her original plan of finding some way to slip past the guards to get into Gerold's room. But she was certain they'd be more diligent with their posts after recent events. No, trying to fool them was not the best idea. She'd need their cooperation if she was going to get anywhere.

With a sudden idea, she ran back to the castle and toward Gerold's room. She spoke with the guards, but they refused to help her. They were honor bound to their posts, and they happened to agree that if she were allowed to stay the night she wouldn't be alive in the morning.

She went looking for Frans next. She knew he wasn't happy about current arrangements, and while she didn't want to ask him to go against his brother's wishes, she didn't know where else to turn. But he was impossible to find. It seemed he too had sought to be alone with his thoughts.

Elsa spent the rest of the morning dejected in her room, waiting for and hoping that lunch would bring better news. But lunch was just as she had expected. Einar didn't even acknowledge the question he knew they were all carrying in their minds. He simply sat quietly and ate.

"When were you thinking of departing?" Einar asked at last.

It took Elsa a moment to realize he was talking to her. "I… hadn't thought about it," she admitted. Her mind had been on Gerold, and she'd been willing to take as much time as needed.

"Perhaps you should," he said. "Your presence is welcome here, of course, but I'm sure you need to be getting back to Arendelle."

Elsa was no longer interested in her plate. She knew what Einar was trying to say; he'd spoken with Gerold, and he'd said no. Frans was now the only option she hadn't explored, but he hadn't joined them at the table to eat. She assumed he'd taken the meal in his room.

She went to his room after she finished her plate, but he didn't answer when she knocked. She called to him, but if he was in the room he was remaining silent. Elsa sighed and slid down the wall next to Frans' door. She didn't know what else to do.

To her surprise, several minutes later, the door opened and Frans appeared. "My brother was a traitor to the family," he said. "I guess I'll have to follow in his footsteps."

"You'll help?" asked Elsa, scrambling to her feet.

Frans motioned for her to step inside, and she did as he suggested. Once he closed the door, Frans paced the room.

"Okay," he said eventually, turning to face her. "I'm a polar bear coming at you." He raised his arms and bent his fingers to form claws. "What do you do?"

"Uh," said Elsa, not expecting an on-the-spot rendition. "I put up a wall?"

Frans shook his head. "We're operating under the assumption that walls won't work."

"Okay… uh, a shield then." The wall had worked so well last time that Elsa was having trouble adjusting her strategy away from it. And she always felt she worked better in the moment.

Frans took a step forward and swiped directly in front of her. "I crush your shield. Next!"

"Uh," Elsa took a step back, envisioning her time with the polar bear as it had swiped at and shattered the ice. She had to think on her feet. "I… throw a snowball in your face!" She put out her hands as thought casting.

Frans stepped back, wiping at his face. "Okay. I'm distracted, now what?"

Elsa tried to imagine what was in the room. "The table… I duck behind it for cover."

Frans shook his head again. "No good. I'll just come at you again, and we're back at square one."

Elsa pressed her hands to her face. She had to think of something more long term, something that would last the night and keep her safe. "I could…" She thought of the dome she had used to protect herself. She couldn't encase the polar bear in one since it probably counted as a wall, but what if she… "I encase the polar bear's feet in ice so it can't move."

Frans drop his stance and brought his hand to his chin as his older brother had done. He paced the room again. "That could work," he said slowly.

Elsa wasn't sure how well. The polar had a lot of strength. It had torn down her wall and shattered her initial defenses. She powers weren't instant, and if she couldn't get the ice to form fast enough, the bear could just shake it off. Freezing its feet to the floor wouldn't be possible if she couldn't distract it from what was happening. But she didn't voice her concerns to Frans. It was clear he wanted a strategy from her, and she worried if she couldn't provide one that was satisfying to him then he might not help her.

"What about the cold?" he asked her at last. "If you keep his feet frozen all night, wouldn't that cause some harm?"

Elsa hadn't thought about that. The bear had fur to protect it, but she was sure after some time the ice would become wearing. "I could alternate feet," she suggested. That provided some risk since the bear could try to scratch its way out with its free claws, but she wasn't going to worry over the fine details.

Frans stared at her, considering. "You realize," he said. "If this doesn't work out, I'll have to go into voluntary exile. Einar and Gerold will never forgive me if something happens to you."

"It's a risk for me too," Elsa admitted. She hadn't truly considered the possible consequences. The risk on her life was apparent, but she was willing to take it. What she hadn't thought of was the fact that Arendelle could lose a Queen. Anna would take over, of course, but then she'd have lost a sister.

What a funny thing love was! Here she was willing to risk everything for one man. She'd neglected her queenly duties and hardly cared. Everything seemed worth it for Gerold's sake. And wasn't it worth it? She'd do the same if it were Anna in that room. And she knew that if she asked Anna about Gerold's situation, her sister would approve wholeheartedly that she try, even with the risks involved.

Frans seemed satisfied. "We'll do it tonight," he said. "I'll distract the guards so you can get it in."

"And you have a plan for how to do that?"

Frans nodded but didn't share. "Be careful once you are in there. I don't know if you've realized, but the trolls made it so no sound or force of impact can be detected from that room. If you need to get out, the guards won't know you're in there. You'll have to do it on your own like you did before."

Elsa left Frans room feeling strangely optimistic considering she would soon lock herself in a room with a polar bear for an entire night. But this was about helping Gerold, and she couldn't help but be glad it was going to happen. After tonight, his curse would be broken. The alternative, she was better off not thinking about.

Frans' plan to get passed the guards wasn't nearly as sophisticated as Elsa had imagined. He simply appeared, demanding their help as though there were some kind of emergency. The guards hesitated, and when Frans insisted further, they ran after him, not willing to disobey an order from the royal family. Once all three men were out of sight, Elsa slipped easily into the door.

Gerold was lying in bed, loosely draped in a sheet. From what she could tell, he was unclothed and drenched in sweat.

"Elsa!" he gasped upon turning his head toward her. He tried to cover himself as best he could but it was difficult with the pain that was currently wrecking his body. "Leave! Get out!"

But Elsa shook her head.

"You must!" He insisted. He closed his eyes as his body spasmed. "It's not… safe!"

She tried to calm him, to explain the plan that was in place, but nothing she said or did could console him. He was certain the bear would kill her. He continued to plead with her until tears rolled down his face and his words were intelligible. And then all at once, he ceased talking and his body went ridged. And then the whole of him started to shake.

His mouth opened in a cry of pain as his body started to stretch. Muscles grew, and joints dislocated. His cries turned into screams, and Elsa had to turn away and back against the wall. She covered her ears, unable to bear the cracking sounds as his bones shifted and grew to take on the new massive shape.

And then Gerold's scream become a roar, and Elsa ducked behind the table as she looked up to see the polar bear on the bed where Gerold had been. The bear lashed out angrily, probably feeling some residual pain. It slashed at the air and threw itself against the wall again and again. But then its frustration died down and the bear's roars turned to grunts as it began to take in its surroundings.

Elsa couldn't imagine being trapped in a room made it very happy. She had to keep it calm if her plan was going work. If the bear caught sight of her or started lashing out for other reasons, she wouldn't be able to keep it still long enough to freeze it in place.

She created a snow shower from the ceiling, which the bear seemed intrigued about. Elsa imagined the snow created the illusion of being outside. She created a pile of snow over the bed, which the bear immediately dived into. And Elsa began the process of solidifying the flakes around the bear's feet.

But, in trying to play in the snow, the bear noticed its feet getting stuck and pulled itself free from the thin ice. Elsa needed to try something different and faster. She focused on the snow pile the bear had thrown itself into and tried to freeze it.

The bear noticed something was wrong almost immediately, but Elsa was faster. The bear became completely encased in ice, only its head sticking out. The bear struggled, but couldn't get free. Elsa thought it was safe to emerge from her hiding place, but once the bear saw her, it roared and struggled harder. The bear was strong, and Elsa could see that eventually it would be able to break itself free from its casing, especially in its current rage.

Elsa reinforced the ice as the bear struggled, but she knew she couldn't keep this up forever. The bear might eventually tire, but she was afraid the damage the cold might cause to keep it in the ice all night. And she was certain now her original plan of just alternating between two feet would not be enough to hold the bear still.

She needed to try something else, something different. And as she watched the muscles of the bear's neck flex as it tried to wiggle free, she was reminded of how she'd used the cold to numb Gerold's pain. A polar bear stood in front of her, but it was still Gerold. He was in there somewhere. And, just maybe, there some way she could reach him.

She stretched out her hand, being careful to keep it out of reach of the snapping jaws of the bear. She closed her eyes to help her focus, and she let her consciousness reach out to the bear's mind. Love thaws, she thought to herself. And if I focus on my love for Gerold, then the cold can't touch him. She released her power slowly, gently. She was too afraid of causing damage. But the polar bear seemed to have ceased its struggles, perhaps unnerved by the presence of Elsa's power inside its head.

Elsa took her time, letting her emotions build. She thought of her love for Gerold, how quickly it had formed, how unexpected it had been, but also how strongly she felt it. She was determined to free him from this curse by whatever means, but one wrong move and either one of them could end up dead. And yet, somehow, she did not feel afraid. She was confident in her love for him, just as confident as the love she felt for her sister. It was a bond, and it was strong. She let that strength fill her, let the knowledge of it warm her until, at last, she released her power.

She opened her eyes as the cold burst forward with pinpoint precision. The bear went stiff for a moment, and then its body went slack. Elsa waited with baited breath but the bear didn't move again.

"Gerold!" she cried out, terrified that she had made a terrible mistake.

The bear gave a groan and shook itself. It raised its head and then looked from side to side as though confused. It looked down at itself like it didn't understand what it was doing in the ice. And when it finally looked at her, she could see its cold black eyes had changed to soft hazel.

"Gerold?" she asked in a whisper.

The bear nodded.

Elsa took a hesitant step, then threw herself on the bear's neck, hugging the man she loved as the ice holding him in place melted. Gerold, still in bear form, settled onto his back legs and took her into his arms.